SISI - Standards and Indicators

Standard 1- Academic Performance – Curriculum
1.1b-The district initiates and facilities discussions among schools regarding curriculum standards to ensure they are clearly articulated across all levels.
1.1c The district initiates and facilities discussions between schools in the district in order to eliminate unnecessary overlaps and close gaps.
1.1d There is evidence of vertical communication with an intentional focus on key curriculum transition points within grade configurations(e.g., from primary to middle and middle to high).
1.1e The school curriculum provides specific links to continuing education, life, and career options.
1.1f There is in place a systematic process for monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing the curriculum.
1.1g The curriculum provides access to a common academic core for all students.

Standard 2- Academic Performance- Classroom Evaluation/Assessment
2.1b-Teachers collaborate in the design of authentic assessment tasks aligned with core content subject matter.
2.1c Students can articulate the academic expectations in each class and know what is required to be proficient.
2.1d Test scores are used to identify curriculum gaps.
2.1e Multiple assessments are specifically designed to provide meaningful feedback on student learning for instructional purposes.
2.1f Performance standards are clearly communicated, evident in classrooms and observable in student work.
2.1h Samples of student work are analyzed to inform instruction, revise curriculum and pedagogy, and obtain information on student progress.

Standard 3- Academic Performance – Instructional
3.1a There is evidence that effective and varied instructional strategies are used in all classrooms.
3.1b Instructional strategies and learning activites are aligned with the district, school, and state learning goals and assessment expectations for student learning.
3.1d Teachers demonstrate the content knowledge necessary to challenge and motivate students to high levels of learning.
3.1e There is evidence that teachers incorporate the use of technology in their classrooms.
3.1f Instructional resources are sufficient to effectively deliver the curriculum.
3.1g Teachers examine and discuss student work collaboratively and use this information to inform their practice.

Standard 4-Learning Environment- School Culture
4.1a There is leadership support for a safe, orderly, and equitable learning environment (e.g., culture audits/school opinion surveys).
4.1b Leadership creates eexperiences that foster the belief that all children can learn at high levels in order to motivate staff to produce continuous improvement in student learning.
4.1c Teachers hold high expectations for all students academically and behaviorally, and this is evidenced in their practice.
4.1d Teachers and non-teaching staff are involved in both formal and informal decision-making processes regarding teaching and learning.
4.1e Teachers recognize and accept their professional role instudent success and failure.
4.1f The school intentionally assigns staff to maximize opportunities for all students to have access to the staff's instructional strengths.
4.1g Teachers communicate regularly with families about individual students' progress (e.g., engage through conversation).
4.1h There is evidence that the teachers and staff care about students and inspire their best efforts.
4.1i Multiple communication strategies and contexts are used for the dissemination of information to all stakeholders.
4.1j There is evidence that student achievement is highly valued and publicly celebrated (e.g., displays of student work, assemblies).
4.1k The school/district provides support for the physical, cultural, socio-economic, and intellectual needs of all students, which reflects a commitment to equity and an appreciation of diversity.

Standard 5-Learning Environment- Student, Family, and Community Support
5.1a Families and the community are active partners in the educational process and work together with the school/district staff to promote programs and services for all students.
5.1b Structures are in place to ensure that all students have access to all the curriculum (e.g., school guidance, FRYSC's, ESS).
5.1c The school district provides organizational structures and supports a variety of opportunities to receive additional assistance to support their learning, beyond the initial classroom instruction.

Standard 6 – Learning Environment- Professional Growth Development and Evaluation
6.1a There is evidence of support for the long-term professional growth needs of the individual staff memebers. This includes both instructional and leadership growth.
6.1b The school has an intentional plan for building instructional capacity through on-going professional development.
6.1c Staff development priorities are set in alignment with goals for student performance and the individual growth plans of staff.
6.1d Plans for school improvement directly connect goals for student learning and the priorities set for the school and district staff development activities.
6.1e Professional development is on-going and job-embedded.
6.1f Professional development planning shows a direct connection to an analysis of student achievement data.
6.2b Leadership provides the fiscal resources for the appropriate professional growth and development of certified staff based on identified needs.
6.2c The school/district effectively uses the employee evaluation and the individual professional growth plan to improve staff proficiency.
6.2e The school/district improvement plan identifies specific instructional leadership needs, has strategies to address them, and uses the Effective Instructional Leadership Act requirement as a resource to accomplish these goals.
6.2f-Leadership uses the evaluation process to provide teachers with the follow-up and support to change behavior and instructional practices.

