Portrait of a Learner

The Six C's that make up the TSD Portrait of a Learner seek to tie together the mission, vision, and core values of the Troy School District. They are intended to guide our planning, influence the goals we set, and frame our interactions with one another. The Troy School District staff, students, and community will work together to model, enable, and celebrate the Six C's on our journey together.

How did we get here?

Three years ago, Troy School District embarked on a journey to answer the question – “What do we want our students to be like as adults, after they graduate?” Our community, teachers, and students came together and charted a course to make it a reality and their dreams for the future helped us identify our destination and provided us the knowledge to bring the vision of the Six C's. Over the three years, the outcomes we identified proved that maximizing every student's learning is marked by more than acquiring knowledge, but also developing the key elements of a learner along the way. When we aspire to have communication, citizenship, creativity, collaboration, character and critical thinking, we can achieve more, we feel better, we care for those around us - we truly learn to flourish.

Applying the Six C's

How will learners apply the Portrait of a Learner Six C's in and outside of the Troy School District? The TSD Portrait of a Learner Six C's provides them the structure to build a successful foundation that will allow them to continue to be learners outside the Troy School District throughout adulthood.

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Portraits: Inside the Sneaker Creation Lab at Troy Union

Inspired by a book about the shoe design process, Troy Union media students embarked on a sneaker design process of their own. Watch to see how this authentic learning experience generated a great blend of student engagement, creativity, and empathy.

Portrait Series Archive

Portraits: Universal Preschool in Troy School District

Portraits: Universal Preschool in Troy School District

Preschool gives our youngest learners a great start in their education. One of the highlights of our program is the collaboration between our preschool and kindergarten teachers who make the transition to elementary school seamless for our students. With continued funding from the State of Michigan, we will offer universal, free preschool to all four year-olds in the 2025-26 school year to ensure all children have access to a high-quality preschool experience.

We look forward to sharing more stories from our classrooms where our Portrait of a Learner work is always on display!

Portraits: Creativity in Costello Cardboard Challenge

4th grade innovators challenge themselves and each other to create fun games with cardboard, engaging in their creativity and thinking outside the box. Students share their joy and experience through this video in our new "Portraits" series, and we look forward to sharing more stories from our classrooms where our Portrait of a Learner work is always on full display.

We look forward to sharing more stories from our classrooms where our Portrait of a Learner work is always on display!

Portraits: Making Connections & Celebrating

Portraits: Making Connections and Celebrating

We all know about our exciting homecoming events in Troy, but what about a school-wide competition? Students at the International Academy East challenge themselves throughout various events, making new connections and celebrating their community. Watch to learn more about this unique approach to school spirit and the incredible culture at IA East.

We look forward to sharing more stories from our classrooms where our Portrait of a Learner work is always on display!

Portraits: New Sensory Spaces at Barnard

Portraits: New Sensory Spaces

Using a grant from the Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence, Barnard staff created sensory environments around the building to help students regulate their emotions. In this week's video, Barnard staff share how the upgraded sensory rooms and sensory stations have impacted student behavior and growth throughout the building.

We look forward to sharing more stories from our classrooms where our Portrait of a Learner work is always on display!

Portraits: Bike Bus @ Hill Elementary

Portraits: Bike Bus @ Hill Elementary

A new club at Hill Elementary is encouraging upper elementary students to join teachers on a fun bike ride to school. The bike bus offers a chance for students to start their day with some exercise and to build confidence. This fun video is another great example of our many world class school communities.

Portraits: Job-Embedded Professional Development at Schroeder Elementary

Portraits: Job-Embedded Professional Development at Schroeder Elementary

An important part of our Portrait of a Learner work is providing teachers with opportunities for growth. Job-embedded professional development allows teachers an opportunity to learn and collaborate in their classrooms. Teachers from Schroeder and Wattles worked to enhance their literacy teaching and develop new strategies to reach their students.

Portraits: Wattles Elementary Engaging in Learning Together

Portraits: Engaging in Learning Together

Wattles Elementary School recently hosted a Math and Literacy Night for both students and parents. While the kids did a reading activity, parents were able to spend time with teachers to learn about writing and reading comprehension. As the night went on, both groups came together to engage in several math games, demonstrating the critical thinking involved while having fun. This was a great night for the community to collaborate and engage in literacy and math learning together.

Portraits: Bemis Learns the Importance of Play

Bemis Elementary School staff share how this year's school-wide emphasis on incorporating play into daily routines has impacted students. Play has opened opportunities for students to learn and experience the 6Cs, including creativity, critical thinking, and communication, while building class culture and community.

COMMUNICATION

Confident Communicator

Communicating effectively with a variety of styles, modes, and tools (including digital tools),tailored for a range of audiences.

CHARACTER

Tenacious & Self-Starter

Deep learning, armed with the essential character traits of grit, tenacity, perseverance, and resilience; and the ability to make learning an integral part of living.

CITIZENSHIP

Kind, Compassionate, and Inclusive

Thinking like global citizens, considering global issues based on a deep understanding of diverse values and worldviews, and with a genuine interest and ability to solve ambiguous and complex real-world problems that impact human and environmental sustainability.

COLLABORATION

Good Team Player

Work interdependently and synergistically in teams with strong interpersonal and team-related skills including effective management of team dynamics and challenges, making substantive decisions together, and learning from and contributing to the learning of others.

CREATIVITY

Adaptable

Having an 'entrepreneurial eye' for economic and social opportunities, asking the right inquiry questions to generate novel ideas, and leadership to pursue those ideas and turn them into action.

CRITICAL THINKING

Visionary, Intellectual, Eager for a Challenge, and Results Oriented

Critically evaluating information and arguments, seeing patterns and connections, constructing meaningful knowledge, and applying it in the real world through demonstrated results.