• D103 Portrait of a Graduate competencies

  • Competencies for D103 Graduates

    The mission of District 103 is “to provide innovative learning experiences, which empower each student to excel and make a difference in a diverse and interconnected world.” We want our students to be Leaders in Learning and successful citizens in our communities.

    To realize this mission, the District Strategic Planning Committee created a Portrait of a Graduate. The Portrait is a collective vision for our students that focuses on key qualities or “competencies” every child should have when they graduate from District 103.

    The following six competencies were identified to enable our students to thrive in our complex and changing world.

  • Adaptability

    • Respond productively to change and feedback.
    • Demonstrate flexibility to various roles and situations.
    • Work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities.
    • Understand, negotiate, and balance diverse views and beliefs to reach workable solutions.

  • Collaboration

    • Honor and leverage mutual strengths to build collective commitment and action. 
    • Enrich the group's learning.
    • Respectfully seek, contribute, and respond to feedback to achieve the goal.
    • Encourage diverse perspectives and contributions.
    • Actively participate toward positive outcomes. 

  • Critical Thinking

    • Understand the "bigger picture" and propose creative solutions that are mindful of the impact they may have.
    • Consistently improve the quality of one's own thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing one's understanding  
    • Applies disciplined thinking and implements evidence-based solutions.

  • Empathy

    Empathy

    • Demonstrates awareness, sensitivity, concern, and respect for others' feelings, opinions, experiences, culture, and differences through connection, understanding, and compassion.
    • Seek to understand what others are thinking, feeling, or experiencing by actively listening and engaging in a genuine way. 

  • Global Citizenship

    Global Citizenship

    • Value and embrace diverse cultures & perspectives through mutual respect and open dialogue.
    • Demonstrate personal, civic, and global responsibility through ethical and empathetic behaviors.
    • Contribute and model action that will inspire others to help shape a better world.
    • Use communication for a range of purposes (for example, to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade). 

  • Perseverance

    Perseverance

    • Exhibit determination in achieving one's goals, regardless of difficulties, opposite viewpoints, and for potential failure.
    • Embrace failure as an opportunity for learning, and learning as a foundation for growth.