OUR KINKAID
DEAR KINKAID COMMUNITY, Over the past year, The Kinkaid School Board of Trustees, along with school leadership, has undertaken the important work of reviewing our school’s mission, clarifying our core values, defining our motto, and laying out our strategic direction. The purpose of this work is to ensure the Kinkaid community has a common understanding of the foundational elements of educating “the wholly healthy child” and to create a shared sense of purpose and a renewed commitment to these critical school tenets. We are pleased to share with you Our Kinkaid and the guiding principles which will be fundamental to our work ahead.
The Foundation These words set the framework for our mission, values and motto were adapted by the Board of Trustees from Mrs. Kinkaid as well as past leadership to provide clarity and to reflect current priorities.
Mission While our mission has been modified over the years, we have been careful to maintain core elements and beliefs from Mrs. Kinkaid. We have added concepts we believe are vital to our responsibility as a college preparatory school in today’s learning environment.
Core Values Our values remain constant and unchanged, with present-day defining statements added to address how we view these values holistically, particularly around Honesty.
Motto We have created a definition for our motto - Lux per Scientiam.
Strategic Focus We appreciate you taking the time to read these words and to reflect on all for which Our Kinkaid stands. We recognize the critical importance of this work for our community - past, present, and future. Your continued trust in and support of Kinkaid is vital to our shared success now and in years to come.
Sincerely,
Ken Cowan Chair, Board of Trustees
December 2020
Jonathan Eades Head of School
SET TING THE FOUNDATION These words reflect and reinforce our belief system and set the framework for our mission, values, and strategy. The words are adapted from works from Mrs. Kinkaid as well as previous and current trustees.
The Foundation Mrs. Kinkaid’s inspired vision to approach education in terms of “the wholly healthy child” is as relevant to the future of the School as it has been to its distinguished past. Kinkaid remains dedicated to our students’ pursuit of knowledge by providing meaningful enrichment in academics, athletics, and arts, thereby developing growth in mind, body, and spirit. Kinkaid is first and foremost a college preparatory school intended to prepare every graduate to succeed in college and beyond. Kinkaid educates the whole child; not only a child who is academically gifted in ways measured by tests or grades. Kinkaid shall continue to provide an excellent education to students whose abilities and talents are diverse; with teachers and classes that prepare the students and allow every child to achieve his or her full potential. We are unique in our ability to serve both the most academically gifted and those capable of the work required at a school of Kinkaid’s caliber, but whose strengths are focused in other areas. Educating the wholly healthy child means encouraging and challenging students to develop talents in performing, creating, and understanding the arts. Educating the wholly healthy child means encouraging and challenging students to learn the discipline and the teamwork of athletics, and the satisfaction of hard physical work. Our commitment remains to provide the best teachers who encourage and develop these talents while also providing the skills and knowledge needed for success in college and beyond. Educating the wholly healthy child means teaching our core values that, supporting and not displacing the family’s role in any way, educate the character of a student to become a decent and contributing member of our Kinkaid community, as well as a
college community, and society as a whole. Mrs. Kinkaid believed, “Concern for others grows in service to others.” The School’s longstanding commitment to leadership and character development is enhanced by an inclusive school community with shared values and opportunities for service. We recognize education is simpler for schools that accept only students who fall in a narrow range of test scores or who specialize in a single art or discipline; simpler for schools that are sectarian and serve students, teachers, and parents who have the same religious beliefs and cultural values; and simpler for schools that are secular and forbid any acknowledgment of religion in the school. Kinkaid has not made these simplifying choices. We have embraced our identity and our commitment to the very principles and beliefs upon which Mrs. Kinkaid founded our school. In committing ourselves to a balanced education of the wholly healthy child in an excellent, nonsectarian, independent, college preparatory school, the Kinkaid community has thoughtfully and intentionally chosen its distinct path.
CLARIFYING OUR MISSION Our mission has been modified over the years. We have carefully maintained core elements of our existing mission and incorporated core beliefs from Mrs. Kinkaid with concepts that are vital to our responsibility as a student-centered, college preparatory school.
