Developing Positive School Culture

Welcome Superintendent Facilitator Welcome & Why Important Overview / Agenda Enduring Understandings Guiding Questions Targeted Objectives Introductions

Proposed Norms & Expectations Stay focused and fully engaged no competing conversations please Participate to grow share openly and monitor your listening Be a learner create your own meaning and application Get your needs met ask questions that benefit the group personal questions on breaks Housekeeping silence cell phones handle business later share ONE point …then next person Introduce today’s proposed norms FACILITATOR: you may want to add some explanation as provided below NOTE: see management notes for other options Demonstrate trust - Be trustworthy & trusting of others (this is a safe environment, do not judge one another, things stay in the room, do not use things discussed today against someone in the future) Demonstrate healthy conflict - Listen to one another (listen to others with an open-mind to first understand their perspective). Share what is on your mind (do not assume another person’s perspective is the right answer, there are many right answers, and do not go silent …we need to hear your thoughts) Demonstrate an growth mindset (this means being open to continuous self-improvement) - Engage in dialogue to develop new ideas (we know that adults learn through talking it out) Ask questions to learn and clarify Share ONE point …then next person (this is an agreement that each person will share just one idea at a time, this enables everyone to be able share – no one person dominates) Silence cell phones After a brief discussion ….ask group to raise their hands to indicate that they are willing to accept the proposed norms for today. Emphasize “Share ONE point” …this norms allows everyone to have opportunities to add to the dialogue

Ice Breaker “Positive Name”-Use Positive Descriptive Adjective Sheet to create your Positive Name Example: Maria Ramirez Positive Name: Radiant Ramirez or Marvelous Maria

Defining School Culture Overall physical and psychological atmosphere in a school: behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that have worked well in the past and are taught to new members of the community Deal and Peterson (2009)

Elements of School Culture Norms, Values and Beliefs that underlie thinking, feeling and acting Symbols and Artifacts that Communicate Meaning Stories that Herald Values Cultural Network Rituals, Traditions, and Ceremonies “Culture is “the way we do things around here!” Deal and Peterson (2009)

Chart Paper Activity Section 1- List Positive Names of group members Section 2- Values Section 3- Symbols Section 4- Stories (History) Section 5- Culture Network Section 6- Ceremonies Section 7- Reading your School’s Culture Section 8- 3-2-1 Formative Assessment

Norms, Values and Beliefs 3 Questions to determine your school communities’ values 1.) What makes a good day? 2.) What makes a good week? 3.) What makes a good year?

Symbols and Artifacts that Communicate Meaning Communicate values Reinforce culture Build success through commitment Symbolize the mission

Symbols at your school How does your daily work symbolize what your school considers important? How do the symbols connect to students and parents? Important Message

Stories that Herald Values Identify a story (history) that represents what your school values that has been or should be passed on the new staff/students

Cultural Network: Culture Shaping Roles Anthropologist Historian Visionary Symbol Potter Poet Actor Healer *Segment 3 will cover in more detail

Toxic Culture Shaping Roles Saboteurs Pessimistic Storytellers “Keepers of the Nightmare” Negaholics Prima Donnas-Prima Donalds Space Cadets Martyrs Deadwood, Driftwood, Ballast Resource Vultures *Segment 3 will cover in more detail

Examine your Culture Network How can you best use your positive members? How can you help members change? How can you protect the culture from toxins?

Rituals, Traditions, and Ceremonies Reinforce Values Build Culture and Community Recharge Motivation Communicate Purpose Celebrate Small/Big Successes

Elements of Ceremonies Banners, Flags Processionals Speeches Clothing and Location Symbols and Artifacts Special Visitors Symbolic Rituals Songs and Music Mottos, Slogans, Recitations Food and Drink

Unsuccessful Ceremonies have…… Lack of Purpose No Energy or Spirit Inappropriate Words or Stories Unpopular Symbols Meaningless Rituals Negative Meanings Poor Planning Dispirited Activities

Examine your school’s Ceremonies From the beginning to the end of the school year, what are your ceremonies? What are the strengths of your ceremonies? What are the weaknesses of your ceremonies?

Reading your School’s Culture List 5 adjectives to describe your school. Think of a song that respects your school’s culture. Create a metaphor about the culture of your school. One interesting fact about your school? Who are legends at your school? How are newcomers welcomed?

Closure/Formative Assessment 3-2-1 Activity -Write down 3 important terms you remember from this development -Write down 2 ideas/thoughts from this development -Write down 1 question from this development (write in last portion of your chart paper-in section 8)

School Culture Putting together the pieces of school culture Segment 2

Positive Name Marvelous Marvin

Ice Breaker Charlie Brown Cartoon Clip -What is the importance of students feeling important and connected to teachers/school? -How does student connection impact student achievement?

