I have been inside every school in the district the past few months.  I am so impressed with the wonderful environment that you have created for students.  This positive school culture is key to helping students find success in our schools.  School culture is “a complex pattern of norms, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, values, ceremonies, traditions, and myths that are deeply ingrained in the very core of the organization” (Barth, 2002, p. 8). It defines the way people approach their work and the way in which they interact with others. A school culture has to be tended to and intentionally worked on or it has the potential to devolve into a toxic environment where people feel unsafe, protective, and inhospitable to each other, making any semblance of success impossible (Peterson, 2001). A positive school culture is foremost a “professional community” (Harvey, 2013). The people involved make these communities a “safe and orderly” climate where growth, risk, and support for one another can be encouraged (Robinson et al., 2008). People in these communities value the history and traditions of the past while striving for a better future, (Peterson, 2001; Portin, 2004). Most importantly, a positive school culture is characterized by a “common focus” that is concentrated on the value teachers are adding to students through effective instruction (Elmore, 1995; Green, 2015; Janney et al., 2005). A positive school culture is the intangible support that helps everyone feel belonging and that they are valued so that they can express their self-efficacy and produce wonderful student academic outcomes.

Thanks to each of you for the efforts you make on a daily basis to add to the positive, inspiring, and supportive school culture where you work together to help students learn and grow.  Your efforts are invaluable, and I so appreciate you for all you do for our students.

Principals in our district are anxiously engaged in helping to work with you in meeting the diverse needs of our students. They do many things that go unrecognized, and I want to try to change that. I hope you will identify something your principal does and share it with me so that I can recognize them for their efforts and impacts on behalf of teachers and students. This link will allow you to share something great about your principal. Each week I will recognize a principal for the things they do every day that make our schools so great for our students. Plus, all principals who receive a nomination will be notified and get to hear the lovely things you have to say about them!

This week I want to recognize Rachel Lowry, the principal at Granger Elementary. Rachel is a dedicated, hardworking principal. She knows all of her students and I have seen her many times stop mid conversation to greet or give a side hug to any student that comes up to her. She is passionate about every single student and doesn’t just put time into the really challenging students but to every student. She celebrates even the smallest of progress and it shows in her attitude toward the students. Her willingness to show up for the students mean that they try their best because they know that because they just try their effort will always be celebrated. Rachel doesn’t just encourage the faculty to to implement the theme of the school year but she leads by example. The Granger elementary theme this year has been to make connections, and Rachel has been such an incredible example of this. That is why I want to nominate Rachel because she has and is still making Granger Elementary the best it can be by putting students first and really trying to get to know every single student she comes in contact with.