Vision, Mission, & Guiding Principles
In the summer of 2018, it became apparent through historical, quantitative, qualitative, and perceptual data reviewed that the Evergreen Union School District system needed to be (re) built. For with the changed state expectations and the expansion of our system, coupled with the turnover and addition of new staff and the needs of the students we serve, we found ourselves in a place where had to pause and recognize where we are at, how complex our system has become, and that there is work to do moving forward to get it right. A key part of that work was the revision and refinement of the District’s guiding principles.
VISION
The vision of the Evergreen Union School District is:
All students can learn, and TOGETHER we make the difference.
This vision is founded on these beliefs:
- We do believe that ALL students are capable of learning.
- We do believe that TOGETHER, as a staff working collaboratively with families, we can make a difference in students’ lives to help them learn and grow.
MISSION
The mission of the Evergreen Union School District is to provide a foundation and encouragement for all students to achieve their social, physical, and academic potential in a safe, nurturing, and positive environment. This mission represents our LCAP goals:
- Create a safe, healthy, inclusive space for students to have optimal opportunities to learn and grow.
- Provide services and instruction that lead to ever increasing student achievement and outcomes.
- Ensure all students are supported and challenged in an engaging environment in this process.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
- We believe in taking students from where they are at, and providing them with equitable social-emotional and academic learning opportunities whereby they can reach their full potential.
- We believe in verbal and non-verbal communication from staff to students that learning is possible for all, and that they will not give up on them; these productive, meaningful relationships become the conduit for learning.
- We believe in staff and families effectively collaborating and communicating to ensure that we are working in the best interest of students at all times.
- We believe in providing students with an engaging learning environment whereby students are intrinsically motivated to learn.
- We believe in providing clear, concise, coordinated, systemic, and vertically aligned academic and social emotional instruction, expectations, and supports/challenges for students - understanding the critical need for whole-child, student-centered education.
- We believe in supporting the professionalism of the teachers and staff who work together to support students’ growth, and support collective teacher efficacy as a professional learning model, knowing that this sole practice is ranked as the number one factor in influencing student achievement.
- We believe in the tenets of Choice Theory as a guiding framework for students and staff, and that by understanding the motivation behind behaviors, we can better create, adopt, and apply approaches that have the highest chance of changing or developing behaviors that lead to healthy, productive lives.