What are Belief Statements

"Belief statements express the commonly held convictions about the school as institution and community. These statements establish a prioritization of religious, moral, academic and social values. Through the Belief statements, one learns what the fundamental, distinguishing marks of a particular school are.

The development of Belief statements is an opportunity to engage the school community, broadly defined, in a significant conversation about the essential elements of the school, as well as hopes and goals for the immediate future. It is also an opportunity to capture the occasionally unexpressed and lofty realities of the school that will be the stimulus for the development or revision of the Mission statement. The articulation of the Belief statements also sets the stage for the in-depth analysis that constitutes the State of the School. Further, the Belief statements are an important basis for Strategic Planning.

It is helpful to provide some background material for those who will be part of the discussion. This could include one or more presentations including a Catholic Church update and background on demographic, educational and societal trends that paint the big picture and position the school in the larger world of church, community and nation. This is an excellent opportunity to bring in people from theChurch, educational and civic communities who can speak effectively to these topics. The Church update component could embrace an overview of the history and tradition of Catholic education in this local community as well as its preeminent position in the mission of the Church as seen in recent documents."

Taken from: Validating the Vision: An Assessment Protocol for Mission Effectiveness, Institutional Accreditation, and Strategic Planning in the Catholic High School. Mary Frances Taymans, SND, EdD National Catholic Educational Association: Washington, D.C., 1999. Pages 9 - 10.

Salesianum School's Belief Statements

At Salesianum School, we value…

• Our Roman Catholic identity as shaped by the Oblate-Salesian tradition.
• A college-preparatory program that educates the whole person.
• Creating, maintaining and growing the experience of community.
• Our individual and collective experience of the saving presence and action of God.
• Respect for the sacredness of oneself and of others.
• The ability to live and flourish in an increasingly diverse and ever-changing world.
• Preparing students to take their place in society and make their contribution to the larger world by using their gifts to serve others.