Welcome Letter

The Masai people of Kenya believe that the health of a tribe can be told by the well-being of its children. Therefore, when a member of one community meets the member of another, he asks, “And how are the children?” If all is well in the community, the answer is, “The children are well.” What better way to evaluate the health of the community than to examine the care community members give to nurturing and developing their children?

I am very proud of the schools that the Maplewood and Richmond Heights communities have created for their children. The MRH School District nurtures children’s academic achievement by attending to the whole child. Our students are actively involved in their community, learning about the world by immersing themselves in real world experiences, learning not only from their teachers but from community members, as well. MRH students work in school gardens; they care for our bees and chickens; they intern with community members; they help solve community problems. They learn the value of hard work, collaboration, and perseverance. Their community is their classroom.

Our students perform well on standardized tests, but they also learn that the most important work requires them to revise and rethink. Our standards for excellence are high, and our students are accustomed to revisiting their work many times before they get it right.

Our students are skillful readers, writers, and mathematicians, but they also learn to lead a group of peers in accomplishing important work. They learn about history and government, but they also explore issues from multiple perspectives and learn the responsibilities of global citizenship.

Our students are involved in a strong science curriculum, but they also learn through field experiences the issues of creating sustainable solutions to the complex problems we face today.

The mission of our district is to inspire and prepare students as leaders, scholars, stewards, and citizens. We believe our children are gaining the knowledge and skill necessary to assume those roles through real experiences supported by highly trained teachers.

So how are the children at MRH? They are healthy, active learners who have faith in themselves and their community. They are doing well, very well.

Sincerely,
Linda

I invite you to learn more about the schools and programs at MRH: