STANDARD THREE: Cultural Leadership
A. Focus on Collaborative Work Environment: The school executive understands and acts on the understanding of the positive role that a collaborative environment can play in the school’s culture.
Staff Culture Survey
When I first came to Innovation Academy, I was coming into a staff that had spent a few months getting to know each other. The climate in the building was so positive and strong, you could feel it the moment you walked through the doors. Throughout my course work, I learned that a leader should develop relationships with all staff. In order to work collaboratively with all staff, I asked them to take a survey about the school and how I could continue to help. I learned that teamwork makes the dreamwork and that is possible only when all team members work together and collaborate on important student issues. |
Food opportunities to strengthen culture
Sometimes it is appropriate to show your appreciation for staff with food! There were numerous times throughout the school year that I showed my staff that I appreciated all the hard work they were doing and I purchased them something to eat. Too often we overlook the good things our staff does on a daily basis. By providing opportunities to say thank you, staff feel the appreciation and they feel more welcome.
Sometimes it is appropriate to show your appreciation for staff with food! There were numerous times throughout the school year that I showed my staff that I appreciated all the hard work they were doing and I purchased them something to eat. Too often we overlook the good things our staff does on a daily basis. By providing opportunities to say thank you, staff feel the appreciation and they feel more welcome.
B. School Culture and Identity: The school executive develops and uses shared vision, values and goals to define the identity and culture of the school
The Pioneer Way 2.0 (Pioneer Pledge)
Every morning the entire school (staff and students) gather in the gym for a time called Community. Community is a time for announcements as well as a time for all of us to gather and begin our day. Every Monday morning all members of the school have an opportunity to take part in our Pioneer Pledge. Students, staff and parents all have a part. This pledge aligns with the mission and vision of our school. Saying it each week helps us to remember why we are at our school. Whether it is working in our innovative environment or attending as a student learning in innovative ways, we are all reminded each week what our role is in achieving the mission of Innovation Academy. |
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C. Acknowledges Failures; Celebrates Accomplishments and Rewards: The school executive acknowledges failures and celebrates accomplishments of the school in order to define the identity, culture and performance of the school.
Accomplishments and Rewards
Each day during Community we acknowledge a pioneer that has demonstrated our core values of courage, resilience, collaboration, curiosity, adaptability, self- learning, relationships, problem solving, and passion. By acknowledging a member of our school community each day, we are reminded of the school's core values. These values then become common language when we speak to students about the choices they make.
Using my skills with iMovie I was also able to create videos for two of our staff members to acknowledge their accomplishments this school year. Using our students to assist in this process instead of solely the administrative team, the teachers are reminded the impact they have on their students. Completing these tasks showed me how relationships between teachers and students matter.
Each day during Community we acknowledge a pioneer that has demonstrated our core values of courage, resilience, collaboration, curiosity, adaptability, self- learning, relationships, problem solving, and passion. By acknowledging a member of our school community each day, we are reminded of the school's core values. These values then become common language when we speak to students about the choices they make.
Using my skills with iMovie I was also able to create videos for two of our staff members to acknowledge their accomplishments this school year. Using our students to assist in this process instead of solely the administrative team, the teachers are reminded the impact they have on their students. Completing these tasks showed me how relationships between teachers and students matter.
First Year Teacher of the Year video
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Leading with the Heart video
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D. Efficacy and Empowerment: The school executive develops a sense of efficacy and empowerment among staff which influences the school’s identity, culture and performance.
Lab School Visits
Since our school is a lab school in Johnston county, we have groups of visitors that come to tour the school and see our innovation at work. I was the coordinator for these visits this school year. I created the schedules and spoke with teachers to have their input on who wanted the visitors to observe their classes in action. Most of the time all classrooms are observed and the visitors get to see all aspects of our day. Each visit has a time for discussion with our staff. I tried to have different groups of teachers speak with our visitors at each visit. I learned staff enjoy speaking about what they do. Giving them the power to speak about how they do things shows them they are a valued member of our team.
Since our school is a lab school in Johnston county, we have groups of visitors that come to tour the school and see our innovation at work. I was the coordinator for these visits this school year. I created the schedules and spoke with teachers to have their input on who wanted the visitors to observe their classes in action. Most of the time all classrooms are observed and the visitors get to see all aspects of our day. Each visit has a time for discussion with our staff. I tried to have different groups of teachers speak with our visitors at each visit. I learned staff enjoy speaking about what they do. Giving them the power to speak about how they do things shows them they are a valued member of our team.