MISSION AND VALUES

Our Mission

We advocate for the needs of children, youth, and families of community schools to ensure equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to become successful learners and productive citizens.

Believes and Values

We believe that:

• Quality education is a fundamental right;
• Neighbourhood schools and services are essential to a community’s development and growth;
• Diversity enriches a school community;
• All learning environments must be safe, nurturing, positive, and inclusive;
• Students should never be limited in any way or treated unfairly because of arbitrary characteristics, as described in our Non-Descrimination Policy;
• Community schools need to be encouraged and supported to offer a full range of opportunities for all students.

We value:

• Free, high-quality public education
• Democratic citizenship
• Equality of opportunity
• The uniqueness and diversity of every individual
• Consensus building
• Respectful relationships
• Consultation and communication

Statement of Children’s Entitlements

We believe that all children are entitled to:

• Affectionate care from consistent, caring, and competent parents and other caregivers;
• Conditions of care that permit normal physical and emotional growth and development;
• Freedom from family and societal violence, physical harm, sexual molestation or exploitation, neglect, emotional harm, or abandonment;
• The support of all individuals or groups whose work and lives touch children, and whose obligation it is to promote the best interests of the child;
• Necessary health care and treatment;
• Adequate nutrition, housing, and other basic needs;
• Educational challenges and opportunities;
• Opportunities to participate in their cultural community, to profess and practice their religion, and to use their native language;
• Opportunities to participate in the community and society as a whole;
• Protection of the above entitlements by society as a matter of substantive and procedural right.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Friends of Community Schools is committed to creating and maintaining an organization and programming that does not discriminate against anyone based on race/colour, ethnicity, creed/beliefs, place of origin, ancestry, native language, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, age, socio-economic status, level of ability or disability, or place of residence.