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Dr. David Hopson |
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May 21, 2007 “Vision” as defined by Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary is “the act or power of imagination, mode of seeing or conceiving, an object of imagination.” Our district vision statement reads ‘The Gateway Regional School District will provide an exemplary education that challenges all students in an instructional setting appropriate to their needs.’ In the months of budget talks, and in the endless daily grind of meeting our responsibilities, I sometimes wonder if we’ve lost sight of our vision for students and our schools. As I review the findings from the Gateway 2015 visioning meeting in the fall of ’05, staff work on what our schools should look like, and our early district improvement plans, I see that we have moved forward in a manner that supports our vision statement. We see the need to educate the whole child to meet the requirements of living in a democratic society, not just to meet the requirements of a still unproven exam known as MCAS. We see the district making a commitment to physical well being, the arts, citizenship, career preparation, leadership, and myriad other items, even in difficult fiscal situations. We see the need to support increased achievement—academic and otherwise—in all students, not just the talented and gifted. We also see the contributions from parents, families, and the community in supporting the district’s vision statement through volunteerism, activities for students, and fiscally through the budget. We see community members at school functions—athletic, social, student fundraising, and art activities. We see the desire from our towns to improve opportunities for students and recognition of the need to provide a high quality education. How are we doing in this quest to meet our vision? Looking at various sources of student data, the answer appears to be that we’re doing well. Our students get accepted at top colleges and universities, compete in a positive manner academically and athletically, are well versed in a wide range of subjects, are technologically adept, do well on standardized testing (including Advanced Placement college courses taken in high school), and are well complimented on their citizenship every time they go on school field trips. We also see much positive growth when we look at how outside agencies view Gateway. The state’s Educational Quality Assurance Audit found that we were making steady progress in meeting their many requirements and, as I’ve written before, found Gateway to be in good shape overall. The recent New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation visit found many reasons to compliment and commend the district, including our staff, students, buildings, and progress in other areas. It is also interesting to note that both groups found the district is hampered in improvement efforts by a lack of consistent and adequate funding, while acknowledging that our member towns are going well above the required minimum funding for Gateway schools. Other sources confirming our success include student successes at college, graduates who have done well (it’s great to have Janine Modesto’s column back in the Country Journal), our success at getting grants (both initially and then renewals), our success in both attracting and keeping high quality staff, and our recognition on both the state and national level for our expertise in applying technology to meet student educational needs. This doesn’t mean we’ve finished—rather the process involved in meeting our vision is ongoing with continuing challenges, opportunities, and adjustments. With the help of our community members, Gateway will continue to make positive progress and will remain a vital part of children’s lives and an integral part of the daily the fabric of our hilltown society. ### |
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