Initial+Vision,+Mission+and+Overview

__Mission__ of The Cypress School of Carmel Valley

Affirming the worth and dignity of each individual, honoring experiential learning and love of the outdoors, The Cypress School of Carmel Valley is a progressive educational community which fosters:
 * a commitment to the developing mind, the healthy body, and the attuned spirit;
 * a culture of creativity, innovation and exploration;
 * a celebration of **place**;
 * an engagement with **play**;
 * and attentiveness to the fluctuating **pace** of life-long learning.

//Moral Purpose: Education for all that raises the bar as it closes the gap. (Fullan, pp.73-4)//
 * Core Values and Guiding Principles which "raise the bar" as they "close the gap.":**

Connections joining environments (contextualized learning) [physical environment -conducive to learning; outdoors used daily; field trips incorporated widely] Connections joining disciplines (integrated learning) [while this is a natural part of early education, we intentionally retain and embrace this notion as the children grow and develop in the older grades] Connections joining generations [a key element of Cypress School's mission and vision not only makes connections between grade levels, but also with the residents in our neighboring Royal Oaks Retirement Community] Connections joining learning styles Connections joining media (technology, the arts, etc)

(A word about the Cypress tree as inspiration for our name) One of the trees prevalent in the Carmel Valley, the Cypress tree brings many meanings and. The cypress was the first choice for ancient Iranian Gardens. The oldest living Cypress is estimated to be approximately 4,000 years old!

__Eisner Prize for Intergenerational Excellence -__ This annual $100,000 prize recognizes excellence by non-profit organizations in uniting generations to improve communities. Members of their board have already heard about Cypress school, and they assure us of a nomination after we've been in operation two years.

__Message from our School Head: __
 * Welcome to The Cypress School's website! **

Founded in 2011, The Cypress School is an elementary school in Carmel, California that promotes academic excellence with its progressive education approach developed from the teachings of John Dewey. A new and exciting educational venture, we anticipate that our graduates will tell us that their years at Cypress made them independent and resourceful individuals who love the outdoors and appreciate all ages and stages of life. Because of our intended emphases, we anticipate that our students will be creative problem solvers because they have developed a love of learning at this unique elementary school of 300 children.

Finally, The Cypress School seeks to connect school with life and, therefore, helps children relate what they are learning to the world of which they are and will be a part. While embracing the legacy of our founding values while creating new traditions, the Cypress School invites you to learn about our students, faculty, program and activities through this web site.

Special greetings to our neighbors at the Royal Oaks Retirement Community who are an integral component in our commitment to life-long learning at The Cypress School!

Forging Ahead With You,

Dr. Robert G. Fleeters, EdD Head of School

(FROM QUICK FACTS)
Located in scenic Carmel Valley, California, Cypress School of Carmel Valley is an independent, non-sectarian, coeducational school serving students in grades PK through 6th grade. At its opening, we will admit 100 students (from PK through 1st grade) - adding grade levels as we go/grow!

Students per grade level: PK1 & PK2 = 20 (two classes of ten) (entry: PK1 -- two teachers who loop with their students to PK2) K - 1 = approx. 40 per grade level - two classes of approx. 20); teachers loop 2-3 = approx. 40 per grade level - two classes of approx. 20); teachers loop 4-5 = approx. 40 per grade level - two classes of approx. 20); teachers loop 6 = approx. 40 (two classes of approx. 20) introduce a couple specialist teachers to prepare students for middle school or junior high model of schools they will attend next year.

(spots 2-6 available through attrition)

A unique aspect of this vibrant school community is its physical and philosophical proximity and working relationship with 1) the great oudoors and 2) the Royal Oaks Retirement Community!

1) __The Great Outdoors:__ Each classroom/pod has an indoor/outdoor learning space; a vegetable and fruit garden(we are a member of the California School Garden network: http://www.csgn.org/). Worm bins, photovoltaic panels, and access to the creek flowing through the property all contribute to our students' immersion in environmental stewardship and sustainability issues, hands on! In the next 5 years, we plan to build a mini-farm with chickens and possibly a cow!) Examples of outdoor play areas might include nooks for reading, sand and water tables, a mud pit, an art area, the class garden, a stage for singing, dancing, and dramatic play, a science area, loose parts and a variety of materials for building "forts" and other structures. (Mornings can be foggy, but almost always clears and gets sunny by mid-morning. Top temperatures in the summertime: 80 degrees; typical days in the summer months find highs in the 70s and lows overnight in the 50s. During winter, occasional rain, highs in 60s and lows in 50s. No snow on surrounding mountains. (Much literature/research concerning the linkage between spending time outdoors and health, especially related to children. We have been informed by research linking children’s time spent outdoors to increased physical activity, healthy development, and overall well-being. We have been inspired by research related to the design of children’s play spaces, access to natural spaces, the use of outdoors in children’s education, and research related to people and factors that constrain and enable children’s outdoor play.

2) __The Royal Oak Retirement Community.__ It is well known in the city of Carmel, that our elders are a great source of wisdom, experience, encouragement, and love! It was the vision of our benefactors, that the two ends of the life experience could contribute significantly to each other if given the right environment and creative structure. Children and elders work together in a myriad of programs including the community garden, technology workshops, and the famous "granny cloud," a source of affirmation and encouragement unmatched in any other educational institution. "Younger" elders will be scheduled into classrooms and the "granny cloud" by the RORC activities coordinator (whose work is evenly divided between each institution). These recent retirees will also facilitate many of the educational excursions and site visits to businesses and professional career sites in the Carmel Valley. "Older" elders and residents in the health wing of the RORC will be recipients of regular visits from Cypress students who will sing, read, visit, and connect with their "elder" friends.