Superintendent’s Corner:
The 2022 - 2026 School District of Athens Strategic Plan remains the foundation upon which we make decisions relevant to students, staff, families, and our community.
Our vision serves as our compass, and our mission reminds us how we will reach our final destination. The goals and action steps included in the strategic plan help us identify the most urgent, and important, areas of operation we need to address now and in the future.
Vision: Our Athens school community will cultivate and promote a positive, inclusive culture of respect with equity, integrity, and dignity. Students will be empowered to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically within a proactive, compassionate, and nurturing system of support.
Mission: Our mission is to promote a safe, inclusive, engaging learning environment to promote critical thinking, citizenship, and student empowerment through strong school and community relationships.
The vision and mission statements create the basis for three areas of focus or what we have described as our “pillars,” Staff and Student Engagement, Family and Community Engagement, and Facilities and Operations.
A consistent theme which runs through each of the three pillars is communication. It is our goal to provide consistent communication, to communicate meaningful information, and promote the school district through various communication sources.
This year, we chose to create a Local Report Card to communicate what we value, and are most proud of, in the School District of Athens. We celebrate our students’ academic achievements and also recognize the importance of offering students various other opportunities to support the development of the whole child. Did you know extra-curricular activities are one of the best investments a school can make to promote achievement, student engagement, and habits leading to college and career aspirations and ultimate success? During the 2023-2024 school year, 87% of Athens Middle School students, and 91% of Athens High School students participated in at least one co-curricular activity.
Our impactful social-emotional learning curriculum Second Step, used at Athens Elementary, helps students develop essential life skills, including emotional regulation, empathy and teamwork.
Maple Grove Charter School fosters hands-on agriculture and environmental education. Learners engage in hands-on experiences such as maple syrup production, animal care-taking, and gardening, all surrounded by our 25 acre on-site school forest.
These are just a few of the highlights included in the Athens School District Local Report Card. I encourage you to visit our website at athens1.org to learn more about what makes our school district unique, and a great place to learn and grow!
