Creating a culture of greatness Lorna Bonner, Consulting Services Transforming district leadership

Objectives: Participants will be able to: Identify the difference in school/district climate and culture. Investigate how culture drives continuous improvement and ensures respectful relationships. Examine the Critical Success Factors that impact the success of school culture. Review how campus/school/district culture impact student success.

Climate vs culture What do you think? Are they the same? What impact do they have: in classroom, school, district?

School Climate Reflects the physical and psychological aspects of the school that are more susceptible to change and provides the preconditions necessary for teaching and learning to take place.

School Climate Focusing on the development of a campus’ climate as a learning environment is fundamental to improved teacher morale and student achievement.   Formally assessing and addressing school climate is essential to any schools’ effort toward successful reform, achievement and making a difference. Reflecting how stakeholders feel about their school at any given period. Safety (rules and norms, physical safety, social-emotional safety) • Relationships (respect for diversity, school connectedness/ engagement, social support, leadership) • Teaching and learning (social, emotional, ethical and civic learning; support for academic learning; support for professional relationships) • Institutional environment (physical surroundings To improve school climate, one must measure the current baseline climate.

Define School Culture At your tables, take two minutes to discuss and answer the following questions: Define school culture and why it is so important? Write in two – three sentences what does culture mean to you? Share their thoughts. Culture drives behavior and behavior drives habits. What does it look like on your campus? What benefits do you think you would achieve if your school focused on creating a Culture of Greatness?

School culture Reflects the shared ideas-assumptions, values, and beliefs that give an organization its identity and standard for expected behaviors.

Creating a culture Drives continuous improvement an ensures respectful relationships regardless of status. Cultivates a sense of inclusion and trust. Work with teachers on their expectations that all students can get better. Reflects WHY stakeholders have feelings toward school/district.

Climate vs culture climate culture Attitude or mood of group Flexible, easy to change Based on perceptions Feel it when you come in the door First step in improvement Personality of the group Takes many years to evolve Based on values and beliefs The way we do things around here Determines if improvement is possible

Why is School Culture important? “Positive learning can only take place in a positive culture. A healthy school culture will affect more student and teacher success than any other reform or school improvement effort currently being employed.” Gary Phillips Why is school culture important? Research tells us: Culture drives behavior and behavior drives habits. Positive learning can only take place in a positive culture. A healthy school culture will affect more student and teacher successes than nay other reform or school improvement effort currently being employed. It influences and sharps the way administrators, teachers, and students think, feel and act.

Key Ingredients in Creating a Culture of Greatness Excellence Lead with Optimism Critical Success Factors lead to instructional improvement Create the Instructional Environment Hold People Accountable (Empowerment and Coaching) Passion and celebrate A Culture of Greatness is where we expect great things to happen even during adversity and challenging times. Common characteristics of behaviors and habits that the best did better than anyone else. A pattern of greatness – Do what it takes to rise to the top of their game. Do you know what your culture is? Is it defined We achieve it with Excellence - Expecting your people to be their best. You don’t settle for anything less. Optimism – Expect great things to happen – even during adversity and challenging times. Empowerment and Coaching – Coaching, training and developing your team to be their best Trust and Love Passion

Critical Success Factors Academic Performance Use of Quality Data Leadership Effectiveness Increase Learning Time Family and Community Engagement School Climate Teacher Quality Critical Success Factors to lead the instructional improvement Improving Academic Performance: Data-Driven Instruction; Curriculum Alignment; On-going Monitoring Use of Quality Data to Drive Instruction: Data Disaggregation Training; Data-Driven Decisions; On-going Communication Leadership Effectiveness: On going Job embedded Professional Development; Operational Flexibility; Resource/Data Utilization Learning Time: Flexible Scheduling; Instructionally-Focused Calendar; Staff Collaborative Planning Family & Community Engagement: Increase Opportunities for Input; Effective Communication; Accessible Community Services School Climate: Increased Attendance; Decreased Discipline Referrals; Increased Involvement in Extra/Co-Curricular Activities Teacher Quality: Locally Developed Appraisal Instrument; On-going Job-Embedded Professional Development; Recruitment/Retention Strategies

School Culture of Greatness Norms Values Philosophy Expectations Feelings School-wide Procedures and Practices Observed behaviors in and throughout the school. These are the building norms, values, philosophy, expectations, feelings and school-wide procedures, practices and rituals, cultural networks for the campus.

Negativity Negativity is the number one factor that sabotages morale and performance. Caution! Watch out for Negativity – it is the number one factor that sabotages morale and performance. Use the example of Jon Gordon “The No complaining Rule” We know that they are individuals in our school whose soul goal is to make your life and everybody’s life miserable by complaining about everything. ADD notes about Vampires and creating a NO Complaining Rule

Toxic vs positive Culture Negative Elements Lack of clear sense of purpose Norms that reinforce inertia or resistance to change Collaboration restricted Staff “cliques” that work against building relationships Positive Elements Widely shared sense of stress Norm of continuous learning and improvement Collaborative collegial relationships Opportunities for staff reflection, collective inquiry, and sharing practices Positive: No hidden agendas; majority of the people within the organization have a sense that it is a calling Negative: Teacher relations are often in conflict; the staff doesn’t believe in the ability of the students to succeed, and generally a negative attitude prevails. Think about your school: Is improvement important? How motivated is everyone to work hard? What do we talk about in public or in private? How much support do innovative colleagues receive? Do we believe all students can learn?

How can…. Add critical success factors to improve your district, campus and classrooms? Group discussion

Lorna Bonner, consulting Services lornaebonner@gmail.com