Standard 7- Efficiency – Leadership
7.1a Leadership has developed and sustained a shared vision.
7.1b Leadership decisions are focused on student academic performance and are data-driven and collaborative.
7.1c There is evidence that all administrators have a growth plan focused on the developemnt of effective leadership skills.
7.1d There is evidence that the school/district leadership team disaggregates data for use in meeting the needs of a diverse population, communicates the information to school staff and incorporates the data systematically into the school's plan.
7.1e Leadership ensures all instructional staff has access to curriculum related materials and the training necessary to use curricular and data resources relating to the learning goals for Kentucky public schools.
7.1f Leadership ensures that time is protected and allocated to focus on curricular and instructional issues.
7.1g Leadership plans and allocates resources, monitors progress, provides organizational infrastructure, and removes barriers in order to sustain continuous school improvement.
7.1h The school/district leadership provides the organizational policy and resource infrastructure necessary for the implementation and maintenance of a safe and effective learning environment.
7.1i Leadership provides a process for the development and the implementation of council policy based on anticipated needs.
7.1j There is evidence that the SBDM council has an intentional focus on student academic performance.
7.1k There is evidence that the principal demonstrates leadership skills in the areas of academic performance, learning environment, and efficiency.

Standard 8- Efficiency- Organizational Structure and Resources
8.1a There is evidence that the school is organized to maximize use of all available resources to support high student and staff performance.
8.1b The master class schedule reflects all students have access to all of the curriculum.
8.1c The instructional and non-instructional staff are allocated and organzied based upon the learning needs of all students.
8.1d There is evidence that the staff makes efficient use of instructional time to maximize student learning.
8.1e Staff promotes team planning vertically and horizontally across content areas and grade configurations that is focused on the goals, objectives, and strategies in the improvement plan (e.g., common planning time for content are teachers; emphasis on learning time and not seat time, and integrated units).
8.1f The schedule is intentionally aligned with the school's mission and designed to ensure that all staff provide quality instructional time (e.g., flex time, organization based on developmental needs of students, interdisciplinary units).
8.2a The school/district provides a clearly defined process (in accordance with the school allocation formula) to provide equitable and consistent use of fiscal resources.
8.2b The school/district budget reflects decisions made about discretionary funds and resources are directed by an assessment of need or a required plan, all of which consider appropriate data.

Standard 9- Efficiency – Comprehensive and Effective Planning
9.1a There is evidence that a collaborative process was used to develop the vision, beliefs, mission, and goals that engage the school community as a community of learners.
9.2a There is evidence the school/district planning process involves collecting, managing, and analyzing data.
9.2b The school/district uses data for school improvement planning.
9.3a School and disrrict plans reflect learning research and current local, state, and national expectations for student learning and are reviewed by the planning team.
9.3b The school/district analyzes their students' unique learning needs.
9.3c The desired results for students learning are defined.
9.4.a Perceived strengths and limitations of the school/district instructional and organizational effectiveness are identified using the collected data.
9.4b The school/district goals for building and strengthening the capacity of the school/district instructional and organizational effectiveness are defined.
9.5a The action steps for school improvement are aligned with the school improvement goals and objectives.
9.5b The plan identifies the resources, timelines, and persons responsible for carrying out each activity.
9.5c The means for evaluating the effectivemenss of the improvement plan are established.
9.5d The improvement plan is aligned with the school's profile, beliefs, mission, desired results for student learning and analysis of instructional and organizational effectiveness.
9.6d There is evidence of attempts to sustain the commitment to continuous improvement.

