Our Mission & Philosophy

At SAS, the beliefs we hold and the goals we have come to life on a daily basis. Walk one of our beautiful campuses and you’ll see project-based, experiential, and service learning, after-school activities, and personalized counseling. You’ll see students bringing our Mission to life by gaining the courage to live their dreams. You’ll see faculty members demonstrating the fact that learning never stops. You’ll see a diverse group of students collaborating effectively, communicating skillfully, and thinking critically. And by the time they don the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏcap and gown, you’ll see students who have evolved into ethical global citizens, poised and prepared to make the world around us a better place.

51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏ inspires in all students:

  • A lifelong passion for learning
  • A commitment to act with integrity and compassion
  • The courage to live their dreams

A 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏ education equips students to transfer their knowledge and skills beyond the classroom, in authentic settings, over a lifetime.

CRITICAL THINKERS  - 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents are critical thinkers who develop ideas and construct arguments by questioning, evaluating, synthesizing, and considering perspective.  51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents…

  • Consider multiple approaches and perspectives to evaluate decisions 
  • Ask relevant, discerning questions to stimulate reflection 
  • Evaluate evidence and sources to support arguments and conclusions 
  • Synthesize and apply new understanding to a variety of contexts

SKILLFUL COMMUNICATORS - 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents are skillful communicators who advocate for self, others, and ideas in more than one language by listening, responding, and articulating through multiple media. 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents…

  • Use appropriate listening skills to integrate information across contexts 
  • Respond to emotions in self and in others 
  • Articulate ideas with exceptional clarity 
  • Select an appropriate medium to communicate with an audience

EFFECTIVE COLLABORATORS - 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents are effective collaborators who help teams innovate outcomes to achieve a goal by holding themselves and others accountable, contributing in productive ways, and sustaining respectful interactions. 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents…

  • Hold themselves and others accountable for team agreements
  • Build on the perspectives and contributions of others 
  • Develop and implement appropriate strategies to manage interactions

CREATIVE LEARNERS - 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents are creative learners who engage their imaginations to generate novel ideas, demonstrate flexible thinking, evaluate approaches, and take action. 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents….

  • Use their imagination to generate novel ideas
  • Demonstrate flexible thinking 
  • Use strategies to evaluate the creative process 
  • Execute ideas with exceptional clarity and effectiveness

ETHICAL GLOBAL CITIZENS - 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents are ethical global citizens who take action based on informed decisions filtered through empathy, integrity, sustainability, and social justice. 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏstudents…

  • Acknowledge and respect perspectives and cultures with consideration and care  
  • Take action with sincerity and honesty 
  • Make decisions and take actions to impact sustainability significantly
  • Engage in authentic opportunities to impact others positively

Imagine a community of integrity and compassion where all learners are:

  • Empowered to make choices about how they reach clearly defined learning goals;
  • Engaged in collaboration to solve authentic problems;
  • Safe to take intellectual risks while persevering through challenges;
  • Supported with modeling, differentiation, specific feedback, and opportunities for reflection and revision;
  • Passionate, intrinsically motivated, and inspired to action.

This is learning at 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏ.

We believe that:

  • Embracing diversity enriches individuals and communities
  • Acts of compassion and generosity of spirit create a better world
  • When individuals take responsibility for their own decisions, they are empowered to make positive impact
  • Each individual has intrinsic value and the potential to contribute to society
  • Collaboration is key to overcoming complex challenges and achieving common goals
  • Integrity is the foundation of enduring relationships, quality institutions and well-functioning communities
  • As global citizens we have a duty to care for the earth and its inhabitants to ensure the well-being of humankind
  • Creativity, critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning are essential to personal fulfillment and to meet the challenges of the future.

In spring 2021, we completed and shared 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏForward, our strategic plan. Take a look at the vision, commitments and targets that will inform our planning now and into the future.

  • Innovative & Individualized Academics: 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏbelieves a vibrant academic program models innovation, nurtures students’ individual growth, and allows them to create personal pathways to success in school, in college, and in life.
  • Inspiring & Creative Learning Environment: 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏbelieves that exceptional learning happens when innovative educators inspire future leaders in world-class, technologically advanced learning spaces, on campus and online.
  • Personal Growth & Exploration: 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏbelieves in an expansive, whole-child educational experience that extends beyond the classroom to inspire our students to live their dreams.
  • Ethical Global Citizenship: 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏbelieves all members of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏCommunity are global citizens capable of changing the world for the better.
  • Vibrant Community: 51³Ô¹ÏÍøºÚÁÏbelieves in a vibrant school community united in mission and aspiration.