"A socially responsible learning community integrates the academic, social, emotional and ethical dimensions of teaching and learning. This fosters the ongoing development of human qualitiesāsuch as empathy, fairness, interconnectedness, peaceful coexistence and respect for human lifeāthat become a way of being.ā -
Social Responsibility Design Team, 2007
Social responsibility includes citizensā contributions to the community, solving problems in peaceful ways, valuing diversity and defending human rights and exercising democratic rights and responsibilities. Social and emotional learning is the process of developing social and emotional skills in the context of safe, caring, well-managed and engaging learning environments and includes self-awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Social justice involves working for social change for the betterment of humanity.
Research tells us that when students feel safe and connected to their school, academic achievement improves. Caring, socially responsible communities support and increase student success. āStudents who feel āsafe, valued, confident and challengedā have higher attendance, more school attachment and engagement and better behaviorā. - Black, 2006
District Areas of Focus