New Canaan Public Schools Portrait of A Graduate
Monthly Spotlight: Adaptability
The Portrait of the Graduate was created in 2023 by the New Canaan Public Schools community to define the essential competencies our graduates need to thrive in today’s world. The five competencies - Adaptability, Communication, Critical Thinking, Curiosity, and Empathy - are foundational to teaching and learning across all grade levels.
As society and workplaces become increasingly dynamic, our graduates must be equipped not just with knowledge but with the resilience to navigate change. This month, we are focusing on Adaptability.
Adaptability is the capacity to respond constructively to feedback, setbacks, and evolving circumstances by adjusting behavior, strategies, or perspectives. It involves resilience, flexibility, and creative problem-solving in the face of ambiguity, change, or challenge.
When demonstrating Adaptability, our students:
Respond productively to feedback and persevere through difficulty.
Demonstrate flexibility and creativity when navigating changing roles or expectations.
Balance diverse perspectives to reach effective solutions.
Students demonstrate ability and improve their adaptability skills on a regular basis at NCHS. Here are a few examples from the last few weeks at NCHS:
Our students consistently demonstrate and refine their adaptability through classroom instruction, extracurricular challenges, and authentic learning experiences. Here are a few examples from recent weeks:
Students in Physics recently completed a “Derive / Design / Build” lab centered on the conservation of energy. Tasked with creating a roller coaster with a vertical loop, students had to iteratively revise their structures to ensure stability, responding constructively to the "setbacks" of initial failed designs to reach a successful solution.
Students in the Culinary/Rams Cafe class are currently experimenting with different recipes and adjusting their menus based on trial and feedback to prepare for their guests. Similarly, Child Development students adapted their teaching strategies to create engaging lessons for the opening of the NCHS preschool.
Members of the Business Consultants Club delivered a strategic analysis to the CEO of Magneli Materials. This presentation marked the culmination of three months of collaborative meetings and research, requiring students to balance professional feedback and diverse perspectives to deliver effective business solutions.
Following a series of winter weather school closures and unexpected snow days, our NCHS community showed incredible resilience. Whether it was families navigating travel challenges or students and staff adjusting schedules and lesson plans to maintain momentum after an extended break, the ability to respond productively to evolving circumstances was on full display.
Members of the National Honor Society demonstrated flexibility when navigating changing roles during their service trip to Classical Magnet Schools. Students transitioned quickly from being high school learners to mentors for K-5 students, adapting their communication styles and activities to meet the energy and needs of the younger children they supported
Over 150 music students from various ensembles - choir, band, and orchestra - joined forces for the Annual Collaborative Concert. Performing in such a large, integrated group requires students to demonstrate flexibility as they adapt their individual parts to the acoustics and timing of a massive ensemble, ensuring a harmonious final performance.
Families can continue to focus on Adaptability this month by:
Reframing Setbacks: When a plan changes—like a cancelled event or a disappointing grade - ask: "This didn't go as expected. What is our 'Plan B,' and what can we learn from this for next time?"
Encouraging "Draft Thinking": Remind students that most great work isn't perfect on the first try. Ask to see a "work in progress" and discuss how they adjusted their strategy based on a teacher’s feedback or a personal realization.
Navigating Ambiguity: Life doesn't always come with a clear rubric. Encourage your child to take the lead on a small task with "moving parts," like planning a weekend outing or solving a household logistical snag, to practice creative problem-solving in real-time.
Modeling Flexibility: Share a story from your own workday where you had to pivot your perspective or change a long-held strategy to reach a better solution. Demonstrating that even adults must "learn and relearn" reinforces that adaptability is a lifelong skill.