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MISSION

Overview
Agreeing on what a schools mission statement means and how it should be lived out is not an
easy task. Canterburys Board of Trustees had spent two years, before the school opened,
defining its mission and philosophy. The majority of the staff, however, had been hired just
months before opening day. They had not yet been given the opportunity to share dialogue with
the founders about the implications of the mission and philosophy for the daily experiences of
children in the school. In the fall of 1996, the Board of Trustees issued a charge to the
administrative staff for the school community to set aside quality time and be reflective about the
schools purpose.
The administrative staff will show how the schools mission is carried out in every facet of school life. This
work should culminate in a written document which has broad support and understanding throughout the
school community and which (a) summarizes the schools program and educational direction, (b) makes
clear how faith and reason are integrated in the schools curriculum, and (c) explains how Canterbury
ensures that its program is and will remain educationally excellent.

Fulfilling this charge became quite an undertaking. From the spring of 1996 to the spring of
1998, a process was followed which led to the development of the first three components of the
Mission-Based Program described in this section. In the fall of 1999, Canterbury became a
candidate for initial SACS accreditation, and the Desired Results of Student Learning were
subsequently developed and incorporated into the Mission-Based Program as the fourth
component.

Mission-Based Program Components
1. Shared Vision
2. Curriculum Standards
3. Program Assessment Model
4. Desired Results of Student Learning

The Mission-Based Program, Summary of Process
First, we developed a shared vision (October, 1997).
Parents, board members, and staff were interviewed and surveyed with a goal of assessing
mission/curriculum alignment.
A comprehensive report was drafted and made available to all constituencies,
documenting mission/curriculum gaps and areas of mission/curriculum alignment.
Board members and the full staff engaged in extensive conversation, with the goal of
developing consensus and a shared vision about the meaning of the schools mission and
philosophy.
Each of the five key phrases within the mission statement was fully explored and discussed
within the context of the whole mission statement.
We reached consensus on and documented the meaning of the mission statement.


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Second, we created Curriculum Standards (April, 1998).
The staff met in one of five groups on designated inservice days over a period of four
months.
Each group focused on one of the five key phrases in the mission statement and defined
how that particular part of the mission should shape our educational program.
The work of each group was shared with the entire staff before being distilled into
Curriculum Standards for the entire school.

Third, we created a Program Assessment Model (May, 1998).
A committee representing all the schools constituencies, as well as other educators,
developed an assessment model that would ensure the current and future educational
excellence of the curriculum.
One component of the assessment model, the Curriculum Inquiry Process, was developed
so that there would be continuous improvement of teaching and learning at the school.
Each year, the Curriculum Inquiry Process calls for the staff to reflect on the Curriculum
Standards and to pose key questions on which to focus a self-study.

Fourth, we developed a list of Desired Results of Student Learning (February, 2000).
Using the mission statement, the Curriculum Standards, parental and board input
gathered during the mission based study, and current educational research, a committee
of faculty and staff created a draft of 13 broad statements which reflect the habits, skills,
knowledge, and attitudes that we desire Canterbury students to possess upon graduation
from our school.
The Desired Results were endorsed by the entire staff, the education committee, and a
select group of student representatives before being shared with the board and parent
body.

The work of the faculty and staff at Canterbury is unquestionably on the cutting edge of curriculum inquiry. I am
certain that there are few, if any, schools that have developed mission-based curriculum standards and a mission-
based assessment program like the ones developed by the Canterbury faculty and staff. The Curriculum Standards
will become a powerful framework for all curricular experiences at Canterbury. These standards will enable the
faculty to continuously, rigorously and systematically review the curriculum and make adjustments.
Jane Ness, Curriculum Consultant May, 1998

Shared Vision: Consensus on the Meaning of the Mission Statement
October, 1997

"Develop the Whole Child"
provide each child the opportunity to realize his or her full potential, intellectually and
spiritually
foster academic, social, emotional, physical, artistic, civic, and spiritual growth in each
child


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bring out each childs gifts and help each child overcome weaknesses in body, mind, and
spirit
teach basic skills and knowledge
develop reason, imagination, and self-respect
teach the importance of living effectively in diverse communities
help children to interpret and to act appropriately and humanely in social situations
assess each child regularly to determine needs and set goals
achieve goals through partnerships with teachers, students, parents, and administrators

