Mission, Vision, Values, Goals Building a Foundation: The

1
Mission,Vision, Values, Goals
Building a Foundation The Four Pillars of a
Professional Learning Community

• Whittier City School District

2
Six Essential Characteristics of a PLC

• Shared mission, vision, values, and goals
• Collaborative teams focused on learning
• Collective inquiry
• Action orientation and experimentation
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Results orientation

3
Objectives Outcomes

• To understand how school culture plays a crucial
  role in the successful implementation of a PLC.
• To gain a deeper understanding of the four
  pillars of a Professional Learning Community
• Mission, Vision, Values and Goals
• To discuss how to incorporate the four pillars at
  your school site.

4
Common Scenario

• On the opening day of school Principal
  Greatintentions assembled the entire staff to
  share her enthusiasm for PLCs and her plans for
  bringing the concept to the school. She
  emphasized that she was committed to transforming
  the school into a PLC. The first step in the
  process was to develop a new mission statement
  that captured the new focus of the school. She
  presented the following draft to the staff and
  invited their reaction

5

• It is our mission to ensure all our students
  acquire the knowledge and skills essential to
  achieving their full potential and becoming
  productive citizens.

6
After the principals presentation

• The teachers and counselors challenged the
  mission statement. They argued..
• student learning was dependent upon students
  ability and effort
• ensuring all students would learn because it
  placed too much accountability on teachers
• too much emphasis on academics and not enough on
  emotional well-being

7
Revised Mission Statement

• It is our mission to give each student the
  opportunity to learn according to his or her
  ability and to create a school that is attentive
  to the emotional needs of every student.

8
After time

• Principal Greatintentions remained hopeful that
  the revised mission statement would inspire new
  effort and commitment from the staff. However,
  there was virtually no evidence that this new
  mission had impacted either teacher practice or
  student achievement. After months of trying to
  implement PLC at her school site her efforts were
  unsuccessful.
• Reflection- Turn to your elbow partner and
  discuss
• Why do you think her efforts were not successful?
• What should she have done differently?

9
School Culture

• If we think of school culture as involving, at
  least in part, how we do things around here,
  then we need to consider two key questions
• How are things done in a professional learning
  community?
• What cultural shifts need to occur if our schools
  are to become professional learning communities?

10
Four Types of Schools

• School 1 Charles Darwin
• We believe all kids can learnbased on their
  ability
• School 2 Pontius Pilate
• We believe all kids can learnif they take
  advantage of the opportunity we give them to
  learn

11
Activity- Four School Types

• School 3 Chicago Cub Fan
• We believe all kids can learnsomething, and we
  will help all students experience growth in a
  warm and nurturing environment.
• School 4 Henry Higgins
• We believe all kids can learnand we will work to
  help all students achieve high standards of
  learning

12
Revised Mission Statement

• It is our mission to give each student the
  opportunity to learn according to his or her
  ability and to create a school that is attentive
  to the emotional needs of every student.

13
Reading

• Make the Words of Mission Statement Come to Life
  by Rick Du Four
• Read the article
• As you read underline any words or phrases that
  stand out to you
• Give one, Get one
• When you hear the signal move on to share with
  another person

14
Core Beliefs

• All Kids Can Learn- What does that mean?
• Take a piece of paper and write on it all the if
  only disclaimers you have heard others say
• Example All kids can learn if only they came
  from supportive families
• All kids can learn if only..

15
If Only Statements

• Indicate set levels of expectations for certain
  students without knowing their capabilities
• Disregard student potential for learning if given
  the right support and time
• Not within our sphere of influence and control

16
All Kids Can Learn

• In todays Information Age society, however,
  it is the purpose of schools to bring all
  students to their full potential and to a level
  of education that was once reserved for the very
  few Only the fourth school offers a viable,
  modern-day response to students who are not
  learning.
• -Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998)
• Professional Learning Communities at Work, p. 61

17
All Students Can Achieve

• 90/90/90 Schools
• Breaking the cycle of predictability
• We need to believe all students can learn even if
  all the obstacles are in place.
• Have you ever had a student who
• does better in one class than the other?
• was in Special Ed and became proficient?
• was an English Learner and reclassified?

18
Objectives Outcomes

• To understand how school culture plays a crucial
  role in the successful implementation of a PLC.
• To gain a deeper understanding of the four
  pillars of a Professional Learning Community
• Mission, Vision, Values and Values
• To discuss how to incorporate the four pillars at
  your school site.

19
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHY? Why do we exist?
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Clarifies Priorities and Sharpens Focus
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
20

• We would argue that it is impossible to develop a
  results orientation unless we are clear about the
  core of the enterprise (mission), about the kind
  of school were seeking to become (vision), and
  the attitudes, behaviors and commitments we need
  to promote, protect and defend (values).
• -Du Four Eaker

21
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
22
Mission

• Why do we exist?
• What is our fundamental purpose?
• Clarifies priorities and sharpens focus

MISSION
23
Activity

• Each team member will need a piece of paper.
• On the piece of paper, each team member will have
  few minutes to write a statement regarding what
  they see as the purpose of schools (Why do we
  exist?). Dont put your name on it because others
  will read it. (2 minutes)
• Pass the statement to the person on the right.
  Each person will underline significant phrases or
  words.
• Continue to pass the paper to the next person and
  keep passing the paper until all papers go all
  the way around the table. You may underline a
  word or phrase even if it is already underlined.
• When you receive your own paper back, share with
  your group the phrases that were underlined the
  most.
• As a group decide on the top 5 words or phrases
  that were underlined the most. Write each word or
  phrase on a post-it note and place them on the
  chart labeled MISSION.

