Commitments and Core Values
District 428 is committed to values that govern and allocate resources with a student focus.
These principles shape our aims, program development, and support systems. They direct
instruction, curriculum, and assessment to positively impact students' lives, helping each student achieve their full potential.
- Centering Students: We believe our students should be the center of every decision we
make. We will strive to use a holistic approach to provide a safe and rigorous learning
environment that prepares each student to achieve their full potential.
- Equitable and Inclusive Learning Environments: We are committed to removing
barriers to learning, addressing opportunity gaps, and prioritizing the needs of student
groups historically marginalized and underserved by schools. We recognize the need to
examine norms and systems, including curriculum and teaching methods, for biases and
practices that continue to perpetuate educational injustices.
- Academic Excellence: We believe maintaining rigorous standards and high expectations
for all students are key to academic excellence and lifelong learning. We hold high
expectations for ourselves in creating engaging, meaningful learning opportunities that
captivate our students' attention and provide them with rich experiences.
- Unity and Collaboration: We envision a district with a unified staff working in
collaboration to further student learning. We will strive to equip and support our
teachers, administrators, and staff to make positive differences for each of our students.
- Engaging Families and Community: We are committed to engaging families in decision
making and welcoming the community, including each diverse stakeholder, to be partners
in preparing all our children to be successful. We are also committed to engaging
students to practice responsibility toward creating a socially just society by encouraging
critical thinking skills, civic engagement, and service to our community.