What Do You Emphasize Then?

We believe that it is our job to inspire and empower students to make a contribution to the world. We believe that engaged students are ones that can think critically, are creative, collaborative, communicative, self-confident and self-directed citizens. In Olmsted Falls, “different on purpose” means that our emphasis is on providing our kids with a comprehensive experience through academics, the arts and athletics. When we asked our families what matters most to them, they described the benefits they seek from the school district.  Those benefits fall into 7 broad categories and include: Student Learning; Student Readiness for the Future; Engaged and Well-Rounded Students; Safety & Well-Being and Connections to the Community; Effective Systems and Effective Adults. It’s not that test score performance doesn’t matter. It’s simply not enough and we believe that our community deserves a more holistic report on the value that their school district provides to our most precious resource–our kids. 

References

Eisner, E.W. (2001). What does it mean to say a school is doing well? Phi Delta Kappan, Jan., 2001. https://kappanonline.org/school-doing-well-eisner/

Koretz, D. (2017). The Testing Charade. Pretending to Make Schools Better. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.