MISSION, VISION AND GOALS PAUL SIMS, Ph.D.

Monday October 29, 2012 Curriculum Leadership Development Network

WHY DOES MISSION MATTER?

Mission statements do no good when they’re just hung on the wall. They must truly drive all decisions regarding curriculum, instruction, assessment, personnel and programming!

WHO ARE WE?

• • • • • • • • • • • •

2000

12,000 students 1 high school 2 middle schools 5 elementary schools 88% whites 1.8% African-American 6% Hispanic 1.9 % Low income .5% IEP’s 90.9% Christian 0.5% Muslim

2012

28,000 students 4 high schools 7 middle schools 15 elementary schools 35% whites 20% African-American 43% Hispanic 52.6 % Low income 15.8 % IEP’s 61% Christian 20% Muslim

WHY DOES MISSION MATTER?

• • • • • It is the fundamental starting point for your sustainability planning.

If your school lacks clarity on the mission, everything else is irrelevant.

It serves as the central focus.

It is one thing to move in a general direction.

It’s altogether different to move towards a given target.

WHY DOES MISSION MATTER?

• • • • As Yogi Berra said: “If you don’t know where you are going, you might end up somewhere else.” Clarity about your mission provides focus and freedom.

The focus comes from being clear about your primary aim.

The focus results in your school developing goals and strategies for how best to use your resources to advance and fulfill your mission.

WHY DOES MISSION MATTER?

• • • Clarity about your mission provides freedom. Freedom to say yes to those opportunities that move you closer to your target.

Freedom to say no to the distractions that get in the way of reaching your target or goal.

What is a Mission statement?

Activity in Groups, Part 1

“Café Conversation”- Take 3-5 minutes to think about the 3 most important qualities and/or actions of effective instruction/teachers. Write your thoughts on the large Post It (independently at this point).

*Do not write in the circle in the center!

Activity in Groups, Part 2

Take 5 minutes to each report out to the table on what your thoughts were in regard to effective instruction/teachers.

Activity in Groups, Part 3

Elect a note-taker and a spokes-person. Your task now is to “wordsmith” a mission statement based on common themes in your individual thoughts. Here’s the challenging part—your mission statement cannot exceed 18 words.

Activity in Groups, Part 4 Report out to whole group. What are the common threads or themes in all of our mission statements?

Mission Statements… • • • • The reason for being: it is the question of ultimate purpose Why does your school exist?

What do you seek to accomplish?

For schools, it is a general statement of what you are in business to accomplish with your students.

Mission Statements • “The Mission statement should highlight the long-term outcomes of student achievement, behavior, attitudes and abilities to which you are committed and

obligated.” Grant Wiggins.

Examples of Mission Statements • • “The Mission of Township High School District 211 is to serve the educational needs of the community by developing and implementing quality programs which challenge students to achieve their potential to become contributing, informed citizens capable of meeting the demands of a changing world.”

adopted by the Board of Education February, 1999

Examples of Mission Statements • •

District 205 Mission Statement

The mission of Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 is to meet the educational needs of all students, challenging each to his or her full potential and ensuring a foundation for future success in life.

Examples of Mission Statements from the Business World.

• Walt Disney: “To make people happy” • Walmart: “to give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people.”

HOW TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT • • • We need to include representatives from all stakeholder groups: teachers, leaders, students, parents and community members.

We need to remember that those included reflect the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity as well as diverse learning styles.

A statement of mission has little meaning or impact unless it reflects the thoughts of the school community and is collectively embraced by those whom it affects.

HOW TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT • • • Evaluate what already exists by doing the following: 1).Assemble a task force made up of representatives from each stakeholder group to solicit feedback from their constituencies.

2). Task force creates a written survey instrument or conducts focus groups to evaluate what already exists.

HOW TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT • • • • • 3). Answer three questions in the surveys or focus groups: A). What do we want to do?

B). How will we know if we are succeeding?

C). What will we do to ensure success?

The best mission statements are clear about why the organization exists and what will be done to ensure the purpose is met.

HOW TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT • • • 4). Task force gathers the results of surveys and focus groups and develops a draft of a mission statement.

5). Task force seeks feedback on draft of a mission statement.

6). Once the feedback is received, the task force writes a final draft of the mission statement.

HOW TO CREATE A MISSION STATEMENT • • • • 7). Task force presents new Mission Statement to all stakeholders.

8). Print Mission Statement on all school materials such as agenda books, stationary etc.

9). Provide a Mission Statement for each classroom, office etc.

10). At faculty meetings, include Mission Moments: give examples of achieving the Mission.

HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF MISSION IN OUR SCHOOL?

• • • • How will Mission be addressed in each course and in each year?

A). Proud B). Sorry C). Passionate

IF MISSION STATEMENTS ANSWER THESE QUESTONS… • • 1). What do we want to do?

