Personal and civic responsibility, love of learning, and empathy for others: these are the qualities that Wayland‟s K-12 social studies teachers seek to instill in our students. At its core, we believe in providing age-appropriate, rigorous, and supportive academic environments that promote the acquisition of knowledge and skills. To this end, we draw from the multiple disciplines that fall under the social studies umbrella while placing a particular emphasis on our national and world histories. Over time, social studies teachers seek to ensure that each child gains an understanding of important current issues in proper cultural and historical contexts from a diversity of perspectives. Ultimately, our goal is to advance our students' growth into principled, informed, and capable citizens who will help guide a democracy that follows humanitarian principles in the global forum, and shape a just society where individuals may reach their full potential.