Our Mission:

We inspire and equip students to be lifelong learners and positive contributors to the world.

---

Our Shared Vision:

The Dripping Springs ISD shared vision represents the ideal educational environment. This vision was formulated November 25, 2002 but some fifty participants including school board members, administrators, teachers, district support staff, students, parents, business representatives, and community members. This vision, which will be reviewed annually, will provide the foundation for the mission statement, district goals, and the portrait of a graduate and will drive school improvement efforts over time.

Our Students:

• are informed, responsible, positive contributors to their local, national, and global communities.
• have a vision for the future and have acquired the tools, knowledge, and skills to pursue their dreams and realize their goals.
• respect themselves and others, embrace diversity, and clearly and confidently voice opinions and ideas.
• engage in life-long learning with a willingness to take risks, learn from experiences, and persevere.
• balance their lives physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.
• are of strong moral and ethical character that is demonstrated in their daily lives.
• are positive role models who support and encourage their peers and others.

Our Homes, Campuses, Classrooms:

• base instructional decisions on educational research while supporting innovation.
• support a school size and staffing ratio that maximizes instruction, nurtures relationships, and encourages a love of learning.
• endorse a broad-based curriculum that includes an appreciation for and respect of diversity.
• define and support a curriculum that balances humanities with math, science, and technology.
• provides safe and secure environments for students and staff.
• provide a structured learning environment while giving students the freedom to problem solve, make informed decisions, and take risks.
• are engaged in reciprocal learning relationships among students, businesses, and the community.

Community and District:

• lead the efforts to implement reforms in state educational funding.
• are creative and resourceful in identifying and pursuing additional financial and human support for school programs.
• aspire to excellence.
• are dedicated and passionate about fostering dialog between one another.
• utilize technology to link businesses, parents, students, and staff.
• participate in an independent, synchronized network of organizations, groups, and social services to support students and families.
• provide opportunities for reciprocal learning relationships among businesses, community, staff, and students.
• support, value, and reward quality staff.

---

Critical Strand Belief Statements

Curriculum- We believe curriculum must maximize student potential by providing optimum learning experiences

Personnel- We believe that effective, student-centered personnel provide successful learning opportunities

Community- We believe that Dripping Springs values a shared responsibility for learning

Safety- We believe people who feel safe perform better

Facility- We believe the community must commit to provide for the education of its children

Financial Resources- We believe that we must allocate and efficiently manage available financial resources to support student achievement

---

Our Goals:

Curriculum-

• To ensure that all students, including special populations, will demonstrate exemplary academic performance.

• To provide a rigorous curricular and instructional program that maximizes student potential for future success.

Personnel

• To attract effective, highly qualified, student-centered personnel.

• To retain effective and highly qualified personnel.

• To provide a supportive, professional, positive, and motivating work environment for all district staff.

Community

• To maintain a nurturing environment and to offer programs and intiiatives that are conductive to learning and consistent with the goals and idealsof the Dripping Springs community.

• To pro-actively implement programs that address evolving community needs as local demographics change.

• To act as an effective community partner by offering opportunities for service and by encouraging interaction, involvement and input.

Safety

• To provide a total environment that is conducive to learning, emotionally and physically safe, and drug free.

Facility

• To provide safe, sufficient, energy-efficient facilities that supports the educational needs of all students.

• To utilize stakeholders input and data projections for growth in order to prepare for future facility needs.

Financial Resources

• To allocate available financial resources through an equitable process that promotes student achievement.

• To improve the overall financial condition of the district through effective plannning and efficient management of the budget.

---