Carl A Swanson Elementary School - Omaha, NE

The core values of Swanson Elementary are rooted in the belief that all learners are capable of excellence: excellence in instruction, excellence in providing an inclusive and supporting environment for all, and excellence in the engagement of our students, staff, and community. We are home to an award winning staff who spend countless hours to build relationships with each learner, with each other, and a talented community and student body who work to achieve impressive results. Some of the activities that enrich and support Swanson's strong academic program are Unified Activities, a 1-to-1 iPad initiative, and STEAM activities throughout the year. We are supported by an engaged community of parents, neighborhood, and businesses that invest their time, talents and resources to help us achieve excellence.

Our school, located on a 13-acre arboretum in the middle of a metropolitan area, is based on a biophilic design principle of connecting our learners and nature within our built environments and communities. We believe by bringing elements of nature into our inside learning environment improves not only the spaces that we utilize, but also the teaching, learning, and culture it establishes. Teachers utilize common spaces for student collaboration, learning investigations, and building community among our diverse population of learners. Student achievement occurs inside and outside of the building as students receive personalized and individualized instruction. Our school culture positively influences all that walk our sun filled halls and will be nurtured by its surroundings to maintain its tradition of excellence for years to come.