Our Mission & Vision

Curiosity – Community – Compassion – Courage – Craftsmanship

Mission

The mission of​ Explore! C​ommunity​ S​chool​ ​is to foster the independence, critical thinking, and creativity of a diverse community of learners so they are fully prepared to become confident, responsible leaders who change the world.

Vision

E​xplore​! Community S​chool​ ​provides​ ​a​ ​challenging​ ​education​ ​in​ ​a​ ​joyful​ ​and​ ​supportive​ ​environment​. D​aily​, students​ ​engage​ ​in​ ​meaningful​ ​project​-​based​ ​learning​ ​that​ ​ensures​ ​they​ ​master​ ​core​ ​academic​ ​content​ ​while developing​ ​the​ ​character​ ​and​ ​social​ ​skills​ ​that​ ​will​ ​equip​ ​them​ ​to​ ​become​ ​innovative​ ​leaders​. Led​ ​by​ ​an extraordinary​ ​group​ ​of​ ​loving​ ​and​ ​supportive​ ​teachers​, E​xplore​! students​ ​are​ ​demonstrating​ ​the​ ​highest​ ​levels of​ ​academic​ ​achievement​, ​character​ ​growth​, ​confidence​, ​creativity​, ​and​ ​care​ ​for​ ​themselves​ ​and​ ​their​ ​community​. E​very​ ​day​ ​at​ Explore​!, ​we​ ​work​ ​to​ ​embrace​ ​the​ ​diversity​ ​that​ ​surrounds​ ​us​ ​and​ ​grow​ ​together​ ​through curiosity​, ​reflection​, ​and​ ​collaboration​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​our​ ​students​ ​are​ ​known​, ​supported​, ​healthy​, ​happy​, challenged​, ​and​ ​fully​ ​prepared​ ​for​ ​college​ ​and​ ​beyond​.

Foundational Beliefs

 As we work towards our mission, we are guided by three foundational beliefs:

We believe in providing meaningful opportunities for students to engage in authentic learning experiences.

Daily, students engage in learning opportunities that reinforce Tennessee State Standards and concepts while developing the creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills necessary for success in the 21st Century. This approach ensures learning is meaningful to students, challenging them to apply their learning through exciting project-based tasks that require expert thinking and complex communication and allows seamless integration of art, music, technology and community service. At Explore!, we encourage students to learn as readers, authors, mathematicians, scientists, and artists.

We believe in creating a culture of excellence, joy, and love.

At Explore!, we understand that when students are held to high standards and create work in which they have pride and ownership they realize their true potential, unlocking the capacity for excellence in every area of their lives. We support learning that promotes craftsmanship by developing students’ ability to study, reflect, and improve. Children are born with a love for learning, and we will cultivate that love by providing a joyful educational experience that supports each student’s unique passions and interests. We recognize that relationships form the foundation of community and are committed to seeking to understand others’ actions, thoughts, and backgrounds. Within our school community, we depend on one another.

We believe in collaborating with families and communities.

We recognize that caregivers are children’s primary teachers and that students learn everywhere, all the time. Therefore, we work purposefully to engage families and empower them to participate meaningfully in their child’s education. We work collaboratively, creatively, and relentlessly to dismantle barriers and obstacles to community success. We develop strong relationships with the community and among one another, and we will look to each other for support and inspiration. We acknowledge that the care for each individual by each individual is vital to a successful school environment. As such, we are committed to the education of the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally. We support a community where each individual voice is valued and nurtured. We believe in celebrating diversity as strength by actively seeking to learn and understand perspectives.