Portrait of a 2036 Graduate
The Portrait of a 2036 Graduate is an articulation of the habits, mindsets, and skill sets that St. Anne’s-Belfield School believes are essential for our graduates in the present and the future. This aspirational document ties together our mission, vision, values, and Inclusive Excellence statement for our entire student population, from age 2 to Grade 12.
We believe that all of our students should become exemplary citizens, as stated in our school vision statement. We define exemplary citizens as those who are strong in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, and responsive in soul, as articulated in our mission. The Portrait of a 2036 Graduate further explores how we define these ideas and our expectations for our students as they grow into exemplary citizens. Each of the School’s six core values (integrity, curiosity, diversity, creativity, agency, and impact) is found in these definitions.
Exemplary Citizens are…
Strong In Body
We STRIVE for optimal health
- by knowing and respecting our minds and our bodies
- by practicing good habits and purposefully developing new
ones
We ENHANCE the connection between physical and mental
health
- by creating overall wellness through the synergy of body,
mind, and emotion - by nurturing a connection with the natural world
We EMBRACE challenge and PERSEVERE through adversity
- by developing mental and physical capacity for resilience
and endurance - by meeting consequential moments poised with confidence and perspective
Broad of Mind
We CULTIVATE curiosity and creativity
- by desiring to learn about and from each other
- by posing questions that do not already have an answer
- by innovating and making
We SEEK to engage diverse perspectives, cultures, identities,
and practices
- by inquiring thoughtfully and developing cultural literacy
- by contributing with humility as a member of a team or
group
We PURSUE knowledge and wisdom to generate positive
impact
- by reading profoundly and widely
- by researching valid and applicable information from reliable sources
- by integrating ideas and drawing novel conclusions
Tender of Heart
We SERVE others and DO good
- by seeking what is best for the community
- by standing up for others in times of need
- by being a good steward of the environment
We SENSE when to lead, when to delegate, and when to
follow
- by being a trusting and trustworthy collaborator
- by honoring the work of others
- by understanding that excellence requires sacrifice
We UNDERSTAND and MEET the needs of the community
- by listening deeply, speaking judiciously, and acting with
empathy - by investing in and elevating others
- by serving as agents of change
Responsive in Soul
We ENGAGE in reflection
- by increasing self-awareness and understanding of the world
- by participating in spiritually-rooted traditions
- by cultivating spiritual beliefs
We PRIORITIZE moments of reverence and awe
- by respecting what others hold sacred
- by communing with the natural world
- by honoring the present with complete attention
- by finding the sacred in the simple
We DEMONSTRATE moral character and integrity
- by making choices that respect shared human dignity
- by choosing the difficult right over the easy wrong
- by being a force for good
We CREATE a meaning-filled life
- by seeking truth and joy
- by committing to a purpose larger than self
Visionary Leaders…
While we believe that all St. Anne’s-Belfield students should become exemplary citizens, we know that not all have the desire or ability to be visionary leaders, nor should they. The standard is high, and we believe that there are not many of them in each generation. This is why in our Portrait, visionary leaders are set apart. There is purposeful overlap in the language, displaying the similar foundation of exemplary citizens and visionary leaders while also illustrating the enhanced responsibility and calling on a visionary leader. For example, we state that exemplary citizens “prioritize moments of reverence and awe,” while visionary leaders “build communities of purpose and belonging by cultivating moments of reverence and awe.”
DISCERN the signs of the times
- to make informed decisions for our future world
- to meet the pace of change and demands of leadership
- to embrace the moment with originality and adaptability
- to develop cultural fluency in all mediums and modes of communication
BUILD communities of purpose and belonging
- to cultivate moments of reverence and awe
- to instill respect for shared human dignity in others
- to develop consensus around a shared vision
- to identify and enhance the talents of others
CONFRONT communal issues
- to develop solutions for the greater good despite risk to self
- to achieve a more just, merciful, and humble world
Mission
“We wish our students to become strong in body, broad of mind, tender of heart, responsive in soul.”
– Mary Hyde DuVal
Founding Headmistress, 1910 – 1920
Core Values
Integrity
Cultivating responsible, honorable, ethical behavior
Creativity
Expecting imaginative, critical and divergent thinking
Curiosity
Fulfilling our desire to question, to know and to learn for a lifetime
Agency
Empowering students to own their learning
Diversity
Seeking to know, learn from and value one another
Impact
Accomplishing meaningful, significant work for the greater good
Statement on Inclusive Excellence
St. Anne’s-Belfield School believes that exemplary citizenship and visionary leadership are best nurtured in a welcoming School community based on equity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of excellence. Our School provides a well-balanced educational experience that affirms the richness and diversity of humanity, creates an expectation of belonging based on shared human dignity, and encourages a desire to learn about and from each other.