Agreement on Community Values
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster
January 15, 2016
In the results of our latest survey, Parents, Trustees, Faculty and Staff were aligned in the identification of the top 3 values we believe all members of our community should embrace. It was clear all groups agreed that we would like our students and community members to model all of the values listed on the survey, as well as many others. The Upper School and Middle School student respondents varied slightly from the adults but only in that they ranked knowledge in their top 3.
Any school that has engaged in the exercise of selecting Core Values realizes the challenge is keeping the list to 3 or 4. The selection process does not mean a school will stop encouraging other values important to community members. Instead, the exercise provides the opportunity for the community to focus on a few core values deliberately throughout all school programs. Like the identification of a Mission Statement, the selection of Core Values provides a clear roadmap for those who elect to join the school community.
Integrity, Respect, Responsibility and the pursuit of Knowledge are universally accepted values. It would be difficult to find someone who would oppose the development and practice of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility and the pursuit of Knowledge. Yet, we encounter people and organizations that have not embraced these core values.
In the coming months members of our community will be invited to discuss the proposed adoption of these 4 values before they are formally presented to the Board of Trustees for adoption as our Community Values. The goal is to adopt and then support opportunities where all members of our community model these 4 core characteristics.
We would like to believe that Shorecrest graduates would be known not only for excellent college and career preparation, but also for being people who model Integrity, Respect, Responsibility and Knowledge. This will happen when all members of the community embrace these 4 core values and model them in all environments
Cheers!
Mike
