Adam Robertson Elementary School is a K-7 school, with approximately 315 students and 32 staff, located centrally in Creston.

At ARES we work hard to incorporate the Circle of Courage into our schoolwide culture. It is a model of youth empowerment and resiliency, which recognizes that in order for youth to be emotionally healthy, they need to feel a sense of BELONGING, MASTERY, INDEPENDENCE and GENEROSITY. The model originated in a book called, Reclaiming Youth at Risk, by Brendtro, Brokenleg and Van Bockern (1990).

The Circle of Courage is centered around an indigenous philosophy of child-rearing, incorporating their sophisticated thoughts on child development, to nurture caring, respectful, and courageous children. The model emphasizes the importance of a community, with a shared set of values, raising children together.

Throughout the year, you will notice that we incorporate many activities to help our students, staff, and families feel connected. When adults feel a sense of BELONGING themselves, they can support children to feel equally safe and secure in their school environment and a feeling of GENEROSITY emerges and everyone kindly supports one another. When a person feels cared for and they BELONG, their journey toward MASTERY and INDEPENDENCE begins.