Trust

• Teachers are trusted to manage their classrooms and programs. They determine daily routines and plan the content as appropriate. Expectations exist that teachers will be creative and explore new ideas and approaches, and move in new directions. Mistakes are expected as part of the process of teaching and learning.
• Teachers use their own experience and knowledge base to evaluate curriculum (state and district) goals. Teachers may decide to teach outside those goals.
• Teachers invest time and effort in lesson planning. They are not required to submit lesson plans on a regular basis. Instead, they submit a yearly curriculum map.
• Trust and cooperation exists through an open dialogue during faculty meetings.
• A cooperative work environment exists for both teachers and students alike. Students are expected to participate in cooperative learning groups. Teachers share curriculum and ideas on a regular basis. Staff members are expected to assume leadership through chairing and participating in committees.
• Students are trusted to take an active role in their own education and in building a healthy classroom community.
• McCarthy-Towne has a deep investment in the social curriculum; most teachers utilize the Responsive Classroom approach. Students participate in creating classroom rules and consequences. Support staff is actively involved in reinforcing these rules and expectations.
• Students frequently engage in cooperative learning. They are encouraged to take on a variety of roles within these groups, which helps to foster trust among peers.
• An appreciation of diversity exists throughout the school. All students, parents/guardians and staff are valued as important members of the McCarthy-Towne community.
• The Central Office supports McCarthy-Towne’s decision-making process and school autonomy. There is understanding that school choice is essential. Parents who desire McCarthy-Towne’s values choose the school.
• The parent community shares McCarthy-Towne core values. They work hard to financially support school goals and trust faculty decision making on how to allocate resources.
• Parents are often invited into classrooms to assist with lessons or activities. Parents are included on hiring committees for teachers and administration.

Process

• The process of learning is highly valued and works in progress are on display in classrooms and throughout the school.
• Teachers differentiate instruction to support individual student goals, strengths, needs, and learning styles.
• Teachers document student growth and progress. Assessment is embedded into the daily activities of the classroom. This information is shared with parents during conferences using portfolios, rubrics, and formal assessments.
• Students are active in decision-making concerning their own learning. With the support of teachers, they develop goals in order to self-evaluate, and reflect on the learning process.
• Students are actively involved in creating rules and consequences in their classroom.
• Students work collaboratively to share ideas and learning strategies.
• Teachers work collaboratively, both within and across grade levels, to share ideas and strategies. This communication is encouraged through the availability of bi-weekly Collaboration and Planning time (CAP) and monthly grade level meetings.
• Teachers choose materials and methods of instruction at grade levels in order to promote diversity and creativity in teaching.

Decision-Making

• The faculty is responsible for the governance of the school. The school was founded on this principle.
• The principal and faculty act as a cohesive unit in which each person has one vote, including the principal.
• The principal acts as a liaison to the district administrators. The principal is an advocate for McCarthy-Towne within the community and school districts.
• The principal trusts teachers to make decisions about adopting new curriculum. Teachers accept the responsibility to evaluate curriculum material and to determine the adoption of new curriculum.
• The faculty members decide how to use their allocated budgets and have choice in the materials they use.
• The faculty decides the allocation of funds donated to the school by the PTSO.
• It is expected that all teachers will take leadership positions within the school by being members of a variety of committees.
• Teachers are encouraged to enrich curriculum by exploring their areas of interest.
• McCarthy-Towne has a Decision-Making document in which the faculty describes the process and scope of decision-making at MCT. This is a living document that has been shaped and amended through the years.

Innovation

• Teachers feel safe and have the trust and support of each other and the administration (at the school and district level) to try new ideas. This empowers them to explore new ideas and approaches, and move in new directions.
• Teachers use their own experience with children to evaluate state and district benchmarks. They may make a decision to teach outside those parameters.
• Teachers value educating students about differences and diversities of abilities. As an example, many teachers have been trained in the Responsive Classroom model.
• Faculty and staff are encouraged and expected to contribute. They participate in discussion and decision-making at faculty meetings. They chair and serve on committees.
• Classroom teachers collaborate with special educators and support staff. They welcome specialists into their classrooms for support and help.
• Questions are encouraged from teachers and students as part of the learning process.
• Students are taught the skills to articulate their thoughts and feelings, both with peers and adults. For example, fourth graders have a Friends Forever program with the school counselor.
• Students are encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions, and are taught to support each other’s differing viewpoints.
• Teachers spend time creating an inclusive community within their classroom, which emphasizes cooperation and collaboration.
• McCarthy-Towne discourages competition through awards, grades and contests within the school in order to create a safe environment for children to set personal goals.
• Students are trusted with leadership positions within the school. For example, the Student Council assists with the all-school monthly assemblies and is trusted to lead Kindergarten Night and New Student tours.

Art: Visual Arts Integration

• Visual arts are a fundamental part of the curriculum. They are integrated into curriculum studies and are a driving force behind all areas of the daily curriculum. Projects change to support the curriculum and students, using a variety of media.
• Teachers and students value the process of art. Artwork in progress is displayed, shared, and discussed.
• Art is viewed and regarded as a form of problem solving.
• The process of art is used as a way for students to express their understanding of the curriculum.
• The faculty is committed to supporting expenditure for the Art Integration Consultant.
• Students use artist quality materials.
• Sloyd is an integral part of the core curriculum for all students

Community

• McCarthy-Towne is a community of teachers, staff, students, and parents; all components of these relationships are essential for success.
• A deep investment in social curriculum exists. Most of the faculty members have attended Responsive Classroom weeklong workshops.
• CASE teachers, staff, students and parents are equal members of the McCarthy-Towne community. The CASE classrooms have been an integral part of McCarthy-Towne for over three decades. CASE teachers are part of faculty meetings and participate in all decision making.
• Respect within the McCarthy-Towne community is not based on position or title but how people treat one another. Respecting a person’s choice on how to be addressed is an example of how respect is shown.
• Classrooms are not located by grade level but are mixed-grade groupings. This helps to develop a spirit of community across grade levels.
• Community is fostered within the school. Examples are monthly all-school assemblies, cross-grade level Reading Buddies, cross-grade level projects and field trips. 6th grade students work in the CASE classes and are paired with kindergartners to help them at dismissal time.
• Money raised by various school/student activities is used for community projects.
• The Student Council promotes many all-school projects such as the Project Bread Spoons Project, the annual coat drive and other community service projects.
• Student input and participation are encouraged through the Student Council.
• Teachers and parents are part of hiring committees.
• Parents share the core values of the school.
• Parents have a wide variety of roles within the school and McCarthy-Towne values all parental efforts. Parents volunteer in many capacities in the office, classrooms, library and Sloyd (3 dimensional art program). Through the PTSO (Parent, Teacher, Student Organization) parents fund raise, participate in the New Family Buddies Program, host the International Pot Luck dinner and provide translation for international families.
• Parents value art integration and fund raise to support it.
• Parents raise money for the school and trust the faculty to decide on use of the money.