PTA Message—November 2009

Alpine School District: Our Mission, Vision, Values, Goals

In the past few weeks, members of the School Board and district administration have met with each district school’s SCC/PTA to review the Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals of Alpine School District.

The mission statement of Alpine School District is, “Educating all students to ensure the future of democracy”. The mission statement can be divided into four parts that represent our district values (based on the Moral Dimensions of Education).

“Educating” = to promote a caring and effective connection between teacher and student (Moral Dimension: nurturing pedagogy)

“All students” = to ensure all students can participate in the entire education program (regardless of ability, socioeconomic status or where the student lives; Moral Dimension: Access to Knowledge)

“To ensure” = to foster individual ownership of the educational program among all members of the educational family (Moral Dimension: Stewardship of the Schools)

“The future of our democracy”= to prepare our students for responsible participation in a democratic society (respect for rules, law and order; Moral Dimension: Enculturating the young in a social and political democracy)

Our vision is for our district to become collaborative professional learning communities that answer four essential questions. The vision centers on the use of collaborative teams functioning as professional learning communities. These collaborative teams answer the following four essential questions:

1. What do we expect students to learn?
2. How will we know what students have learned?
3. How will we respond to students who aren’t learning?
4. How will we respond to students who already know?

This requires teachers to know the moment they step into their classroom each day exactly what they expect their students to learn and to be able to make assessments (both formal and informal) throughout the day to determine where their students are in learning that material.

Collaboration with other teachers (through professional development days, Monday early out and grade/department level meetings) is important so that teachers earn from each other and create common assessments in line with the four essential questions and other instructors teaching in the same curriculum area or grade level.

Finally, the goals as articulated by the Board of Education, are summarized in the Areas of Focus. During the “What Counts” process last school year, members of the community were able to offer feedback regarding specific characteristics that constitute a quality public school.

The Areas of Focus or goals of Alpine School District are:

• Student achievement (the center of all we do)—Inspiring all students to engage in learning at their highest level.
• Teacher Quality—Valuing quality teachers by recognizing excellence and facilitating continuous improvement in the art and science of teaching.
• Comprehensive Curriculum—Educating students through a wide range of content and learning opportunities leading to the development of the whole child.
• Resources—Identifying and providing requisite tools, skills, and personnel that lead students toward successful participation in the 21^st Century.
• Community Relations—Engaging parents and the broader community to support student achievement.
• School and District Culture—Sharing values, beliefs and processes that sustain a positive, safe and nurturing environment to promote pride in the school and district.
• Leadership—Developing and sustaining leaders who have vision and passion for student and employee success.

Thank you for all you do in your roles as citizens, parents, faculty, administration and staff to educate all students and ensure the future of our democracy. What we do every day, time and again, makes a difference in Alpine School District and supports the role of preparing the next generation of citizens, who represent our democracy’s future.