EDAD 693 & 694 Practicum/Internship Artifact

Standard 1.0 School Vision

Element 1.1 Facilitating a Shared Vision
Activity: 1B. Review/Compare Vision Statements
Time: 3 hours
Artifact: Route 40 & Grantsville Elementary Vision Statements and
Reflections
Description: In selecting this activity, I thought it would be interesting to compare the
vision statements of the two schools in which I work. I first wanted to familiarize myself with
each vision, so that I could then compare it to the different environments and populations
that each one serves. Grantsville is a Title I school with approximately 75% FARMs
population, while Route 40 is a non-Title I school and has only about a 31% FARMs
population. I also wanted to examine how the difference in leadership affected the vision,
and whether or not the vision actually came through in the overall environment of the
school.
Reflection: I think a vision statement is most meaningful if an individual is a part of its
creation. I was on the leadership team for a church plant a few years ago, and one of the
activities we did as a group was create a mission and vision statement. It was a very
insightful process, as we knew that both statements would define the church, its goals, and
its future. I have taught in GCPS for the past seven years, and I had never read the vision
statement for either school. I do, however, feel that I can see the vision being carried out in
the day-to-day dealings in each building. I also can see the leadership style of each
principal in the corresponding schools vision, which is good, but I wonder how much input
was provided by the staff so that they could also feel real ownership of the vision. Having
not served on the School Improvement Team, I wouldnt know whether or not the staff
helped to create the vision or how often it is updated. More of my thoughts on each schools
vision can be found in the artifact.