Core Values

At Steward, our core values (academic achievement, care & respect, civil discourse, individuality, innovation, and inspiration) are at the forefront of who we are as a school and community. These values are part of our strategic plan, Compass 2028, but they have been part of who we are since our founding in 1972. They guide us every day. 

Steward’s robust curriculum challenges students and prepares them with the skills and experiences they will need to succeed in college and beyond.

Learning intentionally happens inside and outside of the classroom. Look around our beautiful campus and you’ll see junior kindergarteners engaged in their signature outdoor learning workshop, or singing along with their music teacher on a crisp fall day. You might spot Middle Schoolers brainstorming and problem-solving in a robotics class in the Bryan Innovation Lab, or rehearsing onstage for the next theatre production. Perhaps you’ll notice Upper School students meeting with our College Counseling team to learn the finer points of the college-application process … or you’ll see them assembling “nature neurons”: artistic representations of neural processes using twigs, flower petals, and stems. Steward prioritizes a culture of creativity and excellence in all areas of one’s life and helps students be confident in their authentic selves. 

Our community’s rich diversity includes many different people and viewpoints; this is by design. Care & respect are values that guide us to be responsible members of a school community and the world beyond Steward and to exhibit compassion, kindness, acceptance, and gratitude.  

Faculty and staff model care and respect, encouraging students to listen deeply to others and to think carefully about the effect of their words and actions. In addition, Spartans in JK-12 engage in service learning activities, discovering that when they team up to help others, their acts of kindness can elicit real change. 

At Steward, all members of our community are encouraged to embrace what makes each of us special, and this can be expressed through civil discourse. Acknowledging differing perspectives, engaging in respectful dialogue, and listening intentionally are ways that Spartans exercise their civil discourse muscles. 

Steward’s goal is to prepare students to play an active role in shaping the future; we do that by fostering an atmosphere of creativity and critical thinking. Faculty and students research, ideate, experiment, and build, leading to innovative ideas and solutions! From robotics to Nature Play School to the arts to cross-divisional projects, students bring ideas to life. 

Inspiration comes in many forms: It’s the “a-ha” moment that a student experiences in an engineering class. It happens when seniors serve as mentors for their JK and kindergarten buddies. You feel it when Middle Schoolers travel for an overnight at an adventure camp and learn the joy of cheering each other on through a challenging zipline course. 

Our curriculum is rooted in foundational skills and paired with an exploration of topics that define our time. Everywhere, Spartans are inspired … and inspiring!