Portrait of a Graduate

• CUSD graduates are respectful collaborators. Students understand and appreciate different perspectives, and cooperatively work with diverse people and know how to collaborate virtually with a variety of others from around the world.
• CUSD graduates are reliable team members who work with and learn from others. Students know their strengths and work to leverage the wisdom of their team members to maximize productivity and impact. They understand that effective collaboration requires collective responsibility and follow through on individual commitments.
• CUSD graduates are effective at conflict resolution. Students are capable of leading groups of people with opposing perspectives and can support respectful resolution. They compromise to reach common goals and continue working as a productive team member to achieve objectives.

• CUSD graduates are confident communicators who can thoughtfully articulate their ideas and perspectives accurately. Students can effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, adjusting their strategies and style in consideration of their audience. They are comfortable in a variety of settings (small group to large audience) appropriately utilizing multiple mediums and technologies depending on message and context.
• CUSD graduates are active listeners. Students listen to, consider, and appreciate different perspectives and ideas. They synthesize multiple perspectives to engage in productive dialogue. Students are respectful when they disagree and can defend and support their opinions with evidence.
• CUSD graduates are multilingual communicators. Students can effectively communicate and engage in conversation in more than one language, and with cultural awareness and sensitivities.

• CUSD graduates are environmentally aware, understanding their impact on and responsibility for the environment. Students take action to reduce that impact through
• efforts that support sustainability and environmental protections. They understand the environmental consequences of their decisions as consumers and take steps to reduce their impact.
• CUSD graduates are champions of nature. Students understand the importance of green spaces, and actively support the preservation and creation of natural spaces. They understand the changing nature of climate and support the development of innovative solutions to address its anticipated impact.

• CUSD graduates are curious and analytical thinkers. Students employ curiosity to ensure an understanding of the problem, its context, and constraints prior to engaging in problem-solving. They can read and interpret complex text and research and synthesize information as part of the problem-solving process.
• CUSD graduates are innovative and resilient problem solvers. They are comfortable seeking out and considering diverse perspectives, including uncommon or divergent ideas to generate out-of-the-box solutions. Students constructively respond to challenges and obstacles during the problem-solving process. They adjust and adapt their thinking in response to new information and changing conditions. Students understand and utilize the resources available to support the problem-solving process.
• CUSD graduates are solution oriented. Students independently consider and explore multiple perspectives to develop a variety of possible solutions. They engage in an iterative process to improve those solutions. Students are open-minded and willing to think creatively in considering alternative ideas and solutions.

• CUSD graduates are future ready. Students anticipate and are prepared to engage with their future and navigate adulthood. They are financially literate. Students understand personal finances, debt management, and investment. They understand income and its role in creating opportunity. They have the skills and knowledge to pursue their chosen future path; academic, career, or entrepreneurial.
• CUSD graduates are resilient lifelong learners. Students understand the need to continuously learn and develop oneself and are driven by self-crafted internal goals. They recognize and effectively respond to challenges and obstacles, including failure.
• CUSD graduates are independent individuals and socially engaged. Students embrace the inherent uniqueness of each person including themselves. Students are able to connect to and communicate with people of different backgrounds and can positively navigate different social situations. They think and act for themselves and strive to evade attempts to influence or control.

• CUSD graduates are active and responsible citizens. Students are engaged community members with knowledge of the world and what is happening in it. They are civically engaged and seek solutions to locally and globally relevant issues. CUSD students are prepared to contribute to the global economy.
• CUSD graduates are inclusive and empathetic. They are prepared to engage socially with people of diverse backgrounds. Students embrace and seek to understand others, their cultures, and their languages. They act with compassion and kindness towards others and feel comfortable expressing gratitude.
• CUSD graduates are respectful of self and others. Students are aware of their impact on others and act in accordance with shared values. They demonstrate respect for and understanding of diverse cultures.

• CUSD graduates are committed to maintaining their mental and physical health and well-being. They prioritize and actively take care of their mental and physical health and well-being. Students recognize their emotions and emotional state and respond constructively.
• CUSD graduates are self-aware and confident. They recognize their strengths and areas of growth and understand who/how they want to be, including their role in the world.
• CUSD graduates are balanced and well-rounded individuals. Students seek out and engage in a variety of activities and experiences. They strive to cultivate a positive outlook. They balance the demands and expectations of life, work, and leisure and consciously manage their stress.

• CUSD graduates are technologically competent. They understand and utilize a variety of current digital tools and emerging technologies. Students understand how to ethically use and effectively leverage technology to their advantage. They are aware of changing technologies and are comfortable adapting to those changes.
• CUSD graduates are aware of and manage their digital profile. Students understand the ethical use and impact of social media on themselves and others. They have the skills to manage their social imprint and control their online data.
• CUSD graduates are informed and responsible consumers of information. Students understand how to find and evaluate sources of information and determine its accuracy, value, and validity.

