The Edison Way: Education as Unique as Our Learners
Posts Tagged "Edison"
Building Life-Changing Connections
January 13, 2026
Do you remember what it was like when you first met someone that you wanted to get to know better? What did it take for you to develop a connection with them? Was it worth the effort and time?
I think everyone desires deep, meaningful connections with other people. At The Edison School, creating meaningful connections is one of our core values, and it drives our team’s daily interactions with students enrolled at the school. Due to the varied diagnoses our students have, Edison’s team is challenged to find ways to connect with each kid. We do not let these challenges stop us from working day-in and day-out to create meaningful connections. Rather, we focus on four strategies with each child.
1. Seek first to understand – for those familiar with Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, you will recognize this as part of one of the habits Covey discusses. The Edison team desires to understand each of our kids, so we spend a lot of time interacting with and observing them in a variety of activities. This helps us understand them better.
2. Develop trust through vulnerability – Edison’s team of educators have years of experience, which means we have all made mistakes. Sharing our personal stories with students and admitting to them when we screw up, shows our vulnerability and humanness. This helps build trust with the kids. Trust based on vulnerability creates an authentic, safe environment for every child.
3. Open and honest communication – without communication, relationships fail and connections cannot be developed. Prioritizing open and honest communication with our kids sometimes means that we have difficult conversations with them. This type of communication must come from a place of love and desire to help them become their best.
4. Active listening – making our kids feel heard, valued, and understood fosters trust and stronger bonds with them, resulting in meaningful connections.
Everyone wants a connection with others. Everyone wants to be understood and valued. At Edison, creating meaningful connections is one of our core values because we know that strong connections with trusted adults can change the trajectory of a child’s life!
The Edison Way: Education as Unique as Our Learners
January 06, 2026
Each year as our calendars roll over from December 31st to January 1st, we are given an opportunity to reflect on the past year while looking forward to the new year with anticipation and excitement. Over the past few days, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the history of The Edison School. Understanding the school’s past allows us to move forward into a new year with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity as we seek to make the most of 2026.
Founded in 2012 by a group who believed that every child—regardless of diagnosis—deserves to be treated with dignity and receive a great education, our school was built on a simple but powerful promise: Education as unique as our learners.
This is our “why!”
Our mission is to foster a community of connection and dignity, ensuring every child receives the unique support they need to thrive. In addition to this mission, we have a set of core values that every member of Edison’s team lives out daily.
1. Create meaningful connections – seek first to understand others, develop trust through vulnerability, open & honest communication, and active listening.
2. Strive for excellence – faithful in the little things, passion, grit, flexibility, and continuous growth.
3. Cultivate an exponential impact – transform the trajectory of life for the child and family, character development, whole child education, and life skills.
Over the course of the next several weeks, I will dive deeper into these values and the specific strategies we use to make them a reality at The Edison School. I am excited and honored to be on this journey with you.