About
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
WE ARE A PREschool THROUGH 8TH GRADE
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB)
WORLD SCHOOL LOCATED IN BEND, OREGON
Our Mission
To inspire a lifelong love of learning in our students. To enable our children to thrive in a complex world. To challenge them within a safe and nurturing community.
Our VISION
Seven Peaks students will emerge intellectually curious, confident in their education and individuality, compassionate towards others and inspired to do good in the world.
VALUES
CURIOSITY
We are adventurers. We value inquiry and exploration, cultivating a growth mindset and a life-long love of learning.
We are open-minded, acknowledging our own cultural and personal history, and are curious about the perspectives of others. We understand inquiry is an iterative process and we reflect on our own learning and exploration. Deep critical thinking takes place when we are challenged to articulate and test our perceptions, forming and defending our opinions. We strive for depth of knowledge, diving deep into subjects and continually expanding our understanding through an inquiry-based approach.
CHILD-CENTERED
We are nurturers. We value the journey of childhood and seek to inspire our students' curiosity, courage, and joy through differentiated learning and play.
We place children at the center of all we do. We have a genuine, deep respect for the agency of the child. Through learning and play, children find their voice and confidence. This confidence empowers healthy risk-taking and inquiry within age-appropriate boundaries. By interweaving ethical development with challenging academics, we foster knowledgeable, compassionate, and effective global citizens.
JOY
We are joyful.
We value the delight of discovery, the connections we make, and the learning we experience on our journey together.
The love of learning lies not only in the destination of knowledge but in the process of exploration: the sheer delight that comes from self-discovery and personal growth. The process of learning requires nurturing wonder, supporting healthy risk-taking and being vulnerable. We take chances. we fall. we grow. Learning can be challenging and frustrating, but the rewards of the connections made and the insight gained should elicit feelings of pride, excitement, gratitude, confidence and joy.
COMMUNITY
We are connected. We value a collaborative and inclusive environment, promoting involvement, belonging, and fun in our everyday school lives.
We create community and a shared sense of belonging. We actively listen. We are transparent and candid, not shying away from difficult conversations, but approaching them with compassion and purpose. We consider different perspectives and cultures, learning from others and expanding our global awareness. We are kind, caring, and respectful, dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of others and the world around us.
INTENTIONAL
We are thinkers.
We value thoughtful and deliberate design and action, thus challenging students to grow to their potential while striving for a rigorous academic experience.
We approach every opportunity and challenge with purpose, being reflective on how to improve in the future. We intentionally balance different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We clearly and confidently articulate the why and how of every action and communication.
Every community member brings their own history and identity to Seven Peaks where, together, we affirm the uniqueness of each individual. We all work every day to create an environment where students, faculty, staff, and families feel they belong.
As an IB school, Seven Peaks seeks to foster a diverse and inclusive community that values its members with equity and justice. Celebrating our differences is in harmony with the celebration of what we have in common so that together we all contribute and belong to the one Seven Peaks community. In this way we fulfill the mission of our International Baccalaureate program, which is "to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect."
Through our dedication to this work, we are developing students with well-rounded, curious minds who will always seek to learn from the differences around them and contribute to inclusive environments that result in the most just and equitable outcomes, in this way, we enable our students to thrive in a complex world.
International baccalaureate inclusion
Inclusive education is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem-solving involving the whole school community.
Across the world, inclusive education has grown from a movement that was about the inclusion of students with disabilities to a holistic approach that is about all learners and values the diversity of the student population.
The IB approaches equity and inclusive education in two main ways:
- inclusive principles in the design of IB programmes
- inclusive education practices in IB World Schools.
Land acknowledgment
We are on the traditional territory of the Northern Paiute, the Wasco, and the Warm Springs tribes, which now comprise The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Acknowledging territory shows respect for Indigenous Peoples who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases, still call it home. It’s important to recognize that we are simply guests on this land. As educators, students, and parents interested in growth, we pledge to continue learning about the first people who lived on these territories and to build relationships with tribal communities, and to include and uplift Indigenous voices as we advocate for a sustainable future.