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PHILOSOPHY & HISTORY


We believe that the purpose of education is to nurture the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth of all the students at our school.

We believe in providing a global education in a small community based environment. 

We understand that each child comes with a set of unique characteristics and skills, which are further developed through a tailored and enriched education.  The possibilities within each child are endless; we work to help each individual recognize and build on personal strengths.

We believe in creating a culture built on the commitment and support of students, their families and our teachers along with our local and global community.

We believe in teaching children to take responsibility for themselves and their education.  We empower students with the knowledge needed to become responsible citizens of our world.

We create small classroom sizes that nurture student and teacher attachments and assist students in meeting their academic goals and individual growth.

We are committed to continuously finding creative ways to work with our students to make their education relevant and exciting.

 

Magnussen School was created by Howard Eaton and Kristin Harbut in 2005.  The school opened in September 2006 with six students enrolled in grades three through six.  We imagined and created a learning environment that would strive to educate each child as an individual.  Our idea was to provide education for all types of learners, in an environment that challenged strengths and supported areas that required strengthening.  We have incorporated the ideas of Mel Levine’s All Kinds of Minds, as well as some of Dr. Gordon Neufeld’s philosophies along with our own.   Our goal is to teach each child through a tailored education, recognizing the importance of individuality.

Magnussen School Name – Our school name is dedicated to the late Bjorg Magnussen (mother of Kristin Harbut), a strong and loving woman who had intuitive insight; wisdom and compassion for all children. 

Magnussen School Crest – Our logo was designed by Kristin Harbut with the help of Paul Levine at Tangent Design.  The green apple represents a “fresh” and “healthy” approach to education. 

 

 

 

  
 

CORE VALUES:

At Magnussen our culture values and strengthens the following values in our students and staff:

Inquiring

Inquiring They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable

Knowledgeable: They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thoughtful

Thoughtful: They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicative

Communicative: They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled

Principled: They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded

Open-minded: They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring

Caring: They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Adventurous

Adventurous: They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced

Balanced: They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective

Reflective: They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

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