Maximize Your School Identity Work: 5 Benefits of School Identity Work
In all the work we do, we want it to be larger than ourselves. And one of the nice things about doing [school identity] work is as a leader, I now know that the culture of this district is now larger than my leadership.
– Todd Miller
INTRO
During a Portico Crowdsource on October 20, 2022, Santiam Canyon Superintendent, Todd Miller, shared some insights about the importance of school identity work. School identity helps members of a school community feel connected and united, and it strengthens ties and support from the greater community. Here are five more (perhaps not-so-obvious) benefits your school community can enjoy by building a strong school culture from a shared identity.
Use this resource to evaluate and reflect on how you’re maximizing the benefits of your school’s identity work, and then create an action plan for areas of improvement.
OBJECTIVES
- Evaluate and reflect on how you’re maximizing the benefits of your school’s identity work
- Create an action plan for areas of improvement
ACTIVITY
We recommend engaging your leadership team(s) in this activity to generate the most insight and ideas.
- Review the benefits of school identity work outlined in this infographic
- Evaluate your school for each of the five areas
- Reflect on what you’re already doing and how your school is already reaping each benefit
- Which benefits could be better maximized?
- Create an action plan (starting with the benefits you’re most lacking) to reinforce and better integrate and maximize your school’s identity work
TIPS
- For small teams, reviewing all the benefits together may work best; for larger teams, you can break them up and have individuals/partners/small groups each focus and report back on individual benefits and then bring it all together
- Depending on your action plan, this may turn into a larger project/improvement plan – and that’s good!
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