Journey to Success: Building & Implementing a School Culture & Climate Roadmap for Optimal Impact
First Presenter's Institution
The Cambio Group
First Presenter's Brief Biography
Dr. Marina Rivera Gillmore serves as the Chief Academic Officer and Director of School-Based Programming at the Cambio Group, an educational consultancy serving school districts with right-sized resources, professional learning opportunities, and programs that focus on improving outcomes for students through strategic school culture and climate growth. As an educator, author, and systems-changer, Dr. Rivera Gillmore has built her career working with youth and teaching, researching, and writing about school culture & climate, access, and educator self-efficacy. Marina’s school culture & climate and literacy consulting work has taken her throughout the country, with a particular focus on serving culturally and linguistically diverse school communities in both urban and rural areas. Marina holds a doctorate in Leadership for Educational Justice and has conducted award-winning research on both the experiences of underserved youth in urban environments and how teachers’ beliefs and life experiences impact classroom practice. As a social entrepreneur, Marina is also the CEO and President of Full Circle Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to telling the stories of educators and change-makers. Marina and her family split their time between southern California and Costa Rica.
Document Type
Event
Primary Strand
Restorative Practices
Relevance to Primary Strand
The core pillars of implementing a successful school culture & climate include rituals and routines, social & emotional learning, and restorative practices. This presentation will weave together all three of these elements, with a primary focus on how restorative practices can be used to create a more positive and proactive school culture and climate while also decreasing disciplinary disproportionally and reducing exclusionary discipline outcomes.
Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics
Leadership/ Continuous Improvement
Brief Program Description
Any successful journey includes a clear picture of where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and the purpose of your trip. And it’s no different when creating a more positive and impactful school culture and climate. Participants will leave this session with a strategic framework to build and implement a school culture and climate roadmap that will positively impact students and staff in the areas of mental health, engagement & attendance, & educator burnout.
Summary
Schools today are grappling with a range of complex issues that can impact the well-being and academic success of students and staff. According to recent research, student mental health issues, low student engagement and attendance, educator burnout, and staff recruitment and retention are among the biggest challenges facing schools today. However, research has also shown that a focus on improving school culture and climate can positively impact all these areas. By creating an inclusive, supportive, and respectful environment, schools can foster a sense of belonging, engagement, and well-being among students and staff alike.
Strategic planning is critical to ensure the academic success and growth of schools. While most educational institutions have robust plans to support these objectives, the same level of focus and attention is often lacking in the area of school culture and climate. Rather than a cohesive and purposeful roadmap for success, schools tend to have an array of activities that are not aligned or integrated in a meaningful way. This lack of clarity and cohesiveness can lead to missed opportunities and less-than-optimal outcomes in areas such as student well-being, engagement, and academic achievement. As such, there is a pressing need for educators to develop a more strategic and intentional approach to building a positive and inclusive school culture that supports the academic and personal growth of all learners.
In this interactive session, participants will explore the essential components of a successful school culture and climate roadmap, including establishing a coherent vision, identifying core initiatives and available resources, and understanding what data points are necessary to track to ensure successful implementation and impact. Participants will have a chance to build out one component of their own plans and also establish a priority goal and next right action steps that they can take back to their schools and immediately implement. Successful case studies from our work will also be shared to encourage and inspire participants to take meaningful and strategic action on building out and implementing their own culture and climate plans.
Evidence
Research has consistently shown that improving school culture and climate can have a significant impact on the well-being and academic success of students and staff in K-12 schools. For example, a study by the Learning Policy Institute found that positive school climate is associated with improved academic achievement, higher graduation rates, and lower rates of student suspension and absenteeism. Additionally, a report by the National School Climate Center revealed that students who feel connected to their school and have positive relationships with their teachers are more likely to be engaged in their learning and exhibit positive behaviors. These findings underscore the importance of developing a strategic school culture and climate plan that fosters a supportive, inclusive, and respectful environment for all members of the school community.
Additionally, qualitative and quantitative data from our own work in K-12 schools employing the planning process in this session demonstrate that when implemented with fidelity, this process can positively impact disciplinary disproportionality and attendance data, as well as improve the efficacy of school leaders and teachers to create a more positive school culture and climate.
Learning Objective 1
Participants will be able to identify the key challenges facing schools today related to student mental health, student engagement and attendance, educator burnout, and staff recruitment and retention.
Learning Objective 2
Participants will be able to apply a strategic approach to building a positive and inclusive school culture and climate, including establishing a coherent vision and identifying core initiatives and available resources.
Learning Objective 3
Participants will be able to develop a plan of action to improve their own school culture and climate, including setting a priority goal, identifying next steps, and understanding what data points to track to ensure successful implementation and impact.
Recommended Citation
Gillmore, Dr. Marina V., "Journey to Success: Building & Implementing a School Culture & Climate Roadmap for Optimal Impact" (2023). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 75.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2023/2023/75
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Journey to Success: Building & Implementing a School Culture & Climate Roadmap for Optimal Impact
Schools today are grappling with a range of complex issues that can impact the well-being and academic success of students and staff. According to recent research, student mental health issues, low student engagement and attendance, educator burnout, and staff recruitment and retention are among the biggest challenges facing schools today. However, research has also shown that a focus on improving school culture and climate can positively impact all these areas. By creating an inclusive, supportive, and respectful environment, schools can foster a sense of belonging, engagement, and well-being among students and staff alike.
Strategic planning is critical to ensure the academic success and growth of schools. While most educational institutions have robust plans to support these objectives, the same level of focus and attention is often lacking in the area of school culture and climate. Rather than a cohesive and purposeful roadmap for success, schools tend to have an array of activities that are not aligned or integrated in a meaningful way. This lack of clarity and cohesiveness can lead to missed opportunities and less-than-optimal outcomes in areas such as student well-being, engagement, and academic achievement. As such, there is a pressing need for educators to develop a more strategic and intentional approach to building a positive and inclusive school culture that supports the academic and personal growth of all learners.
In this interactive session, participants will explore the essential components of a successful school culture and climate roadmap, including establishing a coherent vision, identifying core initiatives and available resources, and understanding what data points are necessary to track to ensure successful implementation and impact. Participants will have a chance to build out one component of their own plans and also establish a priority goal and next right action steps that they can take back to their schools and immediately implement. Successful case studies from our work will also be shared to encourage and inspire participants to take meaningful and strategic action on building out and implementing their own culture and climate plans.