Portrait of an Adult

• CUSD adults are adaptable. They are accepting of changing context and conditions and willing to adjust. They believe every person, including themselves, can succeed with time and support. They are willing to change instructional practice to meet the learning needs of their students and best prepare students for their future.
• CUSD adults are open-minded and flexible. They are receptive to new ideas and perspectives including those of students, and are willing to change their thinking based on new information. They are willing to learn with and from students to build new knowledge.

• CUSD adults are approachable, inclusive advocates for all students. Every adult creates a sense of belonging that supports the development of socially and emotionally healthy individuals and demonstrates empathy, compassion, and kindness to all educational partners. They provide space and support for students to share their thinking and advocate for themselves.
• CUSD adults are encouraging and helpful. They hold all students to high expectations and actively support the meeting of those expectations in a safe and supportive learning environment. They engage with and support people with diverse perspectives and model respect for all opinions and perspectives.
• CUSD adults are positive role models. Each adult models ethical behavior and demonstrates the importance of developing healthy relationships and maintaining appropriate boundaries. They mentor and foster a community of lifelong learners that empowers and champions the success of all students.

• CUSD adults are global citizens and maintain a global mindset. They engage and connect with the outside world and maintain an understanding of the importance, impact, and interconnectedness of global events and conditions.
• CUSD adults are cultural ambassadors. Every adult is culturally inclusive and promotes a positive representation of diverse cultures. They demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to different cultures, especially those of students, colleagues, and families. They encourage the exchange of a variety of culturally diverse viewpoints and act to ensure equitable opportunities for all students.
• CUSD adults are environmentally conscious on a global scale. They demonstrate an awareness of the impact and role of the environment within different cultures.

• They implement innovative instructional practices, including project-based learning, to create engaging learning experiences that develop knowledge and skills applicable to life.
• CUSD adults are facilitators of real-world learning experiences. They connect learning to authentic real-world applications.
• CUSD adults understand the power of technology as a tool to drive and support learning. They understand how to use technology to engage and support students’ learning and purposefully integrate technology into various learning experiences.

• CUSD adults are professionally prepared and committed. They demonstrate an understanding of child development and psychology appropriate for their role. They have a deep understanding of the art and science of instruction and are committed to continuous improvement and professional development.
• CUSD adults are professional and personable collaborators. They value and seek out opportunities to collaborate with students, families, colleagues, and community members. They connect and relate to people with diverse backgrounds to problem-solve and develop creative solutions.
• CUSD adults are facilitators of connections. They engage in genuine interactions and build strong, appropriate relationships with students, families, colleagues, and community members. They facilitate student-to-student conversations to foster connections and to heal and restore relationships.
• CUSD adults are skilled communicators. They effectively communicate with students, colleagues, families, adjusting their approach to meet the needs of the audience and context.
• CUSD adults provide guidance in navigating the educational system. They support students and parents so that they can advocate for appropriate educational experiences both within the CUSD system and post-secondary.

• CUSD adults are reflective and self-aware. They understand who they are and are aware of their strengths and areas of growth. They understand their impact on others and regularly engage in self-reflection as a means of self-improvement. Each adult understands the impact of stress on their behavior and well-being and is capable of advocating for what they need.
• CUSD adults are emotionally intelligent. Each adult understands and manages their emotions and regulates their behavior and emotional responses. They are emotionally authentic and resilient. The express their emotions, including anger, in appropriate and healthy ways.
• CUSD adults are models of good mental health and well-being. Each adult encourages and models mental health awareness. They support the development of good mental health and well-being and understand the connection to physical health and well-being.

• CUSD adults are technologically prepared. They embrace current and emerging technology and can prepare students to use technology authentically and appropriately. They encourage and support the application and use of developing technologies including A.I. and currently unknown technologies.
• CUSD adults are models of digital and media literacy. They understand the ways their students engage with and use technology. They teach the ethical use of current and emerging technologies, including A.I. Each adult models and teaches the appropriate and positive use of social media.
• CUSD adults are aware of the importance of data privacy. They understand and actively address the risks and issues of data privacy.

