Mission and Vision
Mission Statement
Our mission is to teach our students to think creatively, act responsibly, and build community.
Vision Statement
GPS combines the strengths of its founding schools, with a common vision that our students will be kind, creative, compassionate, life-long learners inspired to take shared guardianship of the planet and create a better world. GPS is an International Baccalaureate World School within a Christian environment that seeks to encourage students’ personal development and academic achievement with the goal of becoming thoughtful leaders in society and the world.
Philosophy
All research has shown that students learn best when they are happy at their schools. GPS firmly endorses this concept and promotes through the Peace Learning Center this sense of well-being. The Peace Learning Center program, with its engaging inclusion activities, draws the school community closer together and gives each member a sense of belonging. The Peace Learning Center also teaches students how to function effectively as members of a cooperative group through the four agreements. These are mutual respect, attentive listening, the right to participate/pass, and appreciations with no put-downs of others or self.
Our Core Values
At Granada Preparatory School (GPS), our core values are the foundation of everything we do. Rooted in the principles of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and informed by a shared commitment to academic excellence and personal development, our values shape our community and guide our students as they prepare to become thoughtful global citizens.
Inspiring Lifelong Learning
We believe in fostering curiosity and a love for learning that transcends the classroom. At GPS, students are encouraged to be inquirers who are motivated to explore the world with an open and critical mind. Our rigorous academic programs, combined with real-world application, ensure that students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing global landscape.
Nurturing Compassion and Integrity
We aim to develop students who are not only academically capable but also compassionate and principled individuals. GPS instills values of kindness, empathy, and integrity through daily interactions and community programs. Our students are taught to be caring and principled members of society, guided by respect for others and a commitment to ethical decision-making.
Embracing Global Perspectives
In today’s interconnected world, understanding diverse perspectives is essential. As an IB World School, GPS promotes international mindedness by encouraging students to recognize the global impact of their actions. Through a curriculum that emphasizes open-mindedness and cultural awareness, our students develop a broader understanding of the world and their role within it.
Fostering Collaboration and Leadership
We believe that leadership begins with collaboration and respect. GPS students learn to work effectively in teams, value different perspectives, and communicate clearly and confidently. Our commitment to effective communication and balanced growth prepares students to lead with empathy and purpose in any setting, whether in their local communities or on the global stage.
Encouraging Critical Thinking and Reflection
In a world where information is abundant, the ability to think critically and reflect deeply is crucial. GPS’s inquiry-based approach develops students who are knowledgeable, reflective, and deep thinkers. They learn to analyze complex issues, solve problems creatively, and apply their understanding in meaningful ways.
Promoting Action-Oriented Learning
At GPS, knowledge is not the end goal—action is. Our students are encouraged to apply what they learn in impactful ways, whether through community service, sustainability initiatives, or leadership projects. By connecting learning with real-world action, GPS cultivates responsible and engaged citizens ready to contribute positively to society.
Why These Values Matter
These core values are more than just guiding principles—they are the heart of the GPS experience. They empower our students to think creatively, act responsibly, and build strong communities. In a supportive and nurturing environment, our students grow into confident, compassionate, and capable individuals prepared to make a difference in the world.
CREATING INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS
The aim of our program is to develop young people who have an international perspective that has prepared them to take their place in a world of diversity. Students come to realize the importance of evaluating the global impact of their actions. They gain this understanding through relating their learning and actions to the school’s learner profile in which they are taught to be inquirers who are reflective, open-minded, knowledgeable, deep thinkers, risk-takers, and effective communicators. They are encouraged at the same time to be caring, balanced, and principled members of the world community. Our whole school communicates these attributes in our daily interactions.
SKILLS
In a world in which all sorts of data is at our fingertips, the ability to memorize facts has lost its value. The need to think dynamically and critically has replaced rote learning of information. To be successful in this new data-rich environment, students need to be able to access, organize, evaluate, and effectively communicate information and ideas. GPS’s IB approach develops the students’ thinking, social, communication, self-management, and research skills, which are all transferrable to all aspects of life both within and outside of school.
CONCEPTS
GPS focuses on the following concepts to help children view and make sense of the world: form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility, and reflection. By studying information through these lenses, students are able to structure and make sense of the world they live in. Teachers design units that are based upon globally significant issues and concepts that guide students to a deeper understanding of the way the world works.
INQUIRY
Students learn best when they look for answers to their own questions. GPS’s units of study all begin with students developing questions that will guide them in their research. Throughout their stay here, GPS students are taught to develop more and more sophisticated questions to drive their lines of inquiry.
ACTION
At GPS it is not enough to simply know something. GPS students must make use of what they have learned in a meaningful way. If they learn about sustainability, they are asked to take measures in their own lives or homes that support creating a more sustainable world.