Integrated Mission

Integrated Mission is the school practice of vertically integrating a lived and meaningful mission throughout the entire school community. This driver ensures that the school’s mission is not only stated but actively embodied in the daily life, decision-making, and culture of the school. Integrated Mission aligns curriculum, community engagement, and leadership practices so that every member of the school—students, faculty, staff, and families—experiences and contributes to the mission in tangible and meaningful ways.

The practice of Integrated Mission supports continuity and coherence across all levels of the school. Students encounter the mission not just in abstract statements but as a living, dynamic framework that guides classroom learning, community practices, spiritual life, and service initiatives. This vertical integration allows the mission to deepen and evolve with students as they progress, encouraging them to internalize, personalize, and enact the mission in ways that are authentic to their own journey.

A key rationale behind Integrated Mission is that a school mission is most powerful when it is consistently and consciously enacted, rather than remaining aspirational. By embedding the mission into daily practices, rituals, and decisions, schools cultivate a shared identity and purpose, strengthen community cohesion, and guide students toward meaningful contributions both within and beyond the school.

Example:

Service Learning: At a school in California, the mission emphasizes social responsibility and global citizenship. Service learning opportunities are structured at every grade level to reflect the mission in age-appropriate ways, from classroom projects in early grades to community-based partnerships in upper grades. Each experience is intentionally connected to the mission, ensuring that students see themselves as active participants in a mission-driven community.


Integrated Mission is…

  • Vertically aligned and continuously reinforced across all grade levels

  • Embodied in school culture, practices, and decision-making

  • Inclusive, allowing diverse interpretations and expressions of mission

Integrated Mission is not…

  • A mission that exists only on paper or promotional materials

  • Fragmented or inconsistent across grade levels or departments

  • Separate from daily student life, learning, and engagement

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