The Huntington School District is maintaining a steely eyed focus on its mission, as teachers and students kicked off the 2019/20 school year in fine fashion.
The official mission statement was adopted nearly three decades ago during the tenure of Superintendent Richard B. Stock, but school officials say it remains just as relevant today as it was then.
The district’s mission, which was reviewed by teachers on Tuesday, September 3 before students began classes the following day, results in all employees working toward the same goals. New teachers in the district studied and discussed the mission statement during the group’s orientation program in late August. The statement is reproduced each year on the inside cover of the school district calendar and guide, which is mailed to all residents.
The mission statement reads: “Recognizing the strengths of our district’s traditions, its history of community support, the diversity of our population and our commitment to educational excellence, the mission of the Huntington Union Free School District is to educate students by effectively teaching an enriched body of knowledge through the active participation of all students, building upon their unique talents and abilities to produce creative, self-assured, responsible citizens who are capable of critical thought and action.”
“The mission statement was crafted in a manner that would withstand the test of time, apply to every generation of students attending Huntington schools, and emphasize recognition of the strengths and contributions of students as individuals,” Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “Maintaining a commitment to educational excellence; fostering a supportive community; celebrating diversity; promoting student engagement, critical thinking, personalized learning and responsible citizenship all remain as important today as they were decades ago.”