The document discusses the concept of Minarets school being like a family. It defines what a family is and notes that while Minarets is not a replacement for a biological family, the school can function like a family in terms of loyalty and support between students and staff. Students are asked to discuss how their Minarets family can help them and what they can do to help create a healthy environment. The document also discusses the importance of core values and having students who uphold strong values to create a harmonious school community. It states that if everyone views each other as family and holds core values, the campus will be a better place.

1. The Meaning of “Family”
and Core Values.
Why they are important in becoming a well
rounded individual.

2. Are we a family at
Minarets?
Last year we referred to our student body and staff as a family from time
to time.
Some people questioned the use of that term and some thought that it
was too strong.
Well, lets get rid of all of that uncertainty and examine why a school like
ours could be compared to a family.

3. What is a family?
The primary definitions for family are:
A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household
or a group of people related to one another by blood or marriage.
Minarets does not replace this kind of family and it never will.
However...

4. Minarets Family
Another definition of family is: A person or people
related to one and so to be treated with a special
loyalty and intimacy.
At Minarets, we can be LIKE a family in that we are
united by our great school and we relate to each
other through our loyalty and respect.
We can be LIKE a family in that we are proud of our
combined talents and we will lift each other up when
we are down.

5. What can your Minarets
family do for you?
Get into groups of three and discuss these questions.
1) What can your Minarets family do for you?
2) What can you do as a member of the Minarets family in helping to
create a healthy atmosphere?
3) What types of things prevent us from being “family” like?
You have five minutes to discuss and you will share with the class.

6. Examples

7. Examples
•Help you with a concern or problems.
•Help you with new ideas and goals
•Resolve any conflicts
•Sometimes we all need a high five or hug
•We all need several families: Home, work, school,
friends, etc. to make it through life’s challenges.

8. What do the students
say?
“I love that our family is growing and will continue to grow. Yes it's going to
be challenging to open up our hearts and minds to new members of the
family, but we have gotten through it and will continue to get through it. I
love that we can go to any student on campus and know that they're our
brother or sister. Minarets is not just a school, it's a home. A safe home that
welcomes everyone."
“Minarets is like a family in the sense that the teachers care about you and
how you do. They want to see you succeed, for your own benefit, not their
own. They also take great strides to make sure that students enjoy their
assignments. This shows me as a student that they really do care about me.
And that makes all the difference in the world.”

9. Core Values
Now you will be broken into groups of four to answer the following
questions before sharing with the class. Talk amongst yourselves and
share with us when the time is right:
What are values? What are core values?
Why is it important for an individual to have values? Why is it important
for a school to have students that hold strong core values?
Share one Core value that all people in your group agree on.
You have five minutes to discuss and then you share with the class.

10. Values Defined
A person's principles or
standards of behavior;
one's judgment of what is
important in life.
Everyone has a set of core
values which drives them in
life.

11. Why are values
important?
The way you carry yourself matters. People around you are influenced by
the attitude that you have.
If we have a student and staff body, that lives by a strict code of values,
we will have a more harmonious environment.
If you hold true to your core values, it will be harder for you to
compromise those values and make harmful decisions.

12. Making our campus a
better place.
If we all hold true to
the family concept
and the core value
concept, our campus
will be a better place
for it.
We are fortunate to
have such a great
school and it is up to
us to keep it that way.