Berkeley Carroll’s innovative Portrait of a Learner initiative, led by Dr. Stephen Mak, Assistant Head of School for Program and Innovation, was recently spotlighted by Global Online Academy (GOA) in their Extraordinary Together series, which highlights schools driving meaningful change in education worldwide.

The feature, Developing a Portrait of a Learner: Berkeley Carroll’s Community-Driven Approach, explores how the school collaborated across divisions to define the habits of mind and essential skills that prepare students for the world beyond the classroom. Through a thoughtful, community-driven design process, Berkeley Carroll identified four key traits; curiosity, empathy, resilience, and discernment, that now serve as a foundation for teaching, learning, and innovation throughout the school.

Dr. Mak describes the project as “a moment of reflection” that unified the school community around shared values. “We wanted to be intentional about who we are as a learning community—what truly matters for our students and what will prepare them for a complex, changing world,” he explains.

GOA’s profile also highlights how Berkeley Carroll’s Portrait of a Learner continues to shape curriculum, assessment, and the responsible use of emerging technologies such as AI, while inspiring students to lead with empathy and engage in civil discourse.

You can read the full article on GOA’s website here.