Presenters Jeromey M. Sheets, Ed.D Past President, OAESA Principal, Tallmadge Elementary School

1. The Principal’s Role in Developing Academic and Behavioral Expectations that Systematically Support School Culture Presenters Jeromey M. Sheets, Ed.D Past President, OAESA Principal, Tallmadge Elementary School Lancaster (OH) City Schools Paul G. Young, Ph.D. Past President, OAESA & NAESP Retired CEO National AfterSchool Association

2. About the Presenters Jeromey Sheets, Ed.D. • 15 year veteran principal • Has led four schools • Past President of OAESA • NAESP State Representative • Last school earned 8/8 on Ohio Report Card • One OAESA Hall of Fame School Paul Young, Ph.D. • 19 year veteran principal • Has led four schools • Past President of OAESA • Past President of NAESP • Last school earned highest district scores in reading (Gr. 1, 4 & 6) • Two OAESA Hall of Fame Schools • Retired CEO, National AfterSchool Association

3. Presentation Goals Review and further develop strategies that… • build positive school culture • create a comprehensive behavior support system • establish positive relationships with parents • enhance instructional leadership

4. What is School Culture? • Beliefs • Values • Traditions • Behavioral Patterns • Safety Practices • Climate • Environment • The Way Things Are Done

5. What is School Culture? ASCD’s Lexicon of Learning defines school culture as: • The sum of the values, cultures, safety practices, and organizational structures within a school that cause it to function and react in particular ways. • Some schools are said to have a nurturing environment that recognizes children and treats them as individuals; others may have the feel of authoritarian structures where rules are strictly enforced and hierarchical control is strong. Teaching practices, diversity, and the relationships among administrators, teachers, parents, and students contribute to school climate. • School climate refers mostly to the school's effects on students, whereas school culture refers more to the way teachers and other staff members work together. http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Lexicon-of-Learning/S.aspx

6. If culture is the personality of the organization, then climate represents that organization’s attitude. It is much easier to change an organization’s attitude (climate) than it is to change its personality (culture). Steve Gruenert Indiana State University

7. Essentials of School Culture • Focus on reflection • Democratic governance • Clear policies and expectations for behavior • Student leadership • Respect and caring • Diversity recognized and celebrated • Inter-grade & across-grade student groupings • Pick Me Ups (formal time to start each day as a community) • Rituals (e.g. new student orientation; International Night; alumni reunions; etc.) • Students are comfortable talking with adults about academic and personal issues • High attendance, graduation, and college acceptance rates • Low dropout rate • Emphasis on professional development/life-long learning for staff members • Fun! See more at: http://www.bigpicture.org/2008/10/school-culture/#sthash.EOgM72bi.dpuf From Big Picture Learning - Dennis Littky, Providence, RI

8. Key Elements that Frame School Culture • Structure • Powerful work ethic • Common behavioral and academic expectations for students and staff • Trust • Staff and parent empowerment

9. Establish Structure • Mission • Vision • Transparency • Expectations • Establish Decision Making Policies • Common Knowledge • Staff Development • Shared Goals • Evaluation

10. Mission and Vision Statements • A mission statement explains why your school exists • The “why” is the guiding purpose of all you do Suggestion • A school’s mission is to teach (and promote learning) • A vision statement must explain (in detail) what your learning community hopes to achieve Suggestion • Break down your vision by the week, month, year, multiyear • Communicate it often

11. Teach and Establish a Work Ethic Do what you say you will do when you said you would do it. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle

12. Professional Work Ethic Virtues • Attitude • Common Sense • Competence • Gratitude • Initiative • Integrity • Perseverance • Professionalism • Reliability • Respect

13. Teach Common Expectations • Students (and staff) know exactly what is expected • Students know what will happen if they cross over the line • Students understand the meaning of consequences • Energy, enthusiasm, and dedication are pervasive • Teachers supervise every inch of instructional space • Student-teacher interactions are fair, firm and consistent • Pride is observable From Newell, (2012) Classroom Management in the Music Room

14. Poll What behavioral expectation is the most important for students and staff to understand at your school? 1. Playground rules and expectations 2. Cafeteria rules and expectations 3. Reason/s for office referrals

