Revere began our journey to create a Portrait of a Graduate (Vision of a Minuteman). Some people may wonder why we would dedicate the resources and time to invest in creating a vision instead of merely proceeding with everyday work.
I have had the pleasure and honor of being a district superintendent for over seven years and I have seen firsthand the power of vision in uniting and coalescing a group. When considering vision I am drawn to the work of Margaret Wheatley (1999) who described vision as an energy field and encouraged individuals to use it as a formative influence. She wrote, “We would start by recognizing that in creating a vision, we are creating a power, not a place, an influence, not a destination” (Wheatley, 1999, p. 55).
Oftentimes vision statements are not inculcated into an organization, but rather written in seclusion and shared to the masses by a few individuals expecting all stakeholders to embrace the direction decided by a select few in a position of power. Wheatley suggested vision statements should move off the walls “and into the corridors, seeking out every employee, every recess in the organization” (p. 57).
I have never been more passionate about the importance of vision given the pandemic and how it has shaken nearly every aspect of our world. This is especially true in education, which up until the pandemic has been an institution largely resistant to societal changes. As an educational leader, I look forward to having meaningful conversations around what school can be and how it can truly support our students to find success in their lives regardless of their chosen pathway. The time is now to reimagine and reinvent.
Wheatley, M. J. (1999). Leadership and the new science : Discovering order in a chaoticworld. San Francisco, CA :Berrett-Koehler.
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