Earlier this week I spent a couple of hours at Kenai Central visiting classrooms and speaking with students, teachers and the principal. During a passing period I stood in the hallway to watch the students stream by, obviously relieved to be free of class for a moment. It was fun to watch the horseplay of some of the boys, the serious couples saying goodbye at the classroom door and the rest of the students dutifully heading to their next class. What I took away from my visit is that the school had a friendly, upbeat atmosphere. After seeing the different styles of dress and hair, it was clear that the students felt comfortable to be who they wanted to be. While it is difficult to classify students, it was obvious that the school has multiple social groups who get along with one another.
When you consider the most important variables that affect student achievement, you will find that school culture is always close to the top of the list. Although school is primarily designed for learning content and skills, it is also a place to socially grow and learn about different types of people. The trials of adolescence can be exasperated by the social tensions of high school. I was pleased that such tensions at KCHS were not obvious to me. Many of our students have challenging situations at home and unfortunately, some are homeless. School for these students can be a refuge from the stress of their lives. But this can only be the case if the building is safe and welcoming. I know that our staff at all of our schools works hard to make this the case. As we go into our Thanksgiving week, let’s take a moment to thank our teachers, support staff and administrators for creating a positive school culture in their buildings.
School Culture
Earlier this week I spent a couple of hours at Kenai Central visiting classrooms and speaking with students, teachers and the principal. During a passing period I stood in the hallway to watch the students stream by, obviously relieved to be free of class for a moment. It was fun to watch the horseplay of some of the boys, the serious couples saying goodbye at the classroom door and the rest of the students dutifully heading to their next class. What I took away from my visit is that the school had a friendly, upbeat atmosphere. After seeing the different styles of dress and hair, it was clear that the students felt comfortable to be who they wanted to be. While it is difficult to classify students, it was obvious that the school has multiple social groups who get along with one another.
When you consider the most important variables that affect student achievement, you will find that school culture is always close to the top of the list. Although school is primarily designed for learning content and skills, it is also a place to socially grow and learn about different types of people. The trials of adolescence can be exasperated by the social tensions of high school. I was pleased that such tensions at KCHS were not obvious to me. Many of our students have challenging situations at home and unfortunately, some are homeless. School for these students can be a refuge from the stress of their lives. But this can only be the case if the building is safe and welcoming. I know that our staff at all of our schools works hard to make this the case. As we go into our Thanksgiving week, let’s take a moment to thank our teachers, support staff and administrators for creating a positive school culture in their buildings.