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It's All About the Mission
Jul 10, 2014 10:01 AM
By Marcus Holmes - FF/S
If we passed in the hallway or in town and I asked you to recite the Darlington mission, could you? This small yet powerful 14-word phrase should drive every aspect of your existence at Darlington. From curriculum to assessment, from dorm duty to school advancement, the school mission should drive each decision you make.
The week of June 23-27, I attended the Peabody Professional Institute at Vanderbilt University. The Independent School Leadership Institute consisted of 10 different modules and five additional speaker sessions. The fellowship consisted of 24 individuals from 21 different schools across the nation. Best practices/topics discussed or debated covered all aspects of independent school life.
Just how important is the school mission? Over the course of my week at Vanderbilt, the mission was mentioned or covered by 12 different speakers. The mission defines us as a school. It is who we are. It is why we are here. Darlington was not built for me or for you to have a job. Darlington exists for the sole reason of educating students.
Below is one slide of many that created what seemed to be daily mission-driven discussion.
Timothy Wiens
Head of School, Delaware County Christian School
Executive Director, Council on Educational Standards and Accountability
I am always impressed with the passionate work of Reba Barnes and her servant leaders. Everyone in the Upper School understands “see you at the library steps.” The 2014 senior class completed over 4,000 hours this past year and 11,000+ in their four years at the Upper School. And in ELA-8, our teachers are always finding opportunities for their students to "act with integrity" and "serve with respect" in accordance with Darlington's mission.
The gallery of Kent and Rachel Harrison’s recent service trip to the Dominican Republic speaks volumes of how far the Tiger Spirit extends outside our small campus in Rome, Ga.
On a regular basis, Owen Kinney’s classes can be seen walking the trails in search of the elusive Henslow’s Sparrow or Kirtland's Warbler. What better way to "learn with passion" than hands on? Anyone seen students in the dorm frustrated with mouse trap cars ultimately screaming with joy because the car passed 50 feet?
I hope you took time to speak with a member of the robotics team upon their return from the super regional competition in San Antonio, Texas. The Darlington team was one of only seven teams that represented Georgia. Joe Fang, Brad He and Andrew Hudson, to name a few, were disappointed by narrowly missing the world championships but spoke with shear excitement of their accomplishment and how much they learned.
How many examples of mission-appropriate work can you comment with? Remember the vision of the school mission can never be over communicated.
Darlington's Mission Statement
To empower students to learn with passion, act with integrity, and serve with respect.
The week of June 23-27, I attended the Peabody Professional Institute at Vanderbilt University. The Independent School Leadership Institute consisted of 10 different modules and five additional speaker sessions. The fellowship consisted of 24 individuals from 21 different schools across the nation. Best practices/topics discussed or debated covered all aspects of independent school life.
Just how important is the school mission? Over the course of my week at Vanderbilt, the mission was mentioned or covered by 12 different speakers. The mission defines us as a school. It is who we are. It is why we are here. Darlington was not built for me or for you to have a job. Darlington exists for the sole reason of educating students.
Below is one slide of many that created what seemed to be daily mission-driven discussion.
Timothy Wiens
Head of School, Delaware County Christian School
Executive Director, Council on Educational Standards and Accountability
- “A school’s mission must drive the entire program of the school” (Goodlad,1984)
- The mission ought to create common goals shared by the entire school community (Lewis, 1986)
- A school’s sense of purpose and mission must permeate every aspect of the school. (Munroe, 1997)
- What makes you distinctive?
I am always impressed with the passionate work of Reba Barnes and her servant leaders. Everyone in the Upper School understands “see you at the library steps.” The 2014 senior class completed over 4,000 hours this past year and 11,000+ in their four years at the Upper School. And in ELA-8, our teachers are always finding opportunities for their students to "act with integrity" and "serve with respect" in accordance with Darlington's mission.
The gallery of Kent and Rachel Harrison’s recent service trip to the Dominican Republic speaks volumes of how far the Tiger Spirit extends outside our small campus in Rome, Ga.
On a regular basis, Owen Kinney’s classes can be seen walking the trails in search of the elusive Henslow’s Sparrow or Kirtland's Warbler. What better way to "learn with passion" than hands on? Anyone seen students in the dorm frustrated with mouse trap cars ultimately screaming with joy because the car passed 50 feet?
I hope you took time to speak with a member of the robotics team upon their return from the super regional competition in San Antonio, Texas. The Darlington team was one of only seven teams that represented Georgia. Joe Fang, Brad He and Andrew Hudson, to name a few, were disappointed by narrowly missing the world championships but spoke with shear excitement of their accomplishment and how much they learned.
How many examples of mission-appropriate work can you comment with? Remember the vision of the school mission can never be over communicated.
Darlington's Mission Statement
To empower students to learn with passion, act with integrity, and serve with respect.
