Marblehead board seeks message for schools

MARBLEHEAD – The Marblehead schools have a mission – and School Committee members are looking for a new way to put that mission into words.One of the projects the committee members undertook at their retreat was the discussion of a mission statement for the schools. The discussion ended without a clearcut choice.”We do not have a final statement,” Committee Chair Amy Drinker said. “Each (committee member) is considering the discussions to date and will send me their versions so that they can be distributed in the next School Committee packet for discussion at our first meeting in September.”Drinker and new committee member Richard Nohelty, a financial planner, researched corporate mission statements and came up with a variety of approaches which they shared with the committee in a two-page report.They even quoted Marblehead’s 2006 superintendent search brochure, in which the search committee called upon the town’s next superintendent to “unite the district through an articulated vision of education in the 21st Century.”The brochure also stated, “In keeping with Marblehead’s historic tradition of leading by example, we will forge a partnership between our community and our schools that demands the highest standards of personal and social responsibility, a rigorous education that challenges all students, and an innovative curriculum that fosters critical thinking, creativity and self-discipline.”On the other hand, industry likes to keep things simple.Merck, a pharmaceutical giant, wants “To preserve and improve human life.” Walt Disney, one of America’s largest entertainment companies, wants “To make people happy.”As Nohelty and Drinker pointed out, both those one-liners are backed by a set of corporate values.Merck stresses corporate social responsibility, excellence and profit from work that benefits humanity. Disney underscores “wholesome American values” and fanatical attention to detail and bars cynicism.How will Marblehead’s mission be envisioned? We should know in September.