Click to see the full DNA document
Prior to the pandemic, our teachers and staff began working on a concept to emphasize and highlight the skills and character qualities that we want to instill in our students during their time with us. The vision of this initiative is for each and every Buhler student to leave our classrooms with timeless character traits and skills that allow them to successfully overcome any challenge that comes their way.
The list of skills and character traits that you see was carefully crafted. Our teachers spent one morning creating a large list of traits that will always be valuable in life. From there we posted that list to district social media and asked parents, former students, and community members to rank the top ones that they saw on that list. Finally, we invited business leaders in the community to come and speak one evening during which they confirmed their need for employees to possess these skills above all others.
After those steps, we were able to narrow our list down to 10 skills we believe will help our students be successful in whatever next steps they take in education, career, and even in their own personal lives. In the coming decades, the job market is predicted to change radically, and we believe our students possessing these skills will allow them to successfully navigate that uncertainty.
Below is our list with a short definition of each. In the following pages, you will see how students practice these in the classroom throughout their time with us here in Buhler Schools.
Collaboration - Seeks out others who can provide feedback or work together; is a good teammate
Communication - Shares ideas clearly and creatively, including spoken, written, and visual communication; chooses the correct form and tone depending on the audience.
Critical Thinking - Takes in information and examines it from multiple viewpoints and sources; develops creative solutions to problems.
Interpersonal Skills - Interacts with others appropriately depending on the setting and situation, including with tone of voice and body language.
Responsible - Meets deadlines; is punctual; takes initiative to care for themselves and their belongings
Respectful - Treats peers and adults with kindness; responds to reasonable requests promptly
Empathy - Cares for others; works to understand where others are coming from and how they feel.
Integrity - Strives to do the right and moral thing at all times; takes ownership for mistakes.
Perseverance - Continues to move forward in the face of all kinds of adversity
Teachable - Willing to learn and grow no matter their current skill level
We are excited to continue to give students the opportunity to practice these skills and to help them see the value in them.
Sincerely,
Cindy Couchman, Superintendent of Schools
Full DNA of a Buhler Graduate Document
Our teachers have compiled a list of activities that students participate in at each grade level in our schools. View the whole document here