Beliefs/Mission

PHILOSOPHY - HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL

The staff of Hastings High School believes it is our purpose to take a leadership role in educating young people within Hastings to become useful, functioning members of society. We believe it is our purpose to aid students in acquiring the discipline, motivation, and self-esteem to fit into the world beyond high school.

We believe that students’ emotional, social, and personal needs are important. We also believe that our first responsibility is to help the individual student master the skills, concepts, ideas, and knowledge the curriculum is designed to provide.

We believe it is important to emphasize basic skills such as the ability to read, listen, comprehend and interpret written materials; use reason to solve problems; and understand and apply basic mathematics.

We believe the school should encourage students to adopt healthy lifestyles through the physical education and health education programs.

We believe students must have the confidence to understand how things work, a confidence built by the teaching of technological skills, and the scientific principles underlying them; then, the students must be provided with the opportunity to be successful.

We believe students must be acquainted with career and academic options to develop the social skills necessary to interact with others in both educational and vocational environments.

We believe the school should help develop a sense of belonging and leadership experience through participation in student government, athletics, recreational programs, community service, and academic organizations.

We believe these goals will be achieved successfully when school, home and community work together to encourage personal qualities of self-discipline, the ability to set and reach goals, and the maturity to accept responsibility for self and others.

STATEMENT OF MISSION - HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL

The philosophy of Hastings High School is to use the academic and extra-curricular programs, the diversity and strengths of a talented and dedicated staff, and the support of parents and community organizations to foster intellectual skills, the social confidence, and the sense of self-worth necessary to become contributing members of society.

We feel it is important to emphasize basic skills such as the ability to read, listen, comprehend and interpret written materials; use reason to solve problems; and understand and apply basic mathematics.

We must instill in students the confidence to understand how things work, a confidence built by the teaching of technological skills and the scientific principles underlying them.

We must acquaint students with career and academic options and help them develop the social skills necessary to interact with others in both educational, vocational, and job environments.

The school must help shape an awareness of the social responsibilities required of all citizens, for we must share a sense of obligation to community, country and world. Knowledge of a foreign language and studies of our democratic society will help reinforce this attitude.

Finally, the school should help develop a sense of belonging and leadership experience through encouraging involvement in student government, fine arts, recreational and athletic programs and service and academic organizations.

All these goals will be achieved successfully when school, home and community work together to encourage personal qualities and self-discipline, the ability to set and reach goals and the maturity to accept responsibility for self and others.