Mission & Strategic Plan

Through the progressive principles of constant reflection and renewal, Peninsula School will continue to adapt to the ever-changing world while holding true to the core values that have been the school’s foundation for nearly a century.

We will articulate how our unique pedagogy fosters a learning community that nurtures intellectual curiosity and where students develop the skills and confidence necessary to become creative and compassionate contributors in the world.

In the school’s ongoing quest for social justice, we will continue to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion by building a community rich with a range of experiences and perspectives. We will strive to provide our students, staff, and families with resources to thrive in our community.

Peninsula School's core values are long-standing, deeply held, grounded in the Progressive Education tradition, and put into practice daily throughout our community.

AUTHENTIC INTERACTIONS
Children learn to communicate honestly and directly and to make decisions conscientiously.

COMMUNITY
Children learn the value of personal connections and membership in a diverse community committed to local and global justice.

EQUITY
Children thrive in a school environment where everyone has access and opportunity to fully participate; inequitable practices, policies, and structures are eliminated.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
Children learn best by experiencing daily opportunities for making important choices and reflecting on the results.

MEANINGFUL ACADEMICS
Children explore their world and develop strong critical thinking skills through a progressive teaching and learning program, with opportunities to discover, problem solve, and meet challenges.

PLAY
Children need ample time and space for safe, open-ended exploration in our richly varied environment.

WE NURTURE THE WHOLE CHILD

• Supporting the social, emotional, intellectual, cultural, creative, and physical development of children
• Creating opportunities for inquiry, play, creativity, exploration, collaboration, choices, risk-taking, relationship building, and freedom with responsibility
   

WE BUILD UPON CHILDREN'S NATURAL CURIOSITY

• Recognizing students as active participants in their own learning

• Fostering collaborative, meaningful learning that is relevant to children's lives and communities

WE CULTIVATE CHILDREN’S UNDERSTANDING THROUGH INQUIRY, CRITICAL THINKING, & THE CREATIVE PROCESS

• Fostering critical thinking, questioning, and creative ways to engage challenges
• Developing rich opportunities to experience and explore the world; pose and solve problems; engage with multiple perspectives & varied ways of knowing; and communicate ideas

WE ENGAGE CHILDREN AS ACTIVE MEMBERS OF A DIVERSE DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY

• Developing understanding of experiences, goals, and needs of diverse constituents, while fostering empathy, caring, and collaboration across difference
• Fostering active participation, direct communication, conflict resolution, social justice, collaborative skills, and democratic decision-making

WE AMPLIFY CHILDREN'S VOICES TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE, SOCIALLY JUST, and SUSTAINABLE WORLD

• Developing children’s critical consciousness of local and global justice and sustainability
• Fostering agency and capacity for action

By 2025, we will deliver a cohesive, progressive program that prepares students for the 21st century by nurturing diverse ways of learning, making, and taking action, grounded in exploration and Social Justice.

By 2025, we will be a professional learning community that provides staff with time and resources for collaboration and growth.

By 2025, we will support program evolution, accessibility, and sustainability by breaking ground on climate-resilient facilities while continuing to cultivate the natural landscape of our campus.

By 2025, we will have a staff compensation and benefits policy that reflects Peninsula's values and enables us to retain and attract exceptional staff committed to progression education.

By 2025, we will have a population that reflects the Bay Area as well as policies and practices that promote social justice and inclusion for communities that have been marginalized in independent schools.

By 2025, we will have a sustainable tuition philosophy that addresses systemic inequities and that is aligned with the school's mission and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

By 2025, we will have thoughtfully articulated our child-centered, progressive program in a way that helps our community understand our educational philosophy and appreciate the staff’s ingenuity and responsiveness to our students.