A new vision and mission for Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) seeks to foster unity, excellence and inclusiveness and overcome perceptions of the school system.

Division Superintendent Dr. Barbara Johnson discussed the vision and mission during its Sept. 6 school board meeting.

The vision will be “United in Excellence,” Johnson said during the meeting.

The division’s mission states that “we are an inclusive, student-centered community focused on inspiring confident, knowledgeable and productive citizens who are empowered to lead.”

Johnson said the vision and mission were developed after a year-long series of forums where students, community members and staff were encouraged to provide input about the school system, its goals, merits and ways to improve. The meetings were hosted in part by Virginia marketing agency Dave Iwans & Associates Inc. (DIA).

Johnson said during the meeting she estimates speaking with approximately 80 people who participated in focus groups among others over the year to establish the new goals.

“I’m proud because we used community resources to get here,” Johnson said regarding the school division establishing the vision and mission.

She said while the mission statement is unique to other missions from school systems, she noted that PECPS’ history — particularly during the five years county leaders closed public schools in opposition of integration — presents challenges PECPS is seeking to overcome.

Johnson said the division and its students are more than up to the challenge.

She said the division is also working to address concerns brought by parents and community members, noting a lack of communication or opportunities for participation for the community. Johnson said work is underway to reach all of the communities across Prince Edward County using social media and flyers. Jennifer Kinne was recently hired by PECPS as its family and community engagement liaison.

“We want all of our communities to feel as though they are part of our school,” Johnson said.

One of the most difficult aspects of establishing the mission, Johnson said, was hearing the perception of PECPS from community members and students, particularly that the school system lacks discipline and is seen as holding a lesser standard for its students than surrounding counties’ school systems.

“I don’t say that,” Johnson said. “I think we’re fabulous, but there are things we can do to improve.”

Johnson said she noticed students would sometimes not look her in the eye when she spoke to them. Johnson said she wants to inspire confidence and pride not only in students, but members of the community as well.

“That hurts my heart,” Johnson said about a lack of confidence she saw in some students. “Students specifically did not feel they had a voice.”

She said efforts are underway to give more opportunities for students to be involved within the schools. She said students came together to organize a Relay for Life fundraiser in April. The event raised more than $5,300 for cancer research, exceeding its initial goal of $5,000.

Struggles to meet accreditation were also addressed during the forums, Johnson said. She said while inspiring confidence was important, the goal would be to provide the best education for the students.

“(We’re) not there to make them feel good,” Johnson said. “I have the belief if we educate them, everything else will follow … If you have that sense of knowledge, confidence, you can excel at where you are.”

Programs to aid students with greater learning needs and to lessen discrepancies in Standards of Learning (SOL) testing scores, particularly between white students and students of color, were discussed during the meeting.

She urged staff and teachers to instill excellence in students by their own work.

“We can’t be satisfied with just getting by,” Johnson said.

Board Vice Chairman Beulah Womack noted the vision and mission points to important developments occurring in the school system.

“We are — in this district — united in excellence,” Womack said, noting the school board shares the school system’s goals. “It’s our vision as well.”

Members of the school board voted to support the new vision and mission following the discussion.