Portrait of a System

• CUSD is a system that ensures students have multiple options for success after graduation. We promote and recognize a variety of post-secondary options (e.g., community college, military service, certificates). CUSD develops and offers a variety of pathways (e.g., college and non-college bound pathways, professional and vocational, advance coursework, and trades) to ensure exposure to a variety of educational and career options including opportunities for students to explore nontraditional careers.
• CUSD is a system that provides various options for coursework. We offer choice from a variety of elective courses, dual enrollment, and opportunities for acceleration and enrichment, as well as CTE pathways. We partner with local colleges, universities, and businesses to provide enhanced learning opportunities for students and the CUSD adults who support them.
• CUSD is a system that prepares students for the jobs and careers of their future in a global economy. We provide opportunities for students to explore careers beginning at an early age and ensure that they have the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue their future (academic, career, or entrepreneurial). CUSD collaborates with outside partners to provide authentic work-based learning experiences that support career exploration. We maintain strategic partnerships with industry leaders, local businesses, and colleges to provide educational opportunities and experiences. CUSD seeks out and coordinates internships and opportunities for community service that extend and support student learning.
• CUSD is a system that actively engages parents, families, and the community to provide and support learning experiences that support students and CUSD staff. We promote and provide opportunities for students and CUSD staff to collaborate with and develop connections to local, national, and global educational partners.

• CUSD is a system that supports all CUSD staff as innovative facilitators of learning. We embrace and support improvement through the exploration of new and inventive instructional practices and alternative assessment methods to demonstrate understanding. We promote and support the integration of technology and interdisciplinary methods, including project-based learning, at all grade levels across all courses/classes.
• CUSD is a system that equips students with the academic, career, and social skills to succeed in their future. We develop the life skills needed to thrive in adulthood, including financial literacy.
• CUSD is a system that is flexible in meeting the academic needs and intellectual curiosity of all students. We promote the idea that learning can occur anywhere and encourage learning experiences beyond the four walls of the classroom (i.e., outdoors, in nature, across the bridge, etc.). We create and maintain innovative learning spaces, including outdoor spaces, that can adapt to future needs.
• CUSD is a system that fosters creativity in students and CUSD staff. We promote structured time for students and staff to create, build and imagine. We embrace “think and play” instructional practices at all grade levels in various environments and provide experiences that allow students to discover and explore their interests and passions.

• CUSD is a system that provides environmental educational opportunities. We promote the inclusion of courses and lessons that are environmentally focused across all grades. CUSD encourages immersive outdoor education and supports the expansion of green and natural spaces.
• CUSD is a system that promotes a love of and care for our natural environment. We engage in actions that proactively protect our local region. CUSD considers environmental concerns in our decision-making process and supports sustainable practices.

• CUSD is a system that actively supports the mental and physical health and well-being of students and staff. We proactively promote and support self-care and a balanced, active, and healthy lifestyle for students and staff. CUSD offers multiple integrated mental and physical health courses (e.g., dance, martial arts, yoga, meditation, gardening, etc.) through elective courses, professional learning, and after school options for students and CUSD staff.
• CUSD is a system that provides support to develop students’ mental health awareness. We invest in and promote social emotional learning and mental health supports. CUSD provides education that supports the development of students’ emotional intelligence and regulation, including lessons and curriculum that develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and stress management.
• CUSD is a system that is aware of and proactively responds to students’ and staff member’s stress and emotional well-being. We offer education and support addressing stress management and provide robust mental health support for students and staff.

• CUSD is a system that creates an environment that ensures all students and staff feel known, safe, and welcomed. We create opportunities for students and staff to build connections with one another on site and across the district. We sponsor and promote activities, events, and programs that provide opportunities to build community among all educational partners (students, staff, families, and community members) and foster student-to-student connections.
• CUSD is a system that embraces and promotes diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. We demonstrate compassion and empathy for all our students and staff. We are committed to providing education and developing a system that proactively addresses bullying.
• CUSD is a system that supports success for all students. We support student choice to guide their educational experience. We actively pursue and empower student voice and agency in the decision-making process. CUSD provides strength-based pathways and ensures appropriate and timely instructional supports to ensure student success.

• CUSD is a system that recruits, hires, and retains high-quality staff. We provide opportunities for staff to engage in meaningful professional development and personalized opportunities to develop leadership skills. CUSD provides opportunities for staff to work and grow within their areas of passion.
• CUSD is a system that uses data to continuously assess our system and build from strengths to achieve our goals. We regularly seek a variety of voices, including those of students, families, staff, and community members into the decision-making process. CUSD ensures the timely and transparent communication of information throughout the district and community.

• CUSD is a system that develops students to become members of a global community. We celebrate diversity and actively promote multicultural awareness. CUSD provides students, across all grade levels, opportunities to explore other cultures and for students and staff to develop and deepen their cultural awareness.
• CUSD is a system that is committed to developing students who are multilingual. We provide opportunities to learn another language to all TK-12 students. We support all students (TK-12) to become multilingual and improve their multilingual skills.