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High School Students : Escalating Excellence

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Escalating Excellence

Interested in improving your school? Then focus on cultivating a culture of excellence!

A growing body of research provides support that while a positive culture is intangible, it is also essential and tied to significant impacts on academic, behavioral, and social–emotional outcomes for students. My experience as a high school principal has shown me that when attention is given to creating and sustaining a positive school culture that a school can yield dramatic results in all other reform initiatives.

Specifically, I have seen faculty and staff thrive when immersed in a positive school climate. Teachers are more willing to implement new curricula and interventions when they perceive that they work in a positive school culture. Schools with positive cultures value diversity, encourage shared experiences and purpose, promote transparent, and unbiased norms and expectations, and provide opportunities for growth and achievement.

The following are practical strategies that have proven to be successful in raising the academic performance of our students and increasing the morale of our faculty and staff, resulting in a highly collaborative and positive school community.

Focus on People, Identify & Celebrate Your Purple Cows

School cultures don’t develop by accident.

The best approach to developing a culture is to recruit, attract, and retain the highest quality educators possible who meet the profile of the school you envision yours becoming.

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