Community Comes Together to Paint Portrait of a Graduate.
Montgomery Public Schools is committed to making 21st century learning a reality for all students. To achieve that goal, we are actively engaging staff, students and the broader community to create a collective vision of our aspirations for every student. We are building a diverse team to create a Portrait of a Graduate that reflects the hopes and expectations we as a community have for our young people.
With the Portrait of a Graduate project, we are working with stakeholders to create a set of competencies that will show what is desired from each of our students when they graduate from our schools. The Portrait Design Team includes students, educators, families, school leaders, policy makers, social service agencies, higher education, business and community leaders, and communities of faith. Together, we will work to determine our collective aspirations for students, the skills and mindsets children need in a rapidly changing world, and the implications for the learning experiences we provide. This is a pre-K through 12th grade initiative for which we will also create metrics to measure our students’ progress and success.
To provide a 21st century education, we have to do more than simply require the acquisition of rigorous academic content. We must incorporate aspects of deeper learning, including adaptability, communication, critical thinking and global citizenship. We want all our students to have learning experiences that prepare them to be lifelong learners and contributors today and in the future.
Our work on our Portrait of a Graduate is nearing its completion and involved four Design Team meetings with stakeholders actively involved in creating the Portrait. We are excited about our progress in this endeavor and look forward to sharing it with families and the community, including at district and school-sponsored events. We also will create opportunities for community feedback to inform ongoing implementation.
The Portrait of a Graduate is the first step in framing a new vision for Montgomery Public Schools. This work will have an enduring impact on students at every level. Each of us will play an important role in making our Portrait of a Graduate a reality for every student as we continue to create meaningful learning experiences every day. Once we complete our Portrait, the exciting work of implementing this new vision begins.
Melvin J. Brown, Ed.D., is the superintendent of Montgomery Public Schools and previously served as superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools in Ohio. He has 24 years of school administrative experience.
