Our Mission
To provide a student-centered environment where every child’s unique needs and potential are at the forefront. Our dedicated teachers serve as guides, nurturing a love for learning and fostering growth both academically and socially emotionally.
We believe in a high-quality, authentic education that extends beyond textbooks. Our holistic, arts-integrated curriculum engages students at every level, encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the world around them. From our youngest toddlers to middle school students, we strive to ignite curiosity and inspire lifelong learners.
Education is more than academics. We are equally passionate about social-emotional development. Our focus on empathy, kindness, and acceptance creates a strong sense of community. Here, students not only gain knowledge but also learn the essential life skills needed to thrive in an interconnected world.
Our Philosophy
The Atelier School is inspired by ideas from various pedagogical approaches, including Reggio Emilia and Montessori method, while celebrating theories of social-constructivism and the theory of multiple intelligences. The common thread among our chosen inspiration is a respect for the child as an individual, and a capable learner.
We celebrate the idea that each individual has unique insights, approaches, and methods in their learning process. Our provocations are centered in creative experiences while integrating all subjects, including nature, science, literacy, history, mathematics, and more.
We embrace a holistic approach to education as children learn best when they draw connections and ideas between many different subjects.
We believe in an emergent curriculum, in which children are active participants in their learning. Teachers listen carefully to the interests of their students and develop curriculum to support this interest based in developmental readiness and established standards.
We emphasize the importance of the journey or the process in learning. It is through the process that comprehension and understanding develop. Nurturing this process leads to meaningful learning and a positive relationship with school.
We believe it is through open dialogue, respect, and acceptance that we can create a positive learning environment where children are able to express their own ideas.
We value a social-constructivist view of learning and promote an environment based on respect. We are a community of learners always collaborating and learning from each other.
Benjamin and Kara Hook
Founders & Executive Directors
Kara holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Master of Education Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Art Education from the University of Missouri. She has taught preschool and elementary children for over 15 years in Columbia, MO, Blacksburg, Virginia and Toronto, Ontario. While in Virginia she was lucky enough to teach at a Reggio Emilia inspired research and laboratory school on the campus of Virginia Tech. She fell in love with the Reggio approach which naturally mimics her own philosophies about childhood education. She has attended Reggio Emilia workshops and conferences and looks forward to continuing her education through involvement in the Reggio community. Her dream to create a beautiful, nurturing environment for children to learn, experiment, discover, create, laugh, and grow has come true through The Atelier School.
Benjamin is a life long scholar, educator, and musician. He grew up in Columbia, a son of two music educators. He is a certified instructor in the Orff-Schulwerk method of preschool music education, and loves sharing his passion of music with children. Benjamin is a multi-instrumentalist and voice specialist who has toured the United States and produced albums of original work. He also holds a PhD in Earth Sciences from the University of Toronto and has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri. His wide range of knowledge and experience bring so many learning opportunities to the classroom and school community. You can also find him writing and performing songs for his students as Mr. Benjamin and the Fund Band.
