Middle School Students Showcase RPA’s Values

RPA middle school students kicked off the first week of the 2023-24 school year learning about the behavioral expectations of respect, engagement and growth. Throughout the week, they created posters, developed classroom and schoolwide expectations around Respect, Engagement and Growth, held a campus-wide scavenger hunt where students demonstrated examples of good and/or not so good examples of ways to show Respect, Engagement, and Growth in a variety of spaces on campus. Lastly, they created wall art on the chalk wall about Respect, Engagement and Growth.

RPA’s mission, vision, and values encompass the words respect, growth, and engagement. These behavior expectations are part of RPA’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) approach. PBIS is a school-wide system that includes proactive strategies for teaching and modeling appropriate student behavior. RPA values students as individuals and strives to create a school environment in which all students aspire to high levels of academic achievement and personal growth. Personalizing education and empowering students creates a learning environment that is unique to RPA. 

Respect
Respect at RPA is the understanding and belief that the well-being and dignity of all people are important simply because they are fellow human beings. At RPA, respect is reciprocal; it is both given and received. Students can demonstrate respect at RPA by emailing their teachers when they are going to miss class or be late for class, honoring class time by attending class for the entire duration of the class, taking pride in their work, using appropriate language on campus, showing care to school property, using the crosswalks, and being kind and responsible in local businesses.

Engagement
Engagement at RPA is the involvement, participation, and investment in learning. Engaging is the ability to put forth effort, persistence, attention, attitudes, and participation in class and learning activities. RPA values authentic engagement that involves connecting with others, sharing ideas and perspectives, and recognizing and managing emotions. Students can demonstrate engagement at RPA by returning to class quickly when they have to use the restroom or visit the Front Office, attending class regularly, avoiding any unnecessary absences, reaching out to their teachers when they miss class to learn what they missed, checking their Gmail, Google Classroom, and Alma accounts regularly, actively participating in class activities, and putting their technology away during class time so they don’t miss important learning.

Growth
Growth is the process of developing and changing over time. To grow, individuals at RPA embrace opportunities, try new things, apply feedback, persist through challenges, and strive for proficiency. Individuals can demonstrate growth by setting and meeting goals, learning from experience, managing setbacks, and taking risks. Students at RPA can demonstrate growth by planning ahead and setting goals, completing their Personalized Education Plan, regularly checking on their progress, checking in with their teachers when they need help, and setting a positive example for other students to follow.