Our Mission & Vision

Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning School (MAELS) opened its doors in September 2008 as a public school of choice to serve the students of Staten Island. MAELS was founded on the ideals of Outward Bound, an international, non-profit, independent and outdoor-education organization, and organizes its curriculum around multidisciplinary learning expeditions. Academic achievement and character development are placed together at the core of the curriculum.

As an Expeditionary Learning School, we follow ten design principles which serve as a guide for every EL School. The investment of each student, parent/guardian, teacher, and administrator in the design principles ensures the development of a unique and effective school.

“There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”
-- Kurt Hahn

MAELS Mission

MAELS Mission for Curriculum & Instruction asks teachers to create opportunities for students to critically analyze the world in order to create authentic products that allow them to advocate, disrupt, create, innovate and begin to bring change to their community, thus developing their sociopolitical consciousness. Sociopolitical consciousness refers to an individual's ability to critically analyze the political, economic, and social forces shaping society and one's status in it. To do this, we incorporate students' life experiences and social identity in order to use their strengths and voice to act as change makers and do good in the world.

Instruction will promote equity and growth through opportunities for student-engaged assessment and meaningful reflection which allows students to guide their own learning.

MAELS Mission for Culture & Community asks teachers to create a student experience where school is seen as a community where they can show up as authentic selves to build connections, cultivate their power, and spark joy. We share a commitment to forming a restorative school culture that helps students create solutions to academic, social and personal challenges. We strive to establish learning experiences that inspire our students to use their voices and to see themselves as change agents and peace makers. We believe in establishing accountability for how individual actions impact the community with both Crew and content classes taking equal responsibility and time for celebration, self-care, community care, and solitude. All community members affirm to seek out and participate in opportunities to live out and model our school values, guidelines and boundaries- to honor the diversity that lives within our school, take responsibility for how our individual actions impact the community, use the collective strengths of all to create change, big or small. and to keep our community safe (physically, mentally and emotionally).

In ELA this may mean analyzing the representation of LGTBQ+ stories in literature and advocating for the disruption of dominant narratives.
In Math, this may mean studying food insecurity by collecting and analyzing data to determine whether the prices of basic grocery items vary by different neighborhoods or zip codes.
In Science, this may mean exploring the deep links between racism and climate change.
In Social Studies, this may mean learning about imperialism in connection with gentrification and speaking to community leaders in the neighborhoods of Downtown Staten Island.
In Crew, this may mean engaging in service learning projects where students study the impact of the food scarcity epidemic on Staten Island and then taking action to end it.