According to Fullan (2007), school culture can be defined as the guiding beliefs and values evident in the way a school operates. “School culture” can be used to encompass all the attitudes, expected behaviors and values that impact how the school operates.
On Tuesday, March 28, 2023, The New Teacher Project (TNTP) held a virtual meeting with principals in Calhoun County School District. This principal networking session focused on retention of teachers. The session began with each principal sharing their definition of School Culture and providing examples of positive and/or toxic school culture. Principals discussed key factors that directly affect a person’s overall opinion of an organization’s culture. The condition and/or appearance of the physical building and grounds help shape teacher’s impression of a school’s culture as well as the attitudes of the personnel. Are their attitudes negative or do they display a sense of pride and ownership of the organization? Is there a shared vision and belief system evident, and is everyone working to achieve a common good? The principals had an opportunity to explore how these factors and others impact an organization’s ability to retain personnel.
To conclude this session, principals were asked to reflect on information reviewed and discussed, examine their view of their school’s culture, and determine the approach they will use to ascertain critical feedback from teachers, on ways to improve or maintain the school’s present culture.