Our Values
A CULTURE OF TEAM
- Children come first. We put children's needs before our own. The well-being and achievement of children is our highest priority, and all our decisions are based on what's best for them.
- Team before individual. Being a team means helping others and going the extra mile to contribute to the group, rather than seeking the limelight. It's working with people who share our values, and our desire to live a meaningful life dedicated to the greater good. It's about humility and being loyal to people.
- We revere teachers. Schools should be designed to respect, nurture, develop, trust, and support teachers. The most revered individuals in our community are master teachers, as we profoundly respect a lifelong teaching career. Our leaders and shared services team work tirelessly to support teachers in every way possible. (And we love them for it!)
- We radiate positivity. We energize each other with positive talk, attitudes, and actions. We don't tolerate even a little negativity, complaining, arrogance, divisiveness, or gossip; it does not bring sunshine to our day.
- It's a love fest in our love nest! There are many ways we express our love: through acts of kindness, support, and appreciation. We hire people we really like, and we enjoy close relationships. Even when we're frustrated or tired, we insist on treating each other as we would want to be treated.
- Can you hear me now? Real communication happens here – and the most important part is listening. So much good comes from listening and understanding one another. With our hearts in the right place, we work through disagreements and difficult situations. So put down the headphones, get off email, walk down the hall or pick up the phone for a real conversation.
- We want to have fun, damn it! We spend a lot of time together so let's make it fun. We're idealists but we also work too hard not to bubble wrap a colleague's desk once in a while.
A CULTURE OF LEARNING
- We are continually learning. We push ourselves to learn and improve all the time, both personally and professionally. Our leaders support our growth and development.
- Kounaikenshuu. Kounaikenshuu is at the heart of our professional development philosophy: we plan together, observe and analyze each other's lessons, and collaborate to refine teaching strategies and continuously improve student learning. We talk all the time about teaching. The intellectual energy is palpable!
A CULTURE OF OWNERSHIP
- We love what we do! We are passionate and driven. We work for social justice with seriousness and a sense of urgency. We run to meetings. We are resilient even in times of stress, because our work is a sacred calling.
- We hold ourselves accountable for results. We take pride in personal accountability for the achievement of our students. We feel accountable to our children, and we feel accountable to each other. We are accountable as individuals and as a team. We do not believe in blame or excuses, just results and hard work.
- Continually improving. Everyone is entrusted to practice kaizen: to continually improving everything, every day. We are relentless about excellence and can't stand mediocrity. We take initiative and share ideas. This is our school. We are empowered and dedicated to make it the best it can be every day.
- If we ever become a bureaucracy, please shoot us. Everyone here is an entrepreneur. We banish roadblocks and minimize bureaucratic nonsense. When a problem arises, we figure out a solution – and implement it quickly. We live for people with a work ethic who execute well and get the job done.
Words that define us...
Passion. Hope. Love. Fun. Team. Humility. Leaders. Meritocracy. Idealism. Kindness. Activists.
Words that make us cringe...
Mediocrity. Bureacracy. Gossip. Intolerance. Arrogance. Divisiveness. Blame. Complain. Apathy.
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