CHALK TALK: Positive school culture: a commodity worth investing in

How is it that while nationally public schools are described as inadequate and deserving of a failing grade, families attending public schools are fiercely loyal to their neighborhood school and consistently rate it as an A school? The answer is culture: the life-blood of a school that is very difficult to quantify.

Truly exceptional schools have an undeniably positive culture. Dr. Kent Peterson, a professor in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison described school culture as, “a set of values that supports professional development of teachers, a sense of responsibility for student learning, and a positive, caring atmosphere.”

The best schools have an upbeat energy that starts with the front office staff and is inclusive of everyone in the building. Effective leaders exhibit strong relational capacity, clearly communicate expectations, and inspire others to put forth their best efforts. Teachers are energetic and professional; students are confident and engaged. Both are in-tune to the important work at hand. The result is a team chemistry that defies calculation and makes monumental progress towards educational outcomes.

Treating all human beings with dignity is paramount to founding a vibrant school culture. Unsurprisingly, high achieving schools with large populations of underprivileged students find direct correlation between positive school culture and academic performance. Many students face bewildering obstacles— it is essential to create a culture of kindness, empathy and support. Individual classrooms need to be safe spaces where all students feel a sense of belonging.

The other golden rule is establishing a schoolwide culture that embraces and celebrates academic success. Students should approach each school day with a sense of purpose and bring their best efforts; teachers need to teach guaranteed curriculum while encouraging students to embrace the gift of education. Being in class, mastering course objectives, producing meaningful work, and exhibiting strong intellectual thought are key ingredients in truly preparing students for the future.

Leadership serves as the bedrock for launching positive culture within a school. The formula for success is straightforward: create a workplace built on respect and core values, while simultaneously ensuring that diverse personalities form a team that strives towards common goals.

Championship teams are comprised of individuals who embrace their roles. The legendary basketball coach John Wooden wrote about the “value in feeling valued.” He was referring to how important his bench players were to the overall success of the team. Coach Wooden realized that these players “deserved” to feel valued. This also holds true within a school— strong leaders understand the magnitude of both staff and students genuinely feeling valued. This type of leadership reaps immense dividends on both the productivity and culture in a school.

My principal has taken a unique approach to reinforcing positive culture. We have a series of empowering stories that have become integral to our school culture. One significant story is an excerpt from Randy Pausch’s memoir, The Last Lecture. Randy implores his doctor to tell him how much longer he has to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. His doctor replies that he has, “three to six months of good health.”

Randy notes that his doctor always shifts questions and responds with a more positive perspective. It causes him to reminisce of a company policy at Disney World. If any employee at Disney World is asked what time the park closes, they are coached to respond, “The park is open until 8 p.m.” This story serves as a reminder for the staff to frame responses in a positive light and reinforces the importance of good customer service.

Creating and sustaining positive culture is the foundation for successful schools. Culture is what galvanizes families to rally around their chosen neighborhood schools; it is the reason that students keep coming to school against all odds sometimes. And the best thing about positive culture in a school? It permeates into our community and makes it a better place to live, too.

Blake Livingston teaches English at Mat-Su Career and Technical High School.