Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
~Charles R. Swindoll
Spring is a time for blooming flowers, outdoor activities, and… school assessments. Part of the school cycle includes state and local testing in the months of April and May. When we enter into our assessment cycle, we naturally start to rank schools and the students within them. As Americans, we love lists, ranks, scores, levels, standings, and the rest.
When we think of these standings, our minds naturally wander to two distinct areas: academics and athletics. However, these two categories don’t come close to encompassing the student experience. Our students have so many more wonderful ways that they can excel and show they are special. We need to stop looking at schools in silos and consider the totality of the experience. At Pleasantdale, we ensure that every one of our students is the top 10% of something. Our staff has the ability to build strong relationships with every student and identify each child’s unique gifts and talents. Likewise, our teachers see underdeveloped areas and push our students to improve.
Over the course of the year, we have offered students experiences in the arts, technology, sciences, culinary arts, sewing, yoga, games, and everything in between. It is only through these experiences that we will be able to discover each student’s “10% potential”. I am proud of the fact that over 85% of our students connect with their school outside of the classroom and are taking the necessary steps to identify or cultivate their talents. Additionally, Pleasantdale is looking for ways to measure students’ success beyond the classroom. These beyond measures will allow us to document each student’s unique gifts and classify their top 10% ranking. At Pleasantdale, we truly believe that every student can be the top 10% of something.
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