What Makes for A Successful School, by James P. Heus, Head of Ridgefield Academy Good schools challenge their students by keeping them productively engaged in rigorous study. Good schools keep their students involved in school life beyond the classroom. Good schools strike a wise balance between the encouragement of individual liberty with personal accountability, and with strong attention to community responsibility. Good schools know the difference between a big idea and a fad.
Good schools create and sustain a community of shared values.
Good schools are characterized by high energy, deep passion, and lots of good, clean fun. A good school is a happy school. Our goal is to provide students with the necessary learning skills, the tools to make the right choices that will create responsible citizens. My main job is to recruit and retain the very best teachers I can find, and then help them do their jobs well. Highly motivated teaching, and the quality of the relationship between students and teachers are what define a great school.