Our Mission…

Recently, I’ve been thinking about our mission statement.  Do you know it?

We, the Saline Area Schools, will equip all students with the knowledge, technological proficiency, and personal skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly complex society.

We expect that our students, staff and the community will share in these responsibilities.

Our ultimate goal is to instill in our students a desire for lifelong learning.

This mission statement was adopted by the Saline Board of Education on April 23, 1991 – almost 21 years ago!  I am struck by how the mission has stood the test of time and still rings true today.  With the Internet, which wasn’t even developed in 1991, our students’ access to information has exploded.  Jobs that were considered solid life long career opportunities in 1991 no longer exist.  Being a life long learner is more important now than ever before.

In today’s educational environment, with an increased focus on using standardized tests to determine if students are learning, I am concerned we may lose the focus on what is important.  Reflecting on our mission statement, and our goal to develop life long learners helps guide my thinking as we continue to focus on improving our school district.