Core+Values+PDT

Below is the page David G. sent us.
I would like to focus on the question: What can **WE** do that is not going to be cultivated and nurtured as effectively or intentionally elsewhere? You may want to focus on something else.

I think about the old Wachovia ad campaign "my Wachovia" that they used to promote the idea that your bank should be responsive to you. I feel like "my GDS experience" is very descriptive of something we provide our students. A personalized education that is not exactly like any other GDS student's experience. So, what's the core value there? I'm not sure how to put it.

The idea that students are constructors is the other core value--students at GDS are busy making their education rather than passively receiving it.

I like this idea of "MY GDS" - perhaps the core values are specific things that make it feel like "MY GDS"....I would suggest: · Flexibility (creative?) – schedules, curriculum, learning to learn and to un-learn. · Integration (what about connected) – of curricula, of ideas, and of people, common vocabulary within and between departments, and across divisions. Empathy is part of this · Passion – for learning, for teaching, for people, for the world, the ability to find one's passion · Courage – to do what is right for kids, to try new things, to hang on to important things (even when everyone else isn't doing it)

So, if I were just going to list the core values, I'd say we want to educate students who are:

Connected Creative Passionate Empowered

Meaning that our core values have to be: Innovation Connection Empathy Passion

Core Values for the GDS Program ** The Guiding Principles that accompany the GDS Mission Statement identify the main values that guide the school: Greensboro Day School develops the intellectual, ethical and interpersonal foundations students need to become constructive contributors to the world. We commit to provide our students: We seek a more concise, selectively focused set of **//core//** values to serve as a foundation for our program – to serve as the reference point for our Desired Results for Student Learning and our philosophy of pedagogy. We recognize that many values are incorporated into an educational program. Core values are distinguished by the emphasis we place on them and the extent to which they are addressed by our program and recognized by our faculty and students (e.g. “The 4 Respects” currently used in the LS). Our core values are the values that all members of the GDS community should become so familiar with and guided by that their actions are inescapably influenced by these values. They will distinguish GDS graduates in their preparation for becoming “constructive contributors to the world,” and they represent w hat GDS can do that is not going to be cultivated and nurtured as effectively or intentionally elsewhere. Our goal is to find consensus on a small set of core values expressed as single words or short phrases that will be easy to remember, each to be accompanied by a concise explanatory sentence. Our list may include values that the GDS program has always been guided by as well as values in which we want to be more firmly rooted going forward. The following are initial drafts that came from discussions held by the SLT, the Ed Group and the PDT, spring 2009:
 * __ Mission __****__ Statement __**
 * __ Guiding Principles __**
 * ** challenging and inspiring academic programs ** that support students in achieving their potential in college and life
 * ** a socially and economically diverse community ** that honors and nurtures relationships among students, faculty, and community
 * ** exceptional extra-curricular opportunities ** that enrich the educational experience
 * ** global perspectives ** that cultivate respect for others and promote stewardship of the environment
 * ** SLT meeting, 4-28-09 ** || ** Ed Group meeting, 5-11-09 ** || ** From PDT meeting, 5-14-09 ** ||
 * Learning Community || Integrity (Honor) || Student centered ||
 * Respect and Trust || Stewardship of the Natural World / The human-earth relationship || Friendly, welcoming, caring ||
 * Academic Rigor || Excellence || Safe social climate ||
 * Service || Service to others || Purposefully engaged active learning ||
 * Growing professionals || Care (Caring, Empathy, Respect) || Independence ||
 * Sustainability || Diversity / Multiculturalism || Creativity and Problem Solving ||
 * Diversity || Engaging minds (Engaged learning?) || Collaboration ||
 * Lifelong learning || Creativity / Problem Solving || Confidence ||
 * Integrity || Independence || Sense of Community ||
 * Innovation and risk taking || Collaboration || Ongoing school-wide service learning ||
 * Supportive || Leadership || Diversity ||
 * Independence || || (Is what I’m about to do) sustainable? ||
 * Self-discipline || ** Ed Group meeting 7-15-09 ** || (Is what I’m about to do) respectful? ||
 * Citizenship (local and global) || Practice Stewardship and Caring || (Is what I’m about to do) thoughtful? ||
 * Honoring the individual || Develop the Courage to initiate || (Does what I’m about to do) add value? ||
 * Honor || Explore Creativity || (Is what I’m about to do done with my) best effort? ||
 * Creativity || Improve Collaboration || ||
 * Collaboration || || ||
 * Communication || || ||
 * Personal well being – wellness || || ||

Mark Hale – Academic Year 09-10 guiding principles: Rigor, Relevance, Relationships

What can **WE** do that is not going to be cultivated and nurtured as effectively or intentionally elsewhere (in the community that surrounds the students outside GDS)?

Ethical --- Caring Constructive contributors Courageous Creative Interpersonal Collaborative

(DG later) Proceed from question: How will this help our students Practice Stewardship and Caring Develop the Courage to initiate Explore Creativity Improve Collaboration

In order for our students to develop the intellectual, ethical and interpersonal foundations we will provide a curriculum which is rigorous and relevant, built on relationships that make learning accessible and engaging. Rigor Relevance Relationships

Respect Innovation and the courage take initiative Care for Earth, resources, property, others Independence Collaboration leadership purposefully engaged active learning Persistence, Endurance, Resilience