ABSTRACT
To successfully attract students and educators, it is important for a school to communicate what it wants to achieve and who it needs to serve. Mission and vision statements articulate a school’s purpose to the school community as well as inspire the community’s members. School mission and vision statements are often created by the founding faculty and administration. To create a founding mission or vision statement, key leaders and stakeholders may meet to brainstorm, ideate, and identify many possible values in resonant words and phrases. This initial “whiteboard” exercise is immediately followed by repeatedly editing and distilling the statement into draft language for broader community review and finalization. There are many ways a school leader can utilize mission and vision statements. Within a school, they can be used to guide the leadership team’s strategy in moments of change within the organization.
