S T EP 1 | S ET T HE D IR EC T ION

Every
Student
Succeeds

A guide to
Vision and Mission
Statements
“A school’s mission, or vision, statement is a living
document. A school’s mission or vision seems to say, vision statement (n.)
‘This is who we are. This is what we do. This is what we A short phrase describing the
future you are ultimately work-
value.’ But if one believes, as I do, that most schools ing towards (what you as the
need to improve, such a statement merely affirms what school community hope for )
the school is rather than what it should be.”
Hayes Mizell | Director of the Program for Student Achievement, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation mission statement (n.)
A one-sentence statement de-
scribing the reason your school
A school’s mission statement acts as a guide to educators, students, families and the exists (what you as the school
community of what the school values, believes, does and aspires to be. A strong vision community do and who/what
based on collective values provides the foundation for staff commitment, student success, you as the school community
and sustained school growth (Huffman, 2001). A shared vision and clearly stated mission do to enact this vision)
identifies the kind of learning to be achieved, and helps keep the school and the efforts of
the full school community on target.

The vision and mission serve as a compass for the cycle of improvement. A living document
is created as it is translated into action in the daily actions of the school community. It
is continually communicated to all members of the school community. This powerful
statement provides the impetus to ask ourselves:

Are we doing
what we say
we are doing?

Leading a discussion with an LEA/school’s current

Mission/Vision Statement
¨ Request and review the statement prior to the meeting (check if
posted on the school’s website before asking for it). No mission or vision statement
for the school/LEA?
¨ What is my understanding of what this school values, beliefs about students, and Develop them with the
the plan to achieve that vision? Mission/Vision Worksheet
 ¨ Is there a statement of goals for students’ success, based on core values and goals?

¨ Is it specific, clear, succinct, plausible, attainable, and inspirational?

¨ If not, consider additional questions to discuss with the team.

¨ At the meeting with the School Community Steering Committee, ask:

A How long has it been since this document has been revisited?

A Is it still relevant?

A How does it reflect our community of learners, students, staff and families?

A How does it express the kind of school we aspire to be?

A How does it reflect the uniqueness our school?

A Is it specific, clear, succinct, plausible, attainable, and inspirational?

Companion Tool:
A What examples can we share of how we are currently enacting our vision? Mission/Vision Worksheet

A Are any updates /tweaks needed to reflect the future direction for our school?

A From which members of the school community might we want to invite input?

A How do we ensure that our vision is shared by and with the broader school
community?

¨ Complete the Mission/Vision Template and ask participants to sign it

(which you might present at the next meeting of the School Community
Steering Committee).

Resources:
• Gabriel, John G.& Farmer, Paul C. (2017) How to Help Your School Thrive Without
Breaking the Bank. Alexandria, VA.:ASCD. More: http://bit.ly/pdesi_gabrielascdthrive
• Huffman, Jane. The Role of Shared Values and Vision in Creating Professional Learning
Communities. Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX. Office of
Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. 2001-00-00. Accessed
from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ERIC-ED466028/pdf/ERIC-ED466028.pdf

Last revised March 2022.

S T EP 1 | S ET T HE D IR EC T ION
Every
Student
Succeeds
WORKSHEET:

Develop a Vision and

Mission Statement
vision statement (n.)
A short phrase describing the future you are ultimately working towards (what you as the
school community hope for)
Distinguishing Characteristics: How are they
• Future objective different?
• Description of a future you are ultimately working towards
Mission statements and
vision statements are
mission statement (n.) complementary but unique.
A one-sentence statement describing the reason your school exists (what you as the school A vision uses future objective
community do and who/what you as the school community do to enact this vision) tense (such as “We provide”
Distinguishing Characteristics: and “We empower”), and is
aspirational about the future.
• Present tense
A mission statement is more
• Describes what you do and who/what benefits from this work operational, written in present
tense and describing what you
do and who benefits from it.
Guidelines for Effective Statements
Consider these writing characteristics when crafting your statements:
• Use simple and concrete language.
• Be specific!
• Avoid words with 12+ letters or 4+ syllables.
• Avoid buzz words and jargon.
• Specifically for Mission Statements:
• Use high-level action verb(s) to kick things off. “To ...”
• Share how students benefit by our actions.
• Consider the engagement of entire school community.

