South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

New five-year plan sets Lindbergh’s direction

A Comprehensive School Improvement Plan recently was adopted by the Lindbergh Board of Education that will set the direction the district will take for the next five years.

By the fall of 2006, the district seeks to significantly improve student performance and to significantly improve the district’s character education initiative, according to the plan.

The process began last fall when the district examined state models for CSIP and created a committee to review the Lindbergh belief, vision and mission statements. The Board of Education adopted the district’s new mission statement: “To develop competent and caring graduates through exceptional programs and services,” and had reaffirmed belief and vision statements last December.

“These documents are important in setting the stage for our CSIP discussions,” Assistant Superintendent for Personnel Rick Francis explained in a district news release. “Our mission guides everything we do and every decision we make, and clearly sets the focus of the district on student performance and student character. It is a critical piece in developing a strategic plan for the next five years.”

Superintendent Jim Sandfort stated, “We not only seek to graduate students who are good ‘at’ something, but students who are good ‘for’ something.

“We have always had a focus on learning, but the revised mission statement more clearly brings that purpose into focus and combines it with an increased emphasis on character. Much of what has gone into the discussion and planning centers on the idea of service, giving back to the community, and caring about others.”

Thirteen committees — comprised of community residents and district employees — were established to examine strategic issues facing the district. They reviewed everything from facilities and safety to academic performance and finances. They examined the libraries, Lindbergh’s Missouri School Improvement Plan review, and federal and state programs.

“Our goal was to have them identify strategic issues that would make up Lindbergh’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan,” Francis said.

The committees brought forward 130 issues, grouped into six strategic areas: student performance, staff, finance, technology, facilities and safety. The strategic issues were further studied to develop goals and strategies, and by fall 2006, the district seeks to significantly improve student performance and to significantly im-prove its character education initiative.

Board President Larry McIntosh stated, “The work of these 200 citizens and staff members reaffirms the efforts of the Board of Education to focus on these important areas. I find it gratifying that the committee identified the need for facility and safety improvements at the same time the Board placed Proposition 4 before the voters to improve safety and facilities at each school.

“Doing good and not just doing well are important to the Lindbergh community. That’s what makes the mission statement and the CSIP a perfect fit for the Lindbergh School District,” the board president continued. We have tremendous community outreach programs. Our student groups perform in the community, sponsor food and clothing drives, hold events to collect money for a wide variety of charities, and have made a commitment to ‘give back.’ We want to let the community know that these efforts are very much a part of our mission and strategic plan. Academic achievement and character education are integral in providing a quality education experience to each Lindbergh student.”

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