Scenario

The following is a scenario that could currently be in any school at any level. Read and identify the dysfunctional norms that are a present in this school’s culture and climate:

 Sarah is a newly hired teacher. During her interview, the principal had shared that the school had experienced some turnover with this position and that they were in need of someone that would be willing to make a commitment to stay on with the school. Sarah assured the principal that she was excited and looked forward to putting down roots with the school and the community. He cautioned her to be careful with some of the parents in the community because they have shown that they can’t be trusted.

Before Sarah could ask any questions, the principal took a call that he told her needed his immediate attention. Holding his hand over the receiver, he said, “Congratulations, welcome to our school. Tell the secretary and she will get the necessary paperwork started and give you your room assignment and school calendar. Good Luck.”

The faculty meeting began with the principal assigning parking spaces. Sarah heard a couple of the teachers sitting behind her grumble that assignments were made based on who “kissed up” to the principal the most. The principal went on state that last years’ staff absenteeism was almost as high as that of the students. Sarah was instructed to find Mr. Conner, the department chair.

Mr. Conner told her to follow the text and supporting materials and that she should be fine. He also advised her that she would need to batten down the hatches for 3rd and 5th periods because that is where most of the special education and trouble kids were placed. He stated that it was these kids that were keeping the school’s state assessment scores down and the in-school suspension room full.

Sarah headed off to eat in the teacher’s lounge to meet some of her new colleagues. A teacher sitting at the end of one of the tables motioned for Sarah to join her. She introduced herself to Sarah and told her that she was in her second year with the school. Sarah asked how she liked it and the she responded in a low voice, “The kids are great! I’m just glad I didn’t have to go here as a kid!”

Sarah began to wonder what she had gotten herself into! The above scenario is a culture and climate that lacks effective leadership, high expectations, equity, communication, rigorous study, and respect. The culture and climate of a school is communicated through overt and covert, tangible and intangible ways. It is the history and stories being shared within the community.

It is “the way business gets done”. It consists of values, beliefs, and expectations and influences the behaviors of a school’s leadership, staff, and students. Simply put, it can make or break whether a school successfully meets the social, emotional, and academic needs of all its students while sustaining professional growth for its staff.

Introduction

Consider the following guiding questions regarding school culture:

1.  Does your school have a mission and vision statement that is demonstrated on a daily basis by leadership and staff?
2.  Do you know the significance of culture and climate and the role it plays in student learning and school improvement?
3. Are there traditions that staff and students celebrate? Is there an emphasis on both student and staff celebrations throughout the school year?
4. Who makes the decisions in your school and how are those decisions communicated?
5. Do leadership and staff have high expectations for all students to be life-learners and how is that evidenced?

Today’s schools are faced with increased demands to significantly raise student performance levels while facing severe budget cuts, a shortage of qualified teachers, and staff and leadership turnover. Unfortunately, working on a school’s culture and climate often is not recognized as a priority, moreover some schools fail to see the relationship of a positive, healthy school culture to increased and sustained student achievement. A school’s culture can work for or against improvement and reform (Barth, 2001, p. 8).

Ongoing research shows a strong correlation between student achievement and student connectedness to a school’s culture and climate. For increased student achievement and decreased dropout, students must have an ongoing relationship or connection to their school or a staff member.

Research has found several reasons as to why students dropout either emotionally and/or physically. The following findings through student interviews show a correlation to a school’s culture and climate:

• student interviewed “did not like school” (46%),
•  “did not get along with teachers” (29%), and
• “failing in school” (39%) (Why Students Drop Out of School and What Can be Done, Rumberger, 2001) http://www.law.harvard.edu/groups/civilrights/publications/dropout/rumberger.html.

The article goes on to state, “…in one city alone it was estimated that a year’s cohort of drop-outs from the city school system would cost $3.2 billion in lost earnings and more than $400 million in social services (Catterall, 1987).

 Once a school has begun to recognize the role culture and climate plays in school improvement, they can begin the process of making significant and sustained strides for increased student achievement in the area of academics and social well being for all its students.

