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Frequently Asked Questions The Clariden School of Southlake Q: What ages does your school serve? A: In our AMI Montessori Lower School Program, we currently serve children from 3 years of age to twelve years of age. Our Global Strengths Program opening in the fall of 2012 will serve students in 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Q: What kind of students attend your school? A: The Clariden School of Southlake enjoys the benefits of a diverse community. Our students represent a wide variety of ages, interests, capabilities, religions and cultures. We believe that diversity creates a rich environment for learning about compassion, acceptance and gratefulness. What our students have in common is a desire to learn and to be an active participant in their education. Q: Where are you located? A: The Clariden School of Southlake is located in Southlake, Texas, about 10 minutes west of the Dallas /Fort Worth airport. We occupy 23 gorgeous acres and enjoy modern facilities. Currently, Southlake has a population of about 27,500 residents and is considered an upscale, family-friendly suburb. Although, The Clariden School is located in Southlake, it draws students from surrounding suburbs such as Colleyville, Keller, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Roanoke and North Richland Hills to name a few. Q: What market do you serve? A: The unique thing about the Clariden School is that we are the only prek-12 independent school that is not religiously affiliated in our area. As an independent school we are not for profit and governed by a Board of Directors. We offer what large public schools cannot, no matter how well ranked they are: the ability to know and value each student for their strengths, an intimate, supportive community where everyone’s success matters. AMI Montessori Q: Is Montessori an unstructured approach to education? A: No. Montessori is highly structured without being rigid. Students are introduced to very specific, hands on materials to learn academic skills and then they creatively apply the learning in small groups and individual lessons. Q: Is Montessori considered alternative education? A: No. Many Montessori concepts are found in progressive independent elementary schools. Some public schools are even adapting the concepts as this kind of learning is becoming known as highly relevant for the 21st century. Q: Are Montessori children successful later in life? Do they transition well? A: Research studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for later life academically, socially, and emotionally. In addition to scoring well on standardized tests, Montessori children are ranked above average on such criteria as following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions, showing enthusiasm for learning, and adapting to new situations. Global Strengths Program Q: What is the Global Strengths Program? A: The Global Strengths Program is The Clariden School of Southlake’s Upper School project-based program which will begin in the fall of 2012. Through this project-based approach, students will have the opportunity to receive an authentic, real-world educational experience through the process of planning, executing and presenting 16 projects over the course of their four Upper School years. While the core standards for college preparation will be met, the benefit of this approach is the richness of the experience which is unparalleled in its opportunities for personal, social and academic growth for students. Q: Who will the Global Strengths Program serve? A: The Global Strengths Program will begin in the fall of 2012 with 7th, 8th and 9th graders and will add 10th, 11th and 12th grade over the successive three years. All interested students are encouraged to apply. This program will serve students who are motivated learners looking for an alternative to more traditional educational models. Q: How well will these students transition into and out of this program? A: We are a college preparatory school. Our students will graduate from the 12th grade ready to compete in the best colleges and universities throughout the world. Coming into the Global Strengths program from our Montessori Lower School Program, we believe will allow our students to build upon the strong Montessori foundation that has been laid for them. It should provide for a much more natural and smooth transition for our students than other more traditional models of education. We also believe that upon leaving the Global Strengths Program, our students will not only be well prepared for college, but will be in high demand as they will be forward, out-of-the-box thinkers with real world experience in problem identification, problem-solving, plan execution, leadership, and relationship building all in an atmosphere which helps individual students identify their unique strengths and capabilities and to appreciate those of others. Q: Is this program experimental? A: No. Project based learning has been around for years. What makes our program unique is that it is coupled with developing strengths and has a total immersion into the project development. Our program is currently being viewed as a national model of 21st Century learning and our nationally recognized Head of School has researched the method and practiced versions of our program throughout her 25 years of educating. |
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