15. Guide to the Professional Management of Students Your Elementary School Somewhere, USA 11111 • Purpose of this Guide • Clarification of the principal’s expectations • Intentional teaching of positive behaviors to students (and staff) • Empowerment of professional staff Template for PowerPoint is available upon request

16. Areas of Student Supervision and Management • Morning line-up • Homeroom/announcements • Classroom instruction • Restroom breaks • Library/computer lab • Hallway movements (to and from other areas) • Assemblies • Cafeteria • Resource classes • Lunchroom • Lunch recess • Indoor recess • Office referrals • Detentions • Dismissal (walkers, bus room, etc.)

17. Keys to Successful Student Management • Attain staff buy-in • Structure the student day • Teach preventative management strategies • Reinforce of pro-social behavior • Role-model of all desired behaviors • Integrate a Code of Conduct into daily instruction

18. Teach How to Make a Line • Practice makes perfect • Stand behind the next student • All bodies, heads, and eyes face forward • Keep in personal space • No talking Sample School Structure/Expectations PowerPoint Slide

19. Teach Hallway Movements • No student talking, only teacher voice for directions • Keep to the right in halls and on stairs • Do not disrupt instruction in other classrooms • Keep hands off student work on walls • Consider it a challenge to be the best managed class in the school while moving in lines Sample School Structure/Expectations PowerPoint Slide

20. In an Effective School, There Are Five Major Reasons for Office Referrals • Personal injury • Cheating • Illegal or illicit behavior (stealing, drugs, etc.) • Danger or threat to other students or adults • Overt refusal to follow a staff member’s direction

21. Rationale for School-Wide Student Management and Code of Conduct • Schools must be safe and productive • Schools must create a climate with a high expectancy of student success • Students must be motivated and engaged • Staff must be guided to prevent problems and to view those that do occur as “opportunities for teaching”

22. Sample Code of Conduct • Work for Quality • Earn Respect • Safety First • Treat Others Kindly Modify to fit your needs Suggestion - Keep a code simple and easy to recite

23. At Cedar Heights Elementary, I am expected to live ABOVE the LINE! Honesty Ownership Responsibility Neatness Expectations T olerance Line of Choice---------------------B laming Excuses D enial

24. Communicate and Connect Congratulations!___________________________ is being recognized with this HORNET Award by _________________ for following Cedar Heights School Above the Line Expectations. At Cedar Heights we believe in: H onesty O wnership R esponsibility N eatness E xpectations T olerance Please sign this form and send it back with your child so he/she may be included in a weekly drawing for a prize. ______________________________ Parent Signature

25. When a School Is Well Structured and Staff Effectively Manages Student Behavior… • Office referrals are minimal • Removals from school are infrequent • Behavior incidents are minor and routine • Success rate for individual behavior plans is high • Staff/parent/administrative satisfaction is high

26. The Principal Sets the Tone in Establishing School Culture • Be visible • Choose a positive attitude • Identify patterns of behavior (students and staff) • Don’t procrastinate; address problems • Empower staff to be the disciplinarians • Keep the “Monkeys off Your Back” • Gather good ideas from other schools • Look professional

27. Feedback is Essential in School Culture “The most powerful single influence enhancing achievement is feedback.” • Oral feedback is more effective than written • Quality feedback is needed, not more feedback • Much of the feedback provided by the teacher to the student is not valued and not acted on • The most powerful feedback is provided from the student to the teacher and or to peers.

28. Strategies for Instructional Change • Establish effective, evidence-based intervention processes • Establish systems to address all learners’ needs • Remove labels • Assign teachers to strengths • Focus on Tier I data • Establish professional learning communities • Replace IAT with Kid Talks • Lead expanded learning opportunities in before and afterschool program

29. Build Trust Principals Must LEAD • Learn • Evaluate • Attitude • Decision LEAD involves measuring, monitoring, maintaining, and maximizing the school’s instructional program.

