C I N DY W I E L A N D

SCHUYLER KASEE
K I M C O DY
WA F A A L S U G H AY I R

Final Vision Project

Fundamentals class
November 4th

VISION STATEMENT
vOur primary goal remains providing wellrounded and rigorous curriculum, safe and clean
schools and highly competitive extra-curricular
programming to best position our students for
success.

MISSION STATEMENT
v We, the Louisville City Schools, believe that all students can learn. We
believe that our purpose is to discover and develop to the fullest extent
the potential of every child. The emphasis of this purpose is for the
student to become a lifelong learner and a positive contributing member
of our society.
v The achievement of this philosophy is dependent upon the student
with the collaboration of the family, church, business, community, and
school.

VISION TEAM MEMBERS

Jason Greathouse, Principal of Louisville
Middle School
Karen Andrews, Intervention Specialist,
Louisville Middle School
Colleen Zellers, Post Office Desk
Employee and Parent of Student at High
School

C O MMO N BELIEF SURVEY

v Questions that were asked:
v Do you think of your students in terms of race or ethnicity?
v Do you feel the gap in achievement is because of poverty, not
race?
v Should teachers adapt their instructional practice to cultures other
than American?

QUESTIO NS CONTINU ED
v Do you feel the lack of parental support undermines your
teaching?
v Is it fair to ask students who English is their second language to do
more challenging work?
v Is it more important to build self esteem or get good grades?
v Do you give assignments based on ability so that students do not
get too frustrated?

QUESTIO NS CONTINU ED
v Do you believe students of different races and backgrounds have different styles
of learning and teaching should match those styles?
v Do you think grouping students by ability level can have a negative impact on
higher level students?
v Do you feel students need to have the basic concepts prior to engaging in
complex learning tools?
v Focusing on race and ethnic backgrounds takes away from my teaching?
v Do you feel talking to your peers about race would cause trouble?

OVERVIEW O F SURVEY
RESPO NSES
v The majority of the staff surveyed fell into the neither agree nor
disagree category.
v 31-63% indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed with the
questions asked.
v 22-66% indicated that they disagreed with the questions asked.

ANALYSIS O F RESPO NSES

STRO NGLY AGREE
v 45% of the staff surveyed strongly agreed with being color blind and
not seeing race or ethnicity in their students.
v 37% of those surveyed strongly agreed that achievement results were
because of poverty not because of race.
v 42% of those surveyed felt that as teachers they are undermined by
the families with regard to the lack of parental support at home.
v 43% of those surveyed strongly agreed that students need to have to
basic content knowledge prior to more challenging work.

DISAGREE
v 22% of those surveyed disagreed that teachers should modify their instructional
practices based on ethnicity or race of their students.
v 41% of those surveyed disagreed that in their practice they shy away from calling on
students who are of different backgrounds for fear of embarrassment.
v 23% of those surveyed disagreed that grouping students would have a negative
impact on higher level students.
v 41% of those surveyed disagreed that taking into account cultural background takes
time away from their teaching.
v 66% of those surveyed disagreed that discussing race would colleagues would be a
problem.

REFLECT ON RESPONSES
v It is interesting that the staff responded the way that they did considering there
is very limited diversity in this district.
v It is difficult to understand how an educated person can respond to such
questions with neither agree nor disagree.
v With 45% agreeing that they do not see color in students, indicates that they do
not value the culture of their students, unless of course, they are all White.
v The trend in responses seems to be very safe and answered with political
correctness.