24
Mission

• Clarity of purpose should be the goal of any
  mission statement. Our mission gives focus to
  the question, Why do we exist?
• Learning is the primary purpose of a school
  that functions as a professional learning
  community. Schools exist because their mission is
  learning.

25
If Learning is our Primary Purpose.

• Critical Questions of a PLC
• What knowledge and skills should every student
  learn as a result of this unit of instruction?
• How will we know when each student has acquired
  the essential knowledge and skills?
• How will we respond when some students do not
  learn?
• How will we extend and enrich the learning for
  students who are already proficient?

26
Vision

• Educators must move beyond writing a mission
  statement to first clarifying the vision, values,
  and goals that drive the daily workings of the
  school and align all their practices accordingly.

27
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHY? Why do we exist?
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Clarifies Priorities and Sharpens Focus
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
28
Vision Statement Questions

• What do we want to see our school become?
• What do we imagine regarding student achievement?
• What contributions would we make to our students,
  and community?
• What would we want our reputation to be?

29
Reading- A Shared Vision

• Leading Learning Communities

30
Vision Statements

• You are in a helicopter and you are flying over
  your ideal school, Dream Elementary School or
  Dream Middle School
• What would you see?
• How would people work together?
• What would it look like if everyone believed all
  students can achieve?

31
Brainstorming Vision Statements

• Draw a visual representation of your Dream
  School.
• Include all of the components you think are
  needed to ensure all students have the best
  opportunities for success.
• Write a Vision Statement that sums up the beliefs
  of your Dream School.

32
Vision- A Compelling Future
Gallery Walk
33
Lunch Time
Our work will resume promptly at 1230
34
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHY? Why do we exist?
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Clarifies Priorities and Sharpens Focus
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
35
Values Guide Behaviors

• What changes in our behavior need to take place
  to advance our Vision?
• Collective Commitments
• They are our attitudes and behaviors that we must
  demonstrate in order to create the school of our
  vision
• They are our observable actions

36
Creating Collective Commitments

• Limit the number (5 or 6)
• Make the actions specific
• Do not include beliefs that are open to
  interpretation and difficult to monitor
• Describe clear expectations about what each
  person WILL do now (specific behaviors)

37
Sample Values-Collective Commitments

• Vision Statement Every teacher, parent, and
  student is clear on the knowledge, skills, and
  dispositions students are expected to acquire in
  each course, grade level, and unit of
  instruction.
• Collective Commitment 1 Each grade level will
  distribute monthly newsletters to inform parents
  and students of progress in ELA and math.
• Collective Commitment 2 Teachers will unwrap
  priority standards during their grade level
  meetings to plan instruction based on specific
  skills and concepts.

38
You Try

• The learning of each student is monitored on a
  timely basis. When students experience
  difficulty, the school has structures in place to
  ensure they receive additional time and support
  for learning.
• Each teacher will administer at least two common
  formative assessments before each district
  benchmark.
• Teachers will provide intervention after school
  for six weeks on a targeted concept.

39
Prioritizing Collective Commitment

• Use a quadrant chart to prioritize the ideas of
  the group.
• Write the collective commitments on a piece of
  paper and have everyone sign and date it.

40
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHY? Why do we exist?
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Clarifies Priorities and Sharpens Focus
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
41
Goals

• How will we mark our progress?
• Targets and timelines
• Establish priorities

GOALS
42
What are SMART Goals?

• Strategic and specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Results-oriented
• Time-bound

43
SMART Examples

• Students who have attended District 54 schools
  for one year will read at grade level upon
  entering third grade.

• At least 90 percent of all students will meet or
  exceed standards in reading and math as measured
  by both district and state assessments.

• During the 2008-09 school year, non-proficient
  students will improve their vocabulary skills by
  5 each trimester as measured by an increase in
  the ITBS vocabulary assessment.

44
SMART Goals

• Things to remember when writing SMART Goals
• Goals should be consistent with mission, vision,
  and collective commitments
• Goals should meet SMART Goals criteria, if not
  rewrite
• School SMART Goals can be written with
• whole staff
• leadership team with staff approval
• Templates are available online at
  http//www.allthingsplc.info/

45
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC

• Please put your materials away and sort the cards
  into the Four Pillars
• Each column should have 5 cards
• Term
• Definition
• Description
• Guiding Question
• Example

MISSION
46
Four Pillars- Foundation of a PLC
MISSION
VISION
VALUES
GOALS
WHY? Why do we exist?
WHAT? What must our school become to accomplish
our purpose?
HOW? How must we behave to achieve our vision?
HOW WILL WE MARK OUR PROGRESS?
FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE
COMPELLING FUTURE
COLLECTIVE COMMITMENTS
TARGETS TIMELINES
Establishes Priorities
Clarifies Priorities and Sharpens Focus
Gives Directions
Guides Behavior
47
Final Quick-write

• 1.What is the value of this process?
• 2. Which activities would you find valuable to
  replicate with the staff?
• 3. How do you see your school getting to the
  place where you have a mission, vision,
  value/collective commitment and goals that
  everyone in your school will share?

48
Objectives Outcomes

• To understand how school culture plays a crucial
  role in the successful implementation of a PLC.
• To gain a deeper understanding of the four
  pillars of a Professional Learning Community
• Mission, Vision, Values and Values
• To discuss how to incorporate the four pillars at
  your school site.