FOUNDING PRINCIPLES
The traditional system of education was built for an economy and a society that no longer exists. In the manufacturing and agrarian economies that existed 50 years ago, it was enough to master the “Three Rs” (reading, writing, and arithmetic). In the modern world driven by globalization and technology the “Three Rs” simply aren’t enough. The school must prepare its students for life in a global society by teaching them skills and values that are important in the 21st century, helping them become proficient communicators, creators, critical thinkers, collaborators and conscientious human beings.
UST's educational philosophy revolves around child-centric, holistic education, emphasizing character building, social skills, emotional development, critical thinking, experiential learning, and core academics. The school is committed to equipping students with the skills and values essential for the 21st century, fostering proficiency in communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and conscientiousness. The following UST principles, the SEVEN Cs, embody UST's core guiding values.
COMMUNICATION
UST believes that communication at school At UST, students take care of their community on multiple levels–within the classroom, across the school, in the local community, and on a global scale. The student council allows students to represent their classrooms, creating discussion at the schoolwide level. There is also a schoolwide Eco-patrol that cleans up inside and around both school buildings which each child participates in once a month. Moreover, students participate in a number of schoolwide community events which bring in parents, local cultural groups and capitalize on their own creativity including Japanese Cultural day, Poetry Slam, Carnival and Sports day. Finally, many of these events raise funds for organizations that plant trees in deforested areas and otherwise combat climate change. Learn more... 
COMMUNITY
At UST, students take care of their community on multiple levels–within the classroom, across the school, in the local community, and on a global scale. The student council allows students to represent their classrooms, creating discussion at the schoolwide level. There is also a schoolwide Eco-patrol that cleans up inside and around both school buildings which each child participates in once a month. Moreover, students participate in a number of schoolwide community events which bring in parents, local cultural groups and capitalize on their own creativity including Japanese Cultural day, Poetry Slam, Carnival and Sports day. Finally, many of these events raise funds for organizations that plant trees in deforested areas and otherwise combat climate change. Learn more... 
COOPERATION
We believe that cooperation and collaboration must play an essential role inside and outside the classroom. Children's learning is best served when they have opportunities to learn with and from each other, and are taught how to do so effectively. Students at UST work well with others to accomplish goals and solve problems through scientific group investigations, team debate competitions, restorative justice practices, and the construction of in-house roof gardens. Learn more... |
COMMITMENT
At UST, our ultimate goal is education as a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students and enthusiastic parents. UST students strive to complete all tasks on time and to the best of their ability. Students are asked to continuously reflect on their learning through the use of checklists, conferencing, rubrics and peer and teacher feedback. These reflections are then used by students, coupled with the coaching of teachers, to individually goal set their next steps. Learn more... 
CREATIVITY
Raising 21st century children requires education that focuses on a new kind of literacy, the one in which children must be able to be creative as much as they must be able to read, write or know about STEM. UST students solve problems and express themselves in a variety of imaginative ways. Students in Grade 2 partake in living museums in which they become the people who they study that have made a difference in the world. Likewise, in Grade 5, students turn their informational writing topics into public service announcements to help create awareness of issues affecting the planet. Learn more... 
CONSCIENCE
At UST we focus on raising good citizens and compassionate human beings as we share the belief of Dalai Lama who once said: “I am hopeful that a time will come when we can take it for granted that children will learn, as part of the curriculum, the indispensability of inner values: love, compassion, justice, and forgiveness.” Students make choices between what is right and wrong to be safe, responsible, respectful, and caring. Students in elementary school participate in weekly guidance lessons to support them in becoming more conscience-guided students. Meanwhile, in the UST middle school, students participate in daily homeroom and biweekly advisory sessions which aim to develop a stronger awareness of a wide array of topics including executive functioning, gender identity and healthy choices. Learn more... 
COURAGE
Renowned poet Maya Angelou stated, “Courage is the most important of all virtues because without courage, you cannot practice any other virtues.” At UST, we aim to support children in developing strategies to be courageous humans. We work with students to help them embrace challenges and turn their learning into gifts. We encourage students to stand up to economic, political, environmental, racial and other types of inequality they face through unpacking multiple perspectives in our units of inquiry. |
