We are a tribes-based school. Tribes refers to a process developed by Jeanne Gibbs to teach children to respect each other, assume responsibility for work and deed, develop ways to resolve conflict, and instill a commitment to set and achieve goals. This new process takes the traditional “3 R’s of Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic” and combines them with the three character attributes of Respect, Responsibility, and Resolve to help educate the whole child.

This process also incorporates the latest brain research, including Howard Gardner’s theories on Multiple Intelligences, Bonnie Bernard’s findings on resiliency, and ways of implementing best practices in learning. It focuses on teaching students to work collaboratively with others to reach their individual goals for lifelong success.

At The Colby School, we use the Tribes process to foster a sense of belonging, as well as to deliver instruction in age and developmentally appropriate practices, challenging each individual student to reach high levels of academic achievement. This is the core of our motto, “Academic Excellence in a Caring Community.” Tribes teaches students to value and respect each other, which is essential for continued success as lifelong learners.

“Tribes” is not an acronym. Its name was derived from the Native Americans' ability to form a cohesive, working community from individual groups. At Colby, our Tribes process is founded on five guiding principles:

• Mutual Respect
• Attentive Listening
• Appreciations/No Put Downs
• The Right to Pass
• Personal Best