Today I’d like to share some information about Parkway’s new mission, vision and 5-year strategic plan and how they will positively impact our students in the years ahead.

A Legacy of Excellence - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Parkway Tradition Recognized leader in St. Louis Public Education Talking points: For more than 55 years, excellence in education has been a Parkway tradition.   Parkway's college entrance exam scores are among the best in the country. Within the district, Parkway has 14 nationally recognized "Blue Ribbon" schools of excellence and 17 Missouri Gold Star schools Parkway is accredited and recognized for "Distinction in Performance for High Achievement," which is the highest rating available by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We are a recognized leader in St. Louis public education and continue to be one of the country’s top rated school districts.

Committed to Continuous Improvement Talking points: Parkway will continue to set the bar of excellence higher… for our students, faculty and staff. We were one of the first districts to implement the “Parents as Teachers Program”; We were the first district to implement a high-speed fiber optic data system; Parkway holds the highest state accreditation possible; We received the “What Parents Want Award”; And we have enjoyed the highest Bond Rating from Standard and Poors.  

Why a New Direction? Talking points: We are challenged to address and meet the educational needs of all students in an ever-changing world.   That will take more intentionality and a reexamination of how we deliver education. We recognize this is an ambitious pursuit. But we want 100 percent of our students to be successful in school. Our kids and our community deserve it, and we have the quality staff and resources to deliver on that promise.

The Dawning of a New Day for Parkway Talking points: In the spring of 2009, we launched Project Parkway, a two-year strategic planning process involved more than 400 volunteers including community members, parents, teachers, students and administrators.   These volunteers worked tirelessly to develop a strong foundation for the future success of the district and our students. The result was a new mission, vision and commitment to our school community—and they also developed our new strategic plan, which is called our Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP).

Our Mission. Our Vision. Our commitment. Talking points: Parkway’s mission is to ensure all students are capable, curious and confident learners who understand and respond to the challenges of an ever-changing world.   It is our vision that we succeed only when all our students and graduates are: able to transfer their prior learning to new demands, in and out of school; fully prepared for their next educational challenges; creative, thoughtful and effective problem solvers; increasingly self-directed, skilled and persistent as learners; literate and critical consumers of information and ideas; articulate speakers and effective listeners; acting out of a strong sense of personal, social and civic responsibility; always seeking to understand the views, values and cultures of others; working skillfully with others to achieve common goals; and pursuing a personal direction based on an understanding of their talents and interests.

Talking points: It is not just another strategic plan – it is a vision for continuous improvement.   At Parkway, we will deliver the “3C’s” – highly capable students, curious about the ever-changing world around them and confident in their ability to contribute. We believe higher expectations and brighter futures means providing students true understanding and a curriculum that is student inspired and teacher led, preparing students to overcome future challenges, and sharing the responsibility of achieving success.

Designed for True Understanding Talking points: Parkway’s goal is to develop a true understanding of core concepts in every student .   We’ll push beyond books and classrooms. We use student data and activity-oriented teaching to develop capable, life-long learners

Student-Inspired, Teacher-Led. Talking points: We want to spark passion in students—and teachers.   We gain inspiration from the inventive and inquisitive nature of our students. We are empowered to adjust teaching approaches to enhance learning by fostering that curiosity.

Conquering Tomorrow’s Challenges Talking points: We live in a community in which change is constant.   With that comes greater complexity and a need to understand a broader range of concepts. We want to be a driver for change by growing confident learners who have a strong sense of personal, social and civic responsibility. We aspire to develop Parkway students who are increasingly self-directed and persistent at overcoming life’s challenges. Our students will feel confident about their ability to contribute to a global community, regardless of the paths they choose.

A Shared Responsibility Talking points: We recognize this plan is aggressive. It will require a high level of collaboration among teachers, administrators, parents and students.   We are all accountable for the success of this plan and our students.

Our Progress www.parkwayschools.net Talking points:   Over the next five years, as we implement the CSIP, we’ll be working hard to meet our goals to support the mission and vision. Keeping the Parkway community and parents informed on our progress is a priority. We encourage you to seek updates on our progress by checking our website and engaging in an open dialogue. In addition, you can download a copy of our CSIP and find information about our quarterly Project Parkway meetings with superintendent, Dr. Keith Marty. Thank you.