 Both federal and state law require school districts to write improvement plans to close the achievement gaps among identified sub-groups of students. In order to affectively close these achievement gaps and sustain these gains, a positive school climate will need to be a priority for all schools. Thus, directly and indirectly reducing the dropout rate.

Authors Peterson and Deal states that school culture influences every aspect of the functioning of a school (1999, p.6). They go on to identify that a positive culture will foster school effectiveness and productivity, build confidence among staff. It also improves collegial and collaborative activities, which improves communication and problem solving, builds commitment, and keeps focus on what’s important (1999,p.7).

Culture is the most powerful source of leverage for bringing about change in a school— or any organization, for that matter. Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Moral Leadership: Getting to the Heart of School Improvement, 1992 Defining School Climate and Culture:

"It is critical to understand the difference and relationship between culture and climate. Climate can be reflective of and drive a school’s culture. Should a school be one that is unhealthy or toxic, the climate can become solidified and begin to erode the school’s culture."

Stolp and Smith (1995, p. 17) use the following graphic to explain the difference between culture and climate. Schools will often make decisions that only impact the climate of a school without understanding cultural change must be addressed as well for any change to become an inherent part of the school’s culture. The most common and reactive change for schools to make is structural.

 For example a school increases a reading block by forty-five minutes a day in order to improve reading levels across the school. Only when there is frequent data review, research, and staff discussions of expectations, concerns, and goals occur prior to a structural change will it have a better change becoming “internalized” by leadership and staff.

School Culture is norms cemented over time and becomes the history of a school based its on common attitudes, values, beliefs, expectations, and traditions of a school. School culture is often majority driven, intangible, hard to describe, and difficult to impact, or change especially in a short period of time.

The attitudes, beliefs, and values may often be “hidden” to those new to or outside of the school community.

Indicators of a positive healthy school culture:

•  Strong education mission that is purposeful and connected to student learning and achievement
• Strong leadership across school
• Rich sense of history, tradition, community, and accomplishment
• Frequent and effective communication, collaboration, and decision-making among leadership and staff
• Trust, caring, and respect among all stakeholders
• Positive, productive interactions and relationships among all stakeholders
• High Expectations for staff and students
• Confidence and trust among leadership and staff to be innovative and experimental in an effort to increase student achievement
• Safe, nurturing environment both physically and emotionally for staff and students

Indicators of a negative or dysfunctional school culture:

• Low or no expectations for students
•  Lack of commitment to school mission statement
•  No vision or plan for school improvement with regards to school culture and climate
• Little or no communication among stakeholders
•  Resistance to change among staff
• Fragmented school community/ working in isolation 
•  Disrespect or hostility among staff or students
• Students or staff do not feel safe emotionally or physically
• Low moral and distrust among staff or students

School Climate is the shared perceptions and communication of a school’s norms, beliefs, and values through various behaviors and interactions of staff and students. The daily interactions of leadership, staff, students, and parents drive a school’s climate.

It is “the here and now”, often leadership driven, and is more easily manipulated and sensitive to change. Presence, absence, or degrees of school collegiality, communication, decision-making, trust, expectations, ideology, leadership, recognition, celebration, support, and experimentation are traits through which climate can be measured.

Norms of a positive school climate:

•  Stakeholders speak positively comments about school and students
• Leadership and staff seek on-going professional development that serves the needs of students and staff with a central focus of school mission, values, and goals
• Stakeholders are data driven and solution-focused
• Planning centers on positive, proactive approaches
• There is a shared sense of purpose and protection of mission and vision among all staff
• Leadership and staff communicate in a positive, caring, and respectful manner
• Staff and students have a desire to be at school every day
• Staff/Stakeholders collaborate regularly to assess progress 
•  Leadership allows time, resources, and support for planning
• Needs of students and staff are assesses regularly to improve staff and student achievement
• Varied traditions and celebrations recognizing student and staff achievement
• Leadership and staff display a sense of pride, enthusiasm, teamwork and commitment to meeting student needs

