Morris School District
MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Morristown, New Jersey 07960

Policy
File Code: 6010
Monitored: X
Mandated:
Other Reasons X
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of Morris School District is to maintain a thorough and efficient educational system and provide a supportive educational environment to fulfill its responsibility, together with parents/guardians and other proper authorities, to prepare its pupils for responsible citizenship and productive and satisfying lives in a heterogeneous, free and democratic society.

The Board of Education has established the following educational goals to guide the district toward the fulfillment of this purpose:

The Morris School District shall:
  1. Provide a school environment which is student centered, conducive to learning, and free of discrimination, drugs, violence, harassment, and weapons;

  2. Provide equal educational opportunities for all pupils in the district;

  3. Attract, recruit, and retain a highly trained, diverse workforce of professional educators;

  4. Provide professional development programs to assist teachers in acquiring and maintaining the knowledge and skills to:

    1. Teach an increasingly diverse student population with a variety of educational, social, and health needs; and

    2. Implement core curriculum content standards through emerging methods, forms of assessment, and new instructional technology

  5. Establish a high degree of accountability for performance within Morris School District through the introduction of programs and systems for objective and timely evaluation of the costs and the effectiveness of the district's programs and activities.

  6. Work closely with parents/guardians in developing their children to their fullest potential;

  7. Foster broad understanding of Morris School District goals, programs, and activities by disseminating accurate information on a regular basis;

  8. Foster the broad participation of the community, the educational staff, and the pupils in the planning, implementation and evaluation of programs aimed at achieving these educational goals;

  9. Establish partnerships among local agencies, institutions of higher learning, parents, business, and professional associations;

  10. Collaborate with local preschool programs to help students prepare for school;

  11. Provide preschool programs and services for educationally handicapped students as specified by New Jersey Statute and Administrative Code;

  12. Provide adult literacy, parent training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the community;
Students will:
  1. Develop skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening so that they can:

    1. Communicate ideas and feelings effectively;

    2. Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English;

  2. Gain a general education which would include the following:

    1. A demonstration of basic proficiency in language arts literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, fine, visual, performing and practical arts, and world language;

