AAPS Strategic Plan
2007 - 2012
Honoring our past, planning for our future today...
The Ann Arbor Public Schools district is engaged in a process which honors our long history as an excellent public schools system but also acknowledges that we must act now to strengthen the educational experience for every student. A thirty-two member Strategic Planning Team representing parents, students, teachers, administrators, trustees, and community members drafted the Strategic Plan. It is a plan that includes beliefs, a mission, objectives, and strategies. Specific Action Plans, designed to achieve the strategies identified, have now been completed by the Action Teams. These Action Teams also combined the knowledge and experience of staff, students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members.
Unanimously approved by the Board of Education, implementation of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Strategic Plan is now underway. We welcome further participation in the Strategic Plan during the implementation phase. Please contact Liz Margolis (
margolis@aaps.k12.mi.us) or call (734) 994-2236 if you would like more information and to become involved in the AAPS Strategic Plan process.
Mission
The mission of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, a world-class system of innovative teaching and learning, is to ensure each student realizes his or her aspirations while advancing the common good through a community dynamic distinguished by:
- Personalized learning that is curiosity driven, student directed, teacher inspired
- Challenging and provocative curriculum
- Individualized and group creative expression
- The nurturing of the human spirit
- Culturally congruent instruction
- Forging alliances with families and communities
Strategies
Bold resolutions that dedicate the organization’s resources and energies toward the continuous creation of systems to achieve the extraordinary as expressed in the mission and objectives.
- We will create a complete educational program featuring personalized learning that realizes student aspirations and meets international standards.
- We will develop and implement a personalized learning plan for each student.
- We will actualize the potential for excellence in all students through inspiration and support.
- We will ensure meaningful learning through effective teaching.
- We will implement a system to ensure continuous development of staff capacity.
- We will inform and engender trust and support from our constituents to accomplish our mission and objectives.
- We will create and maintain physical learning environments that enable us to fulfill our mission.
- We will ensure resources adequate to accomplish our mission and objectives.
Objectives
An uncompromising commitment to achieve specific, measurable, observable, or demonstrable results that exceed its present capability.
- 100% of Ann Arbor Public School students will exceed international standards in achievement.
- Each student progressively achieves his/her personalized educational goals.
- Students have and demonstrate concern for self and others.
- Each student is a positive contributor to his/her community.
- All students are accomplished in their lifelong pursuits.
Beliefs
An expression of fundamental values: ethical code, overriding convictions, inviolable principles.
We believe that...
…heritage shapes individual identity.
…all people have the right to learn without limits.
…a person’s achievement can not be predetermined.
…we are strongest when working together.
…everyone can make a valuable contribution to society.
…environmental stewardship is our moral obligation.
…the dignity of each person deserves respect.
…racism is destructive.
…communication leads to understanding, understanding fosters relationships, and community is built on those relationships.
…we first create in ourselves what we seek to create in the world.
…all people deserve to live in a healthy, safe environment.
…diversity enriches a community.
…individual potential deserves fulfillment.
…all people have the innate desire for creative expression.
Parameters
Boundaries within which the organization will accomplish its mission; self-imposed limitations.
- We will make all decisions and take all actions based strictly on the best interest of the student.
- We will not tolerate prejudice by anyone.
- We will not accept ineffective performance.
- We will not compromise excellence.
- We will ensure the safety and security of all those in the district.
- We will not engage in anything that does not support our primary-secondary educational programs.
Download a one page version of the Mission, Objectives, Beliefs and Parameters
(413 kb PDF).
Download a multi-page version of the Strategic Plan
(1.5mb PDF)