E. A. Laney High School Beliefs

• Students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process.
• Students learn best when they have appropriate opportunities for success.
• Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs.
• A student’s self-esteem is enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect among and between students and staff.
• Teachers, administrators, parents and the community share the responsibility for advancing the school’s mission.

• Students need to apply their learning in meaningful contexts.
• Schools need to function as a learning organization and promote opportunities for all those who have a stake in the success of the school to work together as a community of learners.
• The commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is going to enable students to become confident, self-directed, lifelong learners.

• A safe and physically comfortable environment promotes student learning.
• Students need to not only demonstrate their understanding of essential knowledge and skills, but also need to be actively involved in solving problems and producing quality work.

• Challenging expectations increase individual student performance.

• Students learn in different ways and should be provided with a variety of instructional approaches to support their learning.
• Students’ learning needs should be the primary focus of all decisions impacting the work of the school.

• Curriculum and instructional practices should incorporate a variety of learning activities to accommodate differences in learning styles.
• Assessments of student learning should provide students with a variety of opportunities to demonstrate their achievement of the expectations for their learning.
• Exceptional students (e.g., special education, limited English proficiency, talented and gifted, etc.) require special services and resources.
• Students learn to make appropriate decision given a supportive and challenging learning environment.

• Cultural diversity can increase students’ understanding of different peoples and cultures.

• Student learning should be the chief priority for the school.
• All students can learn.