Smart & Good High Schools - The Flippen Group

Principles of a Smart & Good High School5. Practice collective responsibility. Care enough toexpect the best from others; commit to the normof “care-frontation” in relationships.6. Grapple with the tough issues—the elephants in the livingroom. Address the critical issues—in school and outsideschool— that affect excellence and ethics.5Develop a Professional Ethical Learning Community(PELC) among faculty, staff, and administration.Build a Professional Ethical Learning Community(PELC) that provides the essential leadership fordeveloping the ELC and that acts upon Gandhi’sexhortation to “be the change you wish to see in theworld.” Define the PELC to include all staff—administrators,teachers, counselors, coaches, custodians, secretaries,and all other adults whose example and workaffect the character of the school and the characterdevelopment of students. Develop the PELC aroundthe same operating principles that guide the ethicallearning community. Promote collegiality, collaboration,and a culture of critique in order to help all staffcontinually reflect on their own development of performancecharacter, moral character, and the eightstrengths of character.PRINCIPLES OF ASMART & GOOD HIGH SCHOOL1. Make the development of performance characterand moral character—the integration of excellenceand ethics—the cornerstone of the school’smission and identity. Define performance characterand moral character in terms of 8 strengthsof character needed for human flourishing over alifetime.2. Work to establish the conditions that supportthe implementation of the Smart & Good HighSchools vision.3. As individual practitioners, capitalize on thePower of One—your personal contribution to theperformance character and moral character ofevery student.4. Develop an Ethical Learning Community(ELC)—a partnership of staff, students, parents,and the wider community.5. Build a Professional Ethical Learning Community(PELC) among faculty, staff, and administration.xxviSmart & Good High Schools