Community & Culture

From the Director of Community & Culture

I recently found myself contemplating why we feel such joy when we talk about the PCDS family and what that means for us, as a community.

The fabric of a family is woven with love, care, trust, and loyalty. Sometimes it is bound by blood, and other times by the kindred spirits we choose to walk beside us. However it is formed, a family becomes a circle of belonging where we are known, nurtured, cherished, and never alone.

A community is the larger tapestry that extends beyond family. It is created when hearts and hands come together with a shared purpose. In a true community, we look out for one another, hold space for every voice, and find strength in our connections, knowing that each thread adds beauty and resilience to the whole.

At PCDS, our community is built on shared values of respecting each other’s humanity, showing compassion, and kindness. That looks a little different at each stage of a child’s journey:

• Pre-K to 4th grade: We nurture curiosity, teach empathy, and help children practice sharing, listening, and including others.
• 5th to 8th grade: We encourage responsibility, teamwork, and resilience, guiding students as they learn to navigate friendships and challenges with compassion.
• 9th to 12th grade: We invite our older students to lead by example—showing integrity, respect, and care as role models for the younger grades while preparing to contribute positively to the wider world.

Another important aspect of families and communities is that humans are not perfect. Despite our best intentions, we may stumble, yet each moment allows us to learn, grow, and strengthen our bonds. When community members are experiencing tough times and cannot hold to our values, we extend compassionate grace, withhold judgment, and offer support. We do these things because every day, we are teaching our children how to be resilient and what it takes to build a caring community where every individual feels safe, valued, and ready to grow.

If you have any questions or are interested in learning more, please contact Mina Bhagdev, PCDS Director of Community & Culture, at 602-955-8200 extension 2263 or mina.bhagdev@pcds.org.

---

PCDS Community & Culture Mission Statement

We are committed to nurturing thoughtful, self-aware, compassionate thinkers who can learn from challenging conversations and who recognize their limitless opportunity for growth, especially when considering perspectives different from one’s own. In addition to gaining essential knowledge and skills, we see education’s ultimate role as developing the intellectual acuity to grapple with complex topics.  

Actual growth can bring discomfort. Rather than retreating from that discomfort, we will nurture and support our community through our continued evolution. We commit to working tirelessly to create an environment that fosters kindness and appreciation of multiple dimensions of culture and community.

Developed with input from a wide array of PCDS constituent groups, the Community & Culture mission statement was designed to support the School's Strategic Plan and to amplify our School's mission statement and Portrait of a Graduate.

---