Roxborough School Commitments

These are the commitments we have made with each other.  All stakeholders in our community will share these agreements and we will hold each other and ourselves accountable for following them.  This document defines our commitments, beliefs and guiding principles for our daily actions and interactions.  It will serve as our operating norm and will be the basis of our decision-making and communication models.  It is our intent to create a learning community and culture, which establishes an inviting spirit and a sense of ownership shared by all. 

Model the Way
  Our actions and interactions will model our belief system.  We will be conscious of the lessons we teach others by our actions.  In order to model our expectations for students, we will engage in open and honest communication, self-organization, problem solving, conflict resolution, and positive attitudes.  We will promote leadership at every level by modeling leadership ourselves.  As leaders we will empower others.  We believe at the heart of leadership you will find the heart of a leader.

Remember Why We Are Here
  Our mission is clear. We believe that all children can learn; our ultimate goal is to provide a world-class education for children so that they may experience future success as productive members of our society.  Our highest priority is the children.  We love children; they are the focus of our care and joy.  What is best for children is at the heart of what is best for our school and this will be reflected in the culture and spirit of Roxborough Primary & Intermediate School.  The academic, social, emotional, and physical growth of children underlies all we say, plan, and do.  Instructional programming will be purposeful, data driven, and based on individual needs assessments.  We believe it is important to understand our students on a personal level in order to foster their strengths and challenge them to explore their untapped potential.  We will reflect and model this belief in the allocation of our resources, the expenditure of our time and energy, the inviting people that fill our school, the inviting places in which we learn, the inviting policies we establish, the inviting programs we create, and the inviting processes we carry out.  We will focus our efforts on those things that most influence our students' academic, social, emotional, and physical needs.

Choose Words Carefully
  In order to build a culture of trust, communication will be open, honest, and directed toward the appropriate party in a graceful manner.  Listening will be an expectation and priority.  Individual perceptions will be set aside in order to focus our efforts on understanding the issues.  We will seek constructive criticism and feedback from students, parents, colleagues, and the community.  Everyone will engage in positive, productive communication. Conflicts will be addressed with confidentiality, honesty, and integrity.  Advocacy will be balanced with inquiry, so that the best interests of all stakeholders will be served.  We will identify problems and focus on solutions.  Expectations, values, and norms will be clearly defined so that a safe, orderly, and non-reactive environment prevails.

Collaborate
  Through our interactions with each other, we will strive to build a collaborative culture.  We expect that every member within our school community will internalize and value the character traits of generosity, honesty, respect for diversity, responsibility, integrity, and self-discipline.  In order to instill trust in our community, we will respect and value the uniqueness of every individual.  We recognize that the blending of diverse ideas results in a more significant and purposeful educational experience for all.  We honor the courage of those who are creative and divergent in their thinking in order to instill and embrace the love of learning in others.  Together, we will capitalize on our collective strengths and minimize our individual weaknesses.  We recognize that leaders at every level of the organization will be required to make quick and confident decisions daily.  However, systemic and systematic changes effecting Roxborough Primary & Intermediate School will be made using decisions reached through a defined process of dialogue, consensus, and shared decision making.  We will create mutual partnerships, among all stakeholders, establishing a collaborative environment focused on students, staff, parents, and community members reaching their individual potential.

Challenge to Grow
  We will be passionate about our potential and take pride in our work.  We recognize and embrace the notion that education is an evolving process, which encourages learners to reach their untapped potential:  academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.  Best instructional practices will guide our decisions and actions.  Instruction will be intentional and purposeful; it will be data-driven; it will be differentiated for students; regular feedback to all stakeholders will be the norm.  Roxborough Primary & Intermediate School will be a safe environment where we support each other as we take risks to step out of our comfort zone.  Mistakes will be seen as opportunities for growth and learning.  Through persistence, we will shoot for excellence, knowing that perfection is not possible.  We will validate our strengths and grow in areas of weakness.

Encourage the Heart
  We will look for opportunities to celebrate, by validating and remembering the unique contribution each of us makes. Our interactions will be positive and playful.  Each day we will take time to laugh together, share our joy and struggles, and look for miracles.  We will build relationships with others and allow others to build relationships with us.  We will give each other and ourselves celebrations; we will live with joy.  We believe it is vital to maintain a balance in our personal and professional endeavors.  As individuals, we will remember to take care of our physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs.