From Silos to Synergy: Facilitating Change and Cultivating a Thriving Campus Culture

Presenters

• Cedric Adderley, SC Governor's School for the Arts & HumanitiesFollow

First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

DMA

Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

1997

First Presenter's Field of Study

Music Composition

Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree

University of South Carolina

First Presenter's Institution

SC Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities

First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Dr. Cedric Adderley serves as the fourth president of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities. Prior to this appointment he served as the Academic Dean at Capital University(OH) and both faculty and administrative positions at Claflin University(SC) and Benedict College(SC). With an extensive background in accreditation, faculty development, and general education reform, he has served as an accreditation evaluator for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools. An accomplished composer and music educator, Dr. Adderley enjoys a multifaceted career and maintains an active schedule of artistic engagements throughout the United States and abroad. A native of Columbia, SC, he earned degrees in music education and music composition from East Carolina University and the University of South Carolina.

Location

Scarbrough 4

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

School and District Leadership

Relevance to Primary Strand

Research indicates that students are far more likely to excel in learning environments where they feel safe and have a strong sense of community. A positive school environment and genuine support systems both in and out of the classroom are vital to their academic and personal success. The same principle applies to faculty and staff, as a supportive school environment directly influences their job satisfaction and overall productivity.

The session will present tested examples and bridge-building exercises from the facilitator’s personal experiences that any educator can implement to cultivate a thriving campus culture. Participants will be inspired to examine challenges in their schools with a fresh outlook and a renewed passion for becoming the learning community that they’ve always wanted. Attendees will leave the session inspired and empowered to take the lead in not only establishing a sense of community, but also maintaining it.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

Climate and Culture

Brief Program Description

This presentation will examine the transformation process of an “excellently siloed” high school with a toxic work environment into a model for collaboration and cooperation. It will cover the importance of building and utilizing student-to-student relationships, faculty/staff leadership, curricular revision, and collaborative tools to break down silos and align day-to-day operations with school mission and the basic tenants of mutual respect. The session will be interactive, and, through dialogue, participants will develop a deeper understanding practical strategies for engaging the entire campus community and constructing a thriving campus culture by intentionally crossing personal, curricular, and cultural boundaries.

Summary

Research indicates that students are far more likely to excel in learning environments where they feel safe and have a strong sense of community. A positive school environment and genuine support systems both in and out of the classroom are vital to their academic and personal success. The same principle applies to faculty and staff, as a supportive school environment directly influences their job satisfaction and overall productivity.

This presentation will examine the transformation process of an “excellently siloed” high school with a toxic work environment into a model for collaboration and cooperation. It will cover the importance of building and utilizing student-to-student relationships, faculty/staff leadership, curricular revision, and collaborative tools to break down silos and align day-to-day operations with school mission and the basic tenants of mutual respect. The session will be interactive, and, through dialogue, participants will develop a deeper understanding practical strategies for engaging the entire campus community and constructing a thriving campus culture by intentionally crossing personal, curricular, and cultural boundaries.

The session will also present tested examples and bridge-building exercises from the facilitator’s personal experiences that any educator can implement. Participants will be inspired to examine challenges in their schools with a fresh outlook and a renewed passion for becoming the learning community that they’ve always wanted. Attendees will leave the session inspired and empowered to take the lead in not only establishing a sense of community, but also maintaining it.

Evidence

As the result of a campuswide initiative, the theme Many Paths, One Community launched the transformation of a high school campus from being an “excellently siloed” yet toxic learning environment into a model for public education. Fully aligned with the mission and values for creating and sustaining a diverse community, the campus recommitted to the ideals of mutual respect, civility, and collaboration by embracing the uniqueness of students from over 30 counties in one state who come together in a public residential high school. The initiative allowed for a level of engagement that spawned change, growth, and the renaissance of an exceptional learning community where student achievement exceeded all expectations and accomplishments of previous classes.

Much in the same manner as the student experience, the employee experience was equally transformational, as all faculty and staff were empowered to engage in heightened levels of discourse, share experiences, and solve curricular and administrative issues in a manner that was previously impossible. With a strong focus on collaboration and program integration, innovative strategies across departments and across the campus allowed for greater levels of student achievement including, but not limited to: a 90% overall pass rate in Advanced Placement exams, 86 students earned President’s List Honors, 86 students earned Dean’s List honors, 187 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 2 National Merit scholars, multiple new collaborative classes developed, and over $25 million dollars in scholarship offers to the graduating class.

Learning Objective 1

Build leadership skills that support a positive school climate, including emotional intelligence, effective communication, and conflict resolution.

Learning Objective 2

Empower staff at all levels to lead within their roles, fostering shared responsibility for student success, behavior support, and school-wide safety.

Learning Objective 3

Promote leadership practices that strengthen staff well-being, improve team collaboration, and increase overall school resilience.

Start Date

6-1-2026 2:15 PM

End Date

6-1-2026 3:15 PM

Recommended Citation

Adderley, Cedric, "From Silos to Synergy: Facilitating Change and Cultivating a Thriving Campus Culture" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 27.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/27

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.