TBCS - Craig - Mission and Vision

I was challenged while reading how to develop Mission and Vision statements to Imagine a family moving into our community and making the decision about which school to send their children to. To use my imagination to see why they would be exploring our school, how they would find us, and what would be the result of sending their children to our school. I was challenged to write this story out and add as many details as possible and to encourage others at my school to go through the same process.

These are the stories that describe what it looks like when our school is doing their best work. We were to share our stories and keep these stories in mind as we began the process. These stories are the background of the mission statement, the context behind the actual words.

I was to make a list of what our school does and does not do. Starting with the good and not undervaluing what we provide. Schools operate within communities, alongside families, Churches, and a multitude of organizations that provide value for children but our school has a unique calling in the formation of children. I had to define what our school does for families who choose us.

“A Christian school mission statement must sell the school to prospective families and donors alike, rally the community in a multitude of different ways, and direct the overall operations.” 

My list of what our school does includes…

• ·       Our school seeks to honour God and help each student know Him as Lord and Saviour.
• ·       We are here to partnership with parents to train up their children.
• ·       We prioritise knowing God’s Word, memorizing it, and putting it into practice.
• ·       We encourage the developing of character traits including Love, Obedience, Perseverance, Integrity, Courage, Respect, Servanthood.
• ·       Our school is small and family like so everyone knows everyone else.
• ·       The older students are equipped, encouraged, and given the responsibility to lead by setting a good example for the younger students and to look after them.
• ·       All students are taught and encouraged to be inclusive and to look out for others first.
• ·       We learn to work together and be part of a team.
• ·       Each student is encouraged to work to their best, and educational programmes are tailored to meet each student at their point of need and are flexible enough to allow them to continue to grow at whatever speed they can achieve.
• ·       Students become self-motivated and develop the desire to work above and beyond the limits of the lessons.
• ·       Students are encouraged to identify and use their unique God-given talents for the benefit of all.
• ·       We encourage prayer.
• ·       We develop self-discipline.
• ·       We equip students for our digital age with the use of personal devices.
• ·       We encourage physical fitness and expose students to different sporting codes.

A possible Mission Statement…

At Tasman Bay Christian School, our mission is to honour God and in partnership with parents, nurture students who know and love God, have hearts of faith and service, are self-motivated lifelong learners, and exhibit Christ-like character; bringing hope and leadership to their schools, families, churches, and communities.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith” Hebrews 12:2

The mission statement describes the reason for existence as well as a reference point, a reminder. Along with the core beliefs and core values, a mission statement provides the boundaries for which the school stakeholders agree to work creatively within. The work they engage in is designed to achieve a shared vision, a public declaration that schools use to describe their highest-level goals for the future. In other words, what a school hopes to achieve if they successfully fulfil the school’s mission.

Mission statements represent the intellectual and cultural memory, and the will of the local place and people. Mission statements are common statements of mutual understanding that reflect local habits, place, and legacy. Mission statements answer four key questions: Who are we? What do we do? Why do we do it? For whom do we do it?

Vision or aspiration statements are precise, adaptive and responsive. Its tenets should be reflected in curriculum, assessment, instruction, projects, and learning artifacts.

A simple analogy might be arrows and a target. One might immediately associate arrows and vision, right? The arrows, shot from the bow, are what we use to accomplish the mission. The arrows, however, represent the mission in this analogy. They are the reason the school exists and remains the same. The target represents the vision or aspiration statement. It can change and should change periodically by assessing the needs of the families and students who are choosing your school.

A possible Vision Statement

In a world where there are less absolutes and truth is fluid and self-determined, Tasman Bay Christian School aims to engage students in a biblically-based Christ-centred education that equips and challenges them to reach their unique potential spiritually, academically, socially, and physically utilizing innovative and engaging curriculum and teaching practices delivered by qualified, caring Christian staff.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” Luke 2:52

Reference Centre for the Advancement of Christian Education.