School Climate and Culture

Practically anyone who has aspired to school administration has received this advice: "Don't make any changes in your first year." This is a prevailing myth in instructional leadership. The reasoning behind this thinking is that a new principal should take a full year to assess the programs and people in place before making any substantial decisions.

A new leader in any organization is presented with a great opportunity to impart his/her vision on that organization. And, fair or not, everyone is watching to see what happens at the start of your tenure. You can say anything you want, but your employees will judge you by your actions. If you want to sit and wait it out your first year, that opportunity will pass you by.

Let's break down what our omniscient advisers mean when they talk about not making any "changes." Most likely they're talking about schedules, duty stations, class/subject/grade level assignments, lunch times and other details that fall more under the category of management than leadership. Maybe our advisers have a valid point about not changing infrastructure. But managers, unlike leaders, aren't charged with implementing change.

Shein (1996), on the other hand, asserts that “the only thing of real importance that leaders do is create and manage culture.” The leader in any organization creates the climate and enhances the culture. I once asked a class of teachers/aspiring prinicipals what they could do, immediately, to make a positive impact on their school's climate. Among the responses:

•write thank you notes
•give positive, unexpected feedback to both students and teachers
•make positive phone calls home on behalf of students
•notice student achievements or improvements in grades
•take the initiative to participate in volunteer activities such as school beautification projects
•come to work every day with a positive attitude, don’t let your bad moods show through to students or teachers
•be seen throughout the school rather than staying in your office
•speak to and get to know all employees
•perform bus duty - be visible to students and parents
•learn everyone’s names, students and staff, as soon as possible
•enter the classroom and interact with the students - don’t just stick your head in the classroom
•have food at staff meetings
•utilize students to assist with school functions and events- safety patrol, office and teacher assistants, guides for special events and for visitors
•attend extracurricular activities and after school events, intramurals, after school enrichment programs
•coordinate teacher recreational activities that allow teachers to develop relationships outside the classroom and break down barriers between teachers and teams
•institute a wellness program
•teach classes yourself or tutor students

Even though they had no administrative experience, these teachers possessed a clear understanding of the Principal's role in establishing the school climate. They wondered how a person could forget such basic ideas when they moved from the classroom to the Main Office. They declared that they would remember when they got their opportunity.

Changes to school climate and culture are real and lasting. It all starts at the top.
As Whitaker (2003) says, "when the principal sneezes, everyone catches a cold."