“Assessing The Health of your School Culture” Dr. M. Edward Krenson

1. “Assessing The Health of your School Culture” Dr. M. Edward Krenson Randolph School President and Head of School

2. Presentation Overview • What is culture? • What is the relationship between school culture and institutional effectiveness? • How to assess the health of your school culture

3. What is Culture? “Culture is the approximation of the two ways, feeling and mind, of two worlds, sensitivity and thought. Culture is therefore the collective attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, expectations and approaches that are considered by the individual or the group to be normal and appropriate.”

4. “The great law of culture is: Let each become all that he was created capable of being”Thomas Carlyle

5. ISM’s “Model Schools Project” Study on Effective Private / Independent Schools “Identified quality of faculty culture as the core predictor of sustained student and faculty excellence in private independent schools”.

6. “The nature of the relationship among the adults at the school has more to do with the school's quality, its character, and the achievement of its students than any other factor.” Roland Barth

7. Randolph School Mission Randolph School promotes high academic standards and challenges all students to develop the knowledge, skills, and character to become self-confident, reflective, and productive adults.

8. Randolph School PrinciplesRandolph School believes that: • Students achieve their full potential when the school challenges and supports each child's interests and aptitudes. • In a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, students master essential skills and information, develop intellectual curiosity and creativity, and acquire the ability and desire to continue learning throughout their lives.

9. Randolph School PrinciplesRandolph School believes that: • Students should have the opportunity to mature as well-rounded individuals through participation and competition in a broad range of extracurricular activities. • Clear and consistent expectations for behavior create an environment in which young people develop integrity, compassion, and respect for others.

10. Randolph School PrinciplesRandolph School believes that: • Students and faculty from diverse backgrounds create a stimulating intellectual environment and foster respect and appreciation for differences. • Parents and teachers must work as partners to educate children effectively.

11. Morale, Culture and Characterby Douglas Heath (1999) “We must view schools more systemically, not just as collections of academic disciplines. We must search for principles of assessment and standards for evaluating the quality of schools’ learning environment. We must assess achievement of their school-wide goals, typically attributes of character”.

12. Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Model Administrative Environment Mission / Vision / Values “Leadership Culture” Administrative Relationships Teacher Professionalism Teacher Service to Constituents Teacher Collegiality Student - Teacher Relationships Peer Relationships Instructional Environment “Student / Parent Culture” Teaching / Working Environment “Faculty Culture” Whole School Culture

13. School Sub-Culture Components Leadership Culture Mission / Vision / Values Trustees Administration Department Heads Administrative Staff Faculty / Staff Culture Teaching / Working Environment Empowerment Collegiality Constituent Culture Instructional Environment Student Relationships Student Achievement Parent Relationships

14. Administrative Environment • Assessed generally in each of the individual survey instruments. • Individual assessments conducted for selected administrators • Survey results tracked longitudinally • Individual assessments conducted in May • Feedback shared in one on one meetings related to the survey results • Findings used for professional growth plan

15. ISM’s Faculty Culture Profile • Standard 13 question questionnaire • Tracked longitudinally • Departmental / individual assessment • Opportunity for comments • Assessment in April • Broken down divisionally • Communicate results to board

18. Parent Culture Survey • Standard 20 question questionnaire • Tracked longitudinally • Admissions priorities • Division specific questions (3 – 5) • Developed collaboratively with RPA • Opportunity for comments • Assessment in February / March • Parent meeting / communicate results • Broken down divisionally

22. Student Culture Survey • Standard 21 question questionnaire • Tracked longitudinally • Opportunity for comments • Broken down divisionally • Assessment in November • Communicate results to student / faculty / parents / board

26. Resonance Symbol • Symbolism of Three Circles • Triangle • Butterfly • Metamorphosis • Butterfly Effect • Seeing more than is obvious • Seeing how everything is connected • Small actions lead to significant results

27. “A school community that challenges both the head and the heart is a community with the capacity to inspire greatness” Eddie Krenson Ed.D.