Educators and community partners are helping MCPASD students connect a Cardinal’s Journey to their paths for success in the classroom and beyond.
The framework is a comprehensive guide for student success from 4K through grade 12. Grounded in the Cardinal Mindset and the Cardinal Foundations, the framework is designed to shape confident, capable students who are ready to take on their chosen path after graduation.
The Cardinal Mindsets (Curious, Community-Oriented, Accountable, and Self-Aware) are essential worldviews that guide how our students learn and grow. The Cardinal Foundations (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Adaptability) are essential skills that benefit students in the classroom and beyond.
A growing list of classroom lessons and activities connect to a Cardinal’s Journey, with the following recent examples serving as models of the Mindsets and Foundations:
Curious: Elm Lawn Elementary School students learned from professionals and asked questions about a variety of job fields during Career Day, expanding their knowledge on future career paths.
Community-Oriented: Kromrey Middle School fifth-grade students played Yahtzee with residents at Middleton Glen, and several schools also created cards with kind messages for local senior citizens, showing the value of connecting with others.
Accountable: Middleton High School students in the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program shared an overview of their first-semester projects during the CAPS Showcase in January. They discussed how working with community partners on real-world projects strengthened their accountability.
Self-Aware: Eighth-grade literacy students at Glacier Creek and Kromrey Middle Schools applied their self-awareness skills to the Milestones Life Maps project, where they reflected on how their past experiences have shaped them as well as their goals for the future.
Communication: Students in the Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program at Sauk Trail Elementary School and Kromrey Middle School are strengthening their communication skills by learning in English and Spanish simultaneously. Students expressed excitement about the program helping them talk to more people and build friendships.
Collaboration: High school students are sharing their experiences through the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee and working closely with District leaders to create meaningful changes based on their feedback.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Students in Ms. Stenseth’s STEAM classes at Elm Lawn and Northside Elementary Schools sharpened their skills while working on coding and engineering projects. Pope Farm Elementary School students also solved problems and researched topics for their STEAM Fair projects in February.
Adaptability: Clark Street Community School students shared innovative projects during the First Semester Showcase, highlighting how they made helpful changes to their projects after receiving feedback from classmates and community members.
In addition, the Board of Education recognizes students each month with a Cardinal’s Journey Award for demonstrating a particular Mindset or Foundation. The following students have received awards:
Curious: Xander Cree, Sincere Dantzler, Katya Maeder, and Silas Marshall
Community-Oriented: Rohan Dileep, Viola Ennis, Beatrice Norman, Griffin Schumacher, and Martell Stamps
Self-Aware: Reece Blazek, Kayla Cleaveland, Riwaz Dahal, Sara Sofia Davila Ramirez, and Savannah Kellar
Accountable: Mason DePauw, Reed Martin, Honor Moten, Alexz Phillips, and Ruby Writt
Communication: Miracle Aniekwenagbu, Noah Lucchesi, Reese Moon, Madeline Saidy, Genesis Sotero Cayaxon, and Ainsley Theisen
We are proud of our students for continually showing tremendous growth on the Cardinal’s Journey, and we are grateful to all of the educators, staff, leaders and community partners who are guiding them to success.