Download - Indiana State University

COMMISSION
ON
ACCREDITATION
AND
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
2001 Fall Conference
Nashville, Indiana
Indiana North Central
Association Room 1208, School
of Education
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47809
1.800.468.7405
www.indstate.edu/IndianaNCA
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Vision Statements
What is a Vision Statement?
• A vision statement should
be realistic and credible,
well articulated and easily
understood, appropriate,
ambitious, and responsive to
change.
• It should orient the group's
energies and serve as a
guide to action.
• It should be consistent with
the learning community's
values.
• In short, a vision should
challenge and inspire the
group to achieve its mission.
Technical Writing Tips for
Writing the Vision:
1. Visualize. Close your eyes and look at
your own classroom or school. Do you
know in your head what is there? Can
you visualize interactions, the look of a
room, and possible changes you might
want to make in this environment?
Practice visualization.
2. Be specific. As you imagine your vision
realize that other people can’t read
your mind. Write your vision statement
on paper. Next write down all of your
thoughts related to your vision. Check
to make sure your thoughts are all
included in this vision. Make sure the
most crucial thoughts are central to
your mission.
3. Be descriptive. Remember that you have
more than one sense. Consider your
vision from all your senses. Present your
thoughts in a logical fashion so that the
reader can follow your vision. For
example, don’t talk about what students
are doing and then jump to the
principal’s office without a transition
sentence.
4. Be concise. Stick to material that is
relevant and necessary for you to
communicate your vision. Too long a
vision will not be read or understood.
How concisely and succinctly can you
express this vision?
Examples based upon
Guiding Principles of Vision
Statements
Example
#1
• We believe that education must
provide an environment in which
all students are respected and
have equal access and
opportunity.
Example
• We believe
that education
must be
flexible and
responsive to
the changing
needs of
students, the
community,
and society.
#2
Example
#3
• We believe that schools must provide
a comprehensive, focused education
which challenges the whole student.
• We believe
that schools
must be
accountable to
the public,
providing a
quality
education
which makes
efficient use
of public
resources.
Example
#4
Example
• We believe that
schools must
teach and
demonstrate the
interdependence
of the natural
environment and
the human
community.
#5
Example
• We believe
that schools
must engage
the
community in
education,
providing and
welcoming
opportunities
for
collaboration.
#6
Example
• We believe
that school
communities
must
recognize
and respond
positively to
diversity.
#7
Examples of Vision Statements:
1. Students’ success in school provides a
foundation for success.
2. Students’ experiences are positive, engaging,
and rewarding and built on individual
strengths.
3. Students are willing, able, and active
contributors to their community.
4. Children and youth are respected and valued
by the community.
5. All students are healthy and ready to learn.
6. Schools inspire a lifetime love of learning.
7. Students develop emotional health,
compassion, empathy, and respect for self
and others.
8. Schools are hubs of community involvement
and learning.
Mission Statements
& Beliefs
Steps in Writing
A Mission
Statement
1. List the school's/corporation’s core
competencies; its unique strengths and
weaknesses.
2. Review how each stakeholder relates to each of
the learning community’s strengths.
Communicate with them if possible.
3. Write a one-sentence description of each
strength.
4. Combine any that are essentially the same.
5. List the sentences in order of
importance to the organization's vision.
6. Combine the top three to five
sentences into a paragraph.
7. Ask your stakeholders if they would
want to collaborate with an organization
with that mission.
8. Ask your faculty and staff if they
understand and support it and can act
on it.
9. Ask your stakeholders if it
makes sense to them.
10. Incorporate additional
feedback from
stakeholders.
11. When you have refined
the paragraph into
statements that clearly
articulates the way the
learning community wants
to relate to those it
affects, publish it to
everyone.
12. Post it on the wall, e-mail
it to everyone, etc.
Mission
• We believe in a community of
learners that supports the
dignity and growth of all its
members, including students,
staff, and parents. In a
community, members work
together for the common good,
display concern for others, and
respect differences.
