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Board adopts new vision and mission statements after extended debate on wording
Summary
The Little Rock School District board adopted a concise vision — 'A lifelong love of learning in every student' — and a mission emphasizing student success achieved by teaching, family partnerships and community trust. Board members debated grammar and punctuation before approving final mission wording with semicolons separating the clauses.
The Little Rock School District Board of Education adopted a new vision and mission statement on Jan. 30. The board approved “A lifelong love of learning in every student” as its vision, and adopted a mission that the board finalized after extended discussion over phrasing and punctuation.
The mission approved by the board reads: “Our mission is student success achieved by empowered, supported, and inspired teaching; engaged and barrier free partnerships with families; and well earned community trust.” Board members spent substantial time on the wording, debating whether to include the phrase “engaged and barrier free” and whether to separate the three clauses with semicolons for clarity.
Board members said the mission language was influenced by staff input; several speakers noted that “barrier free partnerships with families” and “well earned community trust” were priorities for district staff and stakeholders.
The board approved vision option 1 and ultimately adopted the mission after amendments and parliamentary motions to adjust punctuation. Votes were taken by voice; the transcript records the motions, seconds, and chair declarations that each motion carried, but not a roll-call tally by individual board member names.
Why it matters: Vision and mission statements articulate the board’s public priorities and guide district strategy and public messaging. The board’s emphasis on family partnerships and earned trust signals priorities for communication and community engagement going forward.
Implementation notes: Administration indicated it will fold the new vision and mission into district materials and communications and return with related implementation steps when appropriate.