Norms of a negative school climate:

• Stakeholders communicate lack of faith in the school or staff.
•  Individual students are spoken about without regard to confidentiality
• New ideas are not welcomed nor encouraged
• Hidden agendas among staff
• Staff are not trusting of other staff and often work in isolation
• Stakeholders do not know the school’s mission, vision, or goals
• Leadership or staff “look” busy • Communication is more about gossip than about school improvement
• High absenteeism among staff and students
• Little or no job satisfaction is communicated by staff with frequent staff turnover 
•  Leadership has no centralized vision or goals
• The students who do well academically are the only ones receiving recognition and praise

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Strategies

Strategies for Creating Positive School Culture and Climate:

1. Effective Leadership is essential and necessary to achieving and sustaining a positive school culture and climate to ultimately affect school improvement. “The mediocre leader tells. The good leader explains. The superior leader demonstrates. The great leader inspires.” -Bucholz and Roth.

For leaders to be effective, they must posses many skills. First and foremost literature again and again says that leaders must have a clear vision and be able to communicate it to their staff with clarity, purpose, and enthusiasm. This is the easy part; implementing and sustaining change is where many schools unfortunately fall short for various reasons.

The most effective and enduring school leaders have an understanding for any systems change to occur they must first tackle an often-ignored relevance of school culture. Many schools fall into the trap of just focusing on instructional and curricular issues thinking that this in isolation will improve student achievement or that once there is improvement in this area that other areas of school will magically heal itself.

Unfortunately, when leadership just focuses on academic issues in a vacuum to meet student achievement and school improvement goals, much time, energy, and resources are lost. When human needs and interactions are being ignored or not considered to be of significance, a lack of energy, commitment, or willingness by staff will in time erode all efforts to reach proficiency.

Leadership must consider a multitude of factors when contemplating a culture/climate shift for his school. One is to recognize your leadership style and identify its merits and limitations. Goleman (2000, pp.82-83) identifies six leadership styles:

1. Coercive- “Do what I tell you.”
2. Authoritative- “Come with me.”
3. Affiliative- “People come first.”
4. Democratic- “What do you think?” 
5.  *Pacesetting- “Do as I do, now.”
6. Coaching- “Try this.

 "*" indicates negative affects on climate and performance of staff and students. All others have positive affects on a school’s climate and culture.

 Impacting and changing a school’s school improvement is much like that of a gardener. Before a successful gardener ever sows the first seed, he must first prepare the soil for planting. This might include doing a soil test to assess what nutrients are necessary to amend the soil to insure successful planting as well as planting at the appropriate time of the year.

 After a gardener sows the seeds, he can’t simply wait for them to pop up out of the ground. Much time is invested on a daily basis. Frequent hoeing of the garden must be done to prevent weeds from taking over the garden. The right amounts of water and fertilizer are essential. Only when all of these tasks are done on a daily basis can the gardener reap a bountiful harvest.

Effective leaders that identify their culture/climate as the foundation for school improvement recognize that they must tend to their school much the same way the gardener tends to his garden. Leaders must do a daily weather check and be sensitive to subtle changes in the climate in order to gauge potential problems.

"The true measure of a leader is not how many followers you beget, but how many leaders you beget." -Ralph Nader

Effective Leaders:

•  Know history of the school
• Know existing culture
• Are visionaries and motivators
•  Set extremely high performance standards for themselves
• Communicate mission, vision, values and goals that is focused on strong community and life-long learning by both staff and students
• Have high expectations for staff and students
•  Make decisions and allocation of funding based on mission statement
• Regularly and consistently involve stakeholders
• Develop and nurture leaders among staff 
•  Develop and communicate time-frame for goals and outcomes (short and long-term)
• Model and reinforce desired behaviors and attitudes of staff and students
• Promote and sustain positive change and growth through evaluation, problem-solving and communication
• Can be trusted

2. Setting the stage is essential to create a desire and sustainability for change. You set out to bake a beautiful, delicious blue ribbon cake. Do you have all the ingredients? Do you know the order in which to add the ingredients? If you forget to add the eggs, flour, or bake at the wrong temperature, the results will be something that know one will desire and you will be left with a big mess to clean up afterwards!

