what we do
what we do
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What we do
The Highland School is different from any school you have considered. We understand learning to be something that humans experience through their social interactions and environment, not a task relegated specifically to the classroom. Freedom and responsibility, together, characterize the relationship of students to their world. Students are free to learn what they wish, when they are ready, to the extent they are interested, and with the full understanding that they make their own learning decisions.
The reality of our world is that we are responsible for our lives. We are responsible for our actions and we are responsible for what we know. The only way to learn the true weight of this responsibility is to carry it. And by carrying it every day, students at The Highland School learn how to chart their own course in this world.
We do not outline any plan or curriculum for students—they are expected to make decisions about what they will learn or what projects they will pursue. Staff members are available to provide support or help with resources if requested. We deliberately choose to omit grade levels, report cards, detention, or a required curriculum because these practices are ineffective in producing responsible students.
Instead, the school is run democratically with each school member—student and staff—having a vote in the decision-making process. Meetings, events, activities, and field trips along with any other matters that need to be discussed and voted on are scheduled at a General School Meeting every Monday and Thursday morning.
Transitioning from school into the ‘real world’ is a much less daunting task for Highland grads who have spent their entire lives learning, planning, deciding, and pursuing their interests, goals, and passions. There is almost no difference between the personal responsibility students have at school and the personal responsibility they experience in the ‘real world’. Participating in daily life at Highland is hard work, but the long term skills students develop help them succeed throughout their lives.
