At JLS, This We Believe
- All children can learn, and are entitled to learn at their maximum level.
- Students want to be successful at something.
- Each child should have at least one adult at school who knows him/her well, with whom he/she has regular contact, and to whom he/she can turn for help.
- The middle school is a unique institution – neither elementary nor secondary. It has its own special place in the education continuum, and while drawing from the best of other levels, must develop its own identity, purpose, and plan of operation.
- Students do not learn subjects in isolation. They need to be helped to see the interconnectedness of knowledge. The middle school curriculum should be a tapestry of subject content, study skills, and personal development skills.
- The middle school curriculum must be designed to fit the unique needs of young adolescents and have a balance of skill development with exploration and choice.
- Middle School children need to learn in a variety of ways, including a range of teaching strategies.
- A positive school climate contributes to and reinforces learning.
- Assessment of learning should be continuous, positive, as authentic as possible, and presented to students in a way that has meaning for them and reinforces growth.
- School policies should emphasize positive progress, and reinforce learning, a safe and orderly environment, and orderly behavior.
- Parents are an integral part of the education of their children; therefore the school welcomes parents input and involvement.
- People work best in an atmosphere where the decision making process is clear and understood by all, and where, t?o the extent possible, people are involved in the decision-making process.
- (These belief statements were adopted by staff vote in August, 1991 and re-affirmed in 1995.)
