Prairie Creek is a K-5 Public Charter School. Our sponsor is
Northfield Public Schools. Tuition is
free. All are welcome to apply.
Program Overview
Intimate Setting
- Small school with just over 100 students
in grades K-5
- 18 students per class
- Rural setting with woods and fields
- Close ties to the Castle Rock
Child-Centered
- Social skills curriculum supports
whole-child development
- Individual attention
- Projects based on students’ interests
and needs
Community-Based
- Traditions such as picnics, pumpkin
carving, arts festival, carnival, and campouts bring school community
together
Progressive
- Children construct understanding from
real experiences
- Focus on process and thinking
- Multi-age classrooms
- Assessment embedded in learning – not
separate tests
Experienced
Faculty
- Highly experienced teachers, many with
advanced degrees
- Weekly professional development
for staff
Charter School
- Sponsored by Northfield Public Schools
- Free tuition for all students
- School decisions made through consensus
by board of teachers and parents.
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Curriculum
Overview
Language Arts
- Writers’ Workshop & individualized
reading instruction
- World Languages instruction
- School-wide focus on books and the love
of reading
Math
- Problem-solving focus
- Based on investigation, not rote learning
- Children discuss their mathematical
thinking
Science
- Four acre wooded campus for
environmental science
- Hands-on, experimental focus
- Emphasis on process and conceptual
understanding
Social Studies
- Themes provide framework for math and
language work
- Wide range of cultures and eras
- Quest to understand the “why,” as well
as the “what”
Social
Curriculum
- “Responsive Classroom” model
- Service Learning
- Conflict Mediation
The Arts
- Art studios
- Orff music instruction
- Artist residencies
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