In the age of AI, you’d think refreshing an independent school’s mission statement would be as easy as typing a few key words into a text box and hitting “Go!”
But, at Cheshire Academy, our mission – both the goals and aspirations behind it and the words that form it – is carefully considered. So, why evaluate the mission as it stands? Schools often review and reaffirm or revise their mission statements as part of reaccreditation processes or when launching strategic planning initiatives. For Cheshire Academy, this mission refresh represents the foundational first step in the school’s strategic planning process – ensuring our guiding principles are clearly articulated before charting our path forward.
The task of shaping the current mission into a more succinct, yet potent update meant bringing together viewpoints from across our campus and community. The group sought inspiration from all members of the CA community – students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends. Engaging 254 members through surveys and listening sessions, the committee synthesized the collective voice, mapping themes, analyzing patterns, and testing language against both our lived experience and educational best practices. Multiple discussions centered on what could and couldn’t be added or discarded and how certain concepts ‘land’ as we move into the second quarter of the 21st century. A final draft that was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The New Cheshire Academy Mission
“Cheshire Academy challenges and supports individual students in developing the character, critical thinking, and confidence to flourish as purposeful global citizens.”
The statement is 11 words shorter than the most-recent version, but that’s not the most important change.
“Every word in our mission statement is intentional,” said Head of School Tom Woelper P’26. “The words chosen are connected to educational research, pedagogy, and historical philosophy extending as far back as Aristotle. Language shapes practice.”
Well-chosen verbs in the statement delineate our actions. “Challenge” highlights how we push students beyond their original comfort zones, and “support” shows that we provide the nurturing and scaffolding to help them take the risks necessary.
The verb “flourish” showcases our commitment to comprehensive wellbeing, and the word encompasses the wisdom of the ancients and modern, multimillion-dollar research. Lauded by Aristotle, the concept of “flourishing” comes with a quintet of measurable domains outlined by Harvard researchers that imply moving beyond success to significance.
“Our students are not just college-ready, but life-ready,” Woelper said.
As for the nouns, they include community (“Cheshire Academy”), the whole persons who are our focus (“students”), and the ‘trinity’ of who they are (“character”), how they engage (“critical thinking”), and what empowers them (“confidence”).
“It’s a deliberate progression from being to doing to becoming,” Woelper said.
The end result is a mission devoid of trendy or decorative language and empty rhetoric. It ensures clear commitment, measurable outcomes, and daily accountability.
A Tagline to Remember
Still a little too long for you to commit to memory? Try out our “mission shorthand” statement or new tagline:
- “Where individual growth meets global purpose.”
- “Individual Growth. Global Purpose.”
On August 18, Woelper unveiled the approved mission to the faculty and staff, explaining details of the deep and thoughtful process behind its creation. He then shared it with the students, parents, and the wider school community at Convocation, and sent an announcement to alumni and the public.
“The start of the academic year is already a time of renewed energy and excitement,” said Woelper. “Our refreshed mission dovetails with that spirit of renewal and re-commitment.”
