The partnership is also based on a commonly held set of principles that guide our work together. All children can learn. Student success is the goal of all school activity. Students need to be challenged and need to learn to pursue difficult tasks and persist with the tasks at which they are unsuccessful. Learning is an active process.
Parental involvement is an essential element in effective schools.
Teachers are leaders, and principals are leaders of leaders. The business of the school district and the state is to assure that each school unit operates under optimal conditions and produces optimal results. Staff success results from motivated and competent people working in an environment that is committed to their success, continuing growth, and development. Instruction will be developmentally appropriate and educationally sound. In the section that follows is a description of the four major components of The U of M PDS program and a discussion of some of the ways the nine principles of the NEA's Teacher Education Initiative are integrated throughout partnership activities.