Our Purpose

Statement of Purpose:
To Create a Culture of Accountability That Achieves the Best Academic and Developmental Outcomes for Each Student.

Definitions
- Create: To build upon what is working well in our schools now and to rebuild or replace what is not with a clear-eyed focus and determination to achieve the best outcomes.
- Culture: How we work together toward common goals, celebrate success, confront failure, and resolve conflict.
- Accountability: We will confront the truth. Goals and objectives will be clearly defined at all levels of our District. All individuals and groups, including staff, students, parents, and the Board of Education, will hold themselves and each other accountable to achievement of those goals and objectives. We will celebrate success at the individual and group level and we will acknowledge, challenge, and commit to concrete actions to confront and correct failures.
- Achieves: Particularly as it relates to the adults in our district, the focus will be on achievement rather than effort. Inputs only matter when they are in clear service to achievement of the outcomes to which we have committed. Encouragement of strong effort and opportunities for improvement and success are important coaching tools as long as we are ultimately measured by the objective results achieved.
- Best: Not good, not better, not incremental, not 2nd, 3rd, or 5th but The Best -- #1.
- Academic: This is our primary mission. Arts and athletics are important, expected, and an integral part of overall student development. NAPLS should strive for broad participation and excellence in these activities for all students. Assuring a strong academic foundation for each student is nonetheless our primary responsibility.
- Developmental: Along with "Achieve" and "Academic", a recognition of the importance of building a strong work ethic, the value of non-academic pursuits in overall child development, as well as meeting the unique needs of each child.
- Outcomes: See "Achieve" above. We must be focused on, driven to, measured by, and invested in educational outcomes rather than financial or other inputs. While it can be easy to ascribe almost any input as being important for student outcomes, evidence of causation rather than correlation or anecdote will be our guide. When our community believes we are getting outstanding value for our money, money will cease to be a problem. As long as the focus is on money first, there will never be enough.
- Each: Focus on teaching and learning driven to meet the needs of students as individuals.
- Student: It's about the kids, not the adults. Period. Parents, teachers, administrators, support staff, and community members are all important partners in our work. Nonetheless, discussions, debates, and disagreements must be focused on what's best for our students.