SJSD looks to implement “Portrait of a Graduate” for 2025-2026 school year

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) - The St. Joseph School District is looking to use a new method to prioritize and teach the qualities defining future SJSD graduates.

A survey was sent out by SJSD, seeking community input in November to get opinions from various stakeholders on the different qualities a SJSD graduate should possess.

Some of the options included being a communicator, problem-solver, ethical, adaptable and more.

The five attributes and traits ultimately settled upon were: communication, problem-solving, respect, courage and being an engaged citizen.

"It's going to be something that we really focus on in terms of implementations and how this is going to help our kids in this community have the attributes and the content knowledge, that, when they walk across that stage in May, we're going to see them thrive and succeed and be ready for their futures," said Kendra Lau, SJSD's director of school improvement.

Lau said the model was something SJSD wanted to implement after seeing what exemplary school districts were doing.

"What we noticed that exemplary school districts were doing was creating a 'Portrait of a Graduate' because, again, it develops a conceptual framework for a shared understanding that is community-wide," said Lau.

When it comes to how the skills will be taught, Lau said multiple forms of, "I can do..." statements will help both teachers and students get a bettering understanding of fulfilling the attributes.

"What we asked our teachers to do, is develop 'I can do...' statements, that our students would be able to clearly articulate," said Lau. "For example...the mathematics example, 'I'm struggling with this problem', 'I don't quite understand it, but I'm going to have the courage to go and ask my teacher for additional help'..."

Looking at the different attributes, teachers were also asked to evaluate what the mastery would look like at each grade level.

"What should communication look like at a pre-k level and what should our 12th graders- when they walk across the stage in terms of skills and communication - should they have," said Lau.

Lau said, now the district has an understanding of what it means to apply the five attributes in the classroom, the district is working on next steps.

"What we're focused on now, is through this lens of this 'Portrait of a Graduate', the shared community understanding that we all have that really is the nexus between our mission, vision and values," said Lau. "We're going back and revisiting our mission, vision and values for the next school year...We'll have a redesign of our mission, vision and values. But again, it's through the lens of this 'Portrait of a Graduate'."

Lau said the 'Portrait of a Graduate' is more than just five characteristics.

"It's more than, you know, just that diploma," said Lau. "It is really ensuring that they have the life skills and the key attributes that they need to be to thrive and be successful."

SJSD looks to roll out the 'Portrait of a Graduate' model, as well as a redesign of its vision, mission and values.