Mission, Vision, Beliefs & Non-Negotiables
VISION STATEMENT
The East Orange School District aspires to be the educational model of excellence for learning institutions within the State of New Jersey.
MISSION STATEMENT
The East Orange School District is committed to and will prepare all of our students for college, careers, and life. We will provide a safe, clean, positive, and supportive learning environment in which all students can successfully develop socially, emotionally, and academically into lifelong learners and responsible, productive citizens. We will continually strengthen and align our curriculum with state, national, and international standards that are engaging, rigorous, relevant, and implemented consistently. We will ensure that all students, parents, staff, and community members are respected and informed in our family-friendly schools. We will strive to motivate and engage all of our students through various innovative instructional strategies, methods, and techniques. Utilizing students’ skills, talents, and unique abilities, we will prepare them to meet the demands of an ever-changing competitive 21st-century global society.
CORE FOUR BELIEFS
- We believe our schools must be clean, safe, orderly, welcoming, and nurturing environments where all students, staff, parents, and community members partner and engage in relevant educational activities.
- We believe children are our greatest resource and all have unique talents and abilities that are important to our global future, therefore all children will be provided equitable opportunities for quality, relevant education in the East Orange School District.
- We believe in preparing our students to be lifelong learners with the social, emotional, and 21st-century skills that promote overall growth and post-secondary success.
- We believe our students deserve and have a right to high-quality, effective Leaders, Principals, Teachers, and Staff who engage in continuous improvement through professional development that achieves desired outcomes.
NON-NEGOTIABLES
- State standards, student growth objectives, district curriculum, and data all drive instruction.
- Adherence to the district’s learning objective format is evident and is posted in every classroom (state standard, learning objective, and DOL).
- Every teacher develops, submits for approval and implements quality lesson plans based on district-approved template.
- Quality instruction takes place in every classroom with curriculum aligned to state standards, student engagement, rigor, relevance, higher order questioning and responding.
- Quality student work is displayed in every classroom and other areas of the school with meaningful teacher comments and rubric scores. No work will be displayed beyond 30 days.
- Daily, students are required to do more applying, researching, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, and creating.
- All students in our schools are being prepared for college, careers, and life daily.
- All students, staff, parents and community members in our schools are: respected, safe, well-informed and engaged in supporting student success.
- The major focus of the East Orange Public Schools is improving student achievement, academic excellence and school improvement in a caring/supportive environment.
- Teachers are provided with common planning periods and/or an opportunity to collaborate.
- Administrators are visible, accessible, supportive, and conduct regular classroom visits to monitor student learning, the quality of instruction, and to provide meaningful feedback.
- Writing across the curriculum, analyzing data, differentiated instruction with learning interventions, integration of technology, interim benchmark assessments, and exercising a growth mindset are all district-wide/school-wide initiatives that are implemented regularly.
“Overcome Odds & Achieve Success” - Every staff member, student, and parent will be held accountable for student achievement, student progress/growth, and school improvement.
- Our schools are safe, clean, orderly, welcoming and conducive to teaching and learning.
- Professional development opportunities and activities are intentional, meaningful, relevant, and assist staff with improving student achievement.
- All students and staff must be informed of and adhere to school/district rules, regulations and policies.
- Daily, every student and staff member will work on improving what we call the district’s 4A’s: Attitude, Academics, Attendance, and Appearance.