Portrait of a Graduate

To ensure that students have the necessary skills and dispositions to accomplish our mission, the school community has identified five qualities that each student should develop over their Pre-K-12 experience and demonstrate prior to graduation.

 

Creative Problem Solver

A creative problem solver identifies interesting questions or problems and develops a process to answer or solve them.  They understand that failure is part of the creative process and consider a variety of potential solutions in pursuit of their goal.  A student who demonstrates the qualities of a creative problem solver:

• Poses appropriate and thought-provoking questions or identifies novel problems;
• Accurately frames a problem/question and develops a viable plan to address/solve it;
• Perseveres through setbacks and uses mistakes to improve the final product; and
• Anticipates obstacles and considers alternate solutions.

 

Critical Thinker

A critical thinker draws on prior knowledge and effective research practices to assess the validity of ideas or opinions.  They can provide well constructed feedback as well as use feedback from others to improve their ideas or better support their positions.  A student who demonstrates the qualities of a critical thinker:

• Builds a comprehensive understanding of basic content to support their thinking;
• Produces well reasoned, well supported opinions appropriate to the context;
• Assesses sources for authenticity and reliability; and
• Provides and responds to feedback respectfully and constructively.

 

Credible Communicator

A credible communicator conveys their ideas clearly and effectively.  They leverage their medium to support their message and reach their audience.  A student who demonstrates the qualities of a credible communicator:

• Develops a clear purpose and incorporates relevant experience or source material to support it;
• Recognizes and responds to the needs of their audience;
• Uses the conventions of the medium appropriately to enhance their message; and
• Expresses themselves knowledgeably, sincerely, and confidently.

 

Engaged Collaborator

An engaged collaborator fully participates in their group and makes beneficial contributions to the work regardless of their role.  They attend to the contributions of others and adapt to a change of idea or process.   A student who demonstrates the qualities of an engaged collaborator:

• Actively listens to others, respectfully considers various points of view, and revises their thinking as needed;
• Contributes positively to the work both as an individual and a member of the group; and
• Switches between leading and supporting roles as dictated by the needs of the group.

 

Global Citizen

A global citizen interacts with a variety of people and builds strong, mutually respectful relationships.  They strive to manage themselves and their resources in a way that is both healthy and beneficial to them and their community.  A student who demonstrates the qualities of a global citizen:

• Respectfully interacts with people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds;
• Makes ethical, healthy, and responsible decisions;
• Recognizes their strengths and weakness and strives to improve themselves;
• Builds relationships and advocates appropriately for themselves, others, and their community; and
• Organizes and uses resources appropriately.