Intro to Mission Statements

https://topnonprofits.com/mis-
sion-vision-statements/
Samples:

SCHOOL A
VISION: Wilcox High School will be a nurturing, safe and professional environment that supports the
educational success and social, emotional, and physical development of all students. Courses will be
academic, engaging, and standards-based, with a focus on the learner. All school staff will be highly
qualified and caring instructors who are attentive to the educational, cultural and physical needs of
students and the Wilcox community. Parents will be positive, supporting members of the school community.
Students will be respectful, self-disciplined, productive citizens who think critically, make informed
decisions and act ethically.

MISSION: The purpose of Wilcox High School is to educate, empower, and enable all students to become
caring, contributing citizens who can succeed in an ever-changing world. Wilcox High School is committed
to focusing on high expectations and individual academic success and to creating a community of respect
and responsibility.

SCHOOL B
MISSION: The mission of Mountain Gap Middle School is to provide each student a diverse education in
a safe, supportive environment that promotes self-discipline, motivation, and excellence in learning. The
Mountain Gap team joins the parents and community to assist the students in developing skills to become
independent and self-sufficient adults who will succeed and contribute responsibly in a global community.

SCHOOL C
MISSION: Our mission, in Spartanburg School District Three, is to provide experiences and teach world class
skills and values which empower all children to achieve their fullest potential.

PURPOSE Every student Future Ready: Prepared for college, career and personal success.

VALUES In collaboration with our families and community we value:

Children, first and foremost;
Safety and security;
Uniqueness and diversity;
High expectations;
Learning as a lifelong process;
Equal access to a quality education;
All needs of every child.

SCHOOL D
MISSION: At Battlefield Senior High School, we believe that student learning is the chief priority and all
students can learn to their fullest potential. Students will develop their individual talents, critical thinking,
and technology skills by being actively engaged in the learning process. Continuous commitment to
improvement ensures that our students are well-rounded, self-directed, lifelong learners. By maintaining
a safe and optimum learning environment, we provide the opportunity for students to be successful.
Promoting high standards and expectations, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community share
the responsibility for advancing the school’s mission.
Facilitating Development of a Vision/Mission Statement (if needed)
¨ Three main components:
¨ Shared values

¨ Beliefs about students

¨ How the school will work to achieve that vision

¨ Gather responses to these questions:

A WHAT is going to be done?

A WHY it is done?

A WHO is going to be served?

A HOW this will be accomplished?

¨ Facilitate a process to enable the School Community Steering Committee to brainstorm. Invite
input from as many members of the school community as possible (staff, students, families,
community partners), asking:
A What kind of learning environment do we want our school to be?

A What is unique about our school? Why are those things unique?

A What should we value?

A What should we believe about our students?

A What do we picture our students achieving when they leave us?

A What are the most important things we need to do at our school?

¨ Collate the data and seek patterns.

¨ Build consensus on the key words and phrases that represent the shared values, beliefs, and
actions.

¨ Invite a smaller group of Steering Committee members to write a draft.

¨ Share the draft with the Steering Committee and make adjustments.

¨ Suggest vehicles to communicate the Mission Statement with all members of the school
community.

Resources:
• Gabriel, John G.& Farmer, Paul C. (2017) How to Help Your School Thrive Without Breaking the Bank. Alexandria, VA.:ASCD.
More information >
• Huffman, Jane. The Role of Shared Values and Vision in Creating Professional Learning Communities. Southwest Educational
Development Lab., Austin, TX. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. 2001-00-00.
Accessed from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ERIC-ED466028/pdf/ERIC-ED466028.pdf
• https://topnonprofits.com/mission-vision-statements/

Last revised March 2022.