John Ware School opened in 1968 with five classes of junior high and six classes of elementary.

Who Was John Ware?

John Ware was born a slave, destined to work the cotton fields of South Carolina. Freed as a young man at the end of the American Civil War, he traveled west and learned skills and the lifestyle of a cowboy in Texas. He established his reputation in frontier society with deeds rather than words. His cowboy skills were legendary. All that knew him would say he was a gentleman. He led an honest, moral life, and was a loving father. His work was extremely difficult, the working conditions were harsh, yet he persevered and excelled. In a time where roughness, dishonesty, bullying, and lawlessness seemed normal, Mr. Ware showed honesty, skill, hard work, and decency.

He became a symbol of tolerance and decency. His legacy is one of personal and social commitment, character, and citizenship. This legacy is one which the John Ware community can draw upon, as we strive for success in life, work, and continued learning.

Learning at John Ware

We believe in maintaining an environment that encourages risk-taking and allows everyone the opportunity to grow and develop in ways that are meaningful and suitable. We believe in inclusivity and that every one of our students should have positive connections with our staff and peers. We believe every student can learn to a high level and deserves rich, personalized learning experiences to support that growth.

As educators, we believe including home support is important. We endeavor to support and work with parents and guardians, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

We believe every young adolescent:

• has the capacity to learn, grow, and develop into a knowledgeable, reflective, caring, ethical, and contributing citizen
• must have access to the very best programs and practices a school can offer
• must be engaged in learning that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory
• thrives academically, socially, and emotionally in a democratic learning environment where trust and respect are paramount and where family and community are actively involved
• faces significant life choices and needs support in making wise and healthy decisions
• deserves educators who are prepared to work with this age group, who are themselves lifelong learners and committed to their own ongoing professional development and growth

To create a systematic process ensures every child receives additional time and support needed to learn at high levels.

 @LonghornLifeYYC 

The Four C's

Collective Responsibility (Why are we here?)  A strong staff belief, commitment, and responsibility of each staff member are to ensure high levels of learning for every child.

Concentrated Instruction (Where do we need to go?) A systematic process of identifying essential outcomes all students must master and determine the specific learning needs for each child to get there.
Convergent Assessment (Where are they now?) Formative assessment to drive instruction specific to individual student needs based on evidence and data.
Certain Access (How do we get every child there?) – A systematic process designed so every student will receive the time and support needed to learn the essential outcomes