Mission, Vision, Core Values
Mission Statement
Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 celebrates diversity and encourages students to achieve their highest potential through creativity and the passion for academic achievement. Students, faculty, staff, and parents are united by mutual respect and the goal of educational excellence. The school community encourages and teaches students to be independent, fulfilled, and productive members of society. The intimate size of the school ensures a close relationship between students and faculty, encouraging students to be engaged in a rigorous educational path that empowers them to overcome barriers and reach their highest potential.
Vision Statement
At Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12, students learn to change the world by becoming global citizens in a school culture of creativity, respect, and authentic enthusiasm for learning. Students prepare for the world of work and higher education, taking personal initiative to pioneer their own futures and follow their passion. Students are lifelong learners who contribute to a constantly changing and increasingly diverse world. The family environment of our school empowers all students to achieve their full potential. At LBCPM, students learn to never give up on a dream!
Core Values
Mutual Respect – Students and staff refer to each other by first names. We do this because we believe that everyone is valued equally and is deserving of equal respect. It is important that we model respectful behavior and communication. Although we believe that all students and staff members are equally deserving of respect, there are different roles that we each play. When students cross the line and treat each other or a staff member disrespectfully, we need to remind them of this core value.
Trust – We trust our students and expect them to show trust in us. We allow our students to go off campus for lunch without supervision because we trust that they will act appropriately. We send our students to internship sites and college classes because we trust them to be mature and responsible. Most of our students rise to the occasion. Some try to push the limits. They are teenagers after all. When they do violate our trust and we bring it to their attention, they usually correct the error.
Freedom – We give our students and staff members a lot of freedom. We all need to explore to see what we are good at. Students should be free to express their opinions and should always feel like the staff members are listening to them. When appropriate they should be given alternative ways to present their knowledge. Staff members are encouraged to try new things even teach new classes when they have an interest in doing so. We understand that staff members and students sometimes have circumstances in their lives that interfere with their responsibilities. We expect people to appreciate that understanding and exhibit personal responsibility to not take advantage of it.
Responsibility – With freedom comes responsibility. All students and staff should accept personal responsibility for their actions. We don’t have bells for a number of reasons. One is that the loud ringing is annoying, but that isn’t the main reason. Bells limit a teacher’s flexibility. If a teacher is in the middle of a great lesson and the bell rings, they have lost the class. Without bells, a teacher could go a little over and complete the lesson. The lack of bells gives us an extra feeling of freedom, but it also places the responsibility of being in class on time on each individual.
Diversity – Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 has always valued diversity. Diversity of language, of ethnicity, of religion, of political/social opinion and of sexual orientation. We believe in more than tolerance. We believe in acceptance.
These are values that we are not willing to give up. They are values that we have to work hard to maintain. They are values that we have to remind ourselves of and continue to emphasize them with our students.