OUR MISSION is to prepare our students for college and for life in a community defined by robust academics, inspiration, engagement, and care.
OUR CORE VALUES are academic achievement, care & respect, civil discourse, individuality, innovation, and inspiration.
CIVIL DISCOURSE
INSPIRATION
We recognize that there are as many ways to be smart as there are people, that setting and meeting goals for oneself is inclusive and respectful of the differences between us, that valuing growth over time for each student is essential, and that learning intentionally happens in and out of the classroom through our curricula, co-curricular experiences, and engagement with our school and the greater community.
We prioritize a culture of boundless creativity and excellence across all areas of one’s life, and help students to create, produce, and be confident in their authentic selves. By doing this, our students are not simply prepared for a future of accelerated change. Rather, they will play an active role in shaping what the future will be.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
- Benjamin Franklin
If we are to live into our shared value of respect for the individual and the community, then we must embrace the differences that make us unique. One important way this is expressed is through civil discourse. Living in a democratic, civil society is premised on the fact that we will not always agree.
Civil discourse is when individuals with different perspectives have respectful dialogue. It requires a real determination to listen and a willingness to examine, to truly consider, all points of view for validity. It does not always lead to resolution, but it always facilitates greater understanding, which is necessary to become fully educated. For this reason, difference is an inherent good, a resource to promote greater value for all.
If we hide our true thoughts and opinions, opting for polite over civil, we miss the opportunity to learn from one another. Light cannot penetrate a closed mind; education is meant for illumination.
“Do not listen with intent to reply, but with the intent to understand.”
- Stephen R. Covey
As the world changes, so must we. Our goal is to prepare our students to play an active role in shaping the future; to meet it, we must foster an atmosphere of creativity and critical thinking.
Both faculty and students are given the opportunity to research, ideate, experiment, and build. Innovation thrives with this intentionality.
Our community members respond to world contexts in ways that are unique to Steward. Much is considered, including the way we approach issues, how we value and relate to one another, and the enhancement of academic achievement.
The results not only impact our students’ learning experiences today but also lead to the inspired thinking that will be necessary to continue moving the world forward.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
- Maya Angelou