2). How will we know if we are succeeding?

• •

3). What will we do to ensure success?

Which of the following mission statements would you consider effective?

Mission Statement # 1 • The mission of this school district is to ensure that each and every student is prepared to succeed in life. This is accomplished in an environment of trust and respect that fosters positive attitudes toward self, others, work and responsible citizenship. We are dedicated to maximizing individual potential and developing lifelong learners who will be contributing members of a global society.

MISSION STATEMENT # 2 • The mission of our school is to create and maintain an environment that ensures that every member of the school community reaches a high level of academic achievement as determined by state and national standards. We commit to a comprehensive system of support to assure this outcome.

MISSION STATEMENT # 3 • It is our mission as a school district to educate students to be creative, responsible, self sufficient citizens who have the capacity and motivation for continued individual growth and who will have the ability to make a positive contribution in our society.

MISSION STATEMENT # 4 • We are committed to the academic excellence of every student by empowering them with the means for the successful completion of high educational standards and by challenging them to become productive members of society.

MY SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT IS… • • • • Does it answer these questions:

What we want to do?

How will we know if we are succeeding?

What will we do to ensure success?

MY PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT IS….

• • • • Does it answer these questions:

What do I want to do?

How will I know if I am succeeding?

What will I do to ensure success?

MISSION STATEMENTS • • • • • • •

Personal School Department Program District Courses

The mission statements should highlight the long term outcomes of student achievement, behavior, attitudes and abilities to which you are committed and obligated.

WHAT IS A VISION STATEMENT?

VISION STATEMENTS • • • Whereas a mission statement reminds us of why we exist, a vision statement paints a picture of what we might become.

We want to be wealthier, smarter, better organized, healthier and so on.

A vision statement describes where you are going, the direction you are taking and the destination you imagine.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISION • • • A PICTURE of the future that is better than the present, an ideal image of where we should be going.

A CHANGE in the status quo and moves the school in a more positive future. Changes may be in rules, procedures, goals, values or rituals.

VALUES: a vision in grounded in values and advocates for positive transformations in organizational and personal principles.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISION • • Values: a school leader who emphasizes that every student is important expresses the dominant ideal of human dignity and respect.

Values: a school leader who emphasizes that every student should have access and support for success in high status courses expressed the dominant values of fairness and justice.

SHARED VISION: District 218 – High Expectations for Student Learning – Equity and Opportunity – Informed Decision Making – Orderly Environment – Rigorous Curriculum & Innovative Instruction – Meaningful Engagement – Community of Learners

CHARACTERISTICS OF VISION • • A MAP: a vision provides a clearly marked path or direction to follow, a guiding philosophy that offers meaning and purpose.

A CHALLENGE: to transcend the status quo and to do something to benefit others. Vision dares and inspires people to commit themselves to worthwhile causes.

HOW VISION AFFECTS THE SCHOOL: power to grab attention and provide focus by: • • Creating meaning in a school: makes the world understandable and how I fit into it.

Provides a worthwhile challenge: stretches people to collaborate and be a part of something larger than themselves. Teaming generates pride and makes people feel important urging them to higher levels of commitment and performance.

HOW VISION AFFECTS THE SCHOOL • • • Energizes people: vision gives people something to believe in. It encourages risk-taking, experimentation and new ways to think, behave and learn.

Brings the future into the present: vision allows one to imagine and name what can be, making it real right now.

Creates a common identity: encourages people to work together with a sense of common ownership and purpose.

HOW LEADERS ARTICULATE AND IMPLEMENT A VISION.

• • • •

PURPOSING:

1). Say it: define the core values by communicating them clearly and often to all members of the school community.

2). Model it: Act on the core values that drive all decisions.

3). Organize for it: put in resources that support the core values

HOW LEADERS ARTICULATE AND IMPLEMENT A VISION • • • 4). Support it: provide additional resources to the areas that promote the core values.

5). Enforce it and commend practices that

exemplify the core values: embody core values in personnel evaluations.

6). Express outrage when practices violate

the core values: outrage tells people what is important.

EXAMPLES OF VISION STATEMENTS • • • Become the Harvard of the West (Stanford University in the 1940’s) Democratize the automobile. (Ford Motor Company in the early 1900’s) Put a man on the moon by the end of the decade (1960- JFK).

EXAMPLES OF VISION STATEMENTS • •

District 205 Vision Statement

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 will be a national leader in educating children of all backgrounds and ability levels, promoting high individual student achievement. The district will incorporate student-centered decision-making, the highest academic standards, best practices in education, the highest caliber educational professionals, and leading edge resources to ensure an equitable education for all and success in a global society.

EXAMPLES OF VISION STATEMENTS • All students will graduate. As a result, they are caring, competent, and critical thinkers, fully informed, engaged, and contributing citizens, and prepared to succeed in college and career.

