We steer by the collected phrases on our Philosophy page. They are compasses and stars that align us on our mission.

Here are the most recent additions to our philosophy. We accompanied them with a design refresh, breaking out the sections of the philosophy more clearly. Check out the new look over on the Philosophy page.

Attend to the practices, policies, and aspects of institutional culture that traumatize children at school

We must infuse trauma-informed education with a robust understanding of, and responsiveness to, the traumas of systemic oppression

Dislodge hyper-punitive cultures and ideologies.

Being trauma-informed means consciously cultivating space in our mental models so that, even if we know nothing about a particular set of circumstances, we avoid the temptation to mindlessly apply rules.

Source: How Trauma-Informed Are We, Really? – ASCD

Without community, there is no liberation…but community must not mean a shedding of our differences, nor the pathetic pretense that these differences do not exist.

Source: The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House

Move carefully and fix things.

Source: Welcome Home | Bill Hunt

Build with, not for.

Source: Laurenellen McCann (@elle_mccann) / Twitter

What if love said: Hear me out a bit before the future comes around.

Source: Solillaquists of Sound – As If We Existed Lyrics

Health is at the center of the human experience.

Democracy is served by centering and empowering people’s voices.

Source: Our Work – Coforma

Writing is too important because, though forms and structures will differ, writing is the path to power for those born without power.

Source: Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-Based Thinking Change Schools.