30. Poll What academic expectation is the most important for students and staff to understand at your school? 1. Homework 2. Time-on-task with in-class work 3. Differentiated instruction

31. Avoid the Villains of Decision Making • Narrow framing limiting options to consider • Confirmation bias seeking information that bolsters beliefs • Short-term emotions being swayed by emotions that fade • Overconfidence too much faith placed on predictions

32. Communicate with Parents • Share daily learning targets • Communicate positives each day • Involve parents in the RTI process • Establish trusting relationships • Identify and encourage parent leaders

33. At its best, student culture is the cornerstone of a learning environment where student intellect and character will both thrive. The key to building a great culture is consistency- Paul Bambrick-SantoyoKappan, May 2014

34. Poll Of the three options listed, what is the biggest culture killer at your school? 1. Student unrest, lack of discipline/respect; bullying 2. Trust - poor staff relations; isolated teachers 3. Absentee - uninvolved parents

35. My “To Do” List Cite several take-aways, implications, or strategies that you have determined to further develop to enhance your school culture. 1. 2. 3.

36. Meet Us In Nashville!!Share your vision of positive school culture with other principals • Saturday, July 12, 10:15-11:45 a.m. • Canal C – Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center

37. Recommended Reading

38. Resources Blanchard, K. Oncken, W., Burrows, H. (1989). The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey. New York: Blanchard Family Partnership and the William Oncken Corporation. Brafman, O. & Brafman, R. (2010). Click: The Magic of Instant Connections. New York: Random House. Chester, E. (2012). Reviving Work Ethic: A Leader’s Guide to Ending Entitlement and Restoring Pride in the Workforce. Austin, TX; Greenleaf Book Group Press. Espinoza, C., Ukleja, M., & Rusch, C. (2010). Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Hatte, J. (2009). Visible Learning. New York: Routledge. Heath, C. & Heath, D. (2013). Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. New York: Crown Business/Random House. Hess, F. (2013). Cage-Busting Leadership. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. Maxwell, J. (2002). Leadership 101. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. Newell, D. (2012). Classroom Management in the Music Room. San Diego: Neil A Kjos Music Company. Young, P., Sheets, J. & Knight, D. (2005). Mentoring Principals: Frameworks, Agendas, Tips, and Case Stories for Mentors and Mentees.ThousandOaks, CA: Corwin Press. Young, P. (2008). Promoting Positive Behaviors: An Elementary Principal’s Guide to Structuring the Learning Environment. ThousandOaks, CA: Corwin Press.

39. Web Resources A Resource and Promising Practices Guide for School Administrators & Faculty: Section I: School Climate and Culture; New York State Education Department Bambrick-Santoyo. (2014). Build a meaningful student culture from Day One. Kappan95(8), 72-73. Gruenert, Steve. (2008). School Culture, School Climate: They Are Not the Same Thing. Principal, March/April 2008, National Association of Elementary School Principals. Habegger, Shelly (2008). The Principals Role in Successful Schools: Creating a Positive School Culture. Principal, September/October 2008, National Association of Elementary School Principals. Is Your School's Culture Toxic or Positive? Education World Kuntz, Brad (2012) ASCD Community: Create a Positive School Culture. Volume 54, Number 9, (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development). MacNeil, A., Prater, D., Busch, S. (2009). The effects of school culture and climate on student achievement. Volume 12, No. 1, 73-84, International Journal Leadership in Education. Positive School Climate Tool Kit, Minneapolis Public Schools. School Climate: National School Climate Center. Sheets, J. & Young, P. (2013). Frame Your School’s Culture. Principal Navigator - OAESA, 9(1), p. 6-8. Sheninger, Eric (10-16-2013). The Secrets to Creating a Positive School Culture. A Principal’s Reflection (Blog). Zakrzewski, Vicki (2013). How to Create a Positive School Climate. Greater Good Science Center.

40. Presenter Contact Information Jeromey M. Sheets, Ed.D. 2625 Wheeling Rd NE Lancaster, OH 43130 740-503-0617 (C) 740-654-1820 (H) j_sheets@lancaster.k12.oh.us www.lancaster.k12.oh.us Paul G. Young, Ph.D. 485 Crestview Drive Lancaster, OH 43130 614-296-4246 (C) 740-653-6553 (H) paulyoungohio@gmail.com www.youngprinciples.com