• (Oakland Unified School District, Oakland, CA, 2010).

CREATING A VISION STATEMENT • 1). What concerns you most about the current situation at your school?

• 2). What is your vision of where you would like your school to be in three to five years?

CREATING A VISION STATEMENT • 3). What strategies will you need for leading your school from where it is to where you envision it?

• 4). What leadership skills will you need to move the school toward achieving this vision?

WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL VISION STATEMENT?

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL VISION STATEMENT?

GOALS • • • IF mission is who we are and why we exist. IF vision is a distant ideal we are striving for.

What are goals?

GOALS • • • • • Goals give you hope.

Goals are promises and commitments.

Goals are not wishful thinking.

Goals are specific steps that we need to take, in what order, to create our ideal school.

Goals give us benchmarks to reach for.

SMART GOALS • • • • • Specific and strategic as they relate to clarity and as they relate to alignment with our mission and vision.

Measurable in that they can be quantified.

Attainable in that we believe that success if realistic.

Results-oriented which means that we focus on the outcome.

Time bound which means that we determine when the goal should be accomplished.

By the end of this year… • • List three goals that you want to accomplish this year: 1).

• 2).

• 3).

By the end of this year….

• • List three goals that you want your school to accomplish this year.

1).

• 2).

• 3).

How does this fit into the Curriculum Leadership Development Network?

• What are your Mission, Vision and Goals for Curriculum in your school?

•

What is Curriculum?

WHAT IS CURRICULUM?

• • • • • • Planned Taught Learned/ Understood Tested Aligned: vertical/ horizontal/ instruction/ assessment A road map

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

• What are your Mission, Vision and Goals for leadership?

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

For each of the following letters, fill in the qualities or skills of leaders: • • • • • • • • • •

I H P L E A D E R S

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

• • • • • “Leadership is the process of influencing group activities toward the achievement of goals.” (Bass and Ovolio, 1993) “Leadership is influencing, guiding in direction, course, action, and opinion.” (Bennis and Nanus, 1985) “Leadership is effective influence.” (Argyris, 1976) “Leadership is building cohesive and goal-oriented teams.” (Clark, Clark and Campbell, 1993) “Leadership is persuading others to sublimate their own self interests and adopt the goals of a group as their own.” (Block, 1993)

THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP: How might these theories ground your leadership?

• • • • • • • • Transactional/ Transformational Leadership Servant Leadership Instructional Leadership Distributed Leadership Situational Leadership Teacher Leadership Moral Leadership Coaching Leadership

Development http://www.learningforward.org/index.cfm

• • Standards for Professional Learning :

Learning Communities:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment.

Leadership:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning.

DEVELOPMENT •

Resources:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning.

Data:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning.

DEVELOPMENT •

Learning Designs:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended outcomes.

Implementation:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long term change.

Outcomes:

Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.

DEVELOPMENT • What are my Mission, Vision and Goals for development?

NETWORK • What are my Mission, Vision and Goals for Networking?

NETWORK • • “…A Professional Learning Community is a collaboration of teachers, administrators, parents, and students, who work together to seek out best practices, test them in the classroom, continuously improve processes, and focus on results.” Rick DuFour, 2002.

NETWORK • • •

Six Characteristics of a Professional Learning Community

􀂾 Shared mission, vision, values, goals What distinguishes a learning community form an ordinary school is its collective commitment to guiding principles that articulate what the staff of the school believes and that govern their actions and behaviors.

NETWORK • • 􀂾 Collaborative Culture Professionals in a learning community work in teams that share a common purpose. They learn from each other and create the momentum that drives improvement. They build within the organization the structure and vehicles that make collaborative work and learning effective and productive.

NETWORK • • • • • •

Collective Inquiry

People in a learning community relentlessly question the status quo, seek new methods of teaching and learning, test the methods, and then reflect on the results. o They reflect publicly on their beliefs and challenge each other’s beliefs. o They share insights and hammer out common meanings. o They work jointly to plan and test actions and initiatives. o They coordinate their actions, so that the work of each individual contributes to the common effort.

NETWORK •

Action Orientation / Experimentation

Members of professional learning communities constantly turn their learning and insights into action. They recognize the importance of engagement and experience in learning and in testing new ideas.

NETWORK • • • • • •

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Members of a learning organization are not content with the status quo and continually seek ways to bring present reality closer to future ideal. They constantly ask themselves and each other: o What is our purpose? o What do we hope to achieve? o What are our strategies for improving? o How will we assess our efforts?

NETWORK • •

Results Orientation

Professionals in a learning organization recognize that no matter how well-intentioned the efforts, the only valid judgment of improvement is observable and measurable results. Assessment and re-evaluation are the keys to continued improvement. •

Adapted from Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998), Professional Learning Communities at Work