A Balanced Education

We believe schools should be spaces where students explore the unfamiliar, but also see their own lived experiences reflected, validated, and valued. Our strong belief is that children do not have a complete education until they are immersed in communities which represent a variety of ideas, cultures, and social groups.

Our community is intentionally diverse, and the makeup of our student body is purposeful. Over 50% of our students and over 40% of our faculty and staff are People of Color. 7% of our students have same-sex parents. 22% of our students’ families receive financial aid. We value our diversity of family make-up, including adoptive families, single-parent families, LGBTQ+ families, multigenerational households, and so much more. We know how important it is for children and families to see themselves reflected within a school and we continually work towards that goal.

Diversity isn’t just about enrollment though. Students must experience a diverse and inclusive program throughout their schooling. We design curricula for students to study the diverse world beyond our school walls. Through a culturally responsive curriculum and faculty who actively learn, live, and teach diverse perspectives, we strive to provide opportunities for all students to have access to a rich multicultural curriculum, develop bias awareness, explore social justice and global issues, and analyze issues related to race, culture, language, adoptive families, socio-economic class, LGBTQ+ families, gender, ability, and religion.

CEE’s mission rests firmly on the belief that happy and emotionally resilient children make the best students who will lead the most joyful and purposeful lives. We know that successful learning cannot take place unless a child feels safe, loved, and has a strong sense of self, so social-emotional learning (SEL) is woven into our school’s fabric, and it is something that is continually integrated into daily life at our school.

We utilize several different approaches that foster positive social-emotional growth for students of all ages. R.U.L.E.R., an acronym for the five core skills of emotional intelligence (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating) is the evidencebased approach to social and emotional learning developed at Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence. Additionally, we use the Responsive Classroom model

to help students develop their academic, social, and emotional skills in a learning environment that is developmentally responsive to their strengths and needs. These two elements of our SEL program commingle beautifully and are essential components to build a healthy school climate and culture of care for all students.

The Center is a national leader for schools in innovation and design. We believe that our program and facilities should give students and educators the tools and the space they need to grow and learn in a way that equips them with the skills to thrive in our future world. We build capacity for creative problem-solving, experimentation, and opportunities to fail and reassess as they continue in their journeys as life-long learners.

Our classrooms and buildings are designed to be flexible, comfortable, and support collaborative learning. Classrooms and our many break-out spaces include Smart Boards, flexible furniture, and many teaching walls so that there is not a singular “front” of the classroom.

CEE’s educational program is supported by the extensive professional development available to faculty and staff. In order to help keep our teachers on the leading edge of educational best practices, we provide all faculty and staff the opportunity to attend local, national, and international professional development experiences. A large benefit of professional development is that teachers return and share their learning at faculty meetings.

Additionally, as a way for teachers to develop their own leadership skills, they are strongly encouraged to present at local and national conferences. CEE also regularly hosts highly distinguished and sought-after speakers to educate our faculty and staff on a variety of topics. We have a long-standing culture of professional growth and collaboration that is at the heart of supporting our educational program.

The school’s long-standing commitment to development of educational leadership originated when the school was founded. CEE’s Leadership Fellows program is an integral part of the school’s faculty culture and provides opportunities for faculty and staff to develop leadership skills while continuing their engagement in the classroom as teachers.