Enfield Public Schools1010 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT 06082 | Phone 860-253-6500 | Fax 860-253-6510

Enfield Public School’s Portrait of a Learner

Defining Success for Every Child

In Enfield Public Schools (EPS), we believe that every child is unique and that the diversity of our students is what makes our district exceptional. To ensure our students thrive not just in the classroom, but in life, college, and their future careers, we embarked on a journey to define exactly what it means to be an EPS graduate.

We call this our “Portrait of a Learner”.

It serves as our "North Star," ensuring a purposeful and meaningful alignment from Pre-K through 12th grade. Just as a fingerprint is unique to an individual, our Portrait of a Learner is our system’s fingerprint—a defining characteristic of our community’s values and identity.

The Process: A Community-Led Initiative

The evolution of the Portrait of a Learner is a multi-year, collaborative process involving staff, students, parents, and community members.

• The Launch (Summer 2023): We began by asking the question: “Why?” We identified the need to look beyond test scores and focus on the durable skills students need to navigate a constantly changing world.

• Discovery (Fall/Winter 2023): We launched focus groups to identify the core characteristics of a successful graduate.

• Community Feedback (Spring 2024): We engaged stakeholders through surveys and focus groups to gather input on which skills were most critical. We asked difficult questions, such as "What are the top 3 skills you use in your life right now to be successful?" and "What are your highest hopes for what students learn?".

• Refinement: Using this feedback, we drafted the competencies and began designing the performance outcomes.

The Result: The C.L.I.M.B. Framework

Through this extensive feedback process, the community identified five major competency areas that now form the backbone of our curriculum. We call these the CLIMB skills:

• Collaboration & Communication
• Lifelong Learning & Literacy
• Innovation & Problem-Solving
• Mindset for Success
• Building Character & Community

These skills are interdisciplinary and interconnected, designed to be applicable in "college, career, trades, and personal interests".

Evolution: Where Are We Going Next?

Identifying the skills was just the beginning. We are now in a phase of integration.

Phase 1: Defining the Indicators (Current Phase)

We are currently narrowing down the specific skills and building "I Can" statements—developmentally appropriate indicators for every grade level from Pre-K to 12. For example, what does "Innovation" look like for a 1st grader versus a high school senior?

Phase 2: Curriculum & Assessment

Moving forward, we will align our courses and assessments to these skills. This involves:

• Curriculum Mapping: Embedding CLIMB skills into course units. 

• New Assessments: Developing "Performance Outcomes" and culminating assessments (such as capstones or showcases) where students can demonstrate their mastery of these skills.

• Professional Learning: Providing our educators with the time and training to design learning experiences that foster these competencies.

Our goal is to ensure that the Portrait of a Learner is not just a poster on a wall, but a lived experience for every student.

Contest Entry Link:

Enfield Public Schools Student Design Contest – Fill out form


"We make a difference in Enfield – every child, every day."