CHALK TALK: Positive school environments equal student success

When I became the principal of Finger Lake Elementary School in 2015, it did not take me long to see, and experience first hand, the deep-rooted commitment of the staff. I knew right away that I was going to love coming to work every day with a team of individuals who share my passion of supporting families and students. Now, into my third year, the commitment of my team is as strong as the day I started. Each day, I am energized as I watch teachers, instructional assistants, our nurse, front office staff, specialists, parent volunteers, PTA, and academic tutors pour wisdom, conversations, and a passion for learning into students. As a school seeking to continuously learn and grow, we work to find the perfect balance of preserving and honoring valuable school traditions with innovative practices that bring us closer as a staff. In the end, that produces positive student outcomes, which is the most important aspect of what we do every day. There are several factors that contribute to our growth in student enrollment, gains in academic achievement, reduction in discipline referrals, and increase in job satisfaction. My goal as principal is to set the tone for staff who will then set the tone in their classrooms. By using these guiding principles as a staff, we are modeling successful strategies as well as utilizing them in classrooms. As a result, students and families benefit. Strong families yield strong communities.

I love my job and feel extraordinarily blessed to be part of this professional team. Starting in August of this year, our staff was challenged to participate in as many staff social events as possible. Each month, we share a staff potluck as well as an event outside the school day. We are blown away by the impact that these formal and informal activities have had on our morale. From hiking and encouraging each other on the mountain, to bowling and competing with one another on the lanes, spending time together as a team outside of our regular job duties pays dividends. In any field or line of work, building relationships is paramount to success. Caring about the people you work with translates to a sense of belonging, and people become vested in the organization’s goals. As one fifth-grade teacher stated, “The more multi-faceted our relationships are with our co-workers, the more opportunities we have to connect in a positive way.” These activities help us build trust and connections with one another, forming a foundation for supporting all students.

Communication makes the difference! As a principal, I strive to communicate clearly and often. Everyone (students and adults) are more successful when they know what is expected of them. In this same way, students also thrive in environments when they know exactly what they should and should not be doing. This supports them in making positive choices.

Choose a “growth” mindset. One way to do this is to live a solution-oriented mindset. This is a skill that can be developed. It takes practice and hard work, but when teams rally around solutions, instead of negativity when faced with a challenge, everyone benefits. For example, each month when our team reviews student data to measure growth toward learning targets, if a student is not meeting his/her expected growth, our team of experts works to develop strategies to help students reach their individual learning goals. Other times when faced with frustrating situations, our goal at FLE is to address the situation as soon as possible. We talk about how the situation can change based on positive, proactive, and purposeful conversations and structures. When adults model this mindset, students begin to see that all things can work together for good. They develop mental stamina, grit, and perseverance.

Leaders must have an open-door policy. It is also imperative that they seek input from their staff, students, and families. Feedback is much more than grades and assessments. At FLE, we have a school leadership team that is constantly involved in keeping me informed about staff needs. Our goal is to respond proactively and problem-solve together to create win-win solutions daily. A classroom teacher who asks students what their interests are learns about their personal experiences, and consistently provides the proper challenge for individual student learning needs will be more connected and his/her students will be more successful. By setting an example of how a principal/coach asks for feedback, teachers are granted ideas and encouraged to view their role as a mentor/coach who can deepen trust and impact student learning.

Most importantly: laughter is good for the soul! We all want to have fun! Enjoy the moment and the people around you. Smile at those you pass in the hallway (or at the store). This is especially good for the students to see this modeled by the adults who are caring for them. When students see adults laughing, enjoying one another’s company, and having fun at school, it allows them to have fun also. It is also crucial for staff to enjoy their students. Having fun with the kids creates a culture in which learning is pleasurable. When anxiety is up, performance goes down. On the other side, laughter helps reduce anxiety, which assists in increased productivity.

We appreciate your support of our Mat-Su Schools! I am blessed to be part of the professional team at Finger Lake and look forward to continued opportunities working with young people. I believe these factors have not only strengthened our school community but are critical to helping any organization succeed. Remember to build relationships, communicate clearly, live a growth mindset, ask and accept feedback, and have fun! These principles are certainly on the path of positivity, success, and happiness. It is an honor to serve the Finger Lake Community.