1. Merit Mission Statement

2. Outcome By the end of the meeting, MLC staff will utilize a framework for developing a mission statement that assesses the extent to which our current mission statement is aligned with the service that we provide to students and our sending schools.

3. Agenda Placemat Consensus Activity & Discussion of our findings Identify the parts of a mission statement Each group will construct a mission statement Evaluate group’s statement

4. Current Reality Merit Learning Center – full-time/dual enrollment placement Merit on the Move – credit recovery program Summer School GED

5. Placemat Consensus Break up into 4 groups Compare your responses on the Mission Statement Worksheet Bud/Nicole/Stephanie H Stephenie/James/Matt Sarah/Nancy/Jacob Carrie/Carl/Julie

6. Parts of a Mission Statement Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

7. Example Mission Statement Our mission to eliminate homelessness by providing job training to homeless individuals in the State of Rhode Island

8. Example Mission Statement Provide educational services that allow all children to experience learning success and become life-long learning and contributing members of our community.

9. Your Turn In your group, construct a mission statement for Merit Learning Center that utilizes the 4 parts of a mission statement Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

10. Group One Increasing the educational success of all students through innovative learning services in a nontraditional ( Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

11. Group Two The mission of Merit Learning Center is to provide an alternative educational environment in which non- traditional students can experience academic and personal success. Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

12. Group Three To allow students to earn a high School Diploma by providing an alternative environment which supports and develops students’ intellectual and social abilities while meeting the ever-changing needs of the sending schools and the broader community. Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

13. Group Four Providing alternative educational solutions to ensure all students achieve their academic goals and become self- reliant members of our community. Describe what we do Describe how we do it Add why Can be put into action

14. Evaluation our Statements Directions: Use the following questions to evaluate the effectiveness of your draft mission statement: Does our mission statement contain all of the parts? Could someone reading our mission statement recognize that it is our organization’s mission statement and not another organization? Is the mission statement forward-thinking? Could it stand up overtime? Does the mission statement help us make decisions about its priorities, actions, and responsibilities?

15. Increasing the educational success of all students through innovative learning solutions

16. Increasing educational and personal success of all students in the broader community through innovative learning services in a non-traditional setting.

17. Merit Learning Center serves the broader community by providing innovative learning services in a non-traditional setting in which all students can experience academic and personal success.

18. through innovate learning solutions. Serving the broader community by providing innovative educational solutions to all students in an effort to nurture their academic and personal success.

19. We exist to serve schools and the broader community by increasing the educational success of students through nontraditional innovative learning solutions.