New Year, New Plan at EMCSD
Thousands of students and staff returned to El Monte City School District (EMCSD) schools for the 2025-2026 school year with a brand new vision and mission for the future. Last year, EMCSD formed a Guiding Coalition that featured nearly 90 participants consisting of teachers and staff, current and former students, administrators, board members, and community partners. Together, they created a new vision and mission statement that encapsulates the spirit and intentionality of EMCSD as a whole.
Their new vision: Nurturing young minds to achieve beyond limits, and their new mission: We empower generations through learning, leadership, and community, are not sentences pulled from ChatGPT. These statements were carefully crafted by the very individuals who make up the EMCSD community.
Superintendent Dr. Maribel Garcia shared the meaning behind EMCSD’s new mantra, “What we do matters, not just for today’s students, but for their children and grandchildren. This is legacy work–every skill taught, every relationship built, and every opportunity opened creates a ripple effect that shapes the future.”
The work of EMCSD’s Guiding Coalition sparked questions about who an EMCSD learner is. A subcommittee was formed from the coalition, and together they developed five learner dispositions for an EMCSD Learner: Change Agent; Knowledge Seeker; Forward Thinker; Empowered Communicator; Thriving Leader.
All of this work culminated in the district creating a five-year strategic plan with measurable goals to track EMCSD’s progress to ensure students achieve beyond limits. The goals outlined in the plan have specific priority areas of focus. For example, the district wants academic excellence for all students, and to achieve this, they expect to see an annual 10% growth in districtwide assessment scores. Other focus areas revolve around student access to experiences and positive relationships with trusted adults. Goals highlight the need for every student to participate in at least one extracurricular activity each year and that every student can identify one trusted adult on campus. Many of these goals have been part of the EMCSD experience, but now they are set in stone in a document that clearly outlines the future for one of San Gabriel Valley’s oldest school communities.
When asked about the work put into making it, Dr. Garcia was quick to credit the individuals involved, “I want to extend my gratitude for our Guiding Coalition and Subcommittee’s invaluable participation over the past year. The inclusive, collaborative spirit they brought to the table helped shape every element of this plan. Traditionally, strategic planning in school districts is often led exclusively by the board of education and executive leadership. However, at EMCSD, we chose a different path—one grounded in shared ownership, community voice, and a deep sense of belonging.”
Year 1 of EMCSD’s plan has officially begun. The general public can view EMCSD’s five-year strategic plan by visiting www.emcsd.org/strategicplan/.
