

Communicate and
Articulate the Vision

Sashkin (1988) and Deal and Peterson (1994) suggest several key
ways to communicate and articulate the vision, including the
following:
- Expressing the vision in an engaging, unusual, or particularly
attention-grabbing way
- Communicating the vision in consistent behavior, words, and
deeds
- Making all decision making and governance actions build toward
the vision
- Providing activities that require some risk and buy-in to
accomplish - then rewarding success
- Making daily actions communicate the hope and dream of the
vision - "walking one's talk"
- Establishing traditions and school-wide ceremonies that
celebrate the vision and effort towards it
- Developing school mottos, mission statements, or symbols that
communicate the vision
Below are some additional actions that schools can take to
articulate and communicate a shared vision:
- The vision can be placed in a mission statement, printed, and
posted in the front hallway.
- In some schools, the school mission statement is reviewed
before school starts every year in a ceremony during which staff
sign the mission statement as a form of personal commitment.
- The school's mission should be addressed during assemblies,
planning meetings, and school governance council meetings.
Decisions should be made based on the mission and values of the
school.
- List in a written document the "belief statements" that people
hold for the school.
- Communicate the school's mission symbolically through mottos,
flags, banners, and materials that are sent out from the school,
such as letterheads, pencils, and so forth.
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