Name Carolyn Gassmann

EPPSP Group 39
Butler University

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

STANDARD _:
Number and Proficiency here:
1. Communicate the vision. Communicate your vision and/or mission through the use of
symbols, ceremonies, stories, and other activities.

Implement the vision. Formulate initiatives necessary to motivate staff, students, and
families to work to achieve the school’s vision and related goals. Give particular attention
to implementation strategies for articulating the vision, encouraging high standards,
facilitating collegiality, and teamwork, appropriately using student assessment,
developing leadership in others, securing resources, supporting innovation, providing
autonomy, and delegating responsibility.

Summary:
Through the Phase I Mission, Symbol, and Vision project, I was able to create my clear vision
for who I am as a person, educator, and leader; specifically an educational leader. After Jack
Parker and Eric Long’s presentation early in the semester, it was clear that this project would be
a wonderful reflection exercise to ensure that my values were strongly aligned with the work that
I was doing each day and the leadership qualities that I was developing.

As Parker and Long suggested, I began this project by first reflecting upon my values as a
person, educator, and leader. I determined that my five strongest values are joy, courage,
passion, dedication, and fun, as these are things that I try to exude each day, as well as pass on
to the students and teachers I encounter each day. I then created a justification for each value:

Joy Courage Passion Dedication Fun

o Life should be o Jump head- o Do more of o Give all of your o Life is too short
joyful first into new what makes effort to not spend
o Joy is found in opportunities you happy o Serve time doing
the everyday o Take chances o Don’t project unconditionally what you love
o We create our that scare you your passion ; without o Invest in
own joy o Say “yes” onto others; expecting people
when you so help them find anything in o Smile at
badly want to their own return strangers
say “no” o Let your o Put others
passion guide above yourself
your life

After determining these as my strongest values, I began to think of how I could represent these
symbolically. I determined that a five-ray sun would be an accurate representation of each of
these values and of me as a person. I strive to be the personification of sunshine each and
every day and exude a bright light in everything that I do. Another fitting connection to this
symbol is that my name is Carolyn Rae, after my father, Ray. He was a Ray of sunshine in the
lives of so many people. He served unconditionally and without hesitation, doing things such as
teaching strangers to drive, driving appliances from Home Depot in his truck for others, and
even going as far as to once stop a purse-thief in a grocery store parking lot. In different ways, I
try to live up to my namesake everyday by exuding similar servant leadership and helping
others unconditionally with a constant smile on my face.

After choosing my symbol, I moved into the creation of my mission statement. By using the key
points of, “who we are, who we serve, what we do, and why we do it”, I was able to create a
present-tense statement that connected my values to these points. In the weeks since the
creation of my mission statement, I have found myself frequently reflecting on how I live up to
my mission statement and how I ensure that it is guiding my life as an educator and a leader.

Finally, I spent time reflecting on my vision; my goals as a person, an educator, and a leader. I
used the “best case scenario” idea to guide the creation of my mission, and ensured that I, once
again, tied in all of my values. For years, before going to bed I try to reflect on my day in
different ways to remind myself of the good things that have happened and brainstorm ways to
improve things that caused struggle or frustration. Since the creation of my vision statement, I
find myself using it to guide my daily reflection. I find myself asking myself “Did I bring joy to
another human today?” “Did I give my all to my work and my relationships today?” “How can I
do more of these things tomorrow?”

Through this project, I have been able to grow as a reflective thinker and enhance my personal
values exponentially. I have clear ideas on how I can serve others and a strong moral guide to
my life as I grow as a person and continue to transition from a classroom educator to a
classroom and school leader.

Reflection:
While this project was based upon my personal thoughts and values, it helped me gain a deeper
understanding of how district and school leaders create mission and vision statements. I spent
time thinking about how I, as a future building or district leader, would go about creating these
statements in a meaningful and applicable way.

To begin, I believe that it is important that the school’s or district’s mission directly reflect what is
being done in the building’s classrooms or the district’s schools. I think that in creating these
statements, leaders should spend time visiting each classroom or school and observing the
values of the individuals who serve there. After some observation and reflection, I believe that
leaders should take time to find trends they noticed throughout the building or buildings and
write those down. Those trends will most likely serve as the values.

Then, leaders can move into the creation of the mission and vision statements with a clear
understanding of the building’s culture. They can use this clear understanding to guide their
writing of a mission and vision that accurately reflect the work that is happening throughout the
community they serve each day.

I believe that when approached in this way, leaders are able to create a mission and vision that
directly correlate with the work happening in their setting, as opposed to simply choosing a very
general, broad statement that does not reflect the school or district.

Working in a pilot program, I have been able to see firsthand what it is like for prospective
families to tour and decide if a school or program is right for their child. Many of the families that
I know began their school search by studying the school’s website. In doing this, one of the first
impressions the prospective family has of the school is their mission and vision statement. Since
we often remember the first things we learn about a topic, there is great potential for these
statements to stick in the family’s head as they move into the next steps of contacting and
touring the school. If they come to observe the school and do not see the things outlined in the
mission and vision, they may not be sold on the school or program. Conversely, if they come to
the school and see these things in practice, and they align with what they believe will be a
successful learning environment for their child, they are more apt to choose the school or
program.

As educators and leaders we have the choice to go the extra mile in everything for the success
of our schools and our students. When we do go that extra mile, even in something as
seemingly simple as the creation of a mission and vision statement, we are showing our
community that we truly care about them and are aligned with their thoughts and beliefs. We
show them that we hear them, see them, and value them.

Artifacts:

Link to my Mission, Symbol, and Vision Project

https://www.canva.com/design/DAD0QpSGNng/HFNFpaQ8yolMlRp73o_h9w/view?
utm_content=DAD0QpSGNng&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=s
harebutton