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Centennial School District 28J

Collaborating in Community - Cultivating Equity - Inspiring Excellence

Profile of a Centennial Graduate

Logo image for the Profile of a Centennial Graduate

Vision & Purpose

The Profile of a Centennial Graduate is a guiding vision for our preK-12 educational system that identifies the essential knowledge, skills, disposition, and interpersonal competencies a Centennial School District student will develop over the course of their educational journey for readiness and success in their future endeavors.  The Profile of a Graduate serves as a guide for deepening the quality of educational experience for our students, ensuring that they develop not only the knowledge they need, but also the abilities to apply critical thinking, adapt, collaborate, and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

 

Profile of a Centennial Graduate Overview

Academically Prepared

  • Demonstrates Effective Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening Skills
  • Communicates Using Multiple Modes and/or Languages
  • Leverages Appropriate Tools, Resources, & Strategies

 

Passionate & Purposeful

  • Understands Personal Strengths
  • Practices Self Reflection
  • Sets Goals, Develops Plans, & Takes Action

Care for Self

  • Prioritizes Personal Health & Wellness
  • Cultivates Positive & Healthy Relationships
  • Advocates for Self & Community

 

 

Care for Community

  • Honors Cultural Identities of Self & Others
  • Participates in Responsible Civic Engagement
  • Advocates for Social and Racial Justice

Inquisitive & Innovative

  • Maintains a Curious Mindset
  • Thinks Flexibly & Creatively
  • Generates Solutions to Complex Issues

 

 

 

Future Ready

  • Makes Informed Decisions
  • Develops Skills to Navigate Life
  • Pursues Future Plans

2025-2026: Profile Pilots

Throughout the 2025-2026 school year, volunteer teachers at each of our Centennial schools took on the important work of bringing the Profile of a Centennial Graduate to life in classrooms. Throughout the year, these teachers participated in professional development and planning to explore key shifts in teaching and learning strategies that:

  • Engage students as active participants in their own learning
  • Create opportunities for student voice, choice, and authentic work
  • Give students the change to pratice real world skills, such as problem-solving, collaboration, advocacy, and reflection
  • Honors student culture and lived experiences
  • Contribute to rigorous instruction that promotes productive struggle and curiousity

 

These first year Profile Pilots culminated in two Student Summits in May 2026. The Student Summits served as interactive showcases, with students presenting evidence of their learning and receiving feedback from other participants, as well as staff, parents, and community members. 

  • A young girl stands next to a project about tornado safety
  • A young woman presents information from a laptop to a group of students
  • Students presenting information to two adult audience members in an outdoor setting

Profile Development and Implementation Timeline

The following timeline provides an overview of the process of the design and implementation of the Profile of a Centennial Graduate in all schools and grade levels across the Centennial School District. 

  • During the 2024-2025 school year, teams of stakeholders worked together to design a cohesive plan that would integrate the vision of the Profile of a Centennial Graduate across all schools and grade levels in our District. The focus of the design process was to provide all Centennial students with the opportunities needed to develop critical knowledge, skills, and abilities during the course of their K-12 education.

     

    The design process involved several methods of stakeholder input, including: 

    • Design Retreats (January-February 2025): Over a series of three collaborative meetings, a group of representative stakeholders worked to establish an instructional vision and plan aligned with the Profile. This work included identifying the progression of student learning outcomes by grade bands, ensuring that all students PreK-12 were represented in the Profile planning process. 
    • Leadership Planning Sessions (January-March 2025): School and district leaders reviewed the work of the Design Retreat participants to ensure plan components aligned with each school’s goals and focus areas for student achievement. 
    • School Level Review and Feedback Sessions (January-February 2025): School staff and administrators reviewed the design plans and provided essential feedback from their perspectives as educators.
    • Community Forum (January 2025): A public forum was held to gather feedback from the larger Centennial School District community on the draft plans created at the Design Retreates.

  • During the 2025-2026 school year, volunteer teachers from each school designed a specific “pilot” program to drive implementation of the Profile of a Centennial Graduate, focused on the competenciey of “Academically Prepared.” To complete this work these Pilot Leaders participated in a series of professional development and planning sessions:

    • December 17, 2025 – In Session 1, participants identified the required shifts needed for instructional practice, reviewed the “Academically Prepared” competency, and began to brainstorm a Pilot for their school
    • January 21, 2026 – In Session 2, participants reviewed progressions within Profile compentencies based on the work of the 2024-2025 Design Team, and explored how to integrate Profile components into lesson planning and design.
    • February 18, 2026 – In Session 3, participants explored project-based learning concepts and began initial planning for the spring Student Summits.
    • March 11, 2026 – In Session 4, participants continued reviewing project-based learning and the use of creating effective driving questions to guide project work.
    • April 29, 2026 – In Session 5, participants discussed the need for evidence of learning, and finalized plans for the Student Summits.

     

    Throughout participation in these professional development sessions, these teacher leaders brought their learning into the classroom as they implemented student learning opportunities specifically aligned to the Profile of a Centennial Graduate framework. Each of these projects was represented at the May 2026 Student Summits, where students presented evidence of their learning, answered questions, and recieved audience feedback. 

  • After the piloting phase of 2025-2026, this year the Profile of a Centennial Graduate is moving into its first year of district-wide implementation. This will include professional learning for all teachers throughout the year, and a quarterly monitoring cycle for implementation leaders. 

    Check back for updates as we continue this year’s implementation process!