Descriptor Term: Descriptor Code: Issued Date:

300 June 26, 2008

INSTRUCTIONAL PHILOSOPHY _______________________________________
Rescinds: Issued:

BOARD POLICY

The Guam Public Schools, reflecting the democratic way of life, seek to fulfill all students’
social, emotional, academic and occupational needs. The vision statement of the Guam Public
School System is to: “Prepare all students for life, Promote Excellence, and Provide Support!”

We believe that schooling is a sequence of planned experiences designed to inform parents and
students what student should learn and what they should be able to do. Our schools should
provide experiences that help develop responsible, intelligent, self-directed adults who:

• Function as effective citizens;

• Possess firm values;
• Are efficiently competent;
• Are career-oriented;
• Exhibit good physical and mental health;
• Live and work harmoniously with others; and
• Consistently respond to personal and group issues with sound logic, emotional
commitment and direction, resourcefulness and human compassion.

We believe that if we promote learning in these areas, our students will have the opportunities to
become responsible members of society who can perform in a global and technology-oriented
world. We believe that they will thus have the opportunity to become fulfilled adults who can
enjoy the best of life’s experiences.

In all that we say and do, we commit ourselves to these guiding principles:

Guiding Principle I: Human Compassion

Each student is encouraged to develop a philosophy of life that includes dignity and direction,
thereby enabling oneself to cope with technological and ideological changes. Therefore, the
schools should employ every means available to help make each student more considerate of
others and more capable of contributing to his fellow man.

Guiding Principle II: Interpersonal Relationships

The Guam Public School System encourages each student to develop interpersonal relationships
that are relevant in the home, at school, on the job, and in the community.

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Guiding Principle III: Civic Responsibility

The Guam Public School System seeks to instill each student a sense of civic responsibility to the
local community, to the Territorial government, to the Federal government and to the global
community.

Guiding Principle IV: Productive and Responsible Consumers

The Guam Public School System prepares each student to become a productive citizen, to
develop economic independence and to become a responsible consumer.

Guiding Principle V: Career Oriented

The Guam Public School System provided opportunities for exploring careers and for developing
in students, a consciousness of vocations, in terms of occupations and higher education. As
preparation for a life in which employment is a fundamental part, educational opportunities
should be provided for students who wish to be trained in job-entry skills prior to entering the
work force.

Guiding Principle VI: Effective Time Management

The Guam Public School System promotes an environment for students to be cognizant of the
increasing amount of leisure time and should encourage students, through school activities, to use
their time in ways that are constructive to themselves and to their society.

Guiding Principle VII: Caring and Safe Environment

The Guam Public School System provides a warm, caring, comfortable and safe environment for
all students. Routines should be established that are consistent with school wide rules and
discipline plans. Students should be treated with gentleness, honesty and respect, and they should
challenge themselves to see society through a lens that celebrates the diversity of thought and
cultures.

Guiding Principle VIII: Professionalism

The Guam Public School System promotes and cultivates the highest degree of professionalism.
This should be reflected by the actions and attitudes of the Guam Education Policy Board, the
Superintendent of Education, the district administrators, the school administrators, the classroom
teachers, staff, the parents and guardians, and the community.

Guiding Principle IX: Quality Instructional Environment

The Guam Public School System provides facilities and sites to ensure the best possible
instructional environment and directs itself toward increasing the quality of educational facilities.

ADOPTED: Board of Education 4/24/73 Amended: 06/26/08