Mutual Commitments

It is the shared responsibility of Annunciation School, its students, and its parents to believe in and practice the same philosophy and to cooperate to achieve the mission and goals of the school. As such, the school, each student, and each parent have mutual commitments to one another.

Annunciation School commits to:

• nurturing a strong Catholic school environment to ensure all students reach their full faith development through a dynamic religious studies curriculum, daily prayer, regular Masses, sacrament preparation, service projects, and programs that cultivate love of and loyalty to the Church;
• creating an educational vision to ensure each student will reach his/her full academic potential and recognizing and supporting students with learning challenges while challenging and engaging stronger students;
• developing a state-of-the art curriculum based on the latest educational theories to ensure students receive strong foundations in reading comprehension, math, science, history, writing, and research while minimizing repetition, coordinating between grade level teachers to deliver and assess the same content, and ensuing each grade builds upon the foundation of the grade prior;
• developing students’ curiosity, thirst for knowledge, critical thinking, leadership, and problem solving skills while promoting independence and individual expression;
• developing a culture of reflection, continuous improvement, and strategic thinking;
• hiring, supporting, and mentoring the best possible teachers and support staff and providing them with the educational resources and support to ensure their success;
• fostering strong lines of communication between school administrators and teachers, teachers and students, and the school and parents by being open to feedback and explaining key decisions;
• treating all teachers, students, and parents with respect and fairness;
• recognizing parent’s role as partners in their children’s educational journey and listening and respecting their legitimate concerns;
• communicating with parents on a timely basis to ensure academic and emotional concerns are addressed;
• working closely with parents of students with serious learning challenges;
• cultivating a climate of kindness, empathy, and inclusion for all students through programs, activities, and a well-designed, age-appropriate discipline code;
• maintaining safe, clean, and effective facilities and grounds to further the educational mission;
• incorporating technology effectively to enhance student learning;
• delivering a physical education curriculum and recess play opportunities for students to exercise and develop leadership skills;
• providing an interesting array of extracurricular, fine arts, language, and other special opportunities to develop the creative abilities and interests of the students;
• providing age appropriate programs for students to develop healthy decision making skills, good personal hygiene, and appreciation for healthy and changing bodies; and
• providing an interesting and affordable before and after school care program to support students of working parents.

Annunciation students commit to:

• developing a loving relationship with God, following his teachings, and acting as true Christian witnesses to Christ in the world;
• working to the best of their ability in all things they do both in and outside of school;
• respecting themselves by being honest, truthful, fair, and polite;
• recognizing they represent themselves, their parents, and Annunciation School in all they do at and outside of school, including while playing sports through CYO and other organizations;
• developing themselves as independent people by being responsible for their conduct, dress, school work, and personal property and communicating directly with their teachers when in need of help;
• abiding by the rules of the school, most importantly respecting teachers, administrators, classmates, and school property;
• respecting their parents, abiding by family rules, and appreciating the gift of a Catholic school education that they have been given;
• supporting all classmates and cultivating a culture of kindness and inclusion by appreciating that each person is unique and made in God’s likeness while displaying a true sense of concern and responsibility for others;
• completing all homework and special projects and assignments by their due date;
• arriving at school on time, dressed in proper uniform, and having eaten a full breakfast so they can work effectively for the school day;
• attending school each day, expect when sick or injured, and arriving on time; and
• avoiding drugs, alcohol, and smoking and developing a commitment to healthy eating, exercise, and good decision making.

No school can be wholly effective in teaching the values of religion; the importance of striving to be one’s very best; the virtues of honesty, respect for authority, and consideration for the rights and property of others; and standards of morality and integrity unless these principles have been established, upheld, and valued at home.

Annunciation parents commit to:

• guiding their child in his/her Catholic faith by fostering a love of Jesus, being strong Catholic roles models, and regularly attending Mass;
• nurturing their child’s love of learning and academic curiosity;
• demanding excellence in their child and developing his/her mindset of always doing his/her very best in all they do;
• assisting their child in his/her academic development by creating a peaceful place for homework execution; encouraging careful, timely, and independent completion of homework and school projects; being interested and engaged in the topics being learned in the classroom; and reviewing test results, progress reports, and report cards;
• steering their child’s moral development by encouraging kindness, gratitude, honesty, helpfulness, and good manners;
• demanding exemplary behavior by regularly reinforcing respect for school rules; respectful and courteous treatment of classmates, teachers, administrators, and parent volunteers; and supporting the school in disciplinary actions if their child violates the school’s code of conduct;
• respecting the chain of command at the school by first contacting their child’s classroom or subject teacher regarding questions or concerns;
• responding to teacher or administrator emails or phone calls in a timely manner;
• providing proper guidelines at home regarding discrimination, harassment, violent behavior; limiting access to violent video games, inappropriate movies, music, and internet content;
• monitoring their child’s use of social media and the internet and setting standards for appropriate time and content access;
• teaching their child respect for law, authority, the rights and opinions of others, and public and private property;
• recognizing their child’s talents and interests as well as social and academic challenges so they may be developed in cooperation with the classroom teachers;
• working in partnership with the school to carry out recommendations made in the best interest of their child, including those related to educational evaluations and counseling;
• promoting good sportsmanship at CYO and out-of-school sporting events by their child and themselves;
• attending parent-teacher conferences and maintaining an open, cooperative, and respectful relationship with their child’s teacher(s);
• insisting on their child’s regular school attendance and on-time arrival;
• sending their child to school in proper uniform and on dress down days, in clothing that meets standards of modesty and appropriateness;
• making all tuition and fee payments on time, and participating in fundraising activities according to their financial ability; and
• interacting in a respectful manner when speaking with or about the administration, teachers, and staff of the school and being positive role models for conflict resolution for their child.