William Richards

School Vision/Mission Analysis

EDL 642--Curriculum: Development and Governance
Professor Stephen Kelish
April 20, 2017

Purpose: To review the South Fork High School Mission and Vision Statements and repond in
the following ways:
(a) describe how they align with the data;
(b) describe how they promote student academic success, development, and
well-being;
(c) explain how school plans, programs, and activities support the schools vision to
advance the academic, linguistic, cultural, aesthetic, social-emotional, behavioral,
and physical development of each student;
(d) suggest possible modifications.

SFHS Mission and Vision Statements:

Mission Statement:
South Fork High School, a safe learning community, has as its mission to graduate all of its
students as confident learners who think critically, make responsible choices, pursue goals, and
become informed, active citizens. In partnership with our broader community, we will provide
an innovative, standards-based academic program that challenges students through a variety of
learning experiences to reach their highest potential.

Vision Statement:
A South Fork High graduate will have the skills to make responsible choices socially, personally,
and educationally. Through an emphasis in literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and global and
cultural awareness, graduates will be able to meet personal goals while making valuable
contributions to society. South Fork High is committed to developing literate and functional
citizens who are able to cope, thrive, and live in a changing world. Our decisions will be based
on being 100%: Prepared, Attentive, Respectful, and Responsible.

Analysis:
In many instances, school data and the perspective on the data provided in the WASC

documents and the LCAP appear to support the schools mission and vision statements in regard

to promoting academic success, development, and well-being. The WASC report cites that
89.9% of students feel safe at school and 74.4% feel connected to the school, thus suggesting

that the school is, in general, a safe environment. Over 80% of the students state that their

courses are challenging, and more than 90% of the teachers report that their colleagues hold their

students to high standards. However, only 65.4% of students report that the learning

environment is good, suggesting that the learning community has some flaws. The nature of

these flaws should be the focus of greater study.

The LCAP and WASC report describe several programs and activities that the school

offers to address the learning environment and the personal needs of students. They explicitly

describe the means the school will use to expand ways to improve school climate through

rallies, performances, concerts, plays, presentations, the implementation of PBIS-like programs,

Trauma Informed Practices, and additional means. The schools professional development plan

supports these practices and the establishment of PLCs to continue developing them after initial

PD. The school continues to offer numerous opportunities for students outside the classroom

through multiple student clubs and peer tutoring programs such as the Nerd Club, Writers Club,

and Computer Club, as well as day trips and multi-day trips in the arts and sciences. The school

engages in a number of partnerships with community partners to offer students a variety of

opportunities such as Career Day, internships with BLM and Sanctuary Forest, cross-age

environmental teaching programs, Interact Club and other activities in partnership with the

Rotary Club, Redwood Rural Health Clinic, the Family Resource Center, and other links

between school and community individuals and institutions. The school has also hired a

full-time counselor on-site while partnering with a variety of agencies to provide additional
physical and mental health services. The school has recently started an EL outreach group to

meet with parents and families offsite.

Documents including the WASC report and collected course descriptions provide support

for the visions goal of offering a curriculum that is diverse, innovative, and standards-based, as

the standards covered by each course are explicitly outlined and are aligned with the Common

Core State Standards for California. Courses in science, social science, and math have also

adopted competency-based programs. The school has recently funded a CTE program that

restores wood and metal shops and provides a full day of fine art instruction. All CTE courses

follow common core standards, college and career readiness standards, and CTC model

curriculum standards.

Recommendations:
The current vision and mission statements could be reviewed and improved by present

staff and other stakeholders, perhaps by separating the purposes of each of the statements. As

they read now, the mission and vision statements seem like re-worded reflections of each other.

Perhaps the mission statement could be written to state the schools goals in the largest sense

without getting bogged down in a collection of subcategories separated by commas. The vision

statement then could provide more details about specific kinds of human and academic goals that

the school will strive toward in order to meet the overarching goals described in the mission

statement. During the 15 years I have taught at the school, I dont think that our overall mission

has changed that much, but the vision of what we will do to achieve our mission has needed to be

revised considerably due to the changing nature of our community, economics, and

externally-driven changes like technology, testing, and curriculum.

 In addition, new mission and vision statements might include a clearer evocation of the

rural, mountainous, and agricultural environment which forms the physical and social setting for

the school. The very small towns, communities, and watersheds that the school serves are

unique, and the mission and vision statements should reflect and take strength from this

uniqueness.