The SWL Mission Statement is Meaningless

Mission Statement of the Southwest Licking Local School district

"The mission of the Southwest Licking School District is to assure that all students are prepared to be lifelong learners who possess a sense of self-worth, critical thinking ability, and necessary life skills enabling them to solve problems, adapt to change, value beauty, diversity, and cooperation, and be productive citizens. The mission will be accomplished by a skilled and dedicated staff providing personalized instruction with family and community support and participation by students in safe, modern facilities where quality educational and technological materials are the standard.." - Reference http://www.swl.k12.oh.us/

In 1993, I lead the "Critical Thinking Objective" action plan team for the Strategic Plannong group. Our group included 11 teachers, ex-board members, administrators and parents. There were similar Action Teams for other objectives. Today, the objectives are no where to be found. There are no measures to indicate the mission is being fulfilled. None have ever been collected. In other words, the foundation statement for the organization called the Southwest Licking Local School District, has nothing to do with the District or reality. I am convinced the Board and Administration do not know why the organization exists other than providing employment to people and as a place for children to stay while the parents are at work.

I have highlighted the buzz word terms. The first one I will address is "Critical Thinking". The purpose of my Action Team was to draft the action plan related to "Critical Thinking". I would like to know what the District thinks "Critical Thinking" is; why it is in the Mission statement; and how it is being applied in the District.

The confusion over the "Critical Thinking" term could possibly invalidate the whole Mission statement and thus the organization that is based on it. What this means is that the organization's espoused values as expressed to the community in such statements have no effect on the internal deeply help beliefs that really drive the organization.