"Challenge the Mind"
value not only academic performance, but also critical and holistic thinking
engage each childs curiosity, imagination, and ability to make value judgments
nurture multiple perspectives on the world
make school an academically challenging experience, which requires hard work
and presents the occasional risk of failure
quantify the schools academic standards and maintain excellence relative to
area independent schools
be open and honest about the schools standards and ability to meet individual learning
needs
value all levels of ability
use a variety of teaching methods
teach children how to learn, how to ask questions, and how to take risks
teach students to express ideas in a variety of modalities
maintain small class sizes (18-20)

"Nourish the Spirit"
develop each childs awareness of his or her relationship to God and other people
develop a spirit of discovery
expand goals to include moral, ethical, and spiritual development
foster specific behaviors associated with love: forgiveness, grace, thanks,
tolerance, responsibility to others, respect for life, patience, and humility
foster the unfolding of Gods gifts in every member of the community
develop an understanding of Gods work in history and human affairs, within
each subject area
build community based on spiritual principles
permeate the curriculum with Judeo-Christian, and specifically Episcopal, traditions

"In a Diverse Community"
recognize that a uni-cultural environment is limiting
maintain focus on the reasons why diversity enhances the spiritual life of the school and
adds value to the community

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ask constantly how much and what types of diversity to pursue, and what level
of resources are required to meet the schools diversity goals
build a community that includes racial, cultural, socio-economic, religious, physical, and
intellectual diversity
seek diversity in not only in students, but also in staff, parents, board, and
community supporters
keep recruitment of minority students as a specific priority and provide
appropriate resources
create a kind and hospitable community that welcomes diversity
help students learn from and make connections to the differences in others
seek unity in diversity

"Guided by Judeo-Christian Values"
ground the school community in Judeo-Christian values such as justice, mercy,
love, humility, integrity, tolerance, patience, respect, honor, forgiveness, and the
Golden Rule
focus the curriculum on the search for truth about these values, their application in life,
and their source in God
respond proactively to undesirable values that undermine a Judeo-Christian community,
including bitterness, hatred, violence, distrust, and hostility

Educational Values and Academic Identity
Burns Jones, Head of School, summer, 2014

Canteibuiy School believes that the ultimate puipose of euucation is to piepaie stuuents to become
contiibutois to anu leaueis in an evei-changing woilu. In oiuei to achieve this puipose, oui
euucational appioach focuses on helping oui stuuents become theii veiy best selves so that they
can then hainess that knowleuge to make the woilu a bettei place foi all people.

This piocess begins thiough oui commitment to the highest stanuaius of teaching anu leaining. We
aie leaueis in implementing the veiy best euucational piactices anu theoiy cuiiently available in
the euucation of Piek thiough 8
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giaue stuuents. While we iemain innovative anu flexible in oui
acauemic appioach, we also seek to avoiu the misuiiection that comes when schools follow the
latest euucational tienu. Foi these ieasons, the ielationship between teachei anu stuuent has anu
will iemain the coie of oui euucational iuentity. 0ui teacheis aie expeits in the classioom, anu
they aie uevoteu to the stuuents they seive.

Canteibuiy's Piek-8
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giaue stiuctuie acknowleuges the unique uevelopmental oppoitunities that
aiise uuiing eaily chiluhoou anu auolescence anu allows us to focus the necessaiy time, eneigy, anu
iesouices on these vital stages of uevelopment without the uistiactions that often come with high
school. 0ui ability to auuiess the unique uevelopmental anu leaining neeus of chiluien constitutes
one of oui uistinguishing chaiacteiistics.


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We believe that a stiong sense of self is necessaiy to unueistanuing one's place in the woilu. The
woilu is fai uiffeient fiom the one in which most auults giew up, anu it continues to change.
Society is moie tiansient, inteiconnecteu, anu complicateu. Thus, we believe that it is impoitant to
offei a cuiiiculum baseu upon global leaining stanuaius anu that cultivates inteinational
awaieness, unueistanuing, anu empathy.

Canteibuiy is committeu to an inquiiy-baseu appioach to leaining that uevelops ciitical-thinking,
communication, anu leaueiship skills. Nemoiizing facts anu infoimation is not the most impoitant
skill in touay's woilu. Facts change, anu infoimation is ieauily available. Stuuents neeu to
unueistanu how to obtain anu piocess infoimation. 0ui piogiam incoipoiates a iobust
technological platfoim, but it also iecognizes that inteipeisonal skills still mattei.

The iesult is that we giauuate young men anu women who aie iesponsible citizens, capable
pioblem solveis, cieative thinkeis, effective communicatois, anu iespecteu leaueis who
unueistanu themselves anu iecognize theii iesponsibilities to otheis. 0ltimately, we want to
giauuate young men anu women who aie piepaieu to change the woilu.