Corey Lunn: A New Mission for Stillwater Area Public Schools

A lot of exciting chatter about our schools has been heard throughout our communities in recent weeks.

After unveiling a proposed strategic plan for our schools, people are talking. One of the Strategic Planning Team members who helped create the new plan recently told me that many parents and community members had been coming up to her and sharing their excitement about the proposed mission and objectives.

Even when faced with people who were initially skeptical and thought this plan was just more “business and usual,” this team member was able to quickly respond to the skepticism and sell them on its merits.

Empowering our community to join us in setting this course for the future of our schools is why our school board decided to embark in this new strategic planning process. Our new mission is really the community’s mission - created by residents of our district specifically for the children of the Stillwater Area schools.

There were 30 community members and staff on the original planning team, and over 200 more people are actively involved on action teams which will identify the desired results and actions steps to make the new mission a reality. With all of this community involvement, expectations and accountability for the district will surely increase. There is no doubt that our schools will change as a result of this process. We are dedicated to ensuring our students are learning the skills needed for learning in the 21st century.

Our mission - along with the related beliefs, parameters, objectives, strategies and specific results - will remain in a draft form until the school board votes on the new strategic plan in February. Here is the proposed mission statement:

The mission of Stillwater Area Public Schools, in partnership with students, family and community, is to develop curious individuals who are active and engaged leaders in an ever-changing world by challenging each student as he or she travels along their personalized learning pathway.

You will notice a couple of things about our new mission statement.

The first is that it is missing a lot of the educational jargon you see in other school district mission statements.

This is intentional. The Strategic Planning Team wanted the mission to be understood by all who see it.

The second thing you will notice is that a few key words are underlined. I did this for the column today to highlight a few things.

Look at the words that are underlined: Partnership, community, curious, leaders, ever-changing world, challenging and personalized.

While each word was carefully (and in some cases painstakingly chosen) by the planning team, it is these underlined words that are at the heart of what we are going to do differently. Working in partnership with the community; developing students who not only have the knowledge but place it in practice by being engaged and curious; being responsive in a world that is changing every day; challenging EACH and EVERY student in wherever their interests and future may take them. This is what has been given to us as a charge by the community members and staff who are deeply committed to our new plan.

Life has taught me over and over again that it is not what I know but what I do with that knowledge that leads to success in life.

In speaking with individuals representing our local businesses and companies I have heard how our students need a different skill set for the future. There is an emphasis on innovation and collaboration that wasn’t there when you and I went to school. I believe these are the very skills that will help our young people remain successful.

I am optimistic, excited and dedicated as a parent and school superintendent to ensure that these opportunities are available for all students in Stillwater Area Public Schools, and I believe that our new mission is exactly what we need to get us there.

Learn more about our new mission and the strategic planning process online at www.stillwaterschools.org/actionplan.

--Corey Lunn is the Superintendent of Stillwater Area Public Schools.