How does a principal shape the culture of a school? One relationship at a time

Schools are complex systems.

Anyone who has worked in a school - or for that matter stepped into one - recognizes this fairly quickly.

Systems --whether businesses, government, civil society, or in one's home -- are made up of people with some sort of shared activity or commitment. The more people, the more complex the system.

High schools are often very complex. Start with 100 teachers and support staff, add in 1,500 students, sprinkle in a few administrators and office staff, plus a dash of community members and you have a recipe for what can be a rich and vibrant mixture.

I've been working with a high school in the Waterloo Region the past few months as we consider how to build an inclusive environment for all students. My focus has been on English language learners (ELL) but with the understanding that inclusion means ALL students across our broad understanding of student diversity. The focus on ELL has been due to the relatively recent infusion of ELL in the school.

As a principal, how do you shape the culture of a large, complex system like a school?

There are many things that principals do to shape effective schools. A quick glance at the Ontario Leadership Framework (click here) can provide one with an overview of these practices.

Embedded in these practices is the importance of relationships. Change happens through relationships. And change is often most effective in the seemingly minor interactions that principals have with students, staff, and community members. It can be painfully incremental. After all, how many relationships can a principal have when there are 100+ teachers and 1,500 students in a school? However, principals should never discount the seemingly innocuous moments when they encourage a teacher, say hi to a group of students, confront a troubling situation, or give a student a high five after completing a test, reading a paragraph from a book, or scoring a basket.

Can school cultures be shaped through slogans, banners, newsletters, staff meetings, and assemblies? Yes. But these are just vestiges and temporal if they are not accompanied by meaningful actions that reflect care, trust, respect, and integrity ... lived out through relationships.