FORWARD IN EXCELLENCE
Somers Central School District Strategic Vision: Excellence in Action


SCSD

SOMERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT


Somers Central School District will ignite a passion in each student by engaging all learners at a personal level to ensure success in a global society.
The vision for SCSD encompasses three fundamental areas, each an important component of the Whole Child:
n 21st Century Knowledge & Skills
n Social, Emotional & Physical Wellness
n Global Citizenship
n Values diversity, equity, and inclusion across all schools.
n Promotes our schools as the center of our community – a safe place to be and grow.
n Leads by example and encourages students to follow their passions.
n Develops a k-12 curriculum, instructional resources, and assessments intended to prepare students to thrive in a global community.
n Recognizes and celebrates the collective efforts and achievements of the Somers community and embraces a healthy balance of participation from all stakeholders.
n Holds high expectations for student achievement and character.
n Supports social, emotional, and physical wellness as much as academic achievement.
n Recognizes the arts as vital to the core curriculum.
n Gives back to the community through service to others.
n Understands the law, the constitution, and our civic, ethical and personal responsibilities to each other.
n Develops relationships that are characterized by honesty, respect, and integrity.
n Learns from and works collaboratively with individuals from diverse cultures, religions, and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue.
n Supports and encourages professional collaboration, district-wide and with local organizations, to promote student learning.
n Is driven by a sense of continuous improvement.
The district uses the Elements of Excellence to define goals and to guide decision-making. Each of the six elements is derived from the mission of SCSD and focuses on the development of the Whole Child.
n 21st Century Knowledge & Skills SCSD will ensure the intellectual growth and development of critical skills so that all learners can thrive in an ever-changing world.
n Social, Emotional & Physical Wellness SCSD will advance social, emotional, and physical wellness in all learners to successfully navigate current and future experiences.
n Global Citizenship SCSD will nurture a sense of responsibility, belonging, and acceptance in all students and foster a respectful understanding of broader perspectives.
n Professional Learning Communities SCSD will cultivate a community of professional learners focused on advancing student success.
n Family and Community Engagement SCSD will strengthen and nurture connections across the Somers community through engagement, constructive partnerships, and the inclusion of all voices.
n Fiscal Stewardship SCSD is committed to responsible financial planning and allocation of resources to ensure a safe learning environment where all students achieve excellence.
As a district, we are committed to the children and families of SCSD. We are focused on ensuring the development of the Whole Child: students who are emotionally and physically healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. We believe the environment in SCSD must engage students while instilling:
n 21st Century Knowledge & Skills
n Social, Emotional, & Physical Wellness
n Global Citizenship
We are committed to understanding the story of each and every child and providing a personalized learning experience for all.
As a community, we will define what a successful learner is and how we measure success. We will put students first, align resources to students’ needs, and advocate for a more balanced approach –a Whole Child approach.
n Because reaching all students depends on reaching each one.
n Personalized learning begins with individual interests, enabling each student to become engaged in learning.
n Students learn to set goals and measure success for themselves against common standards.
n Adults within the school benefit from stronger professional and student relationships.
n Students become self-directed learners who can use learning to manage their lives.
n As students pursue increasingly independent pathways, parents and teachers become true guides and mentors in the learning experience.
n And as students explore real options for their futures in the community, community members also become involved in the schools in meaningful ways. Adults within the school benefit from stronger professional and student relationships.
n Students become self-directed learners who can use learning to manage their lives.
n As students pursue increasingly independent pathways, parents and teachers become true guides and mentors in the learning experience.
n And as students explore real options for their futures in the community, community members also become involved in the schools in meaningful ways.
Education today requires a new and better approach to learning, teaching and community engagement. We live in a time that requires our students to:
n think both critically and creatively
n evaluate massive amounts of information
n solve complex problems
n communicate well
And while a strong foundation in reading, writing and math is as important as ever, additional skills are essential for lifelong success. A more complete picture of a child’s needs and a student’s success is viewed through the Whole Child and by addressing these three areas of focus:
n 21st Century Knowledge & Skills
n Social, Emotional, & Physical Wellness
n Global Citizenship
In this way, teachers, parents, and community members can provide the skills today’s children need in order to find success in the world of tomorrow.
21st Century Knowledge & Skills
SCSD will ensure the intellectual growth and development of critical skills so that all learners can thrive in an ever-changing world.
Mastery of the core subjects:
n English
n Language arts
n World languages
n Mathematics
n Economics
n Science
n Geography
n History
n Government and civics
In addition to:
n Creativity and innovation
n Critical thinking and problem solving
n Communication and collaboration
n Information, media and technology skills
n Vocational skills and alternative educational directions
SCSD will advance social, emotional, and physical wellness in all learners to successfully navigate current and future experiences.
The district has identified skills that will help students build their social and emotional skills. There is robust evidence linking students’ positive wellness with academic success.
n Self-awareness
Recognizing one’s own strengths, needs and values; taking initiative; having perseverance, self-direction and a sense of humor; discovering one’s own passion.
n Self-management
Employing impulse control and stress management; having self-motivation and discipline; setting goals; using effective time management and organizational skills; being flexible and adaptive to change (i.e., resilience).
n Social awareness
Ability to see different perspectives; to have empathy, tolerance and respect for self and others.
n Relationship skills
Ability to communicate effectively, engage in social situations and build quality relationships; to be accountable to others and use constructive criticism effectively; to be interdependent.
In addition, students should be engaged in and aware of the activities needed to create and maintain a healthy lifestyle (both physically and emotionally).
SCSD will nurture a sense of responsibility, belonging, and acceptance in all students and foster a respectful understanding of broader perspectives.
SCSD designs student-centered activities to give children a hands-on approach to learning about their commitment to their various communities, from their small classroom community to the larger global community.
n Using 21st century skills to understand and address global issues, including sustainability and human rights.
n Learning from and working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and identities in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts.
n Acting with integrity and humility.
n Giving back to the community through service to others.
n Understanding the law, the constitution, and our civic, ethical, and personal responsibilities to each other.
SCSD will cultivate a community of professional learners focused on advancing student success.
SCSD focuses on results and ensures that students are learning by answering the following questions:
n “What do we want our students to know, be able to do, and understand?”
n “How do we know what our students know, are able to do, and can understand?”
n “What do we do when students don’t know, aren’t able to do, or can’t understand?”
n “What do we do when they already know, are able to do, and understand?”
The district fosters a culture of collaboration through curriculum mapping, data dialogue, sharing instructional strategies, and creating common assessments.
SCSD will strengthen and nurture connections across the Somers community through engagement, constructive partnerships, and the inclusion of all voices.
n The success of SCSD is rooted in its partnership with the larger community.
n The district proactively engages families and other community members in a variety of councils, committees, and task forces that are charged with setting school policy. These volunteers bring invaluable expertise, passion, and talent that are an integral part of the decision-making process in the district.
n School leaders value and rely on this partnership, which is built on trust, respect, and results.
SCSD is committed to responsible financial planning and allocation of resources to ensure a safe learning environment where all students achieve excellence.
n The fiscal support provided by the Somers community to our schools and students is a commitment carried out over multiple generations. It is a promise made by the residents that the children of Somers will receive a stellar educational experience.
n More than 10,000 students have graduated from Somers, and the district is dedicated to maintaining and improving upon the 89 -year tradition of excellence for generations to come.
The Elements of Excellence are interconnected and designed so that improvements are made simultaneously and cohesively, across the district and within the buildings.