These values came from the people who make ISSA what it is every day. We asked our teachers, administrators, and parents to choose from 25 different values and tell us what matters most to them. From those responses, six values clearly rose to the top: Diversity (65%), Respect (52.5%), Curiosity (50%), Leadership (37.5%), Growth (37.5%), and Community (32.5%). We shared the results with everyone who took part. These values were never meant to live on a page. They are meant to live in our classrooms, our hallways, and our community. They help shape ISSA today and the community we are building for every student who comes through our doors.
ISSA is a diverse school. Our students, families, and teachers come from dozens of countries and speak many different languages. Because of this, our shared values give everyone something solid to stand on together.
They are more than words on a wall, our values are meant to be lived: they define how our community works together, day to day, to carry out ISSA’s mission.
When those values are clear, they guide how teachers teach, how students treat one another, and how decisions are made—so that every student, no matter which language they’re learning, grows up with the same steady sense of who we are.
Curiosity: We ask questions, explore, and enjoy discovering the world around us. We are open to new ideas, cultures, and ways of learning.
Respect: We are kind and thoughtful toward ourselves, others, and our environment. We listen and treat everyone with care.
Community: Together, we work to make our school a welcoming and happy place where everyone feels they belong.
Diversity: We celebrate the different cultures, countries, languages, and traditions that make our school special. We are proud to learn from one another.
Growth: We do our best and learn from our experiences, challenges, and mistakes. We keep practicing, improving, and growing every day.
Leadership: We take responsibility for our choices and actions. We help others succeed and lead by example to drive positive change.
These values are already part of how our teachers talk with students in the classroom. This year, we’ll also display them in our school hallways, weave them into the curriculum, and feature them on our website, so families and visitors see the same six values that guide our classrooms every day.
These six values will continue to shape how we teach, how we celebrate our students, and how we build community at ISSA this year and in the years ahead.
For more information, please contact info@issatx.org or visit our website.
