A DISTRICT MISSION AND
BELIEF STATEMENT
A District Mission
The Liberty Elementary School District through engaging and challenging learning environments will prepare all students for success in high school and beyond to achieve individual accomplishment, personal leadership, and contribution to their community.
District Vision
Cultivating curious, confident, problem solvers prepared for tomorrow.
District Values
The District values describe how the stakeholders will go about the work of achieving the mission and vision. All stakeholders are strongly committed to upholding these values.
Collaboration – working together as a team to achieve a common purpose or goal.
Integrity – doing the right thing, honestly, in a reliable way with a moral compass that does not waver.
Equity – ensuring everyone receives what they need to be successful through fair and inclusive practices; the elimination of educational barriers, and access to opportunities to meet the same rigorous standards for academic performance expected of all children and youth.
Grit – demonstrating passion and perseverance toward a goal despite being confronted by significant obstacles or distractions.
Excellence – exhibiting talent or quality that is unusually good and surpasses ordinary standards, truly the very best.
Innovation – implementing creative and new ideas to address a specific challenge.
Our beliefs further define our values and serve as guiding principles in decision making. We believe that the following are components to our success:
A. We believe student learning is our highest priority, and any action taken should be based on what is best for students.
The present and future needs of the students are at the center of all actions and decisions. We are committed to meeting the unique learning needs of all students. All students are capable of achieving excellence in learning the essentials of formal schooling and should have access to a common curriculum of learning standards which are defined system-wide. We are student advocates.
B. We believe in educating the whole child with a well-rounded education.
Art, music, physical education, world language, and computer science content standards are important to each child’s development. Children benefit from developing social emotional learning skills to prepare them for future personal and career success. Combined, the special area content areas not only contribute to enhanced learning of core academic skills, they also foster brain development, creativity, lifelong learning, career readiness, cultural appreciation, and healthy living. The characteristics of a quality learning environment include a caring, supportive atmosphere not only for the academic success of all students, but also for their well-being.
C. We believe in a relevant and meaningful learning environment based on evidence-based research.
Student learning objectives are directed by the District curriculum and are creatively and flexibly facilitated to maximize student engagement and motivation. Cross-disciplinary and real-life application of learning are hallmarks of the learning environment. Signature programs at individual schools provide choice learning themes for enrichment and project-based learning experiences. Staff learning objectives are aligned to current research, job competencies, and District goals. Current research and documentation of needs analysis guide decisions on design and delivery of both student instruction and staff professional development.
D. We believe in shared decision making.
Stakeholders provide integral and valued perspectives. Students, staff, parents, and other community members are partners in the educational process. The capacity of the group is enhanced by diversity. We strive to interact as a community of learners, problem solvers, and decision makers. Trust, mutual respect, and active listening are essential for collaboration. Together, we can best contribute to achieving the mission and vision.
E. We believe in continuous learning and ensuring the conditions exist for optimal learning.
Students and staff have access to and contribute to an environment which fosters learning, growth, and the perpetual development of competencies. Instructional facilitation is adapted to ensure mastery learning. Successful student learning must be based on providing appropriate educational experiences at the appropriate and challenging level of challenge in order to ensure the maximum level of student achievement for each learner. Job-embedded staff professional learning, planning, and collaboration time contribute to individual and collective efficacy. Each individual assumes personal responsibility for realizing his/her potential and constantly works toward enhancing the capacity of others to do the same. By continually working toward personal mastery and interdependent learning, individuals enrich self and others and contribute to the mission and an improved society.
F. We believe in a systems approach to continuous improvement in the organization.
Understanding the interdependencies within the organization is key to mitigating obstacles, assuming risks with innovations, and leveraging resources. Change is data driven. Unification of funding streams supports change and programmatic efforts. Planned and regular evaluation of program effectiveness allows the organization to steward resources responsibly and productively. The full utilization of internal and external resources is an essential part of the District's role in shaping and strengthening student learning. Staff appraisal is for the purpose of professional growth. A systems approach to decision making and use of resources optimizes the performance of the organization towards the mission and will result in the District becoming more productive, imaginative, and competitive.
G. We believe that the basis for all interpersonal relationships in the District shall be respect for human dignity.
The intrinsic worth and dignity of each individual is recognized and remembered in the planning, implementation, and evaluation both of the individual's progress and of the overall effectiveness of the school system. The following democratic principles are implemented by the District:
1. All persons have worth, dignity, and a right to respect.
2. All persons have a right to make decisions about matters that shape their lives.
3. All persons have a right to appropriate educational opportunities appropriate to their differences.
4. Respect for diversity is essential to a democratic society.
Adopted: November 4, 2019