Castle Rock Elementary

Essential Agreement

Castle Rock Elementary School, an International Baccalaureate School, believes in the IB philosophy: “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

Castle Rock firmly believes in this philosophy. We believe every child is special, unique and talented. The collective responsibilities of everyone are needed for the success of each child and of Castle Rock Elementary School. We are committed to working in partnership with the home. Based upon this agreement, students, parents, and staff accept certain responsibilities as partners in this educational endeavor.

Students / Parents / Staff
Commitment: being committed to their learning, persevering and showing self–discipline and responsibility
Commitment /
  • Students will be on time to school.
  • Students will come to school to learn with necessary materials and completed assignments (homework and in class).
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  • Parents will bring your children on time.
  • Parents will provide an adequate place and time at home to complete work.
  • Parents will take an active role in parent organizations, volunteer activities, and school events, such as: Back-to-School Night, Open House, and Parent-Ed Night opportunities.
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  • Staff will be on time to school and staff meetings.
  • Staff will be prepared for the school day.
  • Staff will support community, school, and fundraising events to help the school.

Appreciation: appreciating the wonder and beauty of the world and its people
Appreciation /
  • Students will show global awareness by demonstrating an appreciation of different cultures.
  • Students will respect the uniqueness and personal differences of others.
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  • Parents will respect the uniqueness and personal differences of others.
  • Parents will support and appreciate the learning of other languages.
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  • Staff will respect the uniqueness and personal differences of others.
  • Staff will support, appreciate, and integrate other languages.

Respect: respecting themselves, others and the world around them
Respect /
  • Students will demonstrate respectful attitudes and be open-minded and tolerant of all students and staff.
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  • Parents will demonstrate mutual respect with one another, students and staff alike.
  • Parents will support the school rules and be respectful of instructional time.
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  • Staff will demonstrate mutual respect with one another, students and parents alike.

Cooperation: cooperating, collaborating and leading or following as the situation demands
Cooperation /
  • Students will communicate openly, honestly and appropriately with school staff and students.
  • Students will demonstrate effective conflict resolution.
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  • Parents will model effective communication and conflict resolution by handling concerns appropriately, directly and honestly only with those involved.
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  • Staff will model effective communication and conflict resolution by handling concerns appropriately, directly and honestly only with those involved.

Confidence: feeling confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned and making appropriate decisions and choices
Confidence /
  • Students will learn and exhibit confidence in themselves.
  • Students will learn to take risks when appropriate.
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  • Parents will foster the courage to take risks and confidence in their child.
  • Parents will demonstrate confidence in the professionalism and expertise of the staff.
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  • Staff will create an environment where students feel safe to take risks.
  • Staff will demonstrate confidence in the professionalism and expertise of the staff.

Independence: thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments based on reasoned principles and being able to defend their judgments
Independence /
  • Students will exhibit the habits of an independent, self-motivated learner by understanding that learning takes work and by giving his/her best effort every day
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  • Parents will foster their child’s ability to be independent.
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  • Staff will create an environment that encourages independent students.
  • Staff will provide an atmosphere in which students develop self-discipline, personal values, and accountability.

Creativity: being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas
Creativity /
  • Students will learn and understand that there is more than one way to solve a problem whether in an academic or social situation.
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  • Parents will foster and support the inquiry based learning at home and school.
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  • Staff will provide lessons that will meet the various learning styles of the students.
  • Staff will provide inquiry based lessons to promote problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Curiosity: being curious about the nature of learning and of the world, its people and cultures
Curiosity /
  • Students will exhibit their curiosity.
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  • Parents will cultivate and foster the natural curiosity in their child.
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  • Staff will cultivate and promote the natural curiosity in the students.

Empathy: imaginatively projecting themselves into another’s situation, in order to understand his/her thoughts, reasoning and emotions
Empathy /
  • Students will show compassion and global understanding.
  • Students will be open-minded toward others.
  • Students will treat others as they want to be treated.
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  • Parents will show compassion and global understanding for others (students, parents, and staff).
  • Parents will treat others as they want to be treated.
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  • Staff will show compassion and global understanding for others (students, parents, and staff) regardless of their differences.
  • Staff will treat others as they want to be treated.

Tolerance: feeling sensitivity towards differences and diversity in the world and being responsive to the needs of others
Tolerance /
  • Students will be open-minded and accepting of the differences in others.
  • Students will demonstrate an international understanding.
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  • Parents will be open-minded and accepting of the differences in others.
  • Parents will model and teach tolerance to their child.
  • Parent will demonstrate an international understanding.
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  • Staff will be open-minded and accepting of the differences in others.
  • Staff will model and teach tolerance of others.
  • Staff will demonstrate an international understanding.

Integrity: having a firm sense of fairness and honesty
Integrity /
  • Students will be honest and fair in all interactions with others.
  • Students will reflect and take responsibility.
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  • Parents will demonstrate and promote their child’s honesty and fairness in all interactions with others.
  • Parents will help their child reflect and learn to take responsibility for their actions.
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  • Staff will be honest and fair in all interactions with others.
  • Staff will promote and engage in an atmosphere that supports effective honest communication and a positive learning environment.

Enthusiasm: enjoy learning
Enthusiasm /
  • Students will embrace new learning with a positive attitude.
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  • Parents will share and celebrate in their child’s new learning.
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  • Staff will foster and create a positive environment that celebrates our students’ successes.

Please tear off, sign and return bottom portion to your child’s teacher

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My son/daughter and I have read, discussed and agree with the Castle Rock Elementary School Essential Agreement and we will work in partnership with the Castle Rock staff to help insure the best quality education for our child.

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Parent’s Signature Child’s Signature

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Teacher’s Signature

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Revised-1/29/2009