People should have voice in the decisions that impact them

The very first case study that candidates in our principal preparation program are asked to write is about the core values, mission and espoused beliefs of their schools – and the degree to which they see evidence of those values lived in the school community.  Over the past two years, the UVEI board, faculty, staff, candidates, and community members have been engaged in a similar inquiry as part of the self-reflection required in our strategic planning process.  

We have asked ourselves as faculty and staff, as well as current cohorts in our programs, which of our core values is most felt in their experience at UVEI, and a committee of stakeholders has been engaged in a process of updating our values to ensure they reflect the lived core convictions of our work.  A new core value, “Voice,” is being proposed as a result of this ongoing process: 

Voice: We believe that schools and educational institutions should model inclusive policies, practices, and pedagogies. This includes the democratic principle that people should have a voice in the decisions that impact them.

It is often said that people should practice what they preach.  We agree.  And, it is important that we also preach what we practice; that is, that we espouse the values that we both see ourselves living and striving to uphold in our work.  Whether it is through how we teach, what we teach, or how we govern ourselves and run our own meetings, the democratic “principle that  people should have a voice in the decisions that impact them” is important to us.  This, like all we do, is a work in progress – as democracy and democratic institutions inherently must be.  

The revision process for our core values is ongoing, so you won’t see this value formally published quite yet. However, we feel confident in saying that these concepts will continue to be a priority for us moving forward – as we see they have been when we look back on the history of UVEI’s work. During this week of the 2024 elections, values like “voice” and “democracy” seem particularly relevant to all of us, as well as to the wider world.

Elijah Hawkes is the Director of School Leadership Programs at UVEI.