Astoria Lutheran School strives to prepare its students to face the challenges of living in a globalized society by equipping them with skills and experiences they need for the future. In the workplaces of the 21st Century, people are called on to work in collaborative teams, have technological skills, and work with persons of different ages, cultures and abilities. Fostering relationship-building with others, the natural world, and with God is essential for helping students to understand their place and purpose in the world.
Teaching and learning involves key assumptions regarding the educational experiences offered. These assumptions include:
- A respect for others, the natural world, and God
- Providing challenging, hands-on, student-based learning
- Opportunities for collaboration for problem-solving, sharing, and task mastery
- Family involvement to extend learning
- Service and advocacy opportunities
- Joy in learning
The school’s small classes contribute to a warm and familiar learning environment. Instruction and tasks are differentiated to meet the needs of the learner and often students work collaboratively to accomplish assigned tasks. A child’s progress is tracked and assessed regularly via student created projects, teacher-created assessments, and student presentations. Standardized testing for students in grades 2-8, in the fall, helps to provide important data for teachers as they target learning goals for each child.
The school’s garden/outdoor classroom has and continues to be at the center of the multi-age, project-based studies, allowing students the hands-on opportunity to learn from and connect with nature.
Having a positive partnership with our parents is also essential to the successful achievement of our students. We strive to keep families informed of the students’ progress and welcome family participation in the classroom whenever possible.