ARTHUR MORGAN SCHOOL INC
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : k******e@a****************l.o*g
Mission Statement
Founded in 1962, Arthur Morgan School (AMS) is a progressive junior boarding and day school for twenty-seven girls and boys in grades 7, 8 & 9. AMS is located on 100 acres of farm and wilderness in the Celo Community, about an hour north of Asheville, North Carolina. Students and staff live together in a safe and supporting environment sharing work, play, study, and decision-making. The program combines Maria Montessori’s vision of a farm school for adolescents with the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship to specifically meet the needs and interests of middle school students and foster their holistic development. Classes, field trips and boarding life all reinforce a strong experiential education program with a commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability.
About This Cause
The mission of Arthur Morgan School (AMS) is to provide a safe and loving environment where students in grades 7, 8, and 9 learn to question and evaluate, think creatively and work independently and cooperatively, while sharing in a community that honors simplicity, respect, responsibility and thoughtful consideration. Our vision is to empower our students to make courageous choices that may create global change by developing awareness of our impact on social and ecological life. Our academics and experiential approach to learning teaches self-motivated curiosity and discipline, laying the foundations for a life of inquiry and creative problem solving. Hands-on academic classes allow students to explore how the material they are learning relates to the world. Small classes (6-10 students) enable teachers to focus on individual needs and allow for frequent class discussion and debate. Each academic unit, students take math, language arts and two electives, as well as one in-depth course of their choice. Students are offered a selection of classes to choose from, and while the specific material of the courses is different each unit, the larger concepts usually fall within the categories of science, social studies, art, and internships. A student who participates in all three years of our program will graduate with a wide knowledge base in these subject areas. Every student has an academic advisor who works with him/her throughout the year. Advisors meet with students weekly or bi-weekly to help students stay on track with schoolwork, address challenges to learning as they arise, facilitate communication between students, teachers, and parents, and to help students prepare their best work to present at academic open houses. Advisors also make sure each student’s academic choices throughout their time at AMS provide a well-rounded curriculum. Some features unique of Arthur Morgan School are: Consensus and All School Meeting Arthur Morgan School is a staff-run school, meaning that there is no hierarchy among staff and that all of our decisions are made by consensus. Our weekly All School Meeting operates on a consensus model and serves as a forum for student voices to be heard. Students set the agenda, clerk the meetings, speak for themselves, are asked to be responsible for their own actions, and are encouraged to be honest with themselves and the community about the issues at hand. Our process offers an opportunity for students to make real and relevant decisions about the functioning of our community. Circle and Silence Circling before meals and having silence before and after all meals and meetings is a tradition that comes directly from our Quaker roots. For Quakers, silence and circle before the meal are an opportunity to bless the food and the preparers and be grateful for being together and sharing the meal. Before a meeting, silence is to mentally prepare for the work of the meeting, which is to come to consensus about a spiritual truth and/or the best moral actions to be taken in a situation. After a meeting, silence occurs to hold all that happened in the meeting (including those who were at the meeting itself) in the light to bring closure to the meeting. Contracts and Clearnesses Students and staff sign a tri-pillar contract to respect themselves, respect others, and respect the environment. This includes a commitment to resolving conflict non-violently, which may mean participation in a clearness, a mediation process used in Quaker traditions. Family Style Meals and Chores Traditionally, seven meals per week are served out of our school kitchen: five lunches and two dinners. The meals are based on a whole foods, primarily vegetarian diet and are served at tables, family style. Chores are a part of daily life at AMS and are a valued learning experience as much as any academic class. The work of the school has always been shared by the students, and in many cases, their ideas shaped certain traditions and processes into what they are today. Houseparent Connections Houseparents have the distinct advantage of gaining a well-rounded understanding of the students. While all staff and students interact down at school, it is the houseparents who foster a “family setting” home life for the students. During staff meeting discussions and informal information sharing among staff members,houseparents are able to share crucial insights about a student’s needs, behaviors, challenges, strengths, and areas of growth with the other staff members. Relationships between the houseparents and students can be both deep and rewarding. Visiting alumni often return to their former boarding houses and stay in touch with their previous houseparents. These relationships are unique and provide a chance for students to find friendships and trust with other adults in their lives. Advisor/Advisee Groups Advisor/advisee groups, usually comprised of two students and one staff, will stay the same all year, emphasizing the importance of building lasting connections. Staff advisors serve as advocates, mentors, trusted companions, and role models to their advisees. These groups meet every week for a special extended lunch and participate in a special awards ceremony at the end of the year that honors the strong bonds between advisors and their advisees. Advisors often help if there is a miscommunication between houseparents and a student. In a Clearness (an informal mediation process to resolve conflicts and facilitate positive communication), the advisor sits alongside their advisee to be an advocate and to assist the student in articulating his/her concerns. Advisors also communicate concerns or staff meeting decisions to the parents of their advisees. Personalized Evaluations At the end of each academic unit, teachers prepare narrative evaluations to fully assess students’ strengths and weaknesses in their classes. These evaluations are invaluable communication tools for determining growth in academics. Morning Sing We begin each day by singing together. Songs are chosen from two books- Rise Up Singing and our own compilation of modern tunes. Students and staff play guitar and other instruments as we wake up to the sounds of our own voices. Work Projects Work projects happen one morning a week throughout the year, and every day during the weeks before Thanksgiving, Field Trips, and Graduation. We do not usually “hire” anyone to clean, manage, and/or prepare our community buildings, grounds, work spaces, and living spaces. This work is done collectively and helps create a sense of ownership for staff and students alike. Work projects are a 2-on-1 learning and teaching experience that enables students to participate directly in the work of the community. Students experience reasonable physical challenges, they spend time outdoors, and have the opportunity to participate in purposeful work needed by their community. They see the impact of their efforts and enjoy the fruits of their labors. This part of our program also affords many opportunities for students to experience an adult level of capability. Internships Internships are a unique and wonderful part of our program here at Arthur Morgan School. They are offered through a variety of jobs that are done on campus and take experiential learning to its core elements. 18-Day Service Learning Trips Each year, students and staff split into three groups and embark upon an adventure of a lifetime.