The Value of Core Values

Recently, the Selma City Schools Board of Education approved a robust five-year strategic plan titled The Framework for Excellence.  This plan will serve as our roadmap for improving the city schools.  While there is much work to be done, we remain optimistic and ready to dive into this important work.  Each week, I will give updates, share challenges and celebrations as we embark on this exciting journey to rebrand our district and provide an optimal education for our students.

Approved as part of the strategic plan,  our new Core Values are Students First, Excellence, Teamwork, Joy and Integrity.  Core Values are the guiding principles that dictate the behavior and expectations within our organization.  In other words, these values will define how we do school each day.  Let’s dig a little deeper into the meaning of each.

Students First means that we make decision fully aware of how they impact our students.  In doing so, we will also include students in the process of making decisions.  An example of this is our new STEAM Academy to open at R.B. Hudson Middle School.  STEAM is science, technology, engineering, arts and math.  As we plan the curriculum and activities for this innovative program, we will ask our students what they want and get a clear understanding of their interests and needs.

Through Excellence, we work diligently and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes.  Our students deserve this in every classroom, every school, every day.  Excellence has to be intentional.  I will often ask members of Team Selma, what does Excellence look like in their work.  I end my emails with a simple charge, Be Excellent.

Our greatest asset is our collective vision and our ability to work collaboratively.  Teamwork is a must.  This includes not only with our school district but also our parents, higher education partners, faith-based and non-profits and all members of the larger community.  We are stronger together.

Although all of these values work together, Joy is a personal favorite.  We enjoy our work and celebrate successes along the way.  Earlier this year we began our Aim for Excellence Awards.  It’s a simple way to catch our team performing at a level of Excellence and then celebrating them to bring a little Joy to their day.

Finally, we must always work with Integrity.  As public servants, we are also role models for our students.  We must perform our work honestly and with strong ethical principles.

Implementing our new strategic plan to include these Core Values will drive our district to a new level of success.  It’s an exciting time to be apart of Team Selma.  Please reach out to me if you want to be a part of the process as we begin the implementation of our Framework for Excellence.

avis.williams@selmacityschools.com