The Nine Virtuous Roots

Nine Virtuous Roots: The roots of a tree connect it to the earth, hold it upright, and provide it with nourishment to grow.  In the same way, our core values connect us to our communities, help us to make good choices, and provide nourishment for our spiritual and emotional growth. The nine virtues we emphasize at First Presbyterian Elementary School come from the Christian Bible, but have been embraced and practiced by people of good character in many traditions. These virtues extend beyond the classroom and take root in the conversations, interactions, and decisions of our wider community–parents, teachers and students alike.  In this way, we are all connected, all nourished, all growing, teaching and learning together. 

 Love – Everyone is valuable, beautiful, important.  We care about each other and we try to take care of each other.

Joy – We like to laugh, smile, and play.  It’s okay to be sad sometimes, but we look for happiness and try to share it.

Peace – We try to solve our problems in a way that works for everyone, respects everyone, and helps everyone.

Patience – Growing and learning take time. We wait for each other and we forgive each other, again and again and again.

Kindness – We are friendly and nice to everyone we meet, and try to treat other people the way we want to be treated.

Goodness – We do what’s right, and try to see the best in the people and things around us.

Faithfulness – We keep our promises and our commitments, and try to tell the truth.

Gentleness – We are careful and thoughtful, and try not to cause any harm with our words or with our bodies.

Self-Control – We are responsible for decisions, and we try to think before we speak or act.