We began our formal school design journey by identifying our Core Values. Using the core values: ECHO (excellence, community, heart, and opportunity), as our compass, we arrived at our Vision and Mission. We believe that there is no "one size fits all" solution or "secret sauce" to student success and school success, yet we are deeply committed to these researched-based six key elements. Based on the professional experiences of our founder and design team, and lessons learned from schools and organizations we have connected with or partnered with across the United States and globally, we believe that by approaching teaching and learning through these six key elements, the profile of Sledge Institute learners at all grade levels and our learning environment in and outside of the classroom, will reflect our mission:  to embrace, embolden, and engage the natural curiosity and gifts of learners to empower them to become responsible and just global citizens, equipped to understand, critique, influence, solve problems for, and lead an ever-changing world. Learn more below.