December 6, 2017
Friends,
This year, we’ve taken the revision of our mission statement as an opportunity to reaffirm our work to align all facets of our academic programs, student experiences, and institutional decision-making with the mission of Crossroads.
Crossroads College Preparatory School strives to be an exemplary and
engaging learning community committed to justice and equity.
Though the words “college preparatory” only appear as part of our school name in the statement, they nonetheless represent a significant facet of our mission. Over the past few months, faculty, staff, and I have been considering the question: What does it mean to be college preparatory?
There are some straightforward answers. A college preparatory program sets students up for acceptances at institutions that are just-right fits for them and equips them with the necessary skills and content knowledge to support success in their post-secondary work.
College preparation also has to do with fostering practices and habits of mind that promote rigorous thinking, creative problem solving, and self-directed learning, both in school settings and beyond.
Some of these habits and practices are discipline-specific. For example, there are ways that scientists go about solving problems. Some of them apply more generally. For example, there are ways of thinking that support self-advocacy and persistence.
Here are central themes that have emerged in my conversations with faculty and staff.
A college preparatory program fosters students who:
- Engage in a challenging academic curriculum in secondary school and beyond.
- Advocate for themselves respectfully and responsibly.
- Think critically and solve problems.
- Set goals, monitor their progress, and persist/persevere.
- Practice and participate in civil discourse.
- Develop insight into themselves, their relationships, and the world around them.
- Pursue and participate in community with cultural literacy and cultural humility.
I’m excited that these themes represent behaviors and mindsets that can be taught and practiced in developmentally appropriate ways across a student’s experience at Crossroads.
As we continue our discussions about college preparation, I would like to hear from you.
- What are specific ways Crossroads prepared you (or your child, grandchild, or friend) for post-secondary success?
- How might our program develop to best support our graduates in their future endeavors?
Please respond to this survey to share your experiences and insights. Thank you in advance for your time and support.
With great expectations,
