Hello everyone. This is my last blog post of 2017 and I am excited at the prospect of the new year ahead. The Board of Education and I would like to start the new year with a renewed commitment to our vision for our students. At our December 21 Board of Education meeting, our Administrative Team and the BOE Trustees met to discuss the vision for the South Orangetown Central School District for the next three to five years. It was a productive conversation that emphasized our dedication to empowering all students by giving them the knowledge and the skills to pursue their passions and interests. Students who are empowered to take charge of their own intellectual and emotional growth are more resilient and have a much better chance at being happy and productive members of society. The vision of the South Orangetown Central School District is to ELEVATE, ENGAGE, and INSPIRE our students by building a culture of:
- High expectations where students will possess the knowledge and skills that will prepare them for a variety of post-graduation options (ELEVATE). In an empowered learning environment, expectations far exceed state or national standards of achievement. In a culture of high expectations, standardization becomes less critical since students are always striving to learn more.
- Healthy, productive, and supportive relationships between staff, students, families, and the community (ENGAGE). Engagement refers to the relationships that exist between our teachers, our students, and our families. For our students to truly be empowered, these relationships matter.
- Equitable access to opportunities in order for students to pursue their full potential as responsible citizens and lifelong learners (INSPIRE). The unique learning traits of each of our students become important factors towards an empowered learning environment…these unique characteristics are defined by the student’s passions, interests, and future aspirations.
So, I would like to propose that our district’s vision of student empowerment is a function of elevated expectations, productive relationships, and learners who are inspired to pursue their passions and interests. I must give credit to our Board of Education president, Mrs. Pitruzzella who suggested this to our Extended Leadership Team (XLT) in April 2017 as part of our strategic planning effort. The XLT considered the implications of “Engage, Elevate, and Inspire” as a basis for a vision for student learning and ultimately, student empowerment.
Empower = Elevate + Engage + Inspire
Our school leadership stands committed to the vision of student empowerment. Having a clearly articulated vision of an empowered learning environment becomes a central feature of an effective school system. To this end, I recently came across an interesting quote while reading George Couros’ blog at The Principal of Change. This quote is attributed to John Spencer and A.J Juliani (2017):
“Empowered environments allow our connections and impact to move beyond the classroom walls and continue to be powerful, long after our students are out of sight. There is no better time to be in education than right now. Education is the bridge to so many opportunities for our learners. We must step aside as the gatekeepers and instead move next to our learners to take the journey together.”
I am hopeful that you will share our vision for students who are empowered to pursue their passions, interests and lifelong learning. It is my sincere wish that 2018 is our year to unite in support of this powerful vision and bring together all that this great community has to offer on behalf of its children. Have a happy and safe New Year!
Spencer, J. and Juliani, A.J. (2017). Empower: What Happens When Student Own Their Learning. Kindle Edition.