OUR VALUES

• EQUITY
• CHARACTER
• EXCELLENCE
• TEAM
• JOY

OUR BELIEFS

• OUR STUDENTS CAN
• OUR TEACHERS MAKE IT HAPPEN
• OUR PRINCIPALS ARE KEY
• OUR DISTRICT IS “ALL IN”
• OUR COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL

EQUITY

All children deserve the opportunity to develop their full academic and social potential. Valuing equity means that we must provide resources and supports matched to student need, for every student in every school. Our diversity is a community treasure, and we must foster an inclusive environment by examining biases and resolving unfair practices.

CHARACTER

We are honest, trustworthy and have high standards of behavior. We make decisions, take action and approach our work based on what is best for our students and their success. We do the right thing even when it is hard. We face difficulty with courage and have the moral fortitude to act in accordance with our beliefs. While we do not always agree, we treat one another with kindness and respect.

EXCELLENCE

Tulsa needs and expects world-class public schools. We work hard together and expect a lot of one another because high standards produce exemplary knowledge, skills, abilities and mindsets. Achieving excellence means striving for it every moment of every day. It means sweating the small stuff while we focus on the big picture with determination and persistence.

TEAM

We care for one another, support the personal and professional development of one another, and work together to improve our community. Together we celebrate success, learn from struggles and invest in the development of our teams and team members. While we value our work together and invest mightily in it, we also honor and respect the commitments our team members have to their families and communities outside of work.

JOY

We love to have fun! Play is invaluable for students and adults alike. Joy at school and at work makes us more productive, because when we create, innovate and imagine, our motivation grows. At Tulsa Public Schools, we foster exuberant classrooms, schools and places of work where children and adults pursue their passions and are relentlessly curious. We want to ensure that everyone knows the excitement that comes from working deeply on a problem, task or concept and experiencing breakthrough moments.

OUR STUDENTS CAN

Every child can learn. Every child has talent. Every child has value. Great education is demanding and engaging, structured and joyful, challenging and supportive. To succeed in a competitive world and to serve as the next generation of leaders, students must engage in their education, own their learning and feel accepted and supported in our schools.

OUR TEACHERS MAKE IT HAPPEN

Extraordinary teachers are the heart of successful schools. They must continually hone their craft and content knowledge to design engaging learning and facilitate success in every student. We require much of our teachers, and we must provide the conditions and work environments that promote professional satisfaction and student achievement. This means that our entire community must value, respect, and support teachers as the irreplaceable professionals they are.

OUR PRINCIPALS ARE KEY

Principals’ responsibilities are strategic, vast and intense. As leaders, they must be visible, hire the right staff, cultivate talent, build relationships with families and communities, foster positive and safe school culture and ensure results. As such, the education service center must support principals’ growth as instructional leaders and be their primary support system in strengthening the quality of teaching and learning in all classrooms.

OUR DISTRICT IS “ALL IN”

Effective teams collaborate and continually assess and improve their service to schools. They attend to present needs while preparing for the future. This means our employees and board must work together, reflect, adjust, think ahead and innovate in service to powerful teaching and learning.

OUR COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL

Our children and schools need all of us—educators, families, and community partners. High quality schools are vital to the health of our community. We must engage our families and all of Tulsa by embracing transparency, holding ourselves accountable to high standards, proactively communicating and working as a team united in the success of every student.