St. Francis High School is the regional center of progressive learning where students grow into mindful, informed young adults. Some explanation of key words in the statement: "Regional" was chosen because our goal is not simply to be a leader in Louisville but throughout the surrounding counties and southern Indiana, if not beyond. "Center" was selected to reflect our desire to be a resource for the community and region. The word also conveys a sense of energy and the concept of a "think tank". "Progressive learning" denotes that, like our friends at St. Francis School and other outstanding schools all over the country (two of the originals are in Chicago, the University of Chicago Lab School and the Francis Parker School), we were founded in the progressive education tradition that was a reaction to early 1900s "one size fits all" education. Some fundamental principles of progressive schools: children/adolescents have different developmental paths and therefore need to be treated individually; learning is more effective when it is active, engaged, and experiential; and schools should strive to foster a love of learning, as well as cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and personal responsibility. "Mindful" originates in the Buddhist tradition; we use it to mean thoughtful, enlightened, and able to understand and take into account different perspectives. "Informed" means incorporating the ideas of a global perspective, being broad-minded and up-to-date on key issues in our world; and having the sophistication that is achieved through being exposed to a broad curriculum, a downtown location, and partnerships with local organizations that bring speakers and programs with new ideas and perspectives to our students. I hope you agree with us that this is a worthy Vision for St. Francis High School. We are excited to continue down the path to achieving this future.