Mission+Statement

**__Mission Statement__** "To create an inclusive community of learners, equipped with the skills to be Independent, Collaborative, Reflective and Engaged members of the 21st Century global society. To challenge individuals to recognize and achieve their potential, and pursue their passions. To encourage individuals to critically analyze world around them, and their place in it, and to fulfill their responsibilities within it."

This Mission Statement is meant to encapsulate all aspects of the educational philosophy of my proposed International Charter High School (ICHS). It is important to recognize that the 'individuals' referred to is meant to be inclusive of the entire school community, Students, Teachers, Administration and Parents alike. It is my opinion that effective implementation of an educational strategy, as exemplified by a Mission Statement, requires complete and widespread engagement by all members of the school community. This is even more central to the development of a pedagogy that reflects the themes and concepts inherent in 21 st Century Learning.

'An inclusive community' highlights the need for the creation of a safe learning environment, in which all students feel comfortable in the pursuit of learning, and are able to fully explore new ideas with teachers and peers. It also refers to the importance of providing differentiated instruction that caters to the needs of all learning styles, as well as those of special needs groups within the population, including Learning Support and English Language Learners.

'Independent, Collaborative, Reflective and Engaged' show the broad learner profile to be sought in order to achieve learning goals. This will also need to be reflected in the Curriculum and Assessment to ensure comprehensive implementation. These four concepts are based on the 4C's framework, as highlighted by Ken Kay in "The Seven Steps to Becoming a 21st Century School or District. ([])

__Recognizing and achieving potential__ is a further effort to engage in the processes of 21 st Century Learning. It applies to the Independent and Reflective attributes listed as part of the Learner Profile.

The final sentence further elaborates on the four basic concepts of the Learner Profile, as well as the aforementioned 4Cs. 'Fulfill their responsibilities' refers directly to students being engaged members of the Global Society, and ensures that learning is relatable and immediate to the world they see around them.

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