Success Orientations

Quality Schools International considers these success orientations to be primary indicators of future success in advanced education, employment, and life in general. Recognition for success in these seven orientations will be given five times during the school year. Teachers, students, and parents will be constantly aware that these are important components of a student's development.

Responsibility for success in these orientations rests first and foremost in the home; however, they will be actively encouraged and taught in virtually all areas of the school curriculum, with a view to making these success orientations a vital part of the students' life patterns. The school's role is to reinforce the parents' efforts. Thus, the home and school, working together, can enhance progress in these universally accepted characteristics of success.

In an attempt to separate academic evaluations from behavioral evaluations, the success orientations will be evaluated independently. Thus, the academic outcomes will be evaluated solely on the basis of student performance on the specified outcomes of the academic areas. Evaluations of the success orientations will be limited to situations in which the student is under the jurisdiction of the school and will be made by a group of the professional staff for each student. If there is no evidence that a student is unsuccessful in a particular success orientation for an evaluation period, he will be awarded with one success orientation credit which will be noted on the written evaluation. A student who demonstrates noteworthy or exemplary positive behavior in a success orientation will also receive one success orientation credit, which will be noted on the written evaluation with the letter 'E' which denotes 'exemplary'. A student who is unsuccessful in a success orientation will not receive the due credit for that period. The awards given for each student will be reached by a consensus of the appropriate group of professional staff members.

Each of the following seven success orientations is listed with specific related behaviors. These behaviors are to be used as guides to define the meanings of the orientations and to assist the professional staff in issuing awards in the broad categories. The written evaluations will only include the seven broad categories:

A. Trustworthiness

1. The Student Will demonstrate honesty by
a) habitually telling the truth and avoiding deception.
b) telling the truth when negative consequences may follow.
c) bringing lost items or money to the teacher or the office.
d) being a person who does not cheat on tests.
e) being a person who is not involved in theft.

2. TSW demonstrate trustworthiness by
a) following a commitment with the appropriate action.
b) promptly accomplishing an errand when requested by a teacher.
c) displaying acceptable behavior when not under teacher supervision.
d) being a person who is not involved in vandalism.

B. Responsibility

1. TSW demonstrate responsibility by
a) coming to school and to each class on time except when ill or otherwise excused.
b) bringing appropriate books and materials to class.
c) consistently completing assigned schoolwork in a timely manner.
d) showing organization and cooperation in completing assigned schoolwork in the prescribed manner (such as name, date, and layout included as directed).
e) contributing ideas, reports, research, materials, and/or out-of class involvement which are not assigned.
f) taking proper care of materials and equipment.
g) taking appropriate action to avoid accidents, to avoid misdeeds, or to aid in a situation of need.
h) being careful in making commitments.

C. Concern for Others

1. TSW demonstrate tolerance for those of other nationalities, races, religions, cultures, ages, and mental and physical abilities by
a) being a person who does not make disparaging remarks concerning those different from themselves.
b) joining in group activities with those different from themselves.
c) having friendly associations with those different from themselves.

2. TSW demonstrate acceptance of others, particularly newcomers, by
a) including them in informal social groups.
b) being a person who does not actively exclude individuals from group activities.
c) approaching newcomers with a view to making them feel welcome.

3. TSW demonstrate concern for others by
a) avoiding actions or words which hurt another person.
b) actions and/or words of support and/or sympathy for those who are unhappy or sad.
c) helping others to be successful in their schoolwork, activities, and play.
d) displaying unselfish behavior.

D. Kindness/Politeness

1. TSW demonstrate kindness by
a) being a person who does not make remarks which put down another.
b) being a person who does not physically abuse others.
c) displaying acts of kindness (sympathy, encouragement, helpfulness, patience, etc) toward others, particularly fellow students.
d) giving time and resources to help another in need.

2. TSW demonstrate politeness by
a) being a person who does not exhibit rudeness.
b) using socially acceptable language.
c) displaying acts of courtesy toward others.

E. Group Interaction

1. TSW demonstrate group involvement by actively participating in activities.

2. TSW demonstrate support of leadership by
a) displaying words and actions which encourage responsible behavior by others.
b) displaying words and actions which promote learning in a classroom by others.
c) being a person who does not discourage responsible behavior or learning by others.
d) assisting the leadership of others by cooperating and being good followers.

3. TSW demonstrate support of group activities by
e) displaying a) contributing ideas which are related to the goals of the group.
b) being a person who does not make negative comments which are not constructive.
c) controlling emotions when discussing different points of view.
d) displaying kindness when expressing an opinion
e) displaying a cooperative attitude.

F. Aesthetic Appreciation

1. TSW demonstrate an appreciation of nature by
a) not damaging trees and flowers.
b) making positive comments which show appreciation for the beauty of wildlife, mountains, trees, flowers, stars, etc.
c) creating artwork which illustrates nature.

2. TSW demonstrate an appreciation of orderly surroundings by
a) voluntarily picking up unsightly litter.
b) putting litter in proper receptacles rather than throwing it on the ground.
c) keeping areas of work and play reasonably neat.

3. TSW demonstrate an appreciation of the beauty of ideas; musical, artistic, and theatrical creations; mathematical and scientific concepts; and literary works by
a) making positive comments or written reports.
b) being a person who does not display negative remarks or actions which show a disrespect for such beauty.

G. Independent Endeavor

1. TSW show initiative in engaging in tasks other than those assigned with a view to 'in-depth' study or activity.

2. TSW consistently set goals which include more than the minimum effort needed to complete a task.

3. TSW have the opportunity to pursue a particular interest in an area not in the curriculum or to pursue a curricular area in depth, having a unit outcome created, evaluated, and credentialed.

4. TSW show initiative in using the library and other resources in assignments, projects, and homework.

5. TSW show reasonable self-sufficiency in completing assignments, projects, and homework.

It is not intended that a student must demonstrate all of the specific behaviors of a particular success orientation in a positive way in order to receive a credit in it. Rather, they are used as guides in defining acceptable behavior and in providing consistency in issuing awards. Some are used to identify exemplary success while others are helpful in identifying when a success credit is to be withheld. A success credit is not withheld for some minor discrepancy. A student must habitually display negative behaviors or have a major behavioral problem in order to have a success credit withheld, and this must be agreed upon by consensus in the appropriate group of professional staff members.

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