Dear Parents:
You can find it on the AVA website, you can see it when you enter the school. It drives everything we do at AVA. What is it I am referring to? Could it be the welcoming environment that we have created here, or the sense that all of our students really enjoy coming to school and learning? While those are very evident at AVA, they are not what I am referring to. I am referring to AVA's mission and vision.
A mission statement is important to any organization, especially a school. This statement provides a brief description of AVA's fundamental purpose and answers the question, "Why do we exist?" The mission statement articulates AVA's purpose to staff, parents, and students, as well as to the general public. AVA's mission statement is as follows:
Aspen View Academy will succeed through academic excellence in a challenging and stimulating learning environment that emphasizes math, technology, and language arts, enabling our students to become critical thinkers, responsible citizens, strong community members and future leaders.
Our goal at Aspen View Academy is to provide an outstanding education to all students. We teach and reinforce the school's RESPECT Model, Capturing Kids’ Hearts, emphasize science, technology, literacy, and math, and provide many opportunities for students to give back to the school and the community. We encourage students to "stay curious" and to continually ask questions. Kids minds are like sponges and we want to fill their minds with valuable information and encourage them to become lifelong learners.
A vision statement is sometimes called a picture of an organization, but it's so much more than that. A vision statement is our inspiration and provides the framework for all our strategic planning. AVA's vision statement articulates our dreams and hopes for the school and your child. It reminds us of what we are trying to build. AVA's vision is as follows:
Our students will excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum. We recognize that an education is incomplete without fostering the arts, sports, nature, and character. Together, with our students, faculty, parents, and community, we will develop civic and personal responsibility, intellectual passion, and differentiated instruction in a safe, orderly, balanced, and nurturing environment.
AVA's vision statement is intentionally robust, and we strive every day to implement it with fidelity. The Core Knowledge Sequence provides a challenging and sequenced curriculum. We set high expectations for all our students and provide the tools and resources necessary for all students to achieve these expectations. All teachers and staff at AVA truly believe that every student can achieve at a high level. To accomplish this, teachers review the many assessment data points that they receive for each student and use this information to guide and differentiate instruction.
Accountability is key as well. AVA exists to educate and academically grow kids. We strive every day to do this to the best of our ability. We provide on-going training opportunities for the staff. They are trained on best practices and are provided time to meet with colleagues to discuss what may be working or not working in a particular grade. And, when they identify an area of improvement, they have the flexibility to work with their team to make a change. The administration team observes and evaluates teachers to make sure they are staying true to the mission and vision of the school. We have EXCELLENT teachers at AVA; and our goal is to provide opportunities for continuous improvement.
Finally, a child's educational experience is not complete without art, music, PE, technology, and character education. The STEAM focus allows AVA students to become well-rounded individuals who are well-prepared for high school and beyond.
It is extremely important for us to stay true to our mission and vision. Everything from AVA's strategic plan to the curriculum we use at school follows our mission and vision, which ensures that we continually provide the best education possible for your child.
