Vision and Mission

Our Mission

To instil in each individual the ability and responsibility to make the world greater, better and more beautiful than they discovered it.

Our Vision

To develop innovative, courageous and compassionate global citizens who take action, true to Quaker values.

Our Quaker Values

Pickering College was founded by the Religious Society of Friends, known as Quakers, in 1842. We remain the only Quaker-founded school in Canada and the influence of their guiding values is immense. Quaker values—referred to as the SPICES—permeate the education and atmosphere at Pickering College. These values are taught, modeled, and lived by both students and teachers.

Simplicity

Simplicity guides students and staff to focus on fewer ideas or materials, to explore key concepts more deeply and fully, to set priorities, and to prefer clarity over clutter. 
Peace is an endeavour to see the good in each person, regardless of background. Our focus is on collaborative and restorative resolution of conflict.

Integrity

Integrity means being authentic and keeping consistency between one’s values and one’s actions. We are also open to new ideas, new solutions, and new paths.

Community

Community building centres on simple gestures of kindness, warmth and inclusion; it is gathering interconnected individuals whose collective actions create a sense of belonging and encourage participation, so we accept and take care of one another.

Equality

Equality is essential, yet different than sameness. Equality asks that we give and receive the same respect, kindness and care for one another. 

Stewardship

Stewardship means taking care of what has been given, not just for our own use but for people around us and for future generations. We should be active stewards of things, of ourselves, of each other, and of ideas and ideals.

Traits: What we demonstrate

Acceptance

We recognize, accept and celebrate the wide range of human qualities and attributes within our community such as ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status. This acceptance of diversity means embracing the tension that diversity may initially bring and valuing the challenge of the encounter and the difference of the other person, culture, or perspective.

Accountability

We believe in living consistent with our values. This means speaking the truth to all, including people in positions of power, and to each other, even when it is difficult and our message may be unpopular. We deal honestly and fairly with peers and colleagues. We take responsibility for our actions and their results. We fulfill our commitments, and we give credit to others for their contributions.

Courage

To demonstrate courage is to be afraid of doing something, but doing it anyway. Courage is a daily occurrence whereby we express what we believe in and act in a way that demonstrates our values. It means speaking the truth to our hopes, and fears, and aspirations and ambitions. To be courageous means exposing our vulnerabilities, our worries and our fears; demonstrating caring and compassion and respect by being ourselves—authentic, unprotected, and genuine.

Creativity

We inspire those with whom we work to develop or do something original, to turn their ideas into reality and to bring greater value and meaning to themselves and to others. Creativity may be the most precious resource we have in our future, for it is unlimited, renewable and omnipresent. It is a learned skill and mindset that takes hard work, self-discipline, and regular and routine focus.

Curiosity

We instil a sense of wonder by constantly asking questions. Questions make us more thoughtful, intelligent and caring; questions build relationships with people; questions get the other person to think, and focus attention on them; and questions remind ourselves of the ideals we seek to attain. Thus, our approach is experiential: it must be lived and acted upon for real effect ... it is not just about beliefs—it must be experienced, observed and reflected upon.

Trust

It is a foundational belief that we must always deal honestly with all others as well as with ourselves, summarized by the old Quaker injunction, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.”