S

Vision, Mission, Values

Strategic Planning

Who are we?

VISION

MISSION

VALUES

Together, these constitute the school’s or system’s unique identity—its organizational DNA.

Who are we?

CRYSTALLIZING THE SCHOOL’S OR SYSTEM’S IDENTITY

● Linking vision, mission, and values creates a powerful synergy.

● Each is important, yet they are codependent.

•Without a vision, there is no inspiration.

•However, a vision without a mission is an impractical notion.

•And a mission without values could lead to an "ends justifies the means" philosophy.

Vision

ValuesMission

VISION

A COMPELLING CONCEPTUAL IMAGE OF THE DESIRED FUTURE

A vision statement should be:

• Brief and memorable.

• Inspiring and challenging.

• Descriptive of the ideal.

• Descriptive of future service levels.

• Extraordinary but authentic.

• Appealing to everyone in the school or system and to all stakeholders.

VISION STATEMENT EXAMPLES

Every Battlefield High School student will achieve personal success and become a responsible and productive citizen. Our vision, as a community, is to inspire a passion for learning. —John T. Baker Middle School, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland

All Potomac Senior High School students will achieve personal success in their learning and become responsible and productive citizens. Our vision for the future is to be the customer's first and best choice in the products and services we provide. —Samsung Electronics, America

There is a "Marriott Way." It's about serving the associates, the customer, and the community. Marriott's fundamental beliefs are enduring and the keys to its continued success.

Vision Statement Checklist

MISSION

A BROAD, COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The mission identifies what a school or system does and for whom it does it.

The mission is all encompassing and rarely changes. It is the ultimate rationale for the existence of the school/system.

A well-written mission statement:

• Identifies purpose but not process.

• Identifies school or system customers.

• Identifies services provided by the school or system.

• Is clear and succinct.

MISSION STATEMENT EXAMPLES

The Alliance for Youth, led by General Colin Powell, is dedicated to mobilizing individuals, groups and organizations from every part of American life to build and strengthen the character and competence of our youth. - America’s Promise

California Literacy, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer assisted, educational organization which provides statewide leadership to new and existing literacy programs and their students by offering diverse training, resources, consultation, and advocacy to help people gain the literacy skills they need to participate more effectively in society. - California Literacy Incorporated

The mission of the Education Commission of the States is to help state leaders develop and carry out policies that promote improved performance of the education system. - Education Commission of the States

WRITING A MISSION STATEMENT

• Write a mission statement with the assumption that readers have no knowledge of the organization, what it does, whom it serves, why it is needed, or how it works.

• Avoid using technical terminology, abbreviations, and acronyms.

• To develop a brief, clear mission statement, imagine giving a one-minute explanation of the school/system to a legislative committee, the general public, or a community group. Think about how to best describe the school/system in terms they can understand.

Mission Statement Checklist

What is the Difference Between Mission and

Vision?

What's the Difference Between Vision and Mission?

What's the Difference Between Vision and Mission and Why Does It Matter?

VALUES

VALUES DESCRIBE HOW THE SCHOOL OR SYSTEM CONDUCTS ITSELF IN CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION

Values put a foundation of principles or beliefs behind the vision and mission.

Values statements often express the school/system attitude about three things:

PEOPLE: The way in which people inside and outside the school/system are treated.

PROCESS: The way in which the school/system is managed, decisions are made, and programs are produced.

PERFORMANCE: Expectations concerning the quality of its programs and services.

Vision, Mission, Values Examples

Long Beach Unified School district

Deer Valley Unified School district

Montgomery County, MD Public schools

Ravenscroft School

Henderson County Public Schools