The Dayton School

The development of The Dayton School (TDS) was produced out of a need for quality middle and high schools in an area that lacks such programming. TDS is located in an underserved community that is in need of a school community that prepares adolescents for life after high school. The School incorporates project-based learning alongside holistic teaching to ensure all students’ needs are being met.

The Dayton School (TDS) caters to all youth grades 9th – 12th. Incorporating project-based learning alongside holistic teaching will ensure all students attending TDS needs are being met. In Project Based Learning, students acquire knowledge through solving real-world problems and challenges. Teachers begin with a complex question, and students take time to investigate and respond to the question. Students learn to work collaboratively and engage in deeper thinking in order to solve the problem or answer the question presented. This will be the foundation of teaching and learning at The Dayton School.

In our attempt to ensure all students are not only academically prepared but also prepared socially and emotionally, TDS incorporates holistic teaching alongside project-based learning. In holistic learning students find purpose and connection with the community, their social emotional well-being, humanitarian values, etc. Holistic education instills curiosity and develops better communication and social skills. This approach encourages children to make connections in a subject, using their creative skills. It develops psychological, social, and emotional growth, and it makes learning natural and engaging. Students find value in themselves and understand how they can contribute to a larger global society. Students also learn how to cope with trauma and strategies to ensure they are emotionally ready to engage in personal and professional relationships. Students will have the opportunities to not only practice what is taught through classroom assignments but also when participating in advisory, mentoring, and community partnering.

Both styles of learning will prepare our students academically and socially for success beyond high school. Upon leaving, students will be prepared for college/university, immediate job placement, a technical field, or a trade. All students will be prepared for success, defined by themselves, family, school, with the help of community partners upon graduation.