School Culture Video Clips Educational Leader from Australia Principal’s perspective

Article: “Positive or Negative” Window Notes Activity- Divide a piece of paper into 4 parts and label as follow: -(1) facts/details -(2) feelings -(3) questions -(4) ideas

Closure/Formative Assessment Summarize Activity- using 10 words or less form a thought or sentence that summarizes what was covered during the development

School Culture Toxic School Cultures Segment 3

Positive Name Fantastic Frank

Ice Breaker Totem Pool Activity Historically a totem pole was carved for several reasons: (1) to honor a deceased elder who made an impact on a community, (2) to show the number of rights and names a person had acquired over his/her lifetime, and (3) to document an encounter with the supernatural Today you will design a group totem to discover your group’s strengths/weakness that can impact a school’s culture © AZ Board of Regents, BEST Professional Development, All rights reserved, 2012. 

Totem Pole Activity (continued) Using the given art supplies and animal characteristic list, create the animal that best describes your moral and performance characteristics Form a group totem pole to include each person’s animal As a group reflect out loud what is represented within your staff’s totem pole © AZ Board of Regents, BEST Professional Development, All rights reserved, 2012. 

Toxic Culture Shaping Roles Saboteurs- always find a way to sabotage, ruin any new ideas/programs/positive activity Pessimistic Storytellers- remind everyone of every failure; reduce staff commitment “Keepers of the Nightmare”- retell of the challenges that occurred during change when implementing new ideas/programs/curriculum Negaholics- always refer to the “Good Old Days”; negative gossip often takes place out of school leaking into the community

Toxic Culture Shaping Roles (continued) Prima Donnas/Prima Donalds- want what is best for themselves; want things to revolve around them “Needy” Space Cadets- have no idea what is going on and do not think through things; use important times to ramble about nonsense Martyrs- any contribution they make they have to be constantly thanked; act like everything is a personal strain Deadwood, Driftwood, Ballast- do as little as possible; are just there, have done little that is new in many years Resource Vultures- take from others and do not give back

Shaping a School Culture: The role of school leaders Anthropologist- probes for current set of norms/beliefs that define the current culture Historian- seeks to understand normative past of the school Visionary- collaborates with other leaders and the community to define valued-focused picture of the future of a school; vision is continually evolves Symbol- affirms value through routines, behavior, attitudes, dress

Shaping a School Culture: The roles of school leaders (continued) Potter- brings in staff who have the same core values, shapes and is shaped by the heroes, rituals, traditions, ceremonies symbols a school Poet- uses language to reinforce values and maintain the school’s positive image Actor- improvises and remains calm/professional during a school’s unpredicted dramas, challenges, tragedies Healer- encourages during transitions and change and provides support during conflict and loss

Closure/Formative Assessment Half of participants will retrieve their animal from the group totem pole as well as one random animal to form groups of two Share with your partner two things you learned from the development A few groups share out loud with the whole group what they learned

School Culture Impact of positive school cultures; Responsibilities of principals, teachers, and students in establishing a positive school culture Segment 4

Positive Name Splendid Sara

Ice Breaker Goofy Video Clip - What responsibilities did Goofy (teacher) portray/embed within his classroom’s culture? - What responsibilities did the students in the video clip portray regarding their commitment to their classroom’s culture?

Benefits Of Establishing/Maintaining A Positives School Culture A study done by Kannapel, P. J., & Clements, S. K., with Taylor, D., & Hibpshman, T. (2005) to discover the differences between high/low performing schools discovered…… Most notably the high performing schools shared the common theme of scoring high under the school culture section, noting the following variables as crucial to student success and being in place…..

The belief that all students can succeed at high levels High expectations Collaborative decision making Teachers accept their role in student successor failure Strategic assignment of staff Regular teacher-parent communication Caring staff and faculty Dedication to diversity and equity

Article: School Climate Research Summary In small groups individually read through the article and use the provided chart paper/markers to list as a group 5 benefits of having/maintaining a positive school culture Share with the whole group what your group wrote down Center for Social and Emotional Education (2009)

0-4 scale (0-none/4 too a great extent) Rate your school’s level of implementation of the responsibilities in shaping a positive school culture. 0-4 scale (0-none/4 too a great extent) Choose a strength/weaknesses for each of the 3 roles (principal, teachers, students) Share with the group your strengths/weaknesses identified based on your ratings for each of the 3 roles Protective School (2000)

Video Clip Dr. Kris Bosworth (Protective School Culture Project) Write down 2 points/thoughts that stood out Share with a partner/share a couple with whole group

Closure/Formative Assessment Alphabet Summary -Example: A- artifacts