Reinforce Your School’s Vision for Readiness Through Points of Emphasis

Presented by: Michelle Liebhardt

For a school’s vision of student readiness to be more than words hanging on a wall, it has to reflect a school’s values. It has to make sense to the whole school community. And it has to be brought into everyday school life.

Life-ready maxims are short phrases that translate your vision statement into easy terms everyone can understand and remember. Once you have these maxims as guides, they can be built into routines and practices. And when your school’s vision becomes second nature, it moves the needle on student outcomes. Here’s how this went at one large, diverse high school. Mandy Ballenger, Director of Human Resources, Merced Union High School District shares how she used the routine of classroom observations when she was principal at Livingston High School to reinforce the 4C’s (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication) for teachers in all classrooms.

In this workshop we will explore: 

1. How a shared vision for readiness can unify school culture and drive instructional focus.
2. Practical strategies for building staff and student buy-in around readiness, values, and the Four Cs (collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking).
3. Routines and systems that support consistency, celebrate progress, and embed schoolwide expectations.

By participating, you will be ready to:

1. Use your school’s existing strengths to co-create or refine a compelling vision for readiness.
2. Implement inclusive practices that engage staff, students, and families in that vision.
3. Apply strategies—from walkthroughs to student interviews—that sustain alignment and momentum over time.

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Resources

The Two Anchors that Make or Break School Change Efforts: Shared Vision for Readiness & School Identity

Maxims, Routines, and Practices Can Make Your School’s Vision a Reality

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About the Presenters

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Stay in the Loop

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Mandy Ballenger, Director of Human Resources, Merced Union High School District shares how she used the routine of classroom observations when she was principal at Livingston High School to reinforce the 4C’s (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication) for teachers in all classrooms.