Roll Up Your Sleeves: The Board’s Role in Mission and Vision Alignment
A school’s mission and vision should be more than just words the mission and vision should serve as the foundation for governance, strategy, budgeting, and decision-making. Yet over time, many schools experience mission drift as leadership changes, priorities shift, growth occurs, and day-to-day demands begin to overshadow purpose. This interactive session is designed for governance teams - board members and school leaders - who want to strengthen the connection between their mission, vision, and governance practices. Participants will assess whether their mission and vision remain relevant, examine common sources of organizational drift, and explore how boards can use mission and vision as active tools for guiding policy, strategic priorities, and resource allocation. Through facilitated discussions and team-based exercises, participants will evaluate their current level of alignment, identify areas that may need refinement, and determine whether a broader re-envisioning process is needed. The session will also provide practical guidance on engaging stakeholders in mission and vision work and discuss when strategic planning can serve as a valuable framework for translating purpose into action. Teams will leave with a clearer understanding of the board’s role in leading mission-centered governance, a framework for assessing alignment at their own school, and concrete next steps for strengthening the connection between purpose, strategy, and results.
Presented by
Caitlin O'Halloran Hellar Governance and Policy Specialist Charter Schools Development Center
Caitlin O’Halloran Hellar is the Governance and Policy Specialist at CSDC. Caitlin leads CSDC's development and delivery of matters relating to governance, policy, and other charter school leadership topics. In 2004, Caitlin co-founded the Dixon Montessori Charter School (DMCS). From 2013-2022 she served on the Dixon Unified School District Governing Board which authorizes DMCS. She served one term on the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools and has been a workshop presenter at statewide educational conferences, a commentator on public radio, and the Woman of the Year for Senate District 03 in 2016.
Dr. Irene Salter Leadership Coach | Writer | Trainer Inquiring Minds
Irene Salter's mind is formidable with a PhD in neuroscience, Master's in psychology, and over two decades of leadership experience, but it's her genuine passion and heartfelt approach that sets her apart. She specializes in curating training and coaching spaces for leaders driven by passion, purpose, and people. Her clients include visionaries from numerous charter and traditional schools across the country, Disney, Google, Facebook, Verizon, government agencies, and nonprofits. She draws from neuroscience, positive psychology, and mind-body medicine to help her clients thrive, not just survive. Learn more at irenesalter.com
