• We give students choices so they learn to think and make choices independently. This also helps students to know their strengths and areas for improvement.

• We give them responsibilities, so they learn the importance and value of contributing. Our goal is for all of our students to understand their relationship with the world and that their actions matter.

• We all learn most from our mistakes. Setting students up for constant success is not preparing them for the challenges of real life. We believe in natural consequences, so they understand their impact and learn accountability.

• We encourage them to do hard things and take risks. We want our students to understand that failure is not a final destination but a step on the path to success. The key is learning how to persevere, get back up and have another go at it.

• Our students are not afraid of competition, but as they strive to achieve personal goals, we want them to learn to consider the needs of those around them.