Barth (2001) notes to change the culture requires that we bring in more desirable qualities to replace the existing unhealthy elements of the culture. In order to do this, leadership must critically and thoughtfully step back and examine or reexamine their school from the viewpoints of all stakeholders and be willing to hear all viewpoints, no matter how uncomfortable or apolitically correct they are.

 Questions to consider (Barth, 2001, p. 8):

• What do you see, hear, experience?
•  What don’t you see and hear
• What are the indicators, the clues that reveal the school’s culture?
• What behaviors get rewards and status?
• Which ones are greeted with reprimand?
• Do the adults model the behavior they expect of youngsters?
• How do leaders react to critical situations?
• Who gets to make decisions?
• Do Parents experience welcome, suspicion, or rejection when they enter school?
•  What are the “nondiscussables”? (Conversations take place in private, fear of public discussion and possible affects)

 A school’s culture and climate can be multifaceted and dynamic and therefore should to be analyzed, examined or assessed at various levels and aspects: safety (physical or emotional), social (interactions), and learning.

• Are leadership and staff aware that some sixth grade girls are afraid of going to the restroom because some older girls will harass them?
• Is some staff routinely excluded from team or content meetings?
• Does all of the staff have the opportunity to be a part of the decision making process?
• What happens when a staff member vocalizes concerns to among peers or administration?
• Who are the leaders in the school?
• How do staff, students, and parents view their school and staff?
• What are comments that can routinely be overheard in the teacher’s lounge?
• What does the support staff stay about the school and its students?
• Do all teachers have the same expectations for all students?
•  Do they believe that all children can learn at high levels?

These are some indicators that may reflect the current culture and climate of a school and ones that leadership need to know in order to address positive and proactive change for their school. Administration will need to assess their own leadership qualities and areas in need of improvement in order to effectively lead a school to systemic change for the better.

 Unfortunately, some schools are experiencing so much hurt, anger and pain to simply do a “survey” without any upfront preparation; it may do more harm than good. Some time and planning will need to be set aside to address the “emotional” issues prior to conducting a school culture and climate survey. Just like any effective teacher will prepare their students for an assignment by going over the purpose of the assignment, how it is organized, and discussing new vocabulary, and clarifying any questions, stakeholders will be to be prepped prior to completing a culture and climate survey. The same will need to be done prior to a survey.

 Leadership will need to convey the reasons behind assessing the culture and climate, their expectations, and the goals hoped to be achieved from this process. It is crucial to communicate with staff that this is a change process to build a learning community among its staff and student and not a one-time barometer to see if everyone is getting along.

Ground rules should be clearly stated regarding how information will be processed, shared, and its future use for school improvement. There are no silver bullet plans or overnight remedies for schools to follow that insure successful change for the better. Michael Fullan, author of Leading in a Culture of Change, states that leaders must understand the change process in order to lead it better (2001, pp. 34-35) and he warns there are no short cuts. It is evolutionary in nature that requires thoughtful inclusive planning.

Fullan identifies six components in the change process (2001, pp. 35-46):

1. The goal is not to innovate the most. The focus should not necessarily be about the changing everything at once at the speed of light but about building a “capacity and commitment to solve complex problems (2001, p. 37).”
2. It is not enough to have the best ideas. The ability to listen, build relationships, and coach others, and encourage others to follow creates an improved climate, which is more conducive to increased job performance and satisfaction
3. Appreciate the implementation dip. Everyone will experience this- don’t panic. Appreciation for fear of change and limited knowledge base by staff will require leadership to support, encourage, and coach staff through this period (2001, p.40). 
4.  Redefine Resistance. Don’t ignore or underestimate those who roadblock change. They may have ideas that have not been considered and they also may play a role in the politics of implementation. Resisters will eventually erode or sabotage projects if not invited to be a part of the change process (2001, p.42). 
5.  Reculturing is the name of the game. Schools tend to reorganize the structure of the school versus reculturing the school thinking that this will be enough to affect and sustain change. To change the culture of a school is time intensive and a challenge. 
6.  Never a checklist, always complexity. There is no simple plan or silver bullet to change school culture for the better. Leaders must prepare themselves and their staff that they will face difficult and complex issues and there will not be simple linear solutions waiting in the wings.

