The culture of Pacific Cascade Middle School is shaped by committed and caring adults who provide rigor, relevance and relationships each and every day of school. The use of formative assessments frequently provides clear feedback to students, parents and teachers about each individuals learning against a standard. Students are invited to participate to their fullest capability in all that Pacific Cascade has to offer. Relationships are seen as a skill to be strengthened throughout middle school; multi-aged groupings and specific instruction on healthy choices is emphasized. Students are encouraged to try new things, and explore new opportunities for challenging work. Strong bonds between teachers and students as well as within the peer groups are a hallmark of the personal skills that will be cultivated at school. Creativity and teamwork are promoted at all levels and a sense of community, inclusion and joy of learning permeates throughout.
Pacific Cascade Middle School embraces the following philosophies:
- Team building, in grade levels, individual disciplines and throughout the school, fosters a safe, respectful and inclusive culture for all.
- Recognizing other's strengths encourages risk-taking and growth opportunities for students and staff.
- Humor, flexibility and compassion in daily interactions combine to create a supportive culture for students, staff and our community.
- Communication, both oral and written, provides the best means of sharing goals, high expectations and relationships.
- Technology, infused with curriculum and instruction, brings greater depth and sense of purpose and visual learning to the students.
- Project-based curricula engages students in addressing real-world problems.
- Specific knowledge of benchmarks and state standards guides instruction so that time and resources are used to their fullest potential.
- Individual accountability, as described in Love and Logic, promotes the responsible development of students as citizens.
- Proactive management techniques, so fluid and effective that they may be imperceptible to observers, create an atmosphere of trust, high expectations and productivity