Core Purpose

Our mission is to inspire joy and passion for lifelong learning and provide the knowledge, skills,  and dispositions that empower our learners to thrive in a world where change is constant.

Our Vision of Students and Learning

EYSD is a school district in which students are motivated by a love and appreciation for learning. Students build “Eastern pride” as they successfully apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills to “real world” applications — in classrooms, in community and business settings, and in collaboration with virtual communities. EYSD students treat learning as their work and their classrooms as their workplaces. They take responsibility for their learning, support each other as learners, seek feedback about their progress and use it to refocus their efforts.

Our Vision of Teachers and Instruction

In EYSD, teaching is enthusiastic, passionate and engaging. EYSD teachers know their students and provide clear learning goals to them. EYSD teachers also know their content and their craft. They collaboratively create and follow an effective curriculum and reflect together on their effectiveness. Teachers administer assessments that produce data about student progress, then revise lesson plans and differentiate instruction in accordance with the data that they analyze.

Our Vision of Student Support

Our students are supported in their learning by their families, their schools, and their community. The district coordinates a system of supports to student learning that builds on a foundation of guidance and career counseling and a comprehensive array of co-curricular activities. The support system includes extended (before/after-hours) learning opportunities, use of community-based partnerships, mentoring, and technology-based resources. The district acts as catalyst and coordinator of access to such resources, drawing on the whole EYSD community to help each student to achieve his or her individual educational goals.

Our Vision of Technology-Enhanced Education

In EYSD, students are using information and communications technologies are seen as essential learning tools. Teachers challenge, inspire and intrigue students with lessons that bring the whole world and its resources into the classroom and technology support. Parents and families interact with their children’s schools and teachers with the help of technology systems. Teachers learn from experts and share insights with each other through technology-facilitated communications.

Our Vision of Continued Professional Development and Continuous Program Improvement

In EYSD, we seek continuously to improve our programs and to develop ourselves as professionals. New staff is welcomed into systems of support and assistance as they become part of the EYSD educational community. EYSD staff participates in diverse professional development processes such as professional learning communities, study groups, lesson fairs, visits to local business and industry, summer academies, as well as traditional classroom-based learning. Staff enjoys opportunities for reflection, coaching and peer support as they revise lessons and practice new skills in their classrooms and work assignments. In the course of their work, they reflect together on student work and data indicating the effectiveness of their instruction. They have access to experts who help to address educational issues that emerge in the course of educating our students.