Vision : 2010–2020
Live Oak School’s vision—to know a child well—is our foundation for providing an education that prepares children for success in an increasingly complex and diverse world. Knowing a child well is the responsibility of all members of the Live Oak community. We work to understand who each student is now and together explore his or her promise for the future. We use our understanding to inspire, support and challenge students to be powerful learners.
Students, too, are challenged to know themselves. By developing an understanding of their own identity and the identities of others in the community, our students grow as individuals and gain a deep appreciation for the value of diversity. We create a place where children see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Within Live Oak’s supportive but challenging environment, active engagement and academic risk-taking become possible and expected for all. Each student is empowered to reach his or her full potential.
Excellent teaching requires knowing a child well. Live Oak teachers set firm academic and behavioral goals while providing flexible paths for achieving those goals. Using a broad variety of tools, our teachers assess not only students’ understanding, performance and growth over time, but also their learning styles, background and interests. The faculty collaborates to ensure that the students benefit from continuity in curriculum and approach across subjects and grades, requiring students to apply their learning to real world challenges. As a learning community, teachers engage in on-going professional development to ensure that our students receive the benefits of the best educational practices.
Parents play a central role in the Live Oak community as the bridge from school to home. They work in partnership with faculty to support their children’s academic and social goals. Through volunteer engagement, they provide practical support while also contributing to the learning environment by modeling desired values and behaviors.
Live Oak extends the school experience beyond our walls by taking advantage of its particular neighborhood and the rich cultural life of San Francisco. Our service-learning program builds on students’ knowledge of themselves through participation in the larger community, fostering in them the courage to be change makers and leaders in putting values into action.
A Live Oak education builds strong foundational skills—academic, behavioral and physical—along with higher order skills including collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation. Our students are known well and learn to know themselves well. They demonstrate self-esteem, social and emotional maturity, and a sense of responsibility to themselves and their community. Live Oak graduates leave our school as confident, life-long learners, prepared for success in higher education and life in our rapidly changing world.
