By Bethany Hofstetter

Published: Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 8:54 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, November 14, 2012

In the process of creating an updated comprehensive plan, the Hampton Township School District Comprehensive Planning Committee realized a need to update the district's mission statement.

The comprehensive plan, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, highlights 13 areas or systems for the district to focus on and develop strategies for implementation from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016.

Last week, Assistant Superintendant Jo Welter presented the 55-page document to the school board for review.

“We spent days talking about different systems and the things we do … and identified accomplishments and concerns,” Welter said.

Welter said the comprehensive plan “stays the course” with the district's annual goals, building goals and teacher goals. However, through discussions, the Comprehensive Planning Committee, made up of teachers, administrators, school board members, community business representatives and parents, determined it was time for the district to also update its mission statement.

“I don't think we changed the mission statement dramatically,” said Mary Alice Hennessey, a school board member who served on the planning committee. “I think we just expanded it.”

No one at the school board meeting could remember the last time the mission statement was revised. Welter said the new mission statement focuses on creating innovative, creative and problem-solving students.

School board member Greg Stein complimented the committee on the pragmatic and easy to understand wording.

“I was impressed with the verbiage,” he said.

However, school board member Gail Litwiler did question the revision of changing “student” to “child.”

Hennessey pointed out the new mission uses both words within the two-sentence statement and also attempts to place focus beyond the boundary of the community.

The school board was scheduled to approve the comprehensive plan at its Monday, Nov. 12, meeting. The plan will be on display for public inspection for 30 days.

Current mission statement:

“The Mission of the Hampton Township Schools is to educate individual student by creating partnerships among staff, parents, students and community and by providing a positive atmosphere in which student become lifelong learners and people of character who can achieve high expectations. One school district… one community… one vision to perpetuate our tradition of educational excellence.”

Revised mission statement:

“Hampton Township School District works collaboratively with the community in support of every child becoming creative and innovative problem-solvers and communicators. The District maintains high expectations by furthering our tradition of excellence as our students develop the knowledge, character and integrity to impact the world.”

Bethany Hofstetter is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6364 or bhofstetter@tribweb.com.

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