Survey item number three was concerned with The vision and mission statements of the school...
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I am pleased that you seem inclined to view our mission statement as an important component in helping everyone understand what we do and how we do it at Marshall Magnet School. There's some interesting research [.pdf] out there on organizational mission statements and how useful they can become as a guiding light to groups of people united for a common purpose.
Your table groups were asked to brainstorm responses to two related questions: How can we work together to make this statement a more central part of our school? [And] what would a plan for implementing this look like?
You came up with a lot of good ideas!
- Some of you feel that our mission statement should be more visible in the school building.
- Some of you felt we should revisit our mission statement more often, and attempt to incorporate our core belief statement (Marshall students are informed, inspired, and exceptional forever) into one statement of purpose. Others feel we need to better define what diverse and integrated really mean.
- Many of you expressed an appreciation for the work done by Janelle, as our arts & science coordinator, to help us realize our goals.
- Some of you recognized that our efforts to identify and sequence our science magnet goals this year has been a positive step forward toward emphasizing all aspects of our mission statement.
- Some of you expressed an interest in having an opportunity to hear from other grade level teams and special areas about how the arts and science are being integrated into the curriculum at all levels.
Based on these responses, I can make the following assertions to you:
- I will work with Mr. Shaddy to have the current mission statement printed on a banner and placed near the front entrance to the school. I have also placed it prominently on front page of the community blog.
- At the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year we will use a portion of our collaborative faculty planning day to revisit and revise our mission and core beliefs statements into one common statement of purpose.
- I believe the arts and science coordinator's position is essential to our ongoing ability to implement and grow our magnet programs school-wide. We will continue to fully fund an arts and science coordinator's position.
- I believe that our renewed emphasis this year on the science strand of our magnet program has been successful, and likewise, that it has been an appropriate use of our planning time and hard-won tax credit monies. I will continue to encourage the science council and the science coordinator, along with every member of our faculty and staff, to work toward enhancing this aspect of our program.
- I will ask Janelle to meet with grade level teams and specialists as soon as possible in order to prepare a thorough report for the faculty regarding how the arts and sciences are being integrated at each grade level, both via our magnet and general education programs.
