How to Create Vision & Value Statements for High Schools

Vision and value statements define a high school's purpose.

Effective educational leaders create a strategic framework for their school that includes strong vision and value statements. This helps guide the school and makes sure that the school is focused on providing an education supportive of its students and community. A vision statement communicates what the school wants for the future, including future action and the future result of this effort. Value statements are objectives that support the school's vision. Once vision and values statements are agreed upon, the challenge becomes carrying them out long-term.

Instructions

1. Learn everything you can about the high school. Know the school's culture, attitude, beliefs and the relationships it maintains. Define what the school's purpose is based on the school's values.

2. Survey all parties affiliated with the school, including students, staff, community members, administrators, alumni and local businesses. Engage in dialogue with stakeholders to encourage an objective analysis of the school and the expectations stakeholders have for the school. Ask stakeholders what they value or want from the high school.

3. Make a list of what the school hopes to accomplish or see happen in the next five years. Envision what the ideal future would look like for the high school. Avoid being too vague. Quantify anything possible, such as specifying a numerical interpretation of success and a timeline for when something will be accomplished, such as "Washington High School will be ranked No. 1 in the district within five years in both reading and math."

4. Write down the vision statement and ask stakeholders for feedback. It is important that they support the vision. The vision statement can be anywhere from one sentence to a short two- to four-sentence paragraph.

5. Write value statements that support the high school's vision once it has been agreed upon. Value statements should be concise, objective and specify the high school's values that support the school's vision. For example, "Children will do the best job they can every day in the classroom" can be a value statement.

Tips & Warnings

• Re-evaluate the school's vision and value statements every few years to make sure they still fit the needs of the school and community. They may need to change as the school or student population changes.

References

• ASCD: How to Help Your School Thrive Without Breaking the Bank
• Flat World Knowledge: The Roles of Mission, Vision and Values
• Harvard Business School, Executive Education: Developing the Strategy: Vision, Value Gaps and Analysis
• Learning Centre for Values in Education, SMSC & Citizenship: Vision
• Southwest Educational Developmental Laboratory: Vision, Leadership and Change

Resources

• School Improvement in Maryland: Creating a Vision
• Enloe High School: School Improvement Plan 2010-2012