The school community knows who they are and what they collectively value and believe.
Elements of Shared Identity
These elements serve as guiding principles or visions of what “perfect” or “ideal” outcomes might look like.
The identity includes a clear sense of purpose and a holistic set of outcomes for all students.
The identity is well-known and embraced by all students, families, staff, and the community.
I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.
– Maya Angelou
Crowdsource Workshops on Shared Identity
Past Crowdsource Recaps
Forging a Shared Identity: Building a Holistic Learning Community
This interactive workshop delves into the power of a shared identity within a school community. We’ll explore how to cultivate the shared values, beliefs, and understandings that create a supportive and purposeful learning environment for each and every student …
Using Shared Identity to Connect Across Schools and With the Community
Todd Miller, Superintendent of Santiam Canyon School District, will explore the central role of shared identity in connecting schools to each other and to the larger community, especially in rural areas …
Reinforce Your School’s Identity to Launch the New Year With Momentum
Courtney Spelber, Former Principal at Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach Union High School District, discusses ways to use your second term to get started the right way by reinforcing your identity with your students and staff. She shares how she uses school-wide activities connected to Ocean View’s values …
Use Your School’s Identity as the Foundation for Your Long-term Plan
Antonio shared how he used Abraham Lincoln High School’s (ALHS) shared identity and vision for readiness to create an innovation plan for a College and Career Academy within the school that blends the high school experience with a college-going and career exploration culture …
Toolkit Resources for Shared Identity
How One Superintendent Built a Shared Identity from the Ground Up
When Dave Parker began his tenure as superintendent of Forest …
A Vision Shared: How Anaheim Union High School District Redefined School Identity Through Community Collaboration
When I reflect on my time as Chief Academic Officer …
Step Back to Move Forward: Engage in a Historical Scan
The Historical Scan is more than just a timeline—it’s an …
Sharing Student Stories to Bring Your School Identity to Life
Your students’ stories are already unfolding in classrooms, sports fields, …
Reinforce Your School’s Identity to Launch The New Year With Momentum
We had the pleasure of hosting a Crowdsource webinar with …
Staff Maxims T-Shirts: Foster a Sense of Connection and Community with Staff and Students
This activity was shared by Todd Miller, superintendent at Santiam …
Reflection Prompts for School Leaders
- What might be possible ways, even if they were unintentional, that staff, students, and/or families could feel their values and beliefs were not included in a school’s identity?
- What groups do you have in your school that may not feel connected or valued?
- What might be some ways to incorporate the voice of school/community groups who do not feel included to increase their sense of belonging?
- You run into a key stakeholder “in an elevator.” This person asks, “I heard you are working on creating your school identity that tells who you are as a school and what you are all about. Can you tell me more about this?” Prepare and practice an informative and concise response which you can deliver in 60 seconds or less. Try out your ideas by filling in the sentence frames: Our initiative is about… and… It is important because our students… We need to change because… When we are successful… What we need from the staff….from the students…from the families…from all of us together…
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