About Us
Values
Our Values at Ancona
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Social Justice, Diversity, and Equity
Social justice principles are woven into every aspect of life at Ancona.
Students use their voices. We affirm that every child is the expert on their own experience and identity. Centering students empowers them. It is the foundation for advocacy. By measuring students' learning experiences, we are able to adjust and improve our equity practices. Rich opportunities to learn start with listening.
Our social-emotional learning practices and commitments are anti-racist. Unafraid to have tough conversations, we invest in who our students are as well as what they can do. Children, adolescents, and adults make mistakes. This is a safe space for people to grow and change. Repair and restoration are central to our practice.
The materials on the shelves and in the curriculum reflect the multifaceted nature of our student body and center narratives that are systematically marginalized. “Students’ exposure to other students who are different from themselves and the novel ideas and challenges that such exposure brings leads to improved cognitive skills, including critical thinking and problem solving” (Wells et al. 2016). We value curiosity and inquiry in pursuit of all forms of literacy.
Our academic program fosters cooperative learning, language development, executive functioning, and impulse control. These are the foundation for a sense of belonging in school which leads to academic engagement and achievement for all students.
Nina Murphy, Ancona Alum
“One noticeable difference between The Ancona School and the average elementary school is its dedication to social justice. When I was at Ancona, we had an annual assembly during BHM that featured a play about how Black leaders made a difference in society. And BHM wasn’t just in February for us. We rarely passed a history unit without talking about Black history at that time. We learned about Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and Josephine Baker. In middle school, the social justice fair allowed us to look at racism, sexism, and homophobia in different areas of life. We freely talked about police brutality and cruelty to undocumented immigrants with our White teachers and classmates. I appreciated how openly I, and others, could speak at school, but I am even more grateful for it now.”
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Affiliations
Independent Schools Association of the Central States
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Affiliations
Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools
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Affiliations
National Association of Independent Schools
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Affiliations
American Montessori Society
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