This policy sets forth the mission and educational goals of the Hamilton School District. It is designed to facilitate prudent long-term planning by the District’s Board of Trustees and to help guide the District’s faculty and staff in the accomplishment of their duties. In August of each year, the Board will either re-endorse this policy as is or approve a revised version and will ensure that the District’s mission, goals, and operating principles are communicated to parents, District employees, and the public at large.
District Mission
Develop productive, well-rounded American citizens who are motivated, self-confident and ready to pursue mastery of their chosen vocations.
District Vision
Promote a culture of educational excellence through an unwavering dedication to the individual development of each child every day, without exception.
Educational Goals
#1. Basic Literacy
Students will graduate with a sound foundation and strong capabilities in reading, writing, and mathematics.
The District will build a sound foundation for literacy during each student’s early years and will constantly build upon and reinforce that foundation throughout the student’s educational experience.
#2. Strategic Thinking and Reasoning
Students will demonstrate the capacity to solve complex problems by gathering, evaluating, and analyzing information and communicating solutions.
The District will connect learning to the real world through authentic and innovative experiences to increase student engagement, creative thinking, motivation, and investment in their learning.
#3. Preparation for American Citizenship
Students will recognize their roles and responsibilities as active, ethical, and informed American citizens.
The District will provide students, throughout their K-12 experience, an in-depth understanding of the American political, social, and economic systems, as well as the historical context from which they arose.
The District will familiarize students with political, social, and economic systems found elsewhere in the world.
#4. Readiness for Future Opportunities
Students will develop the skills and aptitudes necessary for college, advanced technical training, or direct entry into the workforce. The District will provide a well-rounded educational experience, including a challenging curriculum and varied extra-curricular opportunities.
Students will establish post-graduation goals, identify the education and training needed to reach these goals, and understand the potential risks, rewards, and limitations associated with the goals they select.
The District will provide pathways specifically designed to prepare students for college, advanced technical training, or direct entry into the workforce.
Operating Principles
Hire the Best and Make Them Better
The District will recruit, evaluate, retain and continually develop high-quality personnel to maximize student achievement.
Enhance and Customize Learning Environments
The District will continue to transform schools into dynamic learning environments supported by emerging technologies, flexible planning and scheduling, repurposed facilities, and community collaboration.
The District will actively engage the community as an educational partner.
The District will cultivate and enhance staff, student, parent, business, and community involvement and fully recognize the community as an important partner providing necessary services, resources, and opportunities for our students.
The District will maintain an open environment that promotes dialog both with the community and within the District and will strive to provide the public with timely and accurate information on the status of its schools.
Promote Community Ownership
The District will strive to exercise, preserve, and when appropriate, increase our community’s local control over the operation of its schools.
The District will consistently ensure safe, civil, and productive learning environments.
The District will provide a safe learning environment for staff and students.
The District will insist on civil behavior, which does not require conformity or the compromise of one’s principles but does demand that one respects another’s basic human dignity and refrains from abusive conduct.
The District and the community will confront challenges together.
The District expects all members of the team—trustees, administrators, and staff—to share accountability for achieving the District’s goals.
Implementation
Action Plans
The Superintendent will supervise the development of action plans that set forth measurable objectives for meeting the District’s educational goals and strategies for achieving these objectives. A District-level action plan is to be prepared along with supporting plans at the school level. Each plan is to cover at least a three-year period (current school year plus two) and to identify critical resources required to support the plan. In August of each year, these action plans will be presented to the Board for formal approval.
Multi-Year Budgeting
The Superintendent will supervise the preparation of a multi-year budget that supports the District’s action plans. This budget is to cover at least a three-year period (current school year plus two). The General Fund component of the budget is to be subdivided into program areas that facilitate the prioritization of funding requirements identified in the action plans. On or before the regular December board meeting, the Superintendent will review the budget with the Board as a whole or with a designated committee of the Board. During these presentations, budget execution for the current year will be discussed, the preliminary budget for the next year will be updated, and key funding issues for the “out years” will be identified. The budget for the upcoming school year will be approved by the Board in August.
Annual Report
No later than the first of January of each year, the Board will render a written report to the community that summarizes past performance, the current state of the schools, how well the District is doing at accomplishing its mission, and its plans for the future. This report is to be drafted by the Superintendent and approved by the Board prior to its formal release. This report will include performance data, a budget review including spending and revenue, major issues facing the District, major initiatives currently underway or being contemplated, and changes to federal and state requirements.
Legal Reference: Montana State Constitution, Article X, Section 8—School District Trustees
Policy History: Adopted on: November 26, 2012