The Mission Our mission is to promote educational excellence and balanced growth in a challenging, safe, and inclusive learning environment for the benefit of intellectually capable children of a sound character whose talents, interests, and uniqueness will be encouraged and nurtured to prepare them to lead, serve, and become contributing citizens to Kinkaid, our country, and the global community.
Educational excellence
Intellectually capable children
We will prepare our students with a high-caliber, wellrounded academic experience to ensure they achieve their best potential and are prepared to succeed in their collegiate experience and beyond.
We will seek and actively support children who can live up to the high academic standards of the School.
Balanced growth We will educate the wholly healthy child, including the mental, physical, and emotional, through a balanced curriculum that includes academics, arts, and athletics while incorporating character, personal, and life skills.
Learning environment We will work to embrace and protect our natural campus while creating spaces, structures, and environments to facilitate our children’s learning, development, and growth.
Sound character We will hold every person in our community, including our children, to a high ethical and moral standard guided by our core values.
Talent, interest, and uniqueness We will embrace the uniqueness of every child and support their individuality to live up to their full potential.
Encouraged and nurtured We will foster an open, healthy, and safe environment where each child feels he or she is valued, appreciated, and supported in achieving the best of his or her abilities.
Challenging We will always be a school that values rigor in academics, arts, and athletics and holds our students to high standards.
Lead, serve, and become contributing citizens We will produce leaders and people who will positively contribute to the wellibeing of society and other people.
Safe We are intentional in our commitment to create a safe campus and environment for our teachers to teach and our children to learn, explore, and to share their individuality with confidence.
To Kinkaid
Inclusive
We will embrace understanding and action around the ideals, work ethic, and dreams that define America; preparing our students to be part of something bigger than our school and community.
We will foster an environment where every person is accepted for their individuality and uniqueness.
We will value contributions to our school and encourage actions that support our mission and values.
Our country and the global community
DEFINING OUR CORE VALUES Our values remain the same, with the only additions being clarifying statements to define how we view values holistically as well as additions to the definition of Honesty.
The Core Values Kinkaid’s core values set the framework for supporting the growth of strong individuals of character, establish boundaries in how we work and interact with one another, and provide a shared set of expectations for every member of the school community.
Honesty Members of the Kinkaid community tell the truth and act with integrity and honor. We do not mislead, cheat, steal, or lie.
Respect Members of the Kinkaid community affirm the intrinsic dignity of all people. We act with tolerance, courtesy, and thoughtful regard for all persons, all property, the environment, and ourselves.
Responsibility Members of the Kinkaid community are reliable and hold themselves and others accountable for their actions. We do not make excuses, blame others, or take unwarranted credit.
Kindness Members of the Kinkaid community exhibit caring and compassionate behavior in all aspects of daily life. We are not mean, do not harass, nor act in a cruel manner. By our positive example, we discourage unkind behavior in others.
OUR MOT TO
Lux per Scientiam — “Light through Knowledge”
Defining the Motto Our motto remains the same. We define our motto to create shared meaning. Our motto describes our belief, and that of our founder, that there is a light in every child radiating both inward and outward. That light creates a connection to knowledge, which is absorbed, shared, and disseminated. It is through our balanced approach to learning that our children become enlightened about their studies, their community, their world, and themselves.
OUR STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS Kinkaid will focus on these five strategic areas to fulfill our mission and carry out our core values.
Planning Ahead These five strategic areas are where we as a school community will place focus, energy, and resources.
The Kinkaid Student
The Kinkaid Citizen
Educating our students with 21st-century skills in a healthy, safe, inclusive, challenging yet balanced learning and growing environment while preparing them to be successful in college and to become lifelong learners and leaders of themselves and their communities.
Fostering contributing, highly productive, and moral students who will not only succeed but lead in our changing, diverse world.
The Kinkaid Teacher Ensuring the best teaching in every classroom and supporting our teachers to create an engaging, highly collaborative, and psychologically safe learning environment that values the diversity of thought.
The Kinkaid Experience Creating the practices as well as environments, buildings, and spaces to support learning, teaching, and building community today and in the future.
The Kinkaid Operations Ensuring school management and operations are high performing, and all professionals are accountable to the highest standards.