Student Culture

Julie Jackson & Paul Bambrick-SantoyoEdited by Kelli Marshall and Cory Graham

Do Now: 7 minutes

What is your vision for student culture?

What to Do (Directions): 1. Get into your school leader groups. 2. Draw an illustration of your vision for student culture?

“A great student culture is one in which the human actions and interactions are deliberately reflective of core values of joyful learning and

rigor.”--Katie Yezzi, Principal,

Uncommon Schools-True North

“When we discuss school culture, we are talking about everything about schooling, outside of the

classroom.”-Marcus Robinson, C.E.O. & Chancellor,

EdPower

What is the determining factor?

• http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91057&sitesection=wxin_news&VID=24936446

• http://www.tindleycollegiate.org/student-life/college-or-die/

Workshop Objectives:

• Identify and apply the 5 keys to effective student culture

• Identify key systems that create and positively impact student culture

• Create minute by minute plans based on their vision of student culture– Create/Revamp SOP for School(s) Culture

Systems

Case Study

Blue Hill Elementary School

Case Study—Blue Hill Elementary School:

• Read and Take Notes (5-7 min)• Discuss Questions• Identify Pain Points and Record• Identify Fixes and Record

Case Study—Blue Hill Elementary School:

What is your big takeaway?

Student Culture in Action Video

Stacey Shells: Morning Routine

Stacey’s Vision:

To create a learning environment that is both rigorous and joyful, and that utilizes every minute of the day as a learning opportunity

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:

1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute

systems4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:

1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute

systems4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

Step 1—Establish a Vision:

School leader must:• Ask, “What do I want students and adults

doing in my school?”

Your turn:• What is your vision for your student culture?• Get into you school leader group and write

your vision• Record your notes!

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:

1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute

systems4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

Step 2—Identify the Systems:

School leader must:• Identify school-wide systems that are

needed in order to make the big vision into a day-to-day reality

Your turn:• Work with a partner• What school-wide systems will you need in

order to turn your vision into a reality?• Record your notes!

The Eight Systems That Create Great Student Culture:

• Arrival• Breakfast• Morning Meeting/Circle• Transitions• Lunch• Dismissal• Celebrating Learning• Discipline

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:

1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute

systems (School Scripts)

4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

Ray’s vision…

…was well-planned

Some have a vision…

…but are still working on their plan

Steps for Strengthening School Culture

Step 1: Identify the problemStep 2: Write the vision and the minute by minute systemStep 3: Practice/RehearseStep 4: Monitor and Maintain

Minute-by-Minute Systems

School leader must:• Build the minute-by-minute routines that will

make the vision a reality (e.g., Morning Arrival)

Your turn:• Work with your school team• Write/ Reflect upon your system for morning

arrival (10-15 min)• Record your notes on the system planning

template

Don’t forget to plan the practice and rehearsal

System Planning Activity

Each team will now have 5 minutes to present their morning arrival system plan

• Present Your System Plan• Ask Clarifying Questions • Give Feedback • Presenting School Team responds to

feedback/takes notes

Reflection:

• What are some of your “aha” moments?

• What impact does this system (morning arrival)have on student culture?

Minute-by-Minute Systems

Your turn:• Work with your School Team• Write a minute-by-minute system for

Morning Arrival (15 min)

TIME SCHEDULE6:40 All faculty must be present (breakfast provided)6:55 All teachers at their assigned station-commons room & outside7:00 Doors open for students (game time!)7:00-7:35 Greeting & Bright work

Checking Life’s work binders7:35 Clean-up Bright work7:40 All school Clap-teaching led by Sparling

Greeting of the community-led by Jackson7:45-7:55 Teaching breakfast routines led by Sparling7:55-8:15 Eating of breakfast & cleaning up (all students should be ready to go at 8:15

8:15 All school Clap8:15-8:25 Teaching tracking led by ( ) 8:25-8:35 Teaching of HALL position led by Noel8:35-8:55 Transition from commons room to classroom (practicing HALL position and

tracking) Taxonomy areas of focus: Narrating the positive and 100%

8:50-9:00 Teacher greeting & assigned seating (one teacher in the hallway- two teachers in the classroom-all classes will have at least 3 teachers)

9:00-9:15 Name Game –Question of the day (make sure cards are prepped and ready to go)

9:10-9:15 Teaching of S and T of STAR at seat (each classroom lead)9:15-9:25 Transition to the rug (practice-each step prior to the transition)9:25-9:50 Read Aloud and teaching of S (rug) and T of STAR behavior9:50-10:00 Transition back to seat10:00-10:30 Bathroom break & snack (in the background you are playing music-the writing cd)

10:30-11:00 Writing- (Day 1 writing plan)11:00-11:20 Get ready for dismissal

-pass out life’s work folder-with reading log inside and weekly preview sheet-take off student name tags-fun song with them to end the day-transition students to the cafeteria

11:20-11:30 Teaching of lunch procedures-led by Sparling (all teachers in the commons room k-4)

11:30-12:00 Lunch- all teachers on deck in grades K-2 (Day 1-August 30)12:00 Lunch dismissal (take students to class)12:10 Line students up & walk them outside-there will be three teachers for each class

(one in the front, one in the back of the line, & one guiding the line-it is essential that the line is organized so every student goes to the person they are supposed to go to)

1:30 Faculty huddle (commons room)

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute systems4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

Why is it important to practice/ rehearse?

What must a school leader do to ensure effective

practice?

Practice Perfect

School leader must:• Invest teachers• Give multiple opportunities to practice and

rehearse before executing with students• Write a minute-by-minute plan • Practice in small chunks, give feedback,

revise, and practice again and again!

Practice with Adults Video #27

North Star Academy Elementary School

Thoughts?

Practice with Adults Video #28

North Star Academy Elementary School

Thoughts?

Practice-to-Implementation

No matter the system…

o Practice with adults--prior to launcho Implement with students--Day 1o Set a measurable goal for the system to

become a routine (shouldn’t exceed two weeks…and that may be stretching it)

“Culture before Curriculum”

Five Keys to Effective Student Culture:

1. Establish a vision2. Identify key systems needed3. Turn vision into minute-by-minute

systems4. Practice5. Monitor and Maintain

What gets monitored gets done.

Monitor and Maintain

School leader must:• MONITOR and MAINTAIN essential systems

by evaluating progress with a measurable tool and scheduling time to OBSERVE

Your Turn:• Discuss with a partner• As a school leader, how will you monitor

and maintain student culture?

Tools for Monitoring and Maintaining Student Culture:

• School Culture Rubric• Leader’s Schedule• Other ???

Workshop Objectives:

• Identify and apply the 5 keys to effective student culture

• Identify key systems that create and positively impact student culture

• Create minute by minute plans based on their vision of student culture– Create/Revamp SOP for School(s) Culture

Systems

Self-Reflection:

What are your key takeaways?

“Your school is a reflection of you.”

--Dave Levin, KIPP Co-Founder and Superintendent,

KIPP New York