The teachers and administration at Mineral Point Elementary School recently developed seven collective commitments. Collective commitments are the values and habits that a faculty puts into action on behalf of our students. They are directly aligned with our district’s mission and vision. These collective commitments were agreed upon as a staff through consensus, with an overwhelming majority of support.
Our Collective Commitments
- I will be open to and ready for learning from others as professionals and colleagues.
- I will hear others’ ideas in various learning communities and be willing to try a variety of practices.
- I will assume best intentions in our colleagues and help create a sense of belonging.
- I will honor the whole child by treating them with respect and care, and attend to their social and emotional needs.
- I will listen to the concerns of our students’ families, address their needs to the best extent possible, and make them feel welcome in the school.
- I will utilize better practices to deliver a coherent and relevant curriculum across all grade levels.
- I will hold all students to high academic and behavioral expectations regardless of background, label, or past experiences.
Next are a couple of questions you might be asking along with a response.
Why does our school need collective commitments?
In August many of us attended a Professional Learning Community, or PLC, institute in Milwaukee. During this experience, we learned about the importance of describing what it is exactly we each needed to do as educators to live out our mission and vision and help every student reach their potential. The PLC presenters encouraged all schools to go through this process.
How were these collective commitments developed?
In a series of staff meetings in September, we revisited some of the information gathered at the PLC institute. We also read one of four professional articles on topics related to our district goals. These readings led to teachers offering input on what these commitments might look like. From there, a small group of teachers and administration voluntarily came together to look at this feedback and draft what became the seven collective commitments listed here. At our last meeting, we collectively adopted all seven commitments through a consensus-finding activity.
What do these collective commitments mean to me?
We wanted to treat this as a celebration for our school. Every educator has come together and agreed to live out these values daily in our work with our students. It’s a big deal. Also, by sharing these commitments with families and the community, we are being transparent in our intentions. We may not always meet every commitment, every day (we’re human), but you should see these values present during our instruction and interactions with students.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this information, please call me at 608-987-0710 or stop by and make an appointment. I look forward to continuing to learn, teach and lead at Mineral Point Elementary School.
Mineral Point staff who attended PLC institute