Tools
To be effective students and lifelong learners, students must learn to use the tools of intellectual endeavor. We provide instruction in three areas of particular importance.

Library
Located at the center of our campus, Dawson’s beautiful and well-equipped library represents the depth of our commitment to excellence. With more than 15,000 volumes and many more resources available on-line, the library provides information to the young researcher and enjoyment to the young reader. Students learn to use the library as a research tool and as an avenue to the joy of reading. Several computers with high-speed Internet connection allow students under adult supervision to access our on-line catalog and remote information databases. Our Publishing Center provides an opportunity for students to edit, refine, and publish their work. The children receive direct instruction in how to use the library collection and how to use the library’s computers. In a special storytelling room, elementary students can watch a puppet show, listen to a visiting author, or let their imaginations take flight while listening to our librarian read a favorite story. Children and parents are welcome to use the library, which is open from 8:00 am to 4:15 pm.

Organizational Skills/Planning
Teachers emphasize careful planning and organization. Students receive direct instruction in time management, approaches to homework, and the skills needed to complete long-term projects on time. Thus, students learn responsibility and the ability to act and work independently. Study skills addressed include note-taking and test preparation.

Computing
As they progress through the curriculum, students learn to manipulate the various aspects of computer operation, including word processing, building data bases, and using a spreadsheet. Teachers in each discipline adapt the computer to the needs of a particular project or pedagogical issue, whether it be simulation games, research through CD-ROMs, exchanges with other schools through e-mail, a multimedia presentation, or publishing one’s own book. Our computers are not an add-on; they are an intrinsic part of the learning process.