Goal Presentation

What I Learned In School Today: Communicating goals is as important as the goals themselves.

Establishing targeted school goals and developing action plans in order to reach those goals is a key process that every school should take part in at the start of the school year. Clear goals can help guide a school’s work and create direction and focus. Equally as important as the goals themselves is the way they are communicated to the staff.

I've participated in several EdCamps at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education in Philadelphia. Dr. Joe Mazza, one of the organizers of the event, shared in his opening remarks this summer that the smartest person in the room is the room. I wholeheartedly agree. Any goal worth working towards has a better chance of success if it's approached through teamwork and collaboration. Without clearly communicating goals and the plan to achieve those goals with everyone in the school, they goal has very little chance to be reached.

We worked hard this summer to gather feedback on the targeted goal areas from our teachers prior to writing our goals. Their feedback was absolutely invaluable and directly impacted our action steps and overall plans. This morning we communicated our goals to our staff at a faculty meeting. While not necessarily the most exciting topic or most engaging way of starting the day, we set a nice foundation for what the year is going to look like and made sure that we're all on the same page. Goals are nothing without clearly communicating them to the staff.

How do other schools develop, plan for, and communicate their goals? I'd love to hear strategies and ideas!