core values

one

 We serve children within a Spirit of Community. We honor the value of a circle of people who share a common purpose, provide space and support for individual growth, unite in doing the work, and hold hands to walk in the same direction.

two

 We serve children in an atmosphere of Invitation and Hospitality. We invite schools into this circle that surrounds and supports children.  We do all we can to provide a space of beauty, comfort, safety and welcome for all.

three

 We serve children within a belief that Each Individual has a Gift to Bring. We invite members of the circle to bring their individual skills, wisdom and heart to the process of serving.

four

 We serve children through a process of Respectful Listening. We actively create and sustain an environment in which we speak one at a time and focus on the words of the speaker with the intent of seeking understanding, looking for meaning inside the words, and affirming the value of the expression of each other’s thoughts.

five

 We serve children by promoting the Freedom to Create. We encourage individual and team creativity in designing a garden and a process which best serves their community.

six

 We serve children by supporting the value of Transformative Experiences. We join our community in providing spaces that support opportunities for insight, for growth, for understanding, for new learning -- in all the ways that offer a chance to live a better life.

seven

 We serve children through a process of Reflecting on Experience. We believe that real knowledge, the kind that becomes an integral part of who we are and how we live, flows from a commitment to reflecting on experience. We are deliberate both in making time to engage in that process and in honoring the wisdom that emerges.

eight

 We serve children by expressing our Respect and Gratitude. We begin and end every conversation with “thank you.” We honor the gifts of each person in the circle and respectfully seek their wisdom at every opportunity.

nine

 We serve children by Celebrating Excellence. We encourage a journey towards excellence in every facet of our process, and we frequently take time to celebrate success.

ten

 We serve children through a commitment to Environmental Stewardship. We honor the web of life, the deep interconnectedness that sustains all of life. We take care to ensure that our work moves towards sustaining the health of our planet, our community and the children we serve.

eleven

 We serve children within a spirit of Embracing the Journey. We believe in the value of process over product and trust the process to lead in the right direction. Our work is embedded in a joyfulness for learning, and we embrace the questions that lead us to deeper knowledge and understanding.

twelve

 We serve children by honoring the Power of the Heart. We intentionally create an environment of welcome, of tolerance and deep listening, in which each voice in the circle feels safe and supported in expressing the thoughts and feelings that touch them most deeply. We honor and cultivate both the landscape within and the natural landscapes we create in partnership with our school communities.