 3. A school’s mission and vision statement is why a school exists and where it is going. It is not a one-time activity, merely memorized, or a pretty banner in the hallway. It is the guiding light of a school striving toward success. “The most important question in any organization has to be “What is the business of our business?”Answering this question is the first step in setting priorities. -Judith Bardwick (1996, p. 134).

 A school’s mission and vision statement should not be something that is developed solely by the culture/climate committee, shown to the principal and staff, and then placed on the front page of the school handbook in a beautiful on a Friday evening after school and then presented to the staff as the new school mission and vision statement. Nor should it be something that is designed by the school and never reviewed or revised by the school ever again.

These statements must reflect the purpose and intentions of the school. Many educators have turned the phrase “we believe all students can learn” into a cliché (1998, DuFour & Eaker, pg. 58) proudly stated with conviction but lacking the substance or longevity to bring to fruition. DuFour and Eaker challenges educators to further clarify the statement “that all students can learn” with these questions: what will we expect them to learn and how do we respond when they don’t learn when designing their mission statement (1998, pg. 59).

Barth concludes that the first vision for leadership to recognize building a school of learning and membership into the community is that one learn, continue to learn, and support the learning of others (2001, pg. 13). Unfortunately, he goes on to note that few schools reach for this goal and ever fewer ever achieve a culture centered on learning for all.

DuFour and Eaker identify four building blocks of a school: mission, vision, values, and goals.

Below is a summary for developing each (1998, pp. 57-86):

 Developing Mission (why are we here?) and Vision (organization’s purpose):

• • Address and answer tough questions about your school culture/climate • Focused on learning • Shared responsibility • Researched, reliable information • Desirable, feasible, and creditable • Easy to communicate • Collectively developing that promotes widespread ownership Developing Values or Guiding Principals (specific attitudes) and Goals (priorities): • Keep few in number • Link to vision statement • Be direct • Focus on behavior, not beliefs • Focus on ourselves rather than others • Part of school improvement plan • Linked to vision • Fewer than five to ensure focus • Focused on the desired outcome rather than on the means to achieve the outcome • Clear, measurable performance standards • Continuously monitored and assessed • Designed to produce short-term winds • Understood and accepted as significant by all stakeholders

4. Effective Communication and Collaboration will lead to improved Climate. Not everyone naturally communicates nor collaborates well with others and may need some modeling opportunities or in some cases direct assistance. It is the role of leadership to set the tone and expectations for others to follow.

Not on company time should it ever be permitted for leadership and staff to treat each other or students in a manner that is neither respectful nor dignified. “Communication seems to work best when it is so direct and so simple that it has a sort of elegance.” -John Kotter (1996, p. 89).

 The strategies just listed are broad in scope and require study, thoughtfulness, and insight that mistakes will occur during implementation. It is going to require a commitment on your part and an understanding that is a process that will have to be embedded from now on as part of your professional growth as a leader and teacher.

You will need to seek out resources in changing school culture and climate for a more in-depth study on the process of change. Changing a school’s culture and climate in NOT easy nor is there a silver bullet book, program, or magic potion to make everything better next week or next month. However, you can begin immediate impact by first: o Examining your own actions and behaviors. Don’t ask someone to perform certain tasks or behaviors that you are not willing to do yourself.

This is also an opportunity to build trust among colleagues and students. Do you follow through with tasks that you commit to? Do you discuss staff or students in a manner that is respectful and professional on and off school property? Are you striving to meet the needs of others through nurturing and caring? We have many roles as educators and tend to get caught in the daily grind of “stuff”. By making meeting the basic human needs others the foundation from which you operate, you will earn a reputation among colleagues and students as someone who is caring and trustworthy.