    2. The acquisition of essential information and concepts within established core curriculum content;

    3. The development of special interests and abilities.

  3. Learn how to solve problems which would include the following:

    1. Applying critical thinking, objective analysis, and sound reasoning to identify the problem or task;

    2. Using the scientific method;

    3. Compiling, organize, and evaluate data and other information;

    4. Collaborating effectively with others;

    5. Developing constructive and creative solutions;

    6. Presenting findings, recommendations, and/or solutions in a clear and concise oral or written report.

  4. Develop pride in work and a feeling of self-worth, which would include the following:

    1. Pride in achievements and progress;

    2. Self-understanding and self-awareness;

    3. Feeling of positive self-worth, security and self-assurance.

  5. Develop a desire for learning now and in the future, which would include the following:

    1. Intellectual curiosity and eagerness for lifelong learning;

    2. A positive attitude toward learning;

    3. A positive attitude toward continuing independent education.

  6. Develop good character and self-respect, which would include the following:

    1. The demonstration of moral responsibility and sound ethical and moral behavior;

    2. The demonstration of self-discipline in work, study and play;

    3. A moral and ethical sense of values, goals and processes of free society;

    4. Personal character standards and ideals.

  7. Learn to respect and get along with people with whom they work and live in that students would:

    1. Appreciate and have respect for the worth and dignity of individuals;

    2. Respect individual worth and understand minority opinions and accept majority decisions;

    3. Demonstrate a cooperative attitude toward living and working with others.

  8. Learn how to be a good citizen which will include:

    1. Being aware of civic rights and responsibilities;

    2. Demonstrating attitudes for productive citizenship in a democracy;

    3. Respect for personal and public property;

    4. Understanding the obligations and responsibilities of citizenship.

  9. Learn how to respect and get along with people who think, dress, and act differently by:

    1. Appreciating and understanding other people and other cultures;

    2. Understanding political, economic and social patterns of the rest of the world;

    3. Showing an awareness of the interdependence of races, creeds, nations and cultures;

    4. Demonstrating an awareness of the processes of group relationships.

  10. Appreciate culture and beauty in the world by:

    1. Effectively expressing ideas and cultural appreciation (fine arts);

    2. Appreciating beauty in various forms;

    3. Demonstrating creative self-expression through various media (art, music, writing, etc.);

    4. Displaying special talents in music, art, literature and foreign languages.

  11. Learn about and try to understand the changes that take place in the world by:

    1. Recognizing the changing demands of a global society;

    2. Adapting within the changing social environment;

    3. An understanding the past, identifying with the present, and being prepared to meet the future.

  12. Understand and practice democratic ideas and ideals, by demonstrating:

    1. Loyalty to American democratic ideals;

    2. Patriotism and loyalty to ideas of democracy;

    3. Knowledge and appreciation of the rights and privileges in a democracy;

    4. Understanding of our American heritage.

  13. Understand and practice the ideas of health and safety by:

    1. An effective individual physical fitness program;

    2. Understanding good physical health and well being;

    3. Demonstrating sound personal health habits and accurate health information;

    4. Showing concern for public health and safety.

  14. Learn how to be a good manager of money, property, and resources, by:

    1. Understanding economic principles and responsibilities;

    2. Understanding personal buying, selling, and investment;

    3. Demonstrating skills in management of natural and human resources and man's environment.

  15. Develop skills to enter a specific field of work; in particular, demonstrate:

    1. Abilities and skills needed for immediate employment;

    2. Awareness of opportunities and requirements related to a specific field of work;

    3. Appreciation of good workmanship.

  16. Gain information needed to make job selections, for example:

    1. A self-understanding and self direction in relation to occupational interest;

    2. An ability to use information and counseling services related to the selection of a job;

    3. The knowledge of specific information about a particular vocation.

  17. Learn how to use leisure time:

    1. Productively;

    2. With a positive attitude toward participation in a range of leisure time activities-physical, intellectual and creative;

    3. By demonstrating interests, which lead to wise and enjoyable use of leisure time.

  18. Understand and practice the skills of family living by demonstrating:

    1. An understanding and appreciation of the principles of living in the family group;

    2. Attitudes leading to acceptance of responsibilities as family members;

    3. Awareness of future family responsibilities and achievement skills in preparing to accept them.
The Board of Education shall establish Morris School District performance objectives to assess program effectiveness on an annual basis before the beginning of the school year. The Board of Education directs the Superintendent or his/her designee to develop a plan to maintain these standards and performance objectives set by the Board of Education.

Date: April 14, 1986
October 29, 2001 First Reading
November 19, 2001 Approved

Legal References:
N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-2 Boards of education; establishment of standards
N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-1 through -34 Comprehensive Education Improvement and Financing Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:33-1 District to furnish suitable facilities; adoption of courses of study
N.J.A.C. 6:8-1.1 Words and terms defined
N.J.A.C. 6:8-2.1 Reporting requirements
N.J.A.C. 6:8-2.2 School-level planning
N.J.A.C. 6:11-13.1 et seq. Required Professional Development for Teachers
N.J.A.C. 6:19-1.1 et seq. Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Program
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-1.1 et seq. Standards and Assessment
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-1.2 through -1.3, -2.1, -4.4
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1 et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts
Manual for the Evaluation of Local School Districts (August 2000)
P.L. 103-227, GOALS 2000: Educate America Act (Pro-Children Act of 1994)

Cross References:
1100 Communicating with the public
1120 Board of education meetings
1230 School-connected organizations
1600 Relations between other entities and the district
2131 Superintendents
2240 Research, evaluation and planning
3542 Food service
4010 Goals and objectives
4111 Recruitment, selection and hiring
4116 Evaluation
4131/4131.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
4211 Recruitment, selection and hiring
4231/4231.1 Staff development; inservice education/visitations/conferences
5113 Absences and excuses
5120 Assessment of individual needs
5124 Reporting to parents/guardians
6000 Concepts and roles in instruction
6011 Thorough and efficient/QEA
6140 Curriculum adoption
6141 Curriculum design/development
6142 Subject fields
6145 Extracurricular activities
6147 Standards of proficiency
6152 Grouping
6156 Instructional planning/scheduling
6160 Instructional services and resources
6162.4 Community resources
6164.2 Guidance services
6164.4 Child study team
6171.1 Remedial instruction
6171.2 Gifted and talented
6171.4 Special education
6300 Evaluation of the instructional program
 

Morris School District | 31 Hazel Street | Morristown, New Jersey | Phone: 973-292-2300
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