When evaluating schools for your child, we understand that it is more important to understand how your choices are different from one another rather than how they are similar. Therefore, we would like to outline the Cornerstone difference.

Cornerstone Schools is different from any other school choice in the region in the following ways, which we call the Four Cornerstones of Successful Learning:

Cornerstone 1: Small class sizes.

Education research has shown that small class sizes aid in a child’s ability to focus, learn and comprehend his coursework. This is widely accepted among schools. However, it is implemented very differently.

 

At Cornerstone Schools, small class size is defined more strictly than the student teacher ratio, which is oftentimes confusing and at times misleading.

 

What parents find to be important is how many children will be in a classroom, regardless of the number of teachers. At Cornerstone Schools, no more than 15 students will be in a classroom. Our small class size is unique to the region.

Cornerstone 2: Customized one-on-one instruction.

Every day each Cornerstone student receives individual instruction focusing on the specific needs of each child.

Individual instruction allows your child to receive reinforcement where she needs it and challenge and sharpening where she is stronger.

Teachers at Cornerstone are certified and experienced so that they can customize their curriculum to meet the needs of each student without taking away from the class as a whole.

For example, if your child is stronger in math than other students in the class, she will be allowed to advance in the curriculum to the level that challenges her without frustrating her or impacting the pace of her other classmates.

Or, if your child requires reinforcement in a given subject, the teacher will re-teach the curriculum in a manner that he best understands, without impacting the pace of his other classmates.

Cornerstone 3: Focus on Fundamentals.

At Cornerstone Schools, we believe that mastering reading, writing and mathematics is the most important goal of early education.

These are skills that determine the success of a child’s educational career and success on into adulthood.

While other subjects are important to balance a child’s education, we believe that focus in the early years must be on core fundamental academics, for it is much harder to re-teach reading, writing and mathematics than it is to get it right the first time.

Mastering reading, writing and mathematics early also enables children to learn new subjects, when they are introduced, more easily.

Cornerstone 4: Successful learning environment.

In addition to small class sizes, research shows that children learn best in smaller environments.

• The name Cornerstone Schools is plural because Cornerstone is a community of schools.
• While two buildings are currently on the Cornerstone campus, two more will be built in the near future.
• The purpose of multiple small school buildings is to create proven successful learning environments … small environments.

The Cornerstone school buildings were built and furnished with successful learning in mind:

• Classrooms and hallways are carpeted to minimize noise.
• Natural light is available in each classroom to minimize glare and eye strain from florescent lighting.
• Trees surround the buildings to provide a bird’s eye view of nature right from the classroom.
• Green plants are found throughout the building to aid in air quality.

Other elements that enable our successful learning environment:

• Lunches are nutritious to aid in healthy brain development.
• Hands-on access to the latest technologies and tools.
• In-field research and exploration through field trips.
• Tenured, certified teachers with a minimum of 5 years teaching experience.
• Supportive network of teachers and parents.

Cornerstone Schools. Because successful learning begins with the right Cornerstone.