For more on this read chapter 1 in Chapter 7 in Administrators Desk Reference, (http://www. safeandcivilschools.com) by Randy Sprick and chapter 2 in Leading In A Culture Of Change, by Michael Fullen

o Increase your positive interactions with colleagues and students.

Read Module 5 in CHAMPs, and If You Don’t Feed The Teachers They Eat The Students: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers, by Neila A. Conners for specific strategies.

o Examine rituals and traditions in your classroom and school.

Honor and recognize what certified and classified staff does to make the school a great place for all. Recognize students across the school setting at all ability levels to recognize improvement and success—the small steps always will lead to greater things if they are recognized, supported, and encouraged. There are some wonderful examples in Chapter 1 in Administrators Desk Reference, (http://www. safeandcivilschools.com) by Randy Sprick. In chapter 7, If You Don’t Feed The Teachers They Eat The Students: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers, by Neila A. Conners lists some wonderful examples of rituals and celebrations that can be used with staff.

o Conduct a survey regarding your school’s current culture/climate. Use the first survey as a baseline and a gauge of areas of concern and need for improvement. Center for Improving School Culture has an evaluation tool to assess the current condition of a school’s culture. You can view it at: http://www.schoolculture.net/triage.html.

There is also a survey that can be found in Foundations: Establishing Positive Discipline Policies (Module 1) by Randy Sprick. http://www.safeandcivilschools.com. If You Don’t Feed The Teachers They Eat The Students: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers, by Neila A. Conners, has a survey can be used to gauge the current satisfaction among teaching staff.

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Resources

Arter, Judith A. (1987). Assessing School and Classroom Climate. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

 Barth, Roland S. (2001). Learning By Heart. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bolman, Lee G. & Deal, Terrence E. (1997). Reframing Organizations. Artistry, Choice, and Leadership. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

Bulach, Cletus R. & Williams, Ronnie (2002).The Impact of Setting and Size on a School’s Culture and Climate. Retrieved September 23, 2002. Website: http://www.westga.edu/~sclimate/article%20setting%20and%20size.htm

Conners, Neila A., Ph.D. (2000). If You Don’t Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!. Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications.

Cartledge, Gwendolyn. (1996). Cultural Diversity and Social Skills Instruction. Understanding Ethnic and Gender Differences. Champaign, IL: Research Press. Character Education Quality Standards based on Character Education Partnership’s Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education.

Deal, Terrence E. (1999). Shaping School Culture. The Heart of Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

 Diller, Debbie. Openeing the Dialogue: Using Culture as a Tool in Teaching Young African American Children. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 52, No. 8. May 1999.

DuFour, Richard & Eaker, Robert. (1992). Creating the New American School. A Principal’s Guide to School Improvement. Bloomington, IN: National Educational Service

DuFour, Richard & Eaker, Robert. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: National Educational Service.

Evans, Robert. (1996). The Human Side of School Change. Reform, Resistance, and the Real-life Problems of Innovation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Flores, Barbara et.al. Transforming Deficit Myths About Learning, Language, and Culture. Language Arts, Vol. 68, September 1991.

Fullan, Michael. (2001). Leading in a Culture of Change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hutchens, David. (1998). Outlearning the Wolves: Surviving and Thriving in a Learning Organization. Waltham, MA: Pegasus Communications, Inc.

Sprick, Randy. (1998). Administrator’s Desk Reference of Behavior Management, Volume I. Longmont, Colorado: Sopris West.

Sprick, Randy. (1998). CHAMPs: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management. Longmont, Colorado: Sopris West.

Sprick, Randy. (1992). Foundations: Establishing Positive Discipline Policies. Longmont, Colorado: Sopris West.

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Key Words

Culture,Climate,Environment,High Expectations,Leadership,Community,Equity,Communication, Mission,Vision,School Improvement,Celebrations,Decision-making,Drop-out,History,Change,Collaboration,Tradition,Trust,Stakeholders,Respect,Behavior,Relationships

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