Educational Philosophy

"Our educational philosophy is based in a comprehensive program of learning that conveys the knowledge one needs to become a well-rounded adult. We firmly believe that learning is a natural and lifetime activity that enriches students throughout their lives."

Dr. Robert Maher, Superintendent of Schools
Greenburgh-North Castle Union Free School Disrict

Education is about helping and guiding students of any age to realize their potential and to be productive members of society. We believe this to be the cornerstone of the educational mission at St. Christopher's and the Greenburgh-North Castle (GNC) School District. To accomplish this goal we have established a three pillar process that consists of:

Character Building
Young people need and demand that adults provide them with a moral compass to chart out their lives. Effective character building provides us with the opportunity to strengthen awareness of the moral significance of choices; enhance the desire to do the right thing; and improve the ability to foresee potential consequences, devise options, and implement principled choices.

Intellectual Development
Most people identify this area with the academic requirements of school performance. For young people to respond effectively to their academic requirements, comportment and educational objectives are spelled out in a clear, precise and fair way. At St. Christopher's and throughout the Greenburgh-North Castle School District, we are enhancing our educational effort so that many of our students acquire or are well on their way to acquiring a regent's diploma.

Nurturing A Climate of Care
We create an environment where safety, structure and supervision are priorities. We also know that for learning to take place with the active participation of the student, the teaching staff must establish a climate and culture of caring for the students. Students must feel that the adults who are part of their lives have an unconditional positive regard for them as human beings.

We can spare no effort to enlighten our youth and in enabling them to become future leaders and productive members of society. We must maintain an educational system based on a belief in the worth and dignity of every individual, and that is dedicated to the development and provision of equal educational opportunities for all our students.

The Greenburgh-North Castle School District, encompassing St. Christopher's, is committed to student achievement and has integrated the following principles in building its curriculum:

• All children have an innate need, desire and capacity to learn.
• All children have a unique learning style that must be recognized by our staff to maximize the learning process.
• Parents, guardians, significant others and the community play a crucial role in orienting and guiding children at St. Christopher's.
• Moral character development is integral in our educational process.
• In order for learning to be natural and motivating, various areas concerned with the emotional, educational, social, moral, and physical well-being of the students have been interwoven offering significant educational content for our students.
• Learning by doing is utilized to enhance our students learning and life skills so they can realize their potential for independent living as young adults.