Our Philosophy

Atlas School is a traditional school with a traditional curriculum and traditional values.

We believe, in the truest sense, in the whole child philosophy — the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of the child — in preschool, elementary, and middle school.

We believe:

• that a child's physical well-being is as important as his academic learning, and that it will contribute to his emotional, social, and intellectual well-being.
• that physical well-being is reached through daily exercise and proper diet, and that schools should offer ample time for physical activity and provide only healthy foods to encourage proper diet.
• that children, like watches, must not only be wound up, but must also be given a chance to run.
• that emotional and social well-being starts with a caring family and community, and that the family is the most important institution in the child's life. A school should help families develop their children rather than the other way around.
• that, in addition to the basics, children should learn foreign languages and music while they are young and their aural learning ability is at its strongest. If part of the school day is spent on this, it will enhance the child's learning of language arts and math.
• that success begets success.

At Atlas, we will use a teacher-directed, parent-supported teaching approach, employing hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons.

We also place strong emphasis on real-life learning - reading, cooking, cleaning, gardening, shopping, playing, traveling, working, etc., with the family.

Our preschool and elementary are no-tech schools. We believe that today's children receive too much screen time and need more face-to-face time with their teachers and classmates.

We believe in protecting children's innocence. We do not agree with the hypersexualization that is so common in today's culture. We discourage children's use of TV and the internet because of its inappropriate content.

We teach abstinence until marriage in our fifth grade human development class and our eighth grade health class.