The following 10 design principles are the ELS belief system. Like any belief system, it is brought to life through practical action. This is the function of the five, very concrete, core practices. Together, these two systems inform the teaching and learning at RBCS and create an atmosphere that enables students to acknowledge and fulfill their potential.

		The primacy of self-discovery: When presented with -- and supported through -- new and stimulating challenges, students discover their abilities and passions and understand their responsibilities.
		The having of wonderful ideas: A school community must respect ideas and build on students’ curiosity with learning situations that offer time for thinking, reflection, and invention.
		The responsibility for learning: All aspects of school must encourage students and adults to take increasing responsibility for their own personal and collective learning.
		Intimacy and caring: Learning is best fostered in small groups where there is trust, sustained caring, and mutual respect.
		Success and failure: Students must experience success to develop confidence and some measure of failure to learn to overcome disabilities and prevail against adversity.
		Collaboration and competition: Teaching should strengthen the importance of friendship, trust, and group endeavor, while focusing competition away from one another and toward each person’s personal best.
		Diversity and inclusivity: Keeping all learning groups diverse and inclusive increases the richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving, and acceptance of others.
		The Natural World: Students learn to become stewards of the Earth by establishing a respectful relationship with the natural world.
		Solitude and reflection: Students need solitary reflection time to make their own connections and create new ideas.
		Service and compassion: One of school’s primary functions is to foster the ability and desire to learn from others and be of service to them.