Part 2: Beliefs and Mission

Overview: Narrative description of the process of defining the school's beliefs and mission.

The Mission Statement for Kendrick is the living document that lies at the heart of the functioning of our school. Testament to this fact is the collaborative process that has been used over the past several years to first define and then refine our current mission statement.

The original mission statement was created using current educational research and input from stakeholder groups, including teachers, administrators, students, parents, school board, and community members. A retreat with representatives of these groups was held, and after lengthy discussion and a consensus-building process, a mission statement was drafted. This original statement, though a worthy document and an accurate reflection of our fundamental beliefs, was rather long and cumbersome. Input from education stakeholders indicated that the mission statement was too long to be easily remembered, and, therefore, it was not functioning in the way that is should, as a defining and driving force behind our actions.

Using stakeholder input, members of the administrative team vastly simplified the mission statement and once again put it forth for review. Further input indicated that the revised statement was too vague and general to offer a clear vision and direction for the school.

In response to this fact, a new Missions and Beliefs Committee was formed to seek additional stakeholder input, before creating another revised mission statement. The committee used a variety of methods to distribute School Beliefs Inventory forms to stakeholders in our educational community. All teachers and administrators were asked to fill out the forms at a faculty meeting. All staff members were given forms. Forms were given to random classes of students at each grade level. Parents were given forms at PTSA meetings, and forms were prominently displayed and responses solicited in both the main office and attendance office. In addition, teachers and administrators were asked to distribute forms to members of the churches and civic groups to which they belong.

After gathering these surveys, the committee carefully examined our common beliefs and then revised the Mission Statement once again. We now feel that the current mission statement is concise, reflects our beliefs and provides a vision and direction for our school.

That is not to say that the process of creating a mission is forever over, far from it. The committee remains intact, and we will openly solicit input from our educational community stakeholders. If further revision becomes necessary, we will act.

Our Beliefs

• Student learning should be the primary focus of all decisions impacting the work of the school.

• All students can learn.

• Students need to apply their learning in meaningful contexts.

• Students learn in different ways and should be provided with a variety of instructional approaches to support their learning.

• Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs.

• Schools need to function as a learning organization and promote opportunities for all those who have a stake in the success of the school to work together as a community of learners.

• The commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is going to enable students to become confident, self-directed lifelong learners.

Our Mission

Learning for Life

The mission statement does have a double meaning, and both interpretations are intended. Learning for life can be taken to mean both learning for a lifetime and learning the skills needed to lead a life as a productive citizen.