Cultivating a Positive Culture in the High School Jeff Janette, Assistant Principal Secondary Trainer Universal Trainer Nicholas Willis, PBS Team Leader Session 17A 12:45 Session 17B 9:30

What is School Culture? Culture can be defined as the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group (Dictionary.com, 2009). School culture encompasses the culture of all members of the school community. –Ethnicity –Socio-economic background –Morals and values –Religion

What is Your School’s Culture? Demographic make-up –Ethnicity –Poverty levels –Educational background Reputation –Teachers –Students –Parents –Community members Policies/Procedures –Discipline/PBS –Lunch –Changing classes –Assemblies

Other Aspects of School Culture Celebrations –Pep rallies –Banquets –Assemblies –Award walls/cases Aesthetics –Entrances –Interior –Exterior

Make Data-Driven Decisions PBS Team should –Collect and classify data –Analyze data –Determine areas of strength and weakness –Present the findings to the faculty Faculty and staff should be responsible for developing goals. Students can also be included in developing solutions.

Beginning the Overhaul Ensure administration is on board. Determine how goals will be developed. –Surveys –Discussion board –Faculty meeting Create an action plan for the coming year.

Degrees of Difficulty School aesthetics Teacher/student rewards Award programs Academic/Behavioral celebrations Faculty/staff get-togethers Relationships School/Community relations

Addressing the 1 st Degree Find out what is needed –Ask teachers, students, parents –Ask alumni Get as many people involved as possible –Establish work days –Develop partnerships with local businesses –Invite local groups, i.e. church groups, rotary clubs, to get on the bandwagon.

Addressing the 2 nd Degree Turn ordinary programs into celebrations –Academic Pep Rally –Top 25 Celebration Invite everyone –School board members –Central office personnel –Parents/Family members –Local business partners Schedule get-togethers for faculty and staff –After testing –Christmas/Easter Break

Addressing the 3 rd Degree Expose the problems Understand why problems exist –Bad reputation –Negativity –Lack of communication –Lack of understanding Develop a comprehensive plan –Student/teacher –Teacher/administration –Parent/school –Community/school

3 rd Degree Challenges Commitment –Administration –Team leaders The “storm” –Negativity –Teacher turnover Acceptance –New ideas –New methodology

The Key - Education Educate everyone –Students –Teachers –Parents –Community Educate through communication –What is going on? –Why is it going on? –Who is involved?

The Cultural “Grail” Students enter the school/classroom relaxed and secure. Teachers interact with students on multiple levels. Administration interacts with teachers and students on multiple levels. Parents are involved on multiple levels. The community embraces the school.

Please complete evaluations Jeff Janette, Assistant Principal Secondary Trainer Universal Trainer Nicholas Willis, PBS Team Leader Session 17A 12:45 Session 17B 9:30

Cultural Resources – Type in “positive school culture” Okula, Susan (1999). “Creating a Positive School Culture. Strategies that Work.” Business Education Forum, v54 n2 p7-8,10, Beaudoin, M., Taylor, M (2004). Creating a Positive School Culture: How Principals and Teachers Can Solve Problems Together. Corwin Press:Thousand Oaks, CA.