"I'm putting a man on the moon."

PCMS has a great opportunity today as we start the school year with an all staff welcome back get together.  You will not see 58 slides of data and the same information which has been gone over and our teachers understand.  Instead, we will be having a renewal and rejuvenation of our mission at PCMS.  As seen from the last post, we as a staff have been continuing to define what makes PCMS special...because you can FEEL it in our building.  As we discuss and work together today to look for, and celebrate, lollipop moments, we will be striving to connect individuals and relationships for the betterment of everyone.  There is a lot of work which needs to go into creating and sustaining a unified mission and motto, and we want everyone to keep the following story in front of them as we strive to do something special each and every day at our job.

"Virtually all organizations have a mission statement which is supposed to give direction to everything that happens in the organization.  There's the often repeated story of a dignitary visiting what was then the Kennedy Space Center.  As he entered the front lobby early in the morning, he met a janitor who was mopping the floor.  The dignitary asked the man what he did here at the Space Center.  The man replied, "I'm putting a man on the moon." (Leadership the Art of Empowering, p. 101)

At PCMS...what is our "I'm putting a man on the moon."

The Journey is the Reward!

Stay tuned...

Pulaski Community Middle School - Our Foundation

OUR JOURNEY...

We stand on the shoulders of giants which came before us, and we are privileged to represent PCMS as staff and community members.  This summer a group of educators from PCMS came together at 3D time and renewed our foundation as a group of 12 current staff members.  What we have created is a work in progress, and during this upcoming 2013-14 school year, we will continue to work on building and defining our foundational pieces.  Through discussions of "best" and "next" practices, we decided that four main characteristics set the foundation for what makes PCMS special.  The following is a first draft of thoughts and ideas which were discussed, so the conversation can continue to develop.  We hope that you add to our discussion and embrace the strengths that each of us brings to the table.  The journey is the reward...

PCSD Mission: Tradition, Pride, Excellence

The mission of the Pulaski Community School District is to use a child-centered approach; ensure the learning and growth of each child; provide a safe environment; create a partnership of learners, staff, families and community members; hire and develop a highly qualified staff; hold high expectations for all; and deliver a quality curriculum.

PCMS Foundation: Individuals, Learning, Growth, Relationships

At the Pulaski Community Middle School we hold dear our relationships, development of individuals, learning, and growth as our foundation.  Our foundation needs to be embedded in the decisions we make, actions that we take, and our daily interactions with people in order to become a cohesive Pulaski Community Middle School family.  We encourage and embrace the unique aspects of the Pulaski community, and we strive to make the connections of what occurs at Pulaski Community Middle School and the greater strengths of our broader community. We define each characteristic as it relates to our school below...

Individuals:

• We believe in the strengths that each individual brings to our environment.
• We believe in the development of the whole person.
• We believe in the physical, social and emotional wellness of all individuals.

Learning:

• We believe in the importance of providing a safe, high-quality, and personalized learning experience.
• We believe in the integration of real world experiences and partnerships.
• We believe that reflection on our experiences and actions creates knowledge.

Growth:

• We believe that we are here to help each other grow, and we all have assets to share.
• We believe that growth should be celebrated as we accomplish our goals, while enjoying the journey.
• We believe in meeting each individual where they are at and providing opportunities to move forward.

Relationships: 

• We believe people learn by discussion, actively participating, sharing, and working with each other - the social dimension of learning.
• We believe it is everyone’s job to help everyone else succeed.
• We believe in supporting an atmosphere that utilizes collaboration and conversation to foster innovative thinking.