Our Values
Canterbury’s system of values and the principles of community, service, justice, and faith are deeply rooted in who we are as a school. These foundations are woven throughout every aspect of learning and life on our hilltop and are central to the overall experience of personal growth that truly differentiates a Canterbury education.
At Canterbury, educating young men and women is not ordinary or routine. For us, it's about more than helping our students excel academically and become well prepared for college. It’s about more than developing their talents artistically and athletically and encouraging them to try new things.
Yes, we push our students to do all of these; however, we also challenge them to seek justice and peace, cultivate their critical and reflective thinking, work with and for others, and be their best selves. Their Canterbury education helps them develop as moral leaders who are constantly reflecting on their role in the world and are intentional about how their values play out in their daily actions.
Five Values
From the classrooms to the dorms, students and adults at Canterbury live and learn as a close-knit community and together create a climate of acceptance, understanding, and belonging. Expectations for our community are anchored in Five Values, each supported by a set of belief statements that guide our interactions every day.
Honesty
Building character and courage to stay true to ourselves and others
Respect
Learning each other’s stories and treating all with dignity
Compassion
Being fully and humbly present so that we may empathize with others
Spirituality
Growing in faith through reflection and service
Self-reliance
Developing strength and independence to become intellectual leaders in a complex world