A community of learners must be a community of respect. Positive results can’t occur in an atmosphere that lacks respect. As a school district we must be respectful of our students, our community and each other.
This holds true not just for our intentions, but for our actions. We must treat each other with respect on an everyday basis. It is important to remember that please and thank you is not only polite, but it works! Try it.
Most of us think of integrity as being honest and doing what is right, not only for ourselves, but for everyone. However, integrity is much more than that. At its core, it is consistency of actions, values, methods, measures and principles, Cheating on a test, copying homework or using sick time to go shopping are actions that not only break the rules, but show a lack of integrity.
Failing to push ourselves to do our best can be a seen as a lack of integrity as well. In failing to strive to be our best, we are not being honest with ourselves, we’re selling ourselves short and cheating the rest of the community out of our potential contributions.
We cannot allow that to happen.
Every student must be shown the way to act with respect and integrity every day. Not because we say so, but because failing to do this robs both the student and the rest of us of the greatness that each student has inside of them.
