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A Special Place for Learning

The Magic of Crew

"There are no passengers, we are all crew."
Each student meets daily with a faculty advisor in a small group called a crew.
These small, supportive groups enhance the child's social experience and provide opportunities for meaningful relationships with other students and the faculty advisor.
The crew leader serves as the child's go-to person for school issues.

Students are assigned to a Core Team of two teachers who work closely to develop curriculum and expeditions.
A core team consists of one teacher whose focus is on Language Arts and Social Studies, and one teacher whose focus is on Math and Science.
Students are grouped heterogeneously on Core Teams, with the exception of Math.
Students are grouped by performance-based ability for math and may have an off team teacher for this class.
The small class and Core Team size allows for students to further develop important social relationships with peers and faculty.

Students and families are expected to complete volunteer work for the benefit of the school community.
Students are required to complete community service within their own community as a graduation requirement.
Parental involvement in the school through a variety of volunteer opportunities enhances the home-school link vital for middle school students.
Parents and community members are invited to open community meetings every week.

McAuliffe Regional CPS has developed rigorous promotion standards for students.
Students are provided with a variety of support services to ensure that standards are attainable.
Supports include an after school homework club supervised by faculty.

The highly qualified and diverse faculty bring with them a wide range of experiences and passion for Expeditionary Learning.
Faculty are chosen after a rigorous screening process that includes interviews with administration, peers, and feedback from students after demonstration lessons.
All McAuliffe Regional CPS teachers share the belief that academic excellence and personal growth are inextricably linked.

The school holds many social events each year in collaboration with the Parent Teacher Group.
Faculty and parent volunteers ensure that these events are positive for all students.
For new and interested families, the school hosts, among other events, ice cream socials, a chocolate chip pancake breakfast, an introduction to adventure and a "visit a crew day."

(1) Turning Points, 2004