MISSION
To ensure all young people grow up with the sense of self, purpose, connection and agency they need to succeed.
Historic Moment for Educators and Community Institutions
By most measures, we are in the middle of a triple pandemic caused by an untamed virus, dramatic economic inequality and the legacies of systemic racism. This is placing large proportions of our population under tremendous stress. As educators, we are facing a set of challenges no generation of educators has faced in this combination before.
Together is better
We believe that we must learn, adapt and invent together to ensure that young people of our communities receive the kind of learning that will truly help them thrive. A narrow focus on testing is clearly not the answer. We are also coming together to learn together, and to support one another as a community in navigating uncharted waters.
our framework
What is Civic Wellbeing?
Civic wellbeing is the state in which individuals, society and the planet can thrive as an integrated, balanced and harmonious system. To achieve it requires the full spectrum of emotions, concepts, knowledge and skills that you get from a meaningful education in social studies, arts and the humanities.
This meaningful education does not come from tools and textbooks. This education comes from a community and from people who approach education with love. We have formulated a framework, building on the 21st century learner model, that captures the multiples dimensions of learning in which we as a community engage.
To enhance wellbeing for individuals, society, and the planet, learners must be able to:
OUR PRIORITY LEARNING GOALS
Over the past decades, state institutions have crafted extensive standards and curricular guidelines. Many have adapted the C3 framework to codify the most important learning objectives across the humanities and social studies.
In today's climate, we must further focus education on the core learning goals without which a student cannot thrive.
We are committed to ensuring that all students in our community are supported in developing along these dimensions through the teaching they receive in the humanities and social studies. This will foster the civic wellbeing and growth of young people for the benefit of the community and our planet.
Identity
Can develop a sense of identity and feels they have a voice.
Bridging
Is able to understand others’ perspectives and bridge across differences.
Belonging
Feels belonging in their local and global community.
Curiosity
Develops skills to ask questions, find answers, and work with sources
Agency
Has a sense of power for themselves and in their community.
Context
Develop an understanding of systems, justice and structures in society.
OUR BELIEFS
Educating young people is a community endeavor.
With a mental health epidemic looming on the horizon on top of the pandemics we already are dealing with, we have never needed the emotional wisdom and healing power of the arts and our community institutions more than today. We must work together as a community to provide all young people with meaningful learning experiences in our community.
Education is about nurturing human and civic capacity.
Education today is not about transferring a fixed body of knowledge; it's about recognizing that each young person already has power, and that our job is to help them launch a life-long process of learning and engaging with a jet-pack of emotional readiness, knowledge, skills and mindsets.
We are all learners.
We are at a unique moment in history, where we are on the cusp of realizing new dimensions of the promise of democracy. As we adapt to this new exciting time, we are all learners and teachers of one another.
