Diverse group of four middle school students standing together smiling and laughing. Black text title reads 8 Ways to Move from Me to We & Create Positive School Culture.

Moving from Me to We: 8 Ways to Make the Shift to a Positive School Culture

Inflexion February 27, 2023

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One of the beautiful things about this school is it’s a family. Our family may have gone through a little bit of rough times last year, but we are definitely a family. And we care about each other, so we want to see each other succeed.

– Amy Zilk

INTRO

Roosevelt Middle School principal, Amy Zilk, knows that a new leadership role is both rewarding and challenging. But instead of allowing some overwhelming challenges to steer them off-course, Amy and her team used them to map out a new, and more positive, way forward.

Use this resource to reflect, evaluate, and plan your own school’s process for developing (a more) positive school culture.

OBJECTIVES

Reflect and evaluate your school’s current culture

Review the 8 Ways to Move from Me to We for Positive School Culture

Start planning and implementing your school’s process for developing (a more) positive school culture

RESOURCES

INFLEXION BLOG: 8 W ays to Move from Me to We & Create Positive School Culture

PDF INFOGRAPHIC: Move from Me to We for Positive School Culture

ACTIVITY

Reflect on your school’s culture.
- Create a side-by-side comparison list of positive and negative factors/elements
- It may help to walk around your campus and classrooms to observe current conditions, behaviors, etc. – take notes of your observations

Review the process outlined in this infographic

Evaluate your school for each of the eight steps

Determine where you need to start/what you need to do

Review with your leadership and start planning for your school’s path toward positive school culture ASAP

TIPS

Developing positive school culture takes time and work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t jump in and start making progress now. Start with just one thing (even/especially one small thing) that could make some positive impact right now. Then focus your time and energy on the rest.

There’s a connection between our physical and psychological spaces. Consider how your school’s physical environment (and all that entails & encompasses) plays a role in shaping school climate. Focus on what aspects of this you can change or modify to foster a more positive culture.

Categories: Evaluation, Leadership Activities, Organizational Structures

Tags: 21st Century Leadership, Effective Leadership, Inclusive Leadership, Inclusive Practices, School Leaders, Student Empowerment, Student Experience, Student Outcomes

Case Study: Merced Union High School District

Through its work with Inflexion, MUHSD is seeing strong results in student outcomes and in closing the opportunity gap for underserved students. California School Dashboard data show College/Career Indicator scores for African American, Hispanic, English Learners, students with disabilities, students who are homeless, and students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged are 16 to 29 points higher than the state average.

Inflexion June 9, 2020

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Passion. Pride. Promise. Two Leaders Help Pave the Way for Their Students & Communities

Tucked away in the hills of rural western Oregon, the Vernonia and Gaston school districts defy many of the stereotypes most of us hold when we think of rural schools. Their communities face both common and unique challenges. Vernonia Elementary Principal, Michelle Eagleson, and Gaston Superintendent, Summer Catino, share how their small schools and communities achieve greatness.

Vanessa Brazil October 25, 2022

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Build Unity Through Change: Engage Staff in Continuous Improvement Processes

Continuous improvement should be embedded in day-to-day work, in a systemized, organic way. You can think of the cyclical process as a formative assessment of the ideas being tested.

Inflexion June 7, 2023

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Family And Community Engagement (FACE): How To Get Started with Community School Development

So you’re familiar with community schools. You’re interested. But getting started can feel like the hardest part. While your own school/district’s path may ultimately differ from Anaheim Union School District’s, their example can help you begin mapping out where to start.

Inflexion April 19, 2023

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Your School’s Identity is More Important Than You Think

Like it or not, the cultural identity of your school drives everything else you do. Who you truly are and what you believe about yourself at the core is defined by what you do. In an increasingly competitive climate, it’s more important than ever to clarify who you are and what you value.

Rachel Phillips March 16, 2018

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Snapshot of What’s Working: Multi-Tiered System of Support

Few large-scale policy initiatives speak to the potential of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) more so than the California Scale-Up Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Statewide Initiative—simply referred to as California MTSS.

Inflexion February 15, 2019

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A Source of Strength and Community: How Identity Keeps Santiam Canyon United Even When Everything Else is Falling Apart

Santiam Canyon Superintendent, Todd Miller, shares how their school district’s identity and maxims are a source of community and strength, especially when faced with unimaginable disaster.

Vanessa Brazil October 4, 2022

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8 Ways to Move from Me to We & Create Positive School Culture

Vanessa Brazil February 27, 2023

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Implementing PBIS: 6 Challenges and 7 Supports to Consider for Your Schoolwide Program

Effectively implementing a schoolwide PBIS system that is equitable and meets the needs of all students may feel like a fairy tale. But by understanding the barriers to successful implementation and the supports needed to overcome them, school leaders can better prepare for and modify PBIS at their sites.

Inflexion May 17, 2023

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Roosevelt Middle School: Using Artful Learning and Community PRIDE Statements to Define Student Readiness Outcomes for All Students and Staff

Roosevelt’s leadership team identified two opportunities that were already part of their community that they would be able to leverage to create a more cohesive school experience for students: the schoolwide Artful Learning curriculum, and the Roosevelt PRIDE Promise statements developed by the school staff.

Inflexion July 26, 2018

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INTRO

OBJECTIVES

RESOURCES

ACTIVITY

TIPS

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