The Keys To Our Culture

Our School Keys are the foundational tenets that are at the core of how we educate our students and what our families should expect to experience while at St. Peter’s School. The School has reimagined our “School Keys” and implemented the new Keys to our Culture, which include the following: Character, Confidence, Curiosity, Creativity, and Community.

The Faculty met and discussed why each of these are important, how they look in each classroom and the impact they have on a SPS education. The previous iteration of the Keys was developed in 2018 and it was important to consider those phrases as we look toward our future and the ways our students’ experience St. Peter’s.

Character has always been a tenet of the School, and it is truly foundational in all that we do. We consider character development when we hire new teachers, enroll new students, and design curriculum. We consider how our students experience important character traits such as kindness, honesty, humility, responsibility, and empathy.

Confidence is at the core of our educational philosophy. We feel children need to be in an environment of trust and care in order to develop a sense of self-confidence, which has an impact on their ability to try new things and take full advantage of the SPS experience. One of our Strategic Plan initiatives is to formalize a Confidence Pathway for students through the school. We will be developing this this year and look forward to sharing with you our progress in the future.

Curiosity prepares the brain for learning and it is a key aspect of a full education given the vast amount of information available to students today. A curious child is one who takes a portion of their learning and expands it, providing not only agency, but a sense of pride in learning for life. SPS values helping all to be curious and take ownership in each child’s learning.

Creativity is a class we teach to all Preschool through First Grade students. It is also a mindset that has been a part of the SPS education for decades. Understanding the importance of preparing our students for their future, Creativity helps each student see problems differently, develop a sense of confidence in expressing themselves creatively, and striving to engage with the world they inhabit in a creative and personal way.

Community is at the heart of all we do. SPS has always been a community of learners and a place that values our diversity, our unique cultures, and our shared sense of purpose. Community is also something we need to continually build and nurture. Paying attention to our culture and our community allows us to develop a sense of belonging to the SPS community and encourages each to be a part of something greater than themselves.

These Five Keys to our Culture are foundational to an SPS education. Each builds on the others, and we continue to develop ways that we provide not only opportunities to demonstrate these traits, but to gain strength in utilizing them.