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Well-Defined Mission Statement

Lodish (1992) makes the following suggestions for developing a mission statement:

"The mission statement defines the overall purpose of the school, incorporating the beliefs, concepts, and values on which the school's programs are based and the goals toward which the school's efforts are directed. It should be brief--a few paragraphs on a single page, simply worded, and easily understood--and serve as a framework for everything the school does. All program objectives, action plans, and curriculum strategies should support the mission, and certainly not conflict with it." (p. 1)

"A school's philosophy should be compatible with the philosophy of the larger system or district. It should address, but not be limited to, what the school believes about:

• The purpose of the elementary school in society.

• The relevance of the philosophy to the larger purposes of American democracy.

• Special characteristics and unique needs of elementary school children.

• The roles and relationships of people in the school community--students, teachers, administrators, and parents.

• The relationship with the school at the next level--primary to upper elementary, elementary to middle, middle to secondary.

• Overall curriculum content and methods of instruction.

• Desirable learning activities.

• How young students learn.

• The outcomes of education.

• How teachers are viewed as professionals and learners.

• The accountability of the school to the wider community." (p. 2.)

References