Mission
• We believe in inquiry as the key
educational enterprise,
encompassing curiosity, love of
learning, intellectual discipline,
core knowledge and skills, and
the search for meaning.
Belief Systems
A belief system is a mental
model. We use our belief
systems to focus "the great
mystery" of All-That-Is into
something we can understand.
Our beliefs generate thoughts.
Perceptions and messages are
aspects of thought.
Beliefs
• Students should be provided with maximum
opportunities for academic, social, physical and
aesthetic growth.
• People should be treated with dignity and
respect.
• Teaching should be a cooperative process.
• Teaching and learning should be enjoyable,
meaningful and foster rewarding experiences.
• Students should be the focus of all school
activities.
• School should be a place where people want to
be.
• Students should be encouraged to reach their
maximum potential.
Belief
• We believe in the individual as a
changing person, capable of learning
and growing throughout life.
Belief
• We believe that responsible citizens
apply what they know for the
benefit of others through service,
leadership, and active participation.
Belief
• We believe we must prepare
ourselves to live and work in a
context of constant change:
technology, global interdependence,
and cultural diversity transform our
present, providing crucial
opportunities to shape the future.
Sample Beliefs
• We believe that all students can be
successful in school.
• We believe that success in learning in
school results in future success.
• We believe that children learn best in a
safe, caring, structured environment,
and that we must create such an
environment for our children.
• We believe that students, parents,
extended families, educators and the
community share in the responsibility for
learning.
Sample Beliefs
• Students should experience success daily.
• Instruction should motivate, encourage curiosity,
develop interests and foster a positive attitude
toward learning.
• The school environment should be caring,
comfortable, and safe.
• The uniqueness of students and their individual
differences should be celebrated and
accommodated.
• Responsibility for learning and behavior should be
shared by home and school.
• Goals and expectations need to be clear and
consistent for adults and students.
• Respect should be mutual between adults and
students.
• Social skills are learned through teaching, modeling,
practice and reinforcement.
Protocol
(5 year documentation cycle)
Phases
1.
Gaining Commitment
2.
Getting Started
Collecting and Analyzing Data
3.
4.
Mission and Writing Goals
5.
Develop Improvement Plan
6.
Implement Improvement Plan
7.
8.
Monitor Implementation
Document Improvement
Continue the Process
Preliminary Chair
Contact/Visit
Plan Validation
Team Visit
Documentation
Team Visit
School Improvement
Framework
• Schools are at differing stages as they
progress through the continuous
improvement process.
• School improvement process is
continuous.
• Building capacity promotes a school’s
ability to produce quality activities that
lead to improved student performance.
NCA CASI
Performance
Accreditation
The Student Profile
The Profile Includes:
• Table of Contents
• School and Community
Description
• School Mission Statement
• School Beliefs Statement
• Reporting facts and analysis of
– Unique Local Insights
– Follow-up of Former Students
– Existing School Data
• Graphs and Narrative
CHARACTERISTICS
• The school profile provides a picture
of what is taking place in the
school, both in terms of learning
and teaching.
• A School Profile is not infallible. A
profile is a collection of indicators.
• Profiles should be considered
working drafts--they should change
as new information is available.
• Profiling enables staffs identify
strengths and needs. The School
Profile should not be seen as a
“deficit report.”
• The School Profile is the document
from which building goals emerge.
The profile is a document that
guides decisions.
The Profile
• helps the
stakeholders
understand the
operating environment,
• performance levels of
students,
• perceptions and
expectations of parents
and community, and
•other factors that
affect
teaching/learning.
Capacity Assessment
Building upon certain
capacities within the school
will enhance its ability to
implement quality school
improvement activities that
lead to improved student
performance.
Capacity Assessment Instrument
Any school applying for
membership or a
continuing member
beginning or completing a
cycle of performance
accreditation will be
asked to complete the
instrument to determine
the school’s capacity for
school improvement.
NCA Commission on Accreditation
and School Improvement
• The Commission is here to assist and
support you as you work on school
improvement plans in your school.
• Workshops
• Fall Conferences in states
• Annual Meeting: April 7-10,2002
• State Committee
• Ambassadors