Creating a Culture Focused on Student Strength

Kirstie Gabaldon
President-elect, Florida Association of School Administrators
Assistant Principal, Creekside High School, St. Johns County 

“Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into Benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.”~ John F. Kennedy 

“I teach. What’s your superpower?” Anon.
Visitors arriving at Creekside High School comment that the school feels like a college campus, or how happy everyone looks, or that the school feels like a positive place. What generates this atmosphere is not a well-placed palm tree or bench (although we have those), nor is it the tall rotunda, or shiny red paint. I would argue that what generates this atmosphere is confidence. At Creekside we have focused on developing opportunities for our 2,000 students to explore and discover what they are interested in, and where their talents may lie. We have all seen the quote oft misattributed to Einstein “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life thinking it is stupid”. Developing opportunities and experiences by which our fish figure out how to swim has been our goal and is the subject of this month’s blog. Finding areas in which we excel bolsters self-esteem, encourages in depth thinking, and generates actualized adults. No one would argue that this is what we want for our students, so the question becomes: How can you create a culture focused on student strength?

Look at underused programs already in existence
When I arrived at Creekside at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year, it was only 6 months after the current principal took the position. As a team, we took a look at what programs were already in existence, what their function should be, and whether they were serving that purpose or not. We began by looking at our college readiness courses. Why were less than 1/3 of the school’s population engaged in college level classes? Why were our students not being pushed to the highest level of rigor and given the support needed to succeed? First we discussed with teachers the recommendation practices that were in place. Were they fair to students? Were they based on data or subjective opinion?  As a result of discussions with department chairs, individual teachers, and the faculty as a whole, we made changes. Our emphasis became a data -based approach to entering A.P. classes rather than using subjective opinions. In 2011 we administered 1055 AP exams to 548 students. In 2015 we administered 2,138 exams to 1017 students – that is over half of our student body!

Acknowledge and allay fears
Change is not quick, it is rarely painless, and its success is predicated on generating enduring cultural shifts. Acknowledge change is not easy, be patient, and listen to fears. Provide data and evidence not just to your faculty, but also to your students. For example, to encourage students to take an advanced placement class, we bolstered their expectations of themselves through using A.P. potential reports and highlighting student success in A.P. classes on our school news program. We also provided access to professional development for our teachers, research showing the benefits for students who take A.P. classes, and how it relates to their success in college. We openly acknowledged the teachers’ fears that pass rates would go down with increased enrollment and backed up our discussions with practical assistance in the form of professional development, materials, and resources.

Build on previous success
Creekside has always had a strong extra-curricular program. How do you grow something that is working? Show you value it! Acknowledge wins by not only your sports teams, but by your High Q team or Performing Arts students in district and state competitions. Do so both publicly and privately. Announcements over the loud speaker generate pride, but so does the fact that you stayed behind at a band concert to thank the teacher and tell the students how well they performed. Hold Club Fairs at lunch so that students see options available to them and look for ways for clubs to contribute to your school community. Signal their importance by putting them front and center. For example, “The Power of Creekside” Marching Band can not only