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The Pipestone Area School (PAS) Board during its Aug. 25 meeting approved a portrait of a graduate.
Laura Hilger, director of teaching and learning at KnowledgeWorks, said during a community input meeting in the spring that a portrait of a graduate identifies what a community wants its young people to be and explains what learners should know and be able to do, and creates a visualization of priorities that is communicated to students, staff and the community. She said a portrait of a graduate should drive the school district’s strategic plan and goals.
A team including school administrators, teachers, school board members and parents used information from that input meeting, focus groups of students and staff, and surveys to develop the portrait of a graduate. The final product has five key attributes: Collaborator, Communicator, Community Contributor, Strategic Thinker, Performance Minded
Collaborator
A collaborator is a good teammate. We share ideas and help others, listen with respect, and include everyone. We do our best, stay positive, and cheer on our group.
Communicator
A communicator is approachable and makes sure others feel heard and understood. We are active listeners, explain our ideas, and use written, verbal, or visual means to relay our message clearly.
Community Contributor
A community contributor helps make the world around them better through selfless service. We embrace cultural differences with respect, foster an inclusive and supportive environment, and show empathy by contributing to the needs of our community.
Strategic Thinker
A strategic thinker applies critical thinking, perseverance, and thoughtful planning to solve problems effectively. We consider diverse perspectives, welcome feedback, and make informed decisions.
Performance Minded
Being performance minded means being reliable, accountable, focused, and committed to growth and continuous improvement. We demonstrate ownership, discipline, grit, and goal setting to deliver meaningful results.
Superintendent Klint Willert thanked teachers, students, staff, community members and business leaders for their input and participation in the process to create the portrait of a graduate.
“This is a big deal for our district,” Willert said. “It’s not going to be just words on a wall. It’s going to be the way we do business.”
As an example, he said a text message about a fundraiser for an activity would not meet the communicator goals put forth in the portrait of a graduate. It would be more in line with the goals, he said, if a student went to communicate with people directly. An example of something that would align with the community contributor goals was Arrow days of service, where students go out into the community to help with projects such as raking leaves or cleaning ditches.
Willert said next steps include the creation of grade-banded competencies to define and assess progress on the key attributes, something that a team of educators will be working on this fall and throughout the year. The portrait of a graduate will also be used to update the school district’s strategic plan. He said that work will commence this fall and continue into early winter.
The school district has been working with KnowledgeWorks on the development of the portrait of a graduate since earlier this year when the school board approved a contract with the company for services related to planning and support, a portrait of a graduate, competency continua, rubric development, district design teams, school teams and leadership coaching between Feb. 1 of this year and Dec. 31, 2026. The school district will pay KnowledgeWorks $260,000 for those services and an estimated $55,000 for travel. The cost of the contract will be paid for with funds from a $422,889.53 grant the school district received last year to close the educational opportunity gap.