Pendergast is the first school district in the nation to become a Kids at Hope District, adopting the Kids at Hope belief system in every school as well as all support services departments.

"Kids at Hope provides the Pendergast District with a framework for creating a positive and supportive learning environment for our children," Superintendent Ron Richards said. The Kids at Hope belief system is: All children are capable of success, no exceptions.

"Two of our schools, Desert Mirage and Villa de Paz, had already adopted the Kids at Hope philosophy," Richards added. "By implementing Kids at Hope throughout the District we are promoting a consistent model for our adults and children to shift from thinking about kids at risk to kids at hope. Kids at hope becomes the umbrella for our approach to student expectations for achievement and behavior."

The four elements of success for Kids at Hope:

1. An adult anchor in children's lives
2. Other caring adults, often teachers and school support personnel
3. High, positive expectations
4. Opportunities for success

The Kids at Hope student pledge is an integral part of the program: "I am a Kid at Hope. I am talented, smart and capable of success. I have dreams for the future and I will climb to reach those goals and dreams everyday."

All teachers and administrators received training in the Kids at Hope philosophy prior to the opening of school.

Visit the Kids at Hope Website