Single School Culture Analysis
Students in today’s classrooms come from a myriad of different backgrounds, beliefs, and home settings. Administrators, school leaders, and teachers need to find a way to build a school community that allows students of all backgrounds a high-quality education. The School District of Palm Beach County is implementing a way to build school communities for the education of all students. The School District of Palm Beach County is the eleventh largest school district in the United States with 170,215 students (Public Affairs, 2009 n.p.). Almost nine percent, or 15,056 students, in Palm Beach County School District are in English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes which includes 149 different languages (Johnson, 2009 n.p.). The School
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District also has 33,562 students in Exceptional Student Education classes, including students in the gifted program (Johnson, 2009). Administrators and school leaders in Palm Beach County are faced with a daunting task when creating a school community that reaches all students because of the immense diversity of the student population.
A solution for school leaders to build a school community that recognizes education for all is to implement a Single School Culture system of approach.
Dr. Alison Adler, Chief of Safety and Learning Environment for the School District of Palm Beach County, created Single School Culture, a new way to organize and run schools around the core belief of efficacy. Efficacy is a person’s belief in their ability to develop themselves. The three arenas of Single School Culture, behavior, academics, and climate support the core belief. Through consistent practice and procedure, a Single School Culture is produced. The arenas are addressed simultaneously, focusing on the arena with the greatest need, to provide the most impact at a school site. Each arena is supported through the collection of specific data. Single School Culture “begins with shared beliefs, values and goals, and results in agreed upon processes and procedures that produce consistency in practice” (Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, 2005). Single School Culture is school board mandated in Palm Beach County, and it has spread to eleven other states and over twenty-five school districts …show more content…
nationwide.
One arena of Single School Culture is Behavior.
Administration, teachers, students, and parents agree on consistent practices and procedures across the school campus in order for the school to be successful. “The ultimate goal is to create a sense of fairness on a campus, an environment where students perceive they will receive the same respect and equitable treatment from classroom to classroom and from administrator to administrator” (Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, 2005 n.p.). When students recognize this trust on campus, it creates a fair environment for everyone. Students realize they are responsible for their actions, which allows them to focus on the primary aspect of school, academics.
Academics are another arena of Single School Culture. Academics are the primary focus of the education system. In the Single School Culture model, students are taught to believe they can achieve high level of success, and teachers are taught to believe in their ability to foster the success in their students. The administration’s job in the academics arena is vital as well. Principals are labeled as the instructional leader of the school, making sure everything at the school supports
learning.
The third arena in Single School Culture is Climate. The climate of the school is sometimes referred to as taking the temperature of the campus. It gives district office personnel an idea of what is going on at the campus. The climate focuses on keeping students welcome and safe on campus. It allows students to connect with the school and know that there are adults on campus that are there to help them. Students connect to the school through experience in fine arts, team sports, and leadership opportunities on campus.
A reoccurring theme in each of the core beliefs is the focus on data. In the Single School Culture model, data is not just about standardized testing. “It is about what actually happens in the classroom. ‘Teaching styles have completely changed,’ she (Adler) explains. ‘Five years ago, no one had heard of a ‘data-based’ approach. Now it is second nature’” (Feinberg, 2004 n.p.). Through the evaluation of data reports, adjustments to the program can be made to meet the needs of the school.
Integrating Single School Culture into a school is a great way to ensure the school is meeting the needs of all students because everyone is working under the same rules and working toward the same goal. Single School Culture is based on the core belief of efficacy. This belief is supported by three arenas behavior, academics, and climate. The goal of Single School Culture is to make the school campus a place where all students receive the education they deserve and be successful in an environment that is safe and welcoming.
Discussion Question: Do you believe creating a Single School Culture as described makes it possible to build a school community that reaches all learners?
References
Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. (2005). Report to the community: Single school culture. West Palm Beach, FL: School District of Palm Beach County.
Feinberg, C. (2004). The possible dream. Ed. Magazine Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/features/howard07012004.html
Johnson, A. (2009). School District of Palm Beach County - Annual report 2009 Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.palmbeachschools.org/annualreport/
Public Affairs. (2009). District facts at a glance - 2009-10 Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.palmbeachschools.org/PDFs/District_Facts_At_A_Glance_Index_Card.pdf
District also has 33,562 students in Exceptional Student Education classes, including students in the gifted program (Johnson, 2009). Administrators and school leaders in Palm Beach County are faced with a daunting task when creating a school community that reaches all students because of the immense diversity of the student population.
A solution for school leaders to build a school community that recognizes education for all is to implement a Single School Culture system of approach.
Dr. Alison Adler, Chief of Safety and Learning Environment for the School District of Palm Beach County, created Single School Culture, a new way to organize and run schools around the core belief of efficacy. Efficacy is a person’s belief in their ability to develop themselves. The three arenas of Single School Culture, behavior, academics, and climate support the core belief. Through consistent practice and procedure, a Single School Culture is produced. The arenas are addressed simultaneously, focusing on the arena with the greatest need, to provide the most impact at a school site. Each arena is supported through the collection of specific data. Single School Culture “begins with shared beliefs, values and goals, and results in agreed upon processes and procedures that produce consistency in practice” (Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, 2005). Single School Culture is school board mandated in Palm Beach County, and it has spread to eleven other states and over twenty-five school districts …show more content…
nationwide.
One arena of Single School Culture is Behavior.
Administration, teachers, students, and parents agree on consistent practices and procedures across the school campus in order for the school to be successful. “The ultimate goal is to create a sense of fairness on a campus, an environment where students perceive they will receive the same respect and equitable treatment from classroom to classroom and from administrator to administrator” (Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, 2005 n.p.). When students recognize this trust on campus, it creates a fair environment for everyone. Students realize they are responsible for their actions, which allows them to focus on the primary aspect of school, academics.
Academics are another arena of Single School Culture. Academics are the primary focus of the education system. In the Single School Culture model, students are taught to believe they can achieve high level of success, and teachers are taught to believe in their ability to foster the success in their students. The administration’s job in the academics arena is vital as well. Principals are labeled as the instructional leader of the school, making sure everything at the school supports
learning.
The third arena in Single School Culture is Climate. The climate of the school is sometimes referred to as taking the temperature of the campus. It gives district office personnel an idea of what is going on at the campus. The climate focuses on keeping students welcome and safe on campus. It allows students to connect with the school and know that there are adults on campus that are there to help them. Students connect to the school through experience in fine arts, team sports, and leadership opportunities on campus.
A reoccurring theme in each of the core beliefs is the focus on data. In the Single School Culture model, data is not just about standardized testing. “It is about what actually happens in the classroom. ‘Teaching styles have completely changed,’ she (Adler) explains. ‘Five years ago, no one had heard of a ‘data-based’ approach. Now it is second nature’” (Feinberg, 2004 n.p.). Through the evaluation of data reports, adjustments to the program can be made to meet the needs of the school.
Integrating Single School Culture into a school is a great way to ensure the school is meeting the needs of all students because everyone is working under the same rules and working toward the same goal. Single School Culture is based on the core belief of efficacy. This belief is supported by three arenas behavior, academics, and climate. The goal of Single School Culture is to make the school campus a place where all students receive the education they deserve and be successful in an environment that is safe and welcoming.
Discussion Question: Do you believe creating a Single School Culture as described makes it possible to build a school community that reaches all learners?
References
Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. (2005). Report to the community: Single school culture. West Palm Beach, FL: School District of Palm Beach County.
Feinberg, C. (2004). The possible dream. Ed. Magazine Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/features/howard07012004.html
Johnson, A. (2009). School District of Palm Beach County - Annual report 2009 Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.palmbeachschools.org/annualreport/
Public Affairs. (2009). District facts at a glance - 2009-10 Retrieved October 4, 2009, from http://www.palmbeachschools.org/PDFs/District_Facts_At_A_Glance_Index_Card.pdf