Portrait of a Graduate
The West Chester Area School District is proud to introduce our Portrait of a Graduate, created in partnership with Battelle for Kids and shaped by the voices of students, families, staff, and community members.
Through months of conversations, surveys, and collaborative sessions, our community came together to define the essential skills and mindsets every WCASD student should develop by the time they graduate. The result is a shared vision, a North Star that will guide teaching, learning, and decision-making from kindergarten through high school.
Why We Created a Portrait
We live in a world that’s changing faster than ever, socially, economically, and technologically. Together, we asked ourselves:
- What are the hopes and dreams we hold for our students?
- What skills will they need to succeed in college, career, and life?
- How can we create learning experiences that prepare them to thrive?
Our Portrait of a Graduate is our district’s collective answer. It defines what success looks like for our students—not just at graduation, but in life.
Our Five Core Competencies
After gathering feedback from thousands of participants across the WCASD community, we identified five key skills and mindsets that every graduate should embody:
- Adaptability: Exhibit flexibility and work cooperatively in a changing world. Respond productively to praise, criticism, and setbacks.
- Communication: Listen and articulate thoughts and ideas effectively for arange of purposes and audiences.
- Empathy: Demonstrate awareness, care, and respect to connect with others’ feelings, opinions, experiences, and cultures.
- Problem Solving: Understand the bigger picture and use evidence to propose solutions to difficult or complex situations.
- Responsibility: Act honestly, honor commitments, and own the outcomes whether positive or negative.
These attributes are already beginning to shape classroom practices, student projects, and professional learning across WCASD.
Bringing the Portrait to Life
The creation of our Portrait was only the beginning. We are now in the implementation phase, weaving these skills and mindsets into everyday learning experiences and opportunities for students.
This work includes:
- Aligning curriculum and instruction to reflect the five competencies.
- Highlighting classroom examples where the Portrait is coming to life.
- Partnering with families and community members to extend learning beyond school walls.
Listen to the Portrait Process on Our Podcast
A Shared Promise
Our Portrait of a Graduate represents more than a framework, it’s a promise. A promise to our students that their education will prepare them not only to graduate, but to lead, innovate, and thrive in the world they will inherit. We invite you to follow along as we bring this vision to life across classrooms and throughout our community.
If you're interested in learning more about this initiative, please contact Dr. Kalia Reynolds, Deputy Superintendent at kreynolds@wcasd.net.