Title: Developing My School’s Vision and Mission

Name: Alfred Poyser

Program Name: MSED Educational Leadership and Administration

Course Name: Foundations in Educational Leadership and Administration

Course Code: EDUC 6002E

Instructor’s Name: Dr. Kimberly Onspaugh Truslow

Date: 28 January 2023

Alfred Poyser
Alfred.poyser@waldenu.edu
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Abstract

This paper was written as a requirement for the course ‘Foundations in Educational Leadership

and Administration’. New principals are often required to chart the course for their new schools

through the design and implementation of the mission and vision statements. This paper looks at

how the author as a new principal or school leader may develop a mission and vision that

encompass the diversity and values of all stakeholders. This paper equates the mission statement

to the documentation of the school culture and the vision statement as the pathway to achieving

the ideal excellent school culture. The author’s view starts with the people who will develop and

support the idea, rather than trying to devise an idea and find people to support it. Finally, after

devising the foundation on which to stand, the author uses the foundation to craft the way

forward.
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Introduction

Most educational institutions see it prudent to develop and implement mission and vision

statements as elements of their fundamental identities. These elements however are more than

just identity pieces. Sean Peak, in his recent article for Business News Daily, defined a mission

statement as a written declaration which clarifies the meaning and purpose of a business for its

stakeholders with particular emphasis on employees, and the vision statement as the guide to

fulfilling that purpose home (Peek, 2022). It is therefore prudent to say that a mission statement

defines the underlying reasons for an organization’s current existence, while the vision statement

looks at how the organization plans to improve its image and performance due to external factors

such as time, data use, technology, values, equity, diversity, digital citizenship, and community.

(Collins & Porras, 2004). put it more succinctly by likening them to documenting a core

ideology which cannot and should not change while simultaneously stimulating progress through

constantly changing everything which is not part of the core ideology in response to a changing

environment. (Robbins & Alvy, 2014) equates the mission statement to an embodiment of school

culture.

Developing and implementing a mission and vision statement, takes more than the

knowledge of where the organization is now and where the leader wants to guide it to. Effective

mission and vision statements do not encompass the sole views and ideas of the leader but should

involve a wide cross section of stakeholders. As a new principal or school leader, one should first

identify the persons on the team who possess tenacity, organizational awareness, commitment,

and willingness to participate in building or improving the image of the school and charting the
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way forward within a changing global operating platform. Starting with the right people in the

mix rather than the right ideas or direction in which to lead them first ensures that people are

committed to each other and to the organization. In the book, The Principal’s Companion,

(Robbins & Alvy, 2014) quoted research which showed that when the mission of a school is built

on professional relationships based on trust, collaboration and practitioner scholarship, the

school is more flexible, enjoys an environment of higher staff motivation and commitment and

resolves conflicts easier while achieving goals more efficiently. In this changing world, ideas

and directions are constantly changing as external and sometimes internal factors shift over time.

Having sole commitment to a vision and mission plan, will cause employees to lose commitment

when the direction of the organization changes. Jim Collins in his research for the book, “GOOD

TO GREAT Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don’t”; found that leaders who

transformed companies from good to great understood that if they begin with “Who,” rather than

“what,” the transformation process can more easily adapt to a constantly changing world (Collins

J. , 2001).

Having compiled the team of committed practitioners, it is now time for the new

principal to assert leadership qualities through motivating his team and delegating

responsibilities. It is now time for the team to conduct research into defining the current core

purpose of the school and identifying possible improvements and advancements that the school

may undertake. This will include meeting with staff and students to gain their perspective on the

school culture they wish to build and maintain while looking at current school culture to identify

areas that now support the unified view of a desired school culture and areas which should be

transformed. Schools are usually nested within communities and neighborhoods; it is therefore

essential for us to include members of the wider communities in our research to find strong
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values on which our school may stand. In this way we harness our internal strengths and

maximize on external benefits while we use identified weaknesses to minimize the effects of

external threats (Cochran, David, & Gibson , 2008). Getting staff and students directly involved

in the process of shaping the revised school culture will be critical since it is the staff who will

transform the vision into a solid mission, and the students who will be impacted most from a

redesigned school culture. If we want our staff and students to be the brand, it is imperative that

we try as best as possible to align the brand image to the principles and goals of our main

stakeholders. This method also helps to eliminate a major obstacle from the implementation

process. This obstacle is the fear of change that people often hold near and dear. Common

ownership in the decision-making process tends to eliminate this obstacle (Gabriel & Farmer,

2009). Now that the team has gathered information surrounding our desired ideal school culture,

we need to put this into an eye-catching mission and vision statement that showcases a

successful school with a clear path towards the future. Our vision and mission statements should

tell the world that students and staff exemplify success and that we have a clear awareness of

where we are going as a school. The vision and mission statements should capture the interest of

the user and garner the willingness to support and invest in their success. While we aim for our

mission and vision statements to say the right things, they should also be instruments of

inspiration and motivation to all who read them (Cochran, David, & Gibson , 2008).

Our team should first craft the mission statement which documents the desired, ideal

school culture. It should showcase the areas of strength and excellence that our school is

anchored on, the people and processes enable and benefit from these successes and the

technology and data that make it all possible. It is this solid foundation on which we stand that

will now influence out vision statement. This will document how we will utilize, digital, physical
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and human resources to maintain high standards of excellence while adjusting according to the

changes in external and internal factors.

Conclusion

Since the foundation for our improved school culture which is documented within the new

mission statement and the pathway towards improvement and maintaining quality came from our

internal and external stakeholders, it would be difficult for opposition to change. As stakeholders

take ownership of the strategies that is needed to drive our school forward, it will be easier for us

all to work arduously to achieve a common goal. This means that all stakeholders have the same

goals and views for the school, and everyone will be saying and hearing a consistent message

about our core objectives and vision as a school (Robbins & Alvy, 2014). Principals are expected

to lead the charge in setting and changing school culture. We are expected to guide the

development and implementation of the mission and vision, but I feel that as a principal I should

be guided by the mission and vision of the school. This calls for leadership by example.

(Versland & Erickson, 2017) found that a principal who models the expected outcomes often

influences teachers and students to emulate these practices. Effective school leaders are guided

by many principles and standards. Adding to the code of ethics set by governing bodies, the

school mission and vision should also be a guide for all my actions as a school leader on a path

to building and maintaining excellence at my school.

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References
Cochran, D. S., David, F. R., & Gibson , C. D. (2008). A Framework for Developing an Effective Mission.
Journal ofBusiness Strategies.

Collins, J. (2001). GOOD TO GREAT: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't. New York:
Harper Collins Publishers.

Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (2004). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. New York:
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Gabriel, J. G., & Farmer, P. C. (2009). How to Help Your School Thrive Without Breaking the Bank.
Alexandria, Va.: ASCD.

Peek, S. (2022, November 22). What Is a Vision Statement? Business News Daily.

Robbins, P., & Alvy, H. B. (2014). The Principal's Companion: Strategies to Lead Schools for Student and
Teacher Success (4th ed.). Thousand Oakes: Sage Publications.

Versland, T. M., & Erickson, J. L. (2017). Leading by example: A case study of the influence of principal
self-efficacy on collective efficacy. Cogent Education.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1286765