SCHOOLS THAT ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN
Silver City, NM
A School in Silver City, New Mexico focused on the Natural Environment
“Think outside the desk”
ETWC Report Summary: Aldo Leopold Charter School (ALCS) demonstrates what can be accomplished when knowledgeable educators create schools that honor the individuality of every child and understand how to use the natural environment as the classroom. Aldo Leopold is a whole child school where students learn to be good stewards of their communities and the greater world in which they live. Through place-based learning, student agency, awareness of ecological and social justice issues, the students at ALCS are being well prepared for the world they will someday inherit. Both students and staff love this school.
The first distinctive element is the focus on outdoor experiential learning. Through experiential learning and service projects, ALCS students learn to be stewards of the earth now and for years to come. Proximity to the Gila National Forest and Aldo Leopold Wilderness provides an ideal setting in which to link school and nature. Using the outdoors as a learning laboratory allows students not only to experience the natural world, but also to learn to collaborate with peers, and develop intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Learning at ALCS includes numerous field trips, with overnight camping experiences for middle school students, and lengthier backpacking trips in the wilderness for those in high school. All students are expected to participate in these experiential educational activities.
A second distinctive element is the school’s dual enrollment program and student internships. The school’s location on the Western New Mexico University campus provides the opportunity for students to register for college courses. These dual enrollment classes are free to the students and Aldo provides the books and materials needed for students during the dual enrollment period. Students can earn WNMU credits along with their high school diplomas and some students complete enough college courses to complete an A.A. or A.A.S. degree. To enable them to participate in paid internships in the community, high school students do not have traditional classes scheduled on Fridays. All students in grades 10-12 are required to work in the community for a minimum of 72 hours each semester.
A third distinctive element is the integration of the arts throughout the curriculum. The ALCS Student Handbook states that art and music are integrated into both electives and core classes. The classrooms and halls of ALCS are beautifully decorated with student artwork, and throughout the school there is evidence of integrated, art-infused classroom projects. In addition to a vibrant visual arts program, the school also has a music instructor who teaches elective music classes and runs an after-school music club. The music room is an inviting space, with a wall of guitars, drums, a keyboard, and other instruments. The school’s Facebook page notes that Aldo Leopold has the highest guitar-to-student ratio in the state of New Mexico. ALCS students can also participate in drama classes and have entered drama competitions.
Contact to request the full report: tomprnny@gmail.com
Human and natural environments serve as text and lab for learning through direct experience, inquiry and stewardship
Place-based learning utilizes the local community and environment as the means to teach about the natural world through outdoor experiences and internships
A clear commitment to citizen engagement through projects, participation, and partnerships in the community