Our Vision
We believe in a world where all children can become 21st-Century problem solvers with great hearts and great minds.
Our CORE VALUES
Because of our belief, we commit to that vision by acting according to our five core values. While our vision describes "why" we do what we do, our core values describe "how" we will go about doing it. We are guided by the following commitments:
Commitment to Excellence. We believe that excellence is only attainable when we set high standards for ourselves and others. We will excel not only by this, but also by proactively communicating with families, by constantly reflecting through asking ourselves "is this our best?", and by keeping our word.
Deep Ownership. We believe that ownership is not something that comes from the top, but is built, shared, and experienced collectively will all our stakeholders - students, families, teachers, and the community. We are all responsible together. We will do this by building relationships based on trust, identity, and belonging.
Growth Mindset. We believe that we never stop learning and that obstacles do not permanently define us. We commit to proactively seeking excellence and learning from it. We commit to learning both about and from our students and families. We commit to reflecting on what we do and always looking for ways to improve outcomes for students.
Selfless Teamwork. We believe that as amazing as each of the individuals who works at this school is, we are far better together than we are alone. We will offer constant collaboration and support to each other. We will be listeners. We'll ask for help when we need it. And we'll do all this in collaboration with our strong community and family partnerships.
All In. We believe that it takes preparation to be successful. We commit to doing the necessary preparation, to being open and bringing our best intentions, to take risks and to take care of ourselves so that we are fully present each and every day for our students and families.
Our MISSION
So what do 21st-Century problem solvers with great hearts and great minds actually do? If our visions speaks of "why" we do what we do, and our core values are "how" we do it, then our mission is "what" we are actually building, each and every day, with our students here at Katherine Johnson STEM Academy.
21st-Century Problem Solvers:
are critical thinkers
are communicators
are collaborative
are creative
identify problems
look for solutions
use different approaches to solve a problem
are innovative and resourceful
take risks
embrace others' ideas
demonstrate perseverance and resilience
reflect on their processes
understand equality, equity, and justice
Students with Great Hearts:
demonstrate kindness
reflect on and understands their emotions and actions
get to know people to demonstrate personal respect
build and aim to keep trust
accept differences and uplift others
love both the journey and love including others in it
create safe spaces for self and others to learn and grow
look for solutions that are best for all, not only self
serve others
practice empathy
act selflessly
Students with Great Minds:
have wonder
apply learning to life
ask questions
are persistent
persevere to reach goals
are open to new ideas
can adapt to new situations
look forward to achieving the next goal
show their best efforts and encourage others to do likewise
consult multiple sources
questions their own thinking
consider others' perspectives
enjoys learning