Indicator 2

The school’s mission statement shall represent the school community’s fundamental values and beliefs about student learning.

What to Look for:

What fundamental values and beliefs about student learning, teacher pedagogy, and relationships with parents and the community does the school hold? How has the school determined these values and beliefs and processed them in a way that they genuinely reflect the larger school community?

• the mission statement is written in succinct and clear terms that capture the essence of the school's beliefs and values
• the mission statement addresses fundamental beliefs/values and might include such ideas as: 1) the emphasis on real-life application of knowledge; 2) the role of teachers as coaches and not simply as deliverers of information; 3) the importance of the school serving as a democratic/inclusive community of learners that honors and respects diversity; 4) an ethic of professional teacher collaboration and reflection; 5) the overall approach of the school in supporting teaching and learning
• the mission statement is included in key school documents (e.g., course booklet, district newsletters, etc.) and is used frequently by school officials to frame decisions and define program directions
• the mission statement is posted in classrooms and inside the entranceway to the school
• the mission statement is part of the curriculum, studied by students in some area of their program (e.g., grade 9 social studies)
• any student or staff member, chosen arbitrarily by a visitor, should be able to state the mission in general terms and indicate how it applies to the overall work of the school