Philosophy

"Pride Through Excellence"

WHAT WE EXPECT OF EVERY STUDENT AT REGION 14

Every student is responsible for his/her own language, manners, and behavior as we are all affected by them.  Every student should help in keeping the school and grounds clean and safe.

VISION STATEMENT

The Region 14 School District will rank in the top ten of school districts in the state of Connecticut on all current measures of school effectiveness.

MISSION STATEMENT

We, the educational community of the Region 14 School District, are dedicated to creating a quality, dynamic learning environment so that each individual learner becomes a respected contributing member of the community with values, skills and resources that promote the advancement of society.

REGION 14 COMMON CORE OF BELIEFS

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: We believe that the assessment of learning is multi-dimensional in nature and designed to provide insights to the processes, understandings and outcomes of genuine learning of an individual. We believe that assessment should be ongoing, systematic and reflect the multifaceted growth of the individual.

COLLABORATION: We believe in the importance of the energy and enjoyment that comes from working with others. We encourage teaming and are dedicated to finding the time it takes to make decisions by means of consensus. We believe that learning is built upon strong relationships that foster self esteem.

COMMUNICATION: We believe that processing effective communication skills is imperative for the enrichment of the learning process and to satisfy the demands of daily interaction. For optimal growth, we believe an individual must possess skills that allow them to access external resources and demonstrate his/her internal wealth.

COMMUNITY: We believe that building a sense of community can only be accomplished if the learners have a sense of ownership in their schools. We believe that this sense of ownership will be engendered in learners when a measure of control is entrusted to them. We believe that learners will accept responsibility for the well being and success of a school that is "theirs."

FLEXIBILITY: We believe that our world is changing at an extraordinary rate and we must work to expect and accept that change. We believe that effective learners welcome the exploration of alternatives and can adapt to new situations. We believe that the educational process itself requires ongoing evaluation and adjustments in response to the manifestations of constant change.

INCLUSION: We believe that the opportunity to learn is an entitlement that will not be determined by individual differences. We believe that all students have the right to a quality education to develop their own unique gifts and unrealized potential. We believe that sustaining these expectations will dictate high standards for all members of the institution.

INTEGRATING THE CURRICULUM: The world is an integrated whole and schools should reflect that orientation. We believe that individual subject areas are merely perspectives or ways of knowing, and that learning becomes more meaningful when these "parts" are interconnected with a common theme for the purpose of fusing them into a web of real understanding.

We wish to develop in the child a mind to think and a heart to love.  To this end we will teach students graduating from Region 14 to demonstrate:

• The skills and confidence necessary to be life-long learners and risk takers, with the ability to adapt and cope in an ever changing world.
• The ability to understand and to use effectively language, mathematics, science, social science and technology as tools of the 21st century.
• The ability to identify a problem and to utilize decision-making, reasoning and problem solving skills, thereby working through the problem to arrive at viable alternative solutions.
• An understanding of the artistic accomplishments of the world and explore, develop and express their own uniqueness and creativity.
• The ability to understand and develop the skills necessary to function as a responsible individual and/or group member in the multiple roles of citizen, family member, parent, worker and consumer in a democratic society.
• A personal, social and moral responsibility in dealing with health, global and environmental issues, recognizing the necessity for moral and ethical conduct.
• An understanding and respect for, appreciation of, and sensitivity to a multi-cultural and world view, thereby enabling them to interact effectively and to work cooperatively with diverse ethnic and cultural groups.
• An understanding of the benefits of proper nutrition and lifetime fitness, enabling them to pursue a future which incorporates good health practices and a variety of leisure time activities.