Provisional+Statement+for+the+Foundations+Program




 * A Provisional Statement About**
 * Public School Education in Alberta in the Early Part of the 21** **st** **Century**

As leaders of Alberta’s public school system, we are trying to prepare students for life in 2020 and beyond. We can imagine future possibilities without end. Many of our imaginings will not come to pass, or at least not as we expect them to. Some of our imaginings will be part of the world of 2020, but likely in ways that will surprise us. Much of that world will arrive without us having imagined it. In light of this reality we must approach our work differently. We are hopeful there will be a core of education that endures, and that we can identify the core elements, and attend to them, and convey them to our children (students) in a lively fashion, so that these children enter the future alert, aware, and capable of living well and doing well. We live in a democracy, and we value democracy as a way of life. We are committed to providing education that is fundamentally inclusive and a model of a civil democratic community. We strive to develop citizens who: • are hopeful rather than fearful; • respect others and value and celebrate the uniqueness of each person and the diversity of humanity; • accept personal responsibility for their beliefs, values, knowledge, skills, attitudes, actions and relationships, and are self-disciplined rather than controlled by others; • embrace learning as an essential element of life, from birth to death; • are active and good stewards of our natural and built and social environment, and protect all the resources of the environment; • are prepared to be both good leaders and good followers and, in either case, participate actively and supportively in the life of the civil democratic community; • have the capacity to be independent and the will and the capacity to be in relationship with others (spouse, family, faith, work, recreation, community). Our students must have character and they must be competent. The development of character and competence must be our primary goal from the first day of school. At every step along the way a public school board is responsible to its community. It is responsible in the present and in the future. A number of public school trustees wrestled with the question of values and believe the citizens of tomorrow will need to be educated within a culture that respects diversity. Our future graduates need to have a sense of **purpose and motivation**. They need to have experiences that will encourage them to develop a sense of **self-confidence** and **courage** to reach out, expand their horizons, take **responsibility** for their actions and learn from the consequences. Courage is the firm ground for other strong values, which support doing the **right things** for the right reasons.

From their experience within the walls of a public school, graduates will have learned to respect the importance of community collegiality, and the development of a place where all members can feel safe and have the opportunity to make a contribution; our youth will meet their societal responsibilities through highly These future decision makers will have the desire to be **active learners** in all environments, the **ambition** upon the experiences of others and themselves, and the **passion** to live a good life to achieve personal
 * principled** actions and manners.
 * to accomplish**, a **selfless pride and integrity** to engage in good citizenry, the wisdom to be **reflective**
 * happiness.**