The mission of SMUSD is to create and maintain a learning environment that fosters in students the ability to make choices based upon well reasoned strategies; to develop the capacity to respond and adapt to changing circumstances and environments; to gain an appreciation for learning as a lifelong process and to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for a diverse, ever changing world.

The fundamental purpose of the SMUSD is to encourage each student to develop his/her intellectual, social, and personal qualities in order to participate fully in an interconnected community—be it local or global.

Intellectually, students need to develop:

• The capacity for learning how to learn
• The ability to analyze and evaluate complex issues, problems, and events
• The skills needed to utilize changing technology as a tool for gaining knowledge and solving problems

Personally, students need to develop:

• A respect and acceptance of self
• A commitment to individual integrity and responsibility
• Respect for the fundamental moral values necessary in a multi-ethnic world

Socially, students need to develop:

• A commitment to democratic principles
• Respect for individual and cultural differences
• A capacity for empathy