Smart & Good High Schools - The Flippen Group

Principles of a Smart & Good High SchoolThe Principles of a Smart & Good High School areintended to provide a blueprint for building a schoolcommitted to excellence and ethics. We expect thesePrinciples to evolve as we work with schools seekingto put them into practice.1Make the development of performance characterand moral character—the integration of excellenceand ethics—the cornerstone of the school’s missionand identity. Define performance character and moralcharacter in terms of 8 strengths of character neededfor human flourishing over a lifetime.Place the development of performance character andmoral character at the center of your school’s missionand identity. View this integration of excellence andethics as essential for realizing success in school,work, and beyond. Commit to promoting excellenceand ethics by developing the eight strengths of characterthat define performance character and moralcharacter: (1) lifelong learner and critical thinker, (2)diligent and capable performer, (3) socially and emotionallyskilled person, (4) ethical thinker, (5)respectful and responsible moral agent, (6) self-disciplinedperson, (7) contributing community memberand democratic citizen, and (8) spiritual personengaged in crafting a life of noble purpose.2Work to establish the conditions that support theimplementation of the Smart & Good HighSchools vision.Take steps to create the conditions that support thedevelopment of a Smart & Good High School. Theseconditions include strong leadership, optimal schoolsize, time for planning and reflection, supportivescheduling, manageable teaching loads, a safe andorderly environment, trusting and respectful relationships,and adequate budgetary resources. Continuallyaddress these factors in order to create the optimalconditions for successful implementation.3As individual practitioners, capitalize on thePower of One—your personal contribution to theperformance character and moral character of everystudent.While striving for a whole-school environment thatsupports excellence and ethics, work as individualpractitioners in your own sphere of influence to maximizeyour personal contribution to the characterdevelopment of every student. Educational researchand students’ own voices point to the Power of One—an adult who has made an enduring difference in thelife of a young person. Whether as a school leader,classroom instructor, coach, advisor, parent, or memberof the support staff, examine your practices—including your modeling of performance characterand moral character—with the goal of optimizingyour impact on students’ growth in character. Toamplify the Power of One, seek out other, like-mindedindividuals—another teacher, another coach,another parent—and work together.4Develop an Ethical Learning Community (ELC)—a partnership of staff, students, parents, and thewider community.Work to develop an Ethical Learning Community(ELC)—an active partnership of staff, students, parents,and the wider community—that shares responsibilityfor modeling and fostering performance characterand moral character. View the ELC as the schoolculture that provides support and challenge for all itsmembers in developing excellence and ethics. Buildthis culture of character around six ELC operatingprinciples:1. Develop shared purpose and identity. Cultivate aschoolwide sense of purpose, identity, and communitybased on a shared commitment to promotingperformance character and moral character.2. Align practices with desired outcomes and relevantresearch. View everything in the life of theschool—curriculum, co-curricular activities, discipline,routines, and traditions—as opportunitiesto develop performance character and moralcharacter. Ask, How does a given practice contributeto the integration of excellence andethics—performance character and moral character?What is the evidence of its effectiveness?3. Have a voice; take a stand. Create a democraticcommunity that maximizes participation in thequest for excellence and ethics; challenge allmembers of the Ethical Learning Community touse their voices with courage and integrity.4. Take personal responsibility for continuous self-development.See yourself as a work in progress; pursueyour personal best.xxvSmart & Good High Schools