A School for Deeper Learning

Tucked away in the heart of Haw Creek is a 15-year-old public charter school whose kindergarten through eighth-grade students are deeper learners and thinkers.

Evergreen Community Charter School’s goal is to teach a curriculum that achieves what business leaders say are necessary skills for the 21st-century workforce: critical and creative thinking, strong written and verbal communication, information literacy, collaboration, flexibility, leadership, and responsibility.

Evergreen’s teachers help students hone these skills by combining Environmental Education and Expeditionary Learning into units of study called learning expeditions. These expeditions integrate all subjects—math, language arts, social studies, science, art, music and physical education—and go in-depth into a topic.

Expeditions involve hands-on learning projects, often with a service component, and activities that are specific and engaging resulting in a high-quality, real-world education that will give students a better chance at college entry and good jobs.

Examples of these real-world projects include Evergreen second-graders learning about state credit unions and fifth-graders studying the economics of local agricultural businesses. Sixth-grade students learn first-hand the trials and tribulations of running their own coffee business, and students in eighth grade participate in a four-day Outward Bound Leadership Program, building self-reliance as well as group skills.

Outward Bound’s mission is in line with Evergreen’s—to change lives through challenge and discovery. The program develops character and self-confidence, leadership skills, the ability to set goals, collaborate, solve problems and resolve conflicts effectively. It also actively engages students in service to others.

Evergreen’s educational model has resulted in many honors. The school received SACS CASI Accreditation through AdvancED, an organization that advances excellence in education worldwide, it has been designated Honor School of Excellence based on high end-of-grade test scores, and two of the school’s teachers have been awarded Charter School Teacher of the Year.

Throughout these formative years, Evergreen provides a safe learning environment that helps students develop the deep learning skills needed to be effective, responsible leaders and to be successful in college and the workforce.

To find out more about Evergreen Community Charter School, visit www.evergreenccs.org. Campus tours are given every Monday. To schedule a tour contact Robin Elliott at 298-2173, ext. 229.