An initiative that the Consortium piloted in 2021-2022 among a handful of districts coalesced during 2022-23 into a cohort of educators committed to creating cultures of belonging in their schools.
They agreed on three tenets for doing so, then focused on several approaches for advancing their objectives going forward.
“Because transforming culture is such an enormous undertaking, we created some rules of the road that can serve as a foundation for this kind of work,” said Candice Murrell, who led the initiative along with fellow Directors of Professional and Student Learning, Sarah Brooks and Christy Kuehn. “We determined that it takes ongoing practice; that sustaining the practice takes courage, patience, and love; and that practice transforms entire buildings.”
The districts developed multiple areas of focus for effecting change, Murrell added. Among them were adjusting schedules to create time for collaboration among educators; using surveys and interviews to strengthen relationships with students, parents, and community members; establishing inclusive practices for students receiving emotional support; and honing strategies for leading with empathy.
Many of the districts involved in the past year will join a new cohort aimed at Building a Positive School Climate to expand their work in 2024-2025.
Said Murrell, “Participants almost universally told us they benefited immensely from opportunities to share their work with peers from other districts and get feedback.”
