Our Approach

At Steward we offer an educational experience for elementary aged students using a holistic approach with the teachings of nature as our guide. Through play, exploration, and discovery, our students learn and retain life-long lessons that help them excel in all aspects of their education and more.

The NGSS and CT Core Standards developed for each grade level naturally flow into daily teachings and adventures. When students come to Steward, they grow academically through critical thinking and collaboration while also discovering more about themselves through confidence-boosting activities and participating in lessons that will stay with them for years to come. The Social Emotional component of our curriculum, inspired by the Responsive Classroom model, is woven throughout all activities and lessons.

Building an intentional community is a critical component of our program. By building a small and supportive learning community, students not only are more willing to take risks in their own learning, but they also cheer on their peers, celebrating in others’ achievements as much as in their own. They become a team of individuals who each have their own goals, but who also recognize that communication, cooperation, and collaboration help everyone to be successful. Our supportive learning community provides a safe environment to practice, reflect, and persist in the core skills that they’ll need to be successful in school and beyond.

Not all classrooms have four walls.

Steward Outdoor School is an outdoor, experiential school for curious learners. Our performance-based curriculum complements traditional coursework and particularly focuses on hands-on environmental science, real-world experiences, outdoor adventure, and environmental ethics.