For more than 130 years, our community has been singularly devoted to, and has continually redefined, excellence in education for our changing world. Our newly designed strategy with an updated vision statement, refined strategic direction and the articulation of four choices will guide our progress for years to come.
STRATEGY
LATIN LEADS
To achieve our vision for educational excellence, our strategy is to LEAD by creating an inclusive, equitable and healthy culture for challenging and engaging learning. We will do this by integrating and bolstering our mission-aligned curricula, programs, practices and resources in order to create the best conditions for the growth, wellness and achievement of every learner in the Latin community. To execute, we are focusing on four interrelated strategic choices to be implemented in thoughtful combination.
THE LATIN LEARNER
Note that the Latin Learner in the center of our strategy. Part of our new path for the future considers all members of the Latin community as learners and seeks to support all. Latin is a learning hub in which every member of our community is encouraged and able to develop the attributes that allow for growth and change: resiliency, self-advocacy, intrinsic motivation, curiosity and authenticity.
LEARN
Integrate, deepen and make personal the Latin learning experience for each and every person in the Latin JK-12 community.
Implementation Priorities
Building on our legacy of master teaching, academic rigor and continuous, evidence-based improvement, we will intensify our work to embed experiential, inquiry, problem and project-based and real world learning strategies into the core program—recognizing that these approaches foster the skills, knowledge and capacities of modern learners. Importantly, we integrate these goals with our efforts to foster an inclusive, equitable and healthy culture for learning.
- Describe essential outcomes for educational excellence and life-long learning: The Latin Learner.
- Refine and communicate Latin’s definitions and goals for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Wellness and how they integrate with learning.
- Integrate essential approaches to educational excellence.
- Develop leading approaches to advancing dialogue, civil discourse and inquiry-based discussion across the curriculum, equipping teachers as facilitators.
Describe essential outcomes for educational excellence and life-long learning: The Latin Learner.
Refine and communicate Latin’s definitions and goals for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Wellness and how they integrate with learning.
Integrate essential approaches to educational excellence.
Develop leading approaches to advancing dialogue, civil discourse and inquiry-based discussion across the curriculum, equipping teachers as facilitators.
- Integrate and bolster co-curricular and extracurricular activities that enhance and make more personal the learning experience for students.
- Identify effective practices in program and curriculum to ensure seamless scaffolding for students as they progress JK–12.
- Ensure the college counseling program aligns with Latin’s inclusive, equitable, healthy and personal approach to the student experience.
Integrate and bolster co-curricular and extracurricular activities that enhance and make more personal the learning experience for students.
Identify effective practices in program and curriculum to ensure seamless scaffolding for students as they progress JK–12.
Ensure the college counseling program aligns with Latin’s inclusive, equitable, healthy and personal approach to the student experience.
ENGAGE
Focus on engaging with our families, alumni and the city of Chicago to make student learning more connected to the professional world and the communities in which we live.
Implementation Priorities
ADVANCE
Invest in our leadership, faculty and staff as Latin’s most important assets in the development of our students.
Implementation Priorities
- Reorganize the administrative structure and roles to strengthen school wide leadership.
- Model powerful learning, foster agility and increase collaboration through project-based teams.
- Develop a strategy for recruitment, development and retention of a more diverse pool of community members in support of a more inclusive, equitable and healthy culture for learning at Latin JK–12.
Reorganize the administrative structure and roles to strengthen school wide leadership.
Model powerful learning, foster agility and increase collaboration through project-based teams.
Develop a strategy for recruitment, development and retention of a more diverse pool of community members in support of a more inclusive, equitable and healthy culture for learning at Latin JK–12.
- Ensure that compensation, work culture and professional learning resources and opportunities attract and retain the administration, faculty and staff we value at Latin.
- Continuously evolve governance to support mission and vision.
Ensure that compensation, work culture and professional learning resources and opportunities attract and retain the administration, faculty and staff we value at Latin.
Continuously evolve governance to support mission and vision.
DEVELOP
Enhance or redesign Latin’s campus and facilities and align resources to achieve our vision for educational excellence.
Implementation Priorities
- Study options for rebuild and/or redesign of our campus and facilities to improve conditions for learning in all facets of the core and extra-curricular programs.
- Prioritize renewed learning spaces for Lower School.
- Review budget process to ensure alignment of resources to our mission, vision and strategy.
Study options for rebuild and/or redesign of our campus and facilities to improve conditions for learning in all facets of the core and extra-curricular programs.
Prioritize renewed learning spaces for Lower School.
Review budget process to ensure alignment of resources to our mission, vision and strategy.
VISION
Our vision for educational excellence is to reinforce the value of an exemplary liberal arts education that makes learning inquiry-based, personal and inclusive. Our approach expands each Latin Learner’s capacity for purposeful learning—whether in our school, our city or our world.
Inquiry-based learning
Inquiry-based learning aims to place the student's own intellectual curiosity at the foundation of the learning process.
Personal learning
Personal learning recognizes that learners are valued and fully supported in the development of self-knowledge, interests and sense of purpose.
Inclusive learning
Inclusive learning environments make space for all students to feel known, respected and cared for regardless of race, gender, identity, religion, sexual orientation or ability.
LATIN COMMUNITY VALUES
Our shared values of excellence, community and integrity affirm and define us. They serve as guideposts for all we do, and connect us — students, teachers, parents and alumni — to each other and to Latin.
Excellence
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We develop the skills, knowledge and desire to solve complex problems through a global, liberal arts curriculum and master teaching.
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We identify our interests, learn to advocate for ourselves and others and become architects of our own educations.
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We promote physical and emotional wellness because they are essential to the pursuit of educational excellence and our happiness.
Community
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We support and celebrate one another and take responsibility for our words and actions, because we shape the lives of others in our community.
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We embrace diversity within our school and in Chicago, knowing that it deepens our learning and enhances our empathy.
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We use our resources wisely in order to be good stewards of our community and our world.
Integrity
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We are honest, fair and fulfill the commitments we make, building a culture of respect and mutual trust.
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We give our best effort, take intellectual risks and learn to persevere.
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We reflect and live with purpose, working toward goals that embody our genuine interests.
OUR MISSION
The Latin School of Chicago provides its students with a rigorous and innovative educational program in a community that embraces diversity of people, cultures and ideas. Latin inspires its students to pursue their passions and lead lives of purpose and excellence.
About Us
Our Confident Journey into the Future
