In 2017 Parnell District School, one of Auckland’s oldest schools, were in change mode.
They wanted to grow their roll and compete more effectively against other schools.
They needed a focused story that captured their new vision.
We used Dow Labs to engage the staff and discover what they collectively believed made Parnell District School different and special.
How did it work?
The staff were given homework - to record their Aha! Moments - and we gave them a joint Making Exercise. (‘Doing’ is proven to get closer to real, not reported, attitudes.)
The results uncovered what the staff believed made Parnell District School special. And the Making activity bonded people together, people who hadn’t always necessarily agreed with one another.
Next, the task was to distil all of this into a simple, strong vision statement and a refreshed school identity.
The pupils were part of the process too. They were asked to draw how they saw their school, so we could tap into the symbols that meant something to them.
The school found its heart, its every day purpose, captured in one strong and simple statement. And an easy-to-remember kit of three values.
And a new identity was born. With a story everyone understood and believed in.
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