The JBS Core Values
The James Baldwin School is a community, not just a school. A community is a group of people who share common interests, concerns, and values. While we want to cultivate and help you find your unique talents and individual voice, being part of our school is agreeing to share our common ideals and expectations.
Our curriculum and teaching, school culture and ceremonies, rules, regulations, and habits of interaction – inside the classroom and out – are based on the following Core Values:
§ Respect for Humanity
§ Respect for Diversity
§ Respect for the Intellect
§ Respect for the Truth
§ Commitment to Peace
§ Commitment to Justice
§ Commitment to Democracy
Respect for the Intellect
Curiosity: demonstrates enthusiasm for new ideas, theories; explores the philosophical/abstract; seeks practical application and relevance.
Engagement: participates in “work share;” follows protocols/guidelines, follows “speakers list;” listens and responds to others, asks and responds to questions.
Self-discipline: fulfills assignment expectations; brings school supplies; is punctual and present.
Respect for the Truth
Self-reflection and Revision: admits mistakes and when ideas have changed; participates in self-assessments; integrates suggestions into revision of work.
Debate: encourages all voices to be heard; seeks and acknowledges opposing viewpoints; respectfully disagrees; avoids stereotypes and absolutist statements; expresses understanding of complexities, subtleties and nuance.
Evidence and Conviction: supports opinions with evidence from experience or research; gives credit for ideas to those who voiced them; cites work appropriately; doesn’t plagiarize; is willing to stand by convictions, to express and defend unpopular positions and minority viewpoints.
Respect for Diversity
Exposure: Is open – and seeks – exposure to a diversity of voices or points of view; is open to – seeks – exposure to different experiences.
Acknowledgement: acknowledges as valid other people’s opinions and experiences; is respectful of other groups, identities; avoids slurs or degrading language.
Inclusion: acknowledges and includes diverse perspectives in building own view points
Respect for Humanity
Empathy and Action: seeks to understand, empathize with and actively help others – in class and life outside of class and school.
Holistic Thinking: makes interdisciplinary connections; locates work and ideas in historical and current contexts; acknowledges multiple intelligences in self and others; textures work and expression with a variety of influences; acknowledges universal human needs and values.
Creative Expression: employs visual art, music, movement in expression of self and ideas; appreciates artistic expression in and by others.
Commitment to Peace
Non-violence: avoids violent and disrespectful conflict with others; respectfully challenges other people’s ideas and authority; uses constructive criticism.
Conflict Resolution: seeks or creates non-violent alternatives to hurtful conflict; makes recourse to Fairness Committee and mediation to solve problems.
Interior Peace: understands how to calm self when angry; is able to communicate passionately without violence or hurtful language; is able to be quiet and alone.
Commitment to Democracy
Citizenship in Class: contributes to creation and revision of rules; ensures that decisions are not made without input of all who are affected.
Citizenship in School: facilitates and participates in school-wide forums for discussion and governance, including Town Meeting and Staff Meeting.
Citizenship in Society: participates in public forums for debate, demonstration and decision-making; understands local and national systems of government.
Commitment to Justice
Stewardship: ensures fair treatment of school environment; practices “leave no trace” ethic, picks up garbage, and leaves space better than as found.
Activism: protests and seeks to change unfair treatment of self, others, now and in the future.
Guardianship: works towards maintaining what is fair in school and life; enforces rules and routines that treat all fairly.
