Shared Vision Case Study

Our vision is to develop students who can read, write, speak and compute well, think critically and present themselves as human beings who are confident, humane, civic‐minded,

We need to be a school district that prepares all students to be productive members of society. We need to expose our students to the real world and help them see that the world is bigger than our very small community. We need to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed and reach their goals. We need be a school with a pluralistic culture. Our students need to be culturally competent and have a good understanding of diversity. We need to promote the acceptance and celebration of people from all walks of life. We need to develop a supportive atmosphere where students feel they can express their beliefs freely without prejudice or judgment.

As a leader I envision my school as one where students and teachers come to a place they enjoy entering each day. All share the focus of the school, the belief that all students can become high achievers. Staff is centered on student achievement; no matter what academic level that all students face coming into the classroom. All staff will understand that all children are teachable, even those with learning issues.

I want my school to be a place where everyone feels confident and safe when they enter the building. I have high expectations for all students, and I encourage my staff to challenge students academically. We need to prepare students with 21st- century skills and utilize the different tools in technology. We are a team, and family at

Leithwood and Jantzi argue the ability to articulate a clear vision is an essential attribute for school leaders (2008, p. 507). Goal setting is a powerful motivator for change and when leaders are able to clearly communicate inspiration vision to those they lead, it is possible to harness this motivation to bring about school improvement in student learning (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2008, p.507). Clearly defined goals encourage school community to contribute to common goals and also streamlines decision making as only options that align with the vision need to be considered (Hallinger, 2010, p.129).

As an emerging instructional leader, Part 2: Policies and Programs provides a framework for improving schools. Danielson states how difficult it is to accomplish institutional change (Danielson, 32); however by giving careful consideration to school organization, policies and practices affecting students and faculty and school and community relations improvement is

goals from the School Strategic Plan from the previous year and our end of the year local data. Our

What is it that enables a trajectory-changing education? At Building Excellent Schools, the answer is rooted in sound and relentless execution on all the core fundamentals of running a school, i.e. the academic program, school culture, and operations. At Educate78, the answer is rooted in designing a school experience for students that is authentic to a particular community and also allows for deeper learning. As a lead petitioner in the process of founding a school – and a fellow of each of these organizations – I have been fortunate enough to observe and learn from both viewpoints. I have come to an understanding that both are true and not mutually exclusive. My goal is to soundly integrate the best aspects of both models

1- Clear and shared mission and vision: define clear and vital mission and vision are the initial step for starting a school. Moreover, most schools have a mission statement for twenty years or more. The vision leads the school to set their goal and the goal will be measured outcomes in increasing student achievement. The goal most be created in measurable format. For example, specific, achievable, reviewable

My first step when I enter Alfred Middle School is to meet with my talented staff. It’s important that I have a positive working relationship with my most important, which are my teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff. I’m pleased to hear that my staff has a great work ethic; therefore, I will be able to rely on them for support. During that initial meeting, I ask the staff for their input for the school's mission. The mission statement is most important because it establishes our purpose and why we do what we do. Furthermore, it’s imperative that we have a consensus on the statement because I will need everyone to buy in on our mission. This initiative is the segue for the vision of our school, which is the next step in my process for school improvement. Our vision gives the stakeholders what is to be expected from our school in the future. With that said, I would create two groups in effort to support of shared governance of the school. I will listen to my staff, and I would encourage participation in the decision-making process. As a counter balance, the other group will be a School Advisory Committee, which is a combination of parents, business partners and community leaders. Their primary job is to advise and recommend improvements for the school. After I have established the mission, vision and the governing groups, I will move forward to address the immediate needs for

In light of accountability requirements, fear of not meeting AYP (Annual Yearly Progress), and required school improvement plans, often the idea of “school improvement” is considered a negative attribute. Obviously schools do not want to be singled out or identified as in need of improvement. Teachers often take the same view towards the idea of improvement. We as teachers take very personal that concept of improvement; we often parallel the need for improvement to failure. However my belief is that effective schools are always in a school improvement process and effective teachers too also are constantly adapting their practice in a culture of continuous improvement and growth. Therefore it is important as an effective leader to build a community of trust and collaboration. I quote “We are all in this together. Once we know that we are, we’re all stars and we see that we’re all in this together.” (Disney High School Musical, 2006) These lyrics from a popular Disney movie put to light exactly the school culture where the goal is not personal but as a community to use data driven and research based approaches in reflection and growth that assist all stakeholders.

Maybe the following scenario sounds familiar. Christ Lutheran Church saw significant growth in the late 1970’s. The older members remember those glory days and often dream of recapturing that glory. It was the time in their congregations history that every single program and event seemed to work. Whether is was the Ladies' Aid sewing circle or the men's work day. They were never at a loss for volunteers and the building was abuzz with activity. Now things are different. The Ladies sewing circle is down to a faithful few and younger women are too occupied with work, their careers and trying to keep up with busy sports schedules to have time to sew. You schedule a work day and only Hank and Fred who are in their late 70's show up with their

I enjoyed reading your post, and I think it’s wonderful that your school exhibits a strong sense of learning communities.

Marzano, McNulty and Waters propose five steps for a plan of effective school leadership. The first step is developing a leadership team with purpose. The definition used for a purposeful community is one with the collective efficacy and capability to develop and use assets to accomplish goals that mater to all community members through agreed-upon process (Marzano, et. al, 2005). The second step is distributing some responsibilities throughout the leadership team. The third step is to select the right work. The fourth step is to identify the order of magnitude implied by the selected work. The last step is to match the management style to the order of magnitude of the change initiative. The last step incorporates whether this is first or second order change.

School improvement is transformation. It is one of the most important actions of a school. It is a process that schools must use with fidelity to ensure that at all students are given the opportunity to perform and achieve at exemplary levels. School improvement is vital to schools and it is a process that cannot be done in isolation. It requires team work, collaboration, and constant analysis of data and setting of goals. School improvement goals focus on how to meet the needs of students. Addressing the educational needs, funding, and achievement gaps between subgroups is collaborative effort involves everyone that has a vested interest in the schools. These basic measures set the foundation for improvement. And so, if it is the