This document outlines the vision, mission, and goals for 21st century skills integration at Martinez Messiah School in New Jersey. The vision is to equip students with global knowledge and skills to succeed in a changing world. The mission is to engage students in real-world problem solving using tools they will encounter. Some goals are to teach 21st century skills through best practices and partnerships with local businesses, incorporate these skills into core subjects, and develop students' critical thinking, creativity, communication, technology, and life skills through professional development and increased community involvement.

1. EDUC 6234: Site Based Leadership K-12
George Washington University
Internship Assignment #2

2. Field Mentors
Supervisor of Pupil Personnel & Supervisor of
Child Study Team
Principal
Martinez Messiah School
New Jersey

3. Vision Statement
Understanding the importance of a global society in the 21st
century, Martinez Messiah School staff will work together with
parents, students, and members of the community in order to
equip all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to
compete and excel in this ever changing world.
Principal(personal communication, November 17, 2011)
Director of Pupil Personnel(personal communication, November 17, 2011)

4. Mission Statement
Our mission at Martinez Messiah School is to
actively engage students in real-world problem-
solving, using tools and systems that they are
likely to encounter in future academic settings and
beyond.
Principal(personal communication, November 17, 2011)
Supervisor of Pupil Personnel(personal communication, November
17, 2011)

5. Meeting Our Vision
- We must teach and promote the skills our students need, utilizing best
practices, and
then allow students the opportunity to practice these skills in meaningful
contexts.
- We must create partnerships with local businesses and our community at-
large.

6. Although the core content
areas remain as the
cornerstone of 21st
century education we
21st Century must move beyond
teaching our content
Skills from a narrow
Learning and Innovation perspective.
Information, Media, and We need to incorporate the
Technology teaching of 21st century
skills into our content
Life and Career areas so that our
students will see how
they are connected.

7. Learning and Innovation
Skills
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- compare evidence, evaluate competing claims, and make
sensible decisions
- move away from traditional thoughts of problem solving as one
skill towards one that thinks of problem solving as a set of skills
Creativity and Innovation
- grows from freedom, friction, and diversity (WE must not
STIFLE creativity)
- encourage students to learn in new and different ways

8. Learning and Innovation Skills
(cont.)
Communication and Collaboration
- oral and written modes of communication
- work with diverse teams
- make compromises
- shared responsibility

9. Information, Media, and Technology
Skills
Information Literacy
- Digital Natives
- access, evaluate, and effectively use data
Media Literacy
- awareness, analysis, reflection, and action to understand
- self-expression, influence, and inform

10. Information, Media, and
Technology Skills (cont.)
Information Communication and Technology
Literacy (ICT)
- skillful use of information resources
- speak the language of technology
- learn and adapt to new technologies

11. Life and Career Skills
Flexibility and Adaptibility
Initiative and Self-Direction
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility

12. Where Do
We Go From
Here?
Professional Development
Increase Parental
Involvement
Solicit Community
Participation
Develop a School
Improvement Plan

13. References
Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2007). The
Intellectual and Policy Foundations of the 21st
Century Skills Framework. Retrieved from
http://route21.p21.org/images/stories/epapers/ski
lls_foundations_final.pdf