The leadership team at Nelson County has been working on a project backpack for the past few weeks. Our leadership team understands that as a school we must embrace highly collaborative teams and value driven data informed decision making to meet the needs of 21st century learners. We are preparing students for a future that does not exist yet. They must leave our schools as compassionate, empathetic, creative, and adaptive young adults who are critical thinkers, flexible problem solvers, self-aware, collaborative teammates, literate in many areas, with global and culture awareness, and who have a sense of social responsibility and ethics. WOW! We, as schools, have a great responsibility to society.
It has been exciting to capture our student leaders’ thoughts around the meaning of Caretaker, Collaborator, Creator, Connector, and Communicator as skills that we want all Cardinals to master before they graduate.
- A caretaker understands that no significant learning occurs without a significant relationship. Caretakers are responsible, focused on the good of the community, respectful of themselves and others, compassionate, and practice selfcare. A caretaker understands that sometimes we as individuals or teams are too close to see the big picture or to see the change taking place within. Because of this, caretakers are quick to share the positives and wildly celebrate individuals and teams as progress is made towards goals.
- A collaborator is someone who does not wait on superman nor are they superman. Rather, they value working with a team to accomplish great things. They do for themselves and for others but are also to be confident enough in themselves to graciously allow others to do for them. They will value the giving and receiving of feedback. They will be compassionate and empathetic. They will be humble and kind. They will be leaders and first followers. While willing to compromise, a collaborator knows when to listen and when to speak with conviction.
- Being a creator is more than thinking outside of the box, taking initiative, and being innovative. If the goal during the industrial time period was uniformity, with identical skills and knowledge at the of the public education factory line, then the opposite might be true of the Creative Age. In a country founded on democratic principles, an approach that does not value the inherent differences that make us human would not last forever. We want our Cardinals to graduate with both skills and a passionate calling that allows them to be job creators instead of job seekers especially when rewarding jobs are not created by others.
- If you are connected as a student in Nelson County, you are excited about the possibilities the future holds, have soft skills, are diplomatic, relatable, and are known in the community in a positive way. Connectors hold communities together as they truly understand the value of people and are both connected to individuals and groups. Connectors give back to the community by recognizing areas of need and serving in those areas of need or connect people and agencies to ensure needs are met. A 21st century connector is adaptable to change and is able to make connections with a wide variety of people from all walks of life.
- Finally, to be an effective communicator, you must be open-minded, a good listener, honest, and straightforward. Communicators understand the importance of clarity and will both simplify and repeat a message to make it clear and memorable. Communicators understand that actions speak louder than words and align their actions to allow their character to shine in a positive light. By sharing missteps, communicators model giving each other grace and celebrate mistakes and failures as important productive steps towards success and reaching shared community goals.
This is a beginning to an ongoing conversation that we will have at NCHS around the legacy we are leaving in Cardinal graduates.
