Overview
Country or Region: United States
Industry: Education
School Profile
St. Thomas School is located just outside of Seattle, Washington, and is a private, non-sectarian school designed to meet the needs of high-performing, motivated learners.
Number of Students: 300
Gender: Mixed
Age Range: 2.5-14
School Leader: Dr. Kirk Wheeler
School Website: www.stthomasschool.org
St. Thomas School has been selected to participate in the Microsoft Innovative Schools World Tour because it is a showcase example of the following Innovation Topics:
1. 1:1 learning environments. Students work on their own devices and can use technology at any time to access educational tools.
2. Physical learning environments. Focus on physical spaces, seating, and atmosphere to encourage collaboration, creativity, and learning.
3. Project-based learning environments. Students work in groups to solve problems, make decisions, and go on knowledge quests, while the teacher acts as facilitator.
1:1 learning environments
As part of the St. Thomas School educational journey, technology is woven into every grade and every subject. Reflecting the varying developmental needs of students from preschool through eighth grade, students are provided with access to a variety of technological tools. St. Thomas School introduced a 1:1 laptop program to its sixth-grade class more than 10 years ago. Today, with the awarding of an internal Innovation Grant, it maintains a 1:1 program for each student in second through eighth grade. The laptops are not just productivity tools to support writing assignments and presentations but are used to complete various creative projects, both independently and collaboratively, in all academic areas. Examples include:
· Producing video presentations.
· Composing musical scores.
· Authoring book reviews to post on a website that serves all students.
· Taking online math tests; completing online assignments and projects.
In preparation for an effective 1:1 program, technology classes in the Elementary Center prepare students to use Microsoft Office and Windows independently. St. Thomas School also implemented a Student Portal in which each student has access to a class space where homework, rubrics, and other resources are posted.
Key Technology
· Wireless access throughout the campus
· Microsoft Office365, Remote Desktop Connection, Finalsite teacher spaces, Microsoft Outlook, and other software
· Student Portal for home and school access
Physical learning environments
St. Thomas School is proud of its state-of-the-art LEED Gold Certified campus, which serves as the “third teacher” and was designed specifically to embrace the school’s emerging learning model.
The learning environment reflects an abundance of natural light and fresh air, elimination of background sounds, carefully selected colors to create a calm environment, and indirect lighting and neutral-colored furnishing designed to evoke a feeling of home and a sense of belonging.
Plazas throughout the school provide unique learning areas where students can work collaboratively, engage in creative exploration, and display culminating projects, papers, and presentations.
The spring garden, bio-swale, roof-top garden, and a council ring for outdoor lessons and meetings all provide rich opportunities to observe, experiment, and connect with nature. The garden-based program is expanding as a result of substantial investment in a
complete redesign of an outdoor garden classroom.
The new science lab, technology center, and media production room reflects the school’s commitment to exploration, investigation, and discovery.
Key Technology
· Indoor and outdoor learning environments with wireless access throughout
· SMART Boards in each classroom for instruction and presentation of knowledge
Project-based learning environments
Project-based learning starts early at St. Thomas School, with the Early Learning Center where students engage in projects inspired by a Reggio Emilia approach, which focuses on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery.
As part of a cross-curricular project, for example, third-grade students studied temperate rainforests, researched a particular bird in Science, and acquired the necessary techniques to illustrate their chosen bird in Art. Finally, during Technology Class, each student published the information and their scanned artwork in Publisher, which was combined into a Field Guide for others to enjoy.
Middle school students travel to Rome and Washington DC. The trips follow a year-long study of ancient Roman history and United States history and government. The culminating events include presentation of knowledge in the form of student-created websites, videos, and journals.
Student-led initiatives have included a successful recycling project and an innovative transportation effort to reduce vehicle emissions. Sixth graders mapped all of the students’ homes, posted it to the school website, and created a campaign to encourage car-pooling.
Project-based learning often expands beyond the classroom by traveling or inviting professors and other professionals into the classroom via Skype.
Key Technology
· Students research, document, collaborate and present using computers, video, audio, SMART Boards, and Finalsite teacher spaces
· Office 365 and Skype
Improving student outcomes
St. Thomas School’s innovations support students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, self-motivation, and a desire to learn. They are deeply engaged in learning experiences, take intellectual risks, and present age-appropriate self-management skills (listening, perseverance, ability to transition).
Driving leadership and a culture of innovation
The leadership culture within St. Thomas School is collaborative and visionary, placing a high premium on the stewardship of the school’s Guiding Principles and its traditions, while cultivating a spirit of innovation. All leaders are charged with maintaining a “learning community” in which all members—students, teachers, and parents—are continuously engaged in their own learning. The learning process is dynamic. Teachers balance a traditional approach to skill and knowledge acquisition with an inquiry-based model that recognizes the importance of students constructing knowledge and “learning by doing.” To support this guiding principle, class sizes are kept small so that students have maximum opportunities to interact with their teachers and one another.
One of the hallmark approaches to learning, “edgework”, ensures that St. Thomas School is an entire community of learners who are continuously growing. Whenever “on the edge” (the edge of their capabilities, the edge of their knowledge, the edge of their confidence) students are in a place of potential growth. The “edge” symbolizes the balance of having one foot well-grounded in current knowledge or understanding, while the other foot is well-positioned to take a risk, challenge an assumption, and try something new. School leaders are expected to serve as role models.