• HMS students, families, and staff commit to a culture that honors kindness, empathy, and respect—a culture where everyone feels valued.

• Learning at HMS is celebrated when effort, growth, and risk-taking are recognized regularly and visibly, through presentations, displays, and peer recognition.

• Technology is used with intention to deepen learning, agency, and engagement.

• HMS prioritizes building meaningful relationships among students, staff, and families through open, frequent communication and collaboration.

• Students, staff, and families work as partners to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone contributes to our collective success and sense of belonging.

Kindness

Students:

• Explicit teaching of kindness and other positive character traits during Family Meetings, connecting during HQ groups.

Staff:

• Celebrate colleagues' successes through shout-outs and "Pawesome" recognitions

Connection

Students:

• More opportunities to connect with peers and staff during class time and lunch, supported by limiting technology use to instructional and learning tasks only.

Staff:

• Staff meeting groups—Learning Together: PBL Components

• Weekly office challenges

Community

Students:

• Monthly Family Meetings and Bulldog HQ

• Bulldog Pride Pep Rally

• Kindness Day (2 years on, 1 year off/opposite Cultural Diversity Day)

• Turkey Trot 

• Global Day of Play

Staff: 

• Bringing community resources into staff meetings 

• “We Walked in your Shoes” to start the year

Kindness

Students — 

• Explicit teaching during Family Meetings/connections during HQ

• Attendance from Family Meetings and HQ sessions showing consistent delivery of the character trait instruction

• Decrease in kindness-related discipline referrals compared to prior year

Staff —

• Shout-outs/"Pawesome":

• Number of "Pawesome" recognitions submitted/given per month

• Staff survey or climate data showing increased sense of being valued/recognized

• Sample shout-outs shared in staff meetings or newsletters as qualitative evidence

Connection

Students — 

• Tech-limited connection time:

• Observational walkthrough data showing reduced device use during non-instructional times

• Student survey/focus group feedback on perceived peer and staff relationships

• Reduction in isolation-related concerns (fewer students eating alone, nurse/counselor referrals for social isolation)

Staff — 

• Meeting groups & office challenges:

• Pear Decks from PBL learning groups

• Participation rates in weekly office challenges

Community

Students — 

• Attendance data for Family Meetings, Bulldog HQ, Pep Rally, Kindness Day, Turkey Trot, and Global Day of Play

• Photos, social media engagement, or newsletter features documenting participation

• Number of student clubs/leadership roles/volunteers involved in planning/running above events

Staff — 

• Attendance/engagement data documenting instances when community members are brought in for activities OR HMS students go out into the community

• Staff feedback following "We Walked in Your Shoes" kickoff activity