The School of Excellence in Education has been blessed with tremendous growth during the past four years. We've grown from 400 to 2,700 students on seven campuses. That is just tremendous!
It's sometimes overwhelming that we have the responsibility of motivating, enlightening, and educating 2,700 young minds. If we do our job correctly, we've empowered them to reach their potential and to become successful in every aspect of their lives. If we fail, we not only fail them; but also our community, our city and our future.
We have created several district-wide initiatives to ensure that we are on the road to success. From the very beginning, the School of Excellence in Education has operated as a family. It's a school where everyone knows your name, a school where no student is allowed to fall through the cracks. Everyone in the district, from the superintendent to the custodians, is charged with taking an active part in our students' academic success. Our new discipline management plan and our mentoring program gives evidence of this conviction.
All School of Excellence in Education faculty and staff have been trained to use Diana Day Vision Management, which is a comprehensive, research-based PK-12 behavior management system. The goal of Vision Management is to teach students how to accept personal responsibility for both their leaning and behavior choices. It has early prevention and intervention practices when inappropriate or disruptive behavior occurs. It is highly motivational because it teaches students how to interact and learn in a school setting in a positive and fun way. And, it is caring because it teaches faculty and staff how to communicate effectively with today's young people.
We are expanding our high school mentoring program to include all campuses. All faculty and staff are expected to mentor at least two children. They will be expected to keep in frequent contact with their mentees, their teachers and their parents. They will also be expected to attend any mentor workshops. The mentoring program will be kicked off on each campus by Thanksgiving. In addition, we will be inviting parents and community and business leaders to join the mentoring program. The ultimate goal is to have every School of Excellence in Education student mentored. After all, there isn't any child who has too many caring, involved adults in their lives.
The Vision Management and Mentoring programs are just two of the steps we are taking to become better educators who are involved in each student's life. The district has grown so fast over the past nine years that we have been running to keep up. Our School of Excellence in Education home can't provide an exemplary education, if our foundation isn't solid. To ensure that we serve every child, we have begun the (sometimes painful) process of taking a penetrating look at our strengths and weakness. The district has contracted with an external company to help us follow the Baldridge National Quality Program, which offers an integrated approach to examining our school district so that we provide better services to all of our stakeholders and that we improve our overall organizational effectiveness and capabilities. As we strengthen our infrastructure, we will be able to provide a better education to each and every one of our students.
In the end, we are here for students: for each boy and girl who crosses the threshold of a School of Excellence in Education campus. We are here because of the children and we owe them a quality education that will prepare them for adulthood.
We will be here for your child, because at the School of Excellence in Education you get a private school education at a public school price. Come join us!
