Every child has different academic drive, capability, and potential.  And our schools must bring out the best in each and provide all of the opportunities needed for each child to learn and grow academically.

When students graduate from Unionville high school, each and every young adult should be well-prepared for their next step.  Whether moving on to college or entering the work force, our graduates should be sought after for their knowledge, their skills, and their character.

Strong academic preparation must be at the core our schools.  Almost all UHS graduates (98%) go on to college, so rigorous academic preparation will benefit every child.

And recognizing that every student is different, our academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular offerings should provide multiple pathways to excellence, whether it is in STEM, the Arts, or in vocational training.

Readiness for college and the workplace goes beyond academic knowledge.  It also means our students must develop skills that are valued in the 21^st century economy.   These skills include teamwork, innovation, creativity, self-confidence, critical thinking, and the ability to use technology to solve problems.   We must complement our academic training with skill-building so that kids are not only book smart, but also start to develop the 21^st century skills they will need in the marketplace.

Students must also develop into good citizens, who live out the values of our community:  honesty, compassion, persistence, patriotism, and virtue, to name a few.   We must produce not only talented kids, but citizens who will contribute to the greater good of their own future community.

Our students will compete competing for college admission, employment, and graduate school with applicants from around the world.  Half of all graduate students in science, engineering and health are now foreign-born, so the UCF education must be world class!

Measures of Success:  All students need to grow academically, whether they are at the top of the class, need special education support, or are in the middle of the pack.   While measures of student achievement are important, we need additional focus on academic growth.  How much learning is achieved in one year compared to the standards?  In World Class schools, students grow faster and learn more in a year than standards require.  And they reach higher levels of achievement.