Question of the Week
Dr. Haas,
I’ve been reflecting on our mission statement about “ending the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities,” and I’ve wondered something sincerely: Why do we have a mission that is so specific when many other school systems seem to use more general mission statements?
Albemarle is already a good school system, so what led us to choose a mission like this?
Thank you for considering this question.
Thank you for this thoughtful question. I appreciate how sincerely it is asked, and I am grateful any time a staff member pauses to reflect on why we do what we do.
I want to be open in saying that the mission we adopted, ending the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities, was not chosen lightly. It represents a level of honesty about our school division that can feel uncomfortable to name. In 2022, when the School Board approved our strategic plan, Learning for All, they made an intentional choice to articulate a mission that did not allow us to hide behind averages or rest on being a “good” school system. They insisted that we name the work directly and be accountable for it.
That decision came from a recognition that, alongside our real strengths, we also have long-standing gaps in student outcomes, gaps that exist across the system as a whole and within each and every one of our schools, and that are more pronounced here than in most school systems and individual schools in Virginia. When we look closely at student performance across race, income, language, and disability, we see patterns that must not be ignored. A mission statement that simply celebrated our overall performance would have been easier, but it would not have been honest.
So when we say this mission out loud, it is a self-reflective acknowledgment that we can be both proud of the system we are and aware that not every student experiences it the same way. It recognizes that being good overall does not mean we are good for every child. And it acknowledges that, if we have the resources, talent, and community support that other divisions wish they had, then we also have the responsibility to use those advantages to ensure every student learns at high levels.
In many ways, we are still learning how to do this well. We are bringing on evidence-based resources and professional learning, aligning curricula, improving coherence, measuring our progress with more clarity than ever, and providing targeted support where it is needed most. But this phase of work requires persistence and humility. It requires us to look at our data honestly, to keep expectations high even when it is hard, and to stay committed to each student's success at the school and classroom level without lowering the bar.
Our mission points to what we must do daily: hold high expectations for every learner and surround students with the encouragement, relationships, and instructional support they need to meet those expectations. When we do that, we create opportunities for students to feel successful, capable, and proud of their learning.
So I would ask each of us to reflect on something honest and straightforward:
What is one thing we have done in the last 48 hours to encourage a student not by lowering expectations, but by maintaining them and helping the student see that they can meet the standard with persistence and hard work?
Our kids and our ACPS staff are capable and deserve to feel demanded, supported, valued, and uplifted in this work. They deserve learning environments where high expectations are paired with encouragement and belief. Every time we hold those expectations and wrap them in care, we move closer to the future our mission describes.
Thank you for the heart and professionalism you bring to this work every day.