Joy & Purpose

The Princeton Public Schools began the 2015-16 school year not only with new contracts, new excitement, and new students, but with a bold new strategic plan that establishes a clear vision and direction for the future. 
The plan begins with a Mission Statement -- a single sentence that represents the core values of our community and our hopes for the students we serve. 
“The mission of the Princeton Public Schools is to prepare all students to lead lives of joy and purpose as knowledgeable, creative, and compassionate citizens of a global society.”

Reflect for a moment on the words in that statement that may resonate with you.  

ALL students.  Every one. 

JOY and PURPOSE.  Rare and refreshing words in a school mission statement. Nowhere does the mission statement reference getting into an Ivy League college or making a lot of money.  A different, larger definition of success is at work here.  The goal is for our students to experience joy and meaning in their lives regardless of what pathway they may take -- and to experience it in the present, not at the end of some educational or economic rainbow. 
Do we want our students to have extensive and in-depth content knowledge?  Absolutely.  We also want them to have creativity and compassion.  All three are essential -- although not all three can be easily measured. 

And finally, in the mission statement, we are explicit about our students becoming citizens of the world -- with all the cultural, linguistic, political and technological understanding that comes with that responsibility. 
This mission statement, this single sentence, drives the work that we do and the direction we have established as a district. 
So what is the work ahead of us in the next three to five years?  We have identified the following five goals for which we are currently developing detailed action plans:

• Wellness and balance for students and staff
• Ensure that every child is known as a person and as a learner
• Promote equity and access in ways that effectively eliminate the "achievement" or opportunity gap
• Inspire innovation and experimentation in both teaching and learning
• Promote a culture of care, connectedness, and communication across the district, between home and school, and throughout our broader community

And just as important as our goals are the ways we go about achieving them.  The following overarching values guide the ethos and culture of our work as educators:

• Our schools are places of partnership where educators work closely with one another, where relationships with families are forged, and where collaborations with individuals and organizations across our community and throughout the world support the highest levels of teaching and learning.
• Our schools are places of innovation where curiosity is sparked, risk-taking is encouraged, and where problems are viewed as opportunities for deeper understanding and creative solutions.
• Our schools are places of care where every child is known, every culture valued, and where kindness and courage are modeled.

In the coming year, I will comment on each of our strategic planning goals in greater depth.  For now, I am extraordinarily excited to welcome back our students, staff and families and to join them in a joyful year of learning.