About Us: Our Philosophy

WRUS is committed to affecting lifelong change in the lives of our students,many of whom have struggled in traditional settings. Our guiding belief in the power of each student's unique talents, skills, interests and goals is a driving force.

WRUS provides an individualized and supportive high school education, in a comfortable, low stress, yet challenging academic environment. Diagnostic informaiton, observation and parent input serve as the basis for understanding each student's learning style. Technology serves as as a platform upon which much of the curriculum is delivered, inclusive of individual laptops for students and faculty. The program ensures a well-rounded experience, including athletics and the expressive arts, offered within a schedule and structure that is responsive to the needs of teenagers.

Our Values Statement

We believe we can change the lives of our students and their families. Every hour is devoted to helping each individual student reach their potential. Our faculty and staff strive to do whatever it takes to achieve that result. We constantly work to find the right balance for each student between supporting growth and development without enabling poor choices and habits. We hold a vision for each student and work methodically toward that end.

We believe our students are individuals with high potential. Each student is seen as an intelligent, creative individual with the ability to learn challenging material and to develop important lifelong skills if taught in ways that recognize his or her unique needs and learning styles. Our teachers and administrators have a strong sense of duty to find the means by which each student can reach his or her potential. To reach full potential, our students must take pride in themselves and maintain a strong sense of responsibility for applying their efforts to learn and evolve.

We believe our role as educators is to empower. Our philosophy places the student and his or her individual needs at center stage. Our teachers and parents must use methods and provide tools that enable each student to learn and succeed and always be building the core skills to continue to do so.

We believe our students need a structured but customized program. Our Curricular Philosophy values a curriculum that incorporates physical fitness, fine and performing arts and community service, in addition to core content required by the State of Maryland.We understand the physical and emotional needs of the typical teenager and we create schedules, such as 90 minutes of morning physical activity prior to starting class, to support their needs. Technology is a platform upon which both students and faculty access and enhance the curriculum. The WRUS academic curricular goals are outcome-based in order to support our students' acquisition of skills and strategies, such as organization skills and structured learning approaches that promote their own inquiry and commitment to being lifelong learners. WRUS works toward retention of knowledge and skills through an inquiry driven, multi-sensory, multi-modal pedagogy. To support this approach, project-based learning and frequent, applied experiences outside of the classroom highlight the WRUS program. Our curriculum must reflect our pedagogy, while assuring a comprehensive preparation for our student's post-secondary studies.

We believe family support is crucial to successful education. Experience has repeatedly shown that family involvement and support is crucial to a child's success. Family involvement builds a stronger sense of the importance of school and learning and promotes a higher level of investment and interest on the part of the student. We continuously seek ways to engage and involve family members in effective, supportive roles.

We believe diversity among students and staff is invaluable. Our student population is diverse not only in learning styles, but in race, creed and socioeconomic background. Diversity promotes understanding, sensitivity and openness, all of which contribute to the empathetic, dignified environment in which WRUS student's learn.

We believe building a strong community is a responsibility of all. School staff, students and family all have a responsibility to make WRUS a safe, respectful and positive environment for all aspects of a teenager's social, mental, physical and spiritual well being. Each adult and student should feel a sense of belonging and ownership for the WRUS culture. We are committed to building and maintaining such a nurturing culture.

We believe that we are all stewards of our environment. As a corporate and teaching community, we have a unique opportunity to teach, model and practice exemplary habits of environmental stewardship. With design input from staff and students, our permanent campus will be a teaching tool for staff, students and guests and our curriculum will reflect a commitment to preserving the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

"One thing they will not let you do is quit. I am proud to say that I graduated on the honor roll." - Ashley Yearby, Alumnus