When you walk into class, you’ve probably noticed posters on the walls that say “Western Placer” followed by words like collaboration, kindness, and resilience. But what do these posters really mean?

They represent a new district-wide initiative introduced by Western Placer Unified School District (WPUSD) in 2024 called Portrait of a Learner. This program was created to help students develop essential life skills they’ll need both in school and beyond. The six main skills it focuses on are resilience, kindness, collaboration, curiosity, integrity, and critical thinking.

“A Portrait of a Learner is a public statement about our school’s goals for learning,” explained Ms. Fernandez. “These are durable, transferable skills and/or traits that our students will possess when they graduate.”

Each of the six traits has a clear purpose:

• Resilience – Take initiative and keep going despite challenges.

• Kindness – Consider and respect others’ viewpoints.

• Collaboration – Contribute to shared goals and teamwork.

• Curiosity – Ask questions and seek new information.

• Integrity – Be honest in all actions.

• Critical Thinking – Evaluate information and options before making decisions.

According to the WPUSD website, the Portrait of a Learner is “a portrait that reflects our shared vision for equipping students to tackle their future with confidence.” It also “outlines the key characteristics and skills we aim to cultivate in our students throughout their educational journey in WPUSD.”

To promote and remind students of these traits, posters have been placed around campus, and the school’s weekly themes often connect to the six skills.

Teachers are also working these skills into their daily lessons. “Some are including the traits on their agenda or essential question slides, which remain projected throughout class,” said Ms. Fernandez. “The highlighted trait becomes the focus for the lesson or task and is explicitly discussed with students. They are also designing lessons around each of the six characteristics and tying the traits to PBIS by awarding Panther Bucks aligned with the weekly theme.”

These six traits were chosen because research shows they are critical to long-term success. “Research shows that these skills are needed in addition to course education to have the necessary skills to be a successful adult,” commented Ms. Fernandez.

Ultimately, the goal of the Portrait of a Learner initiative is to help students grow not just academically, but personally, preparing them to thrive as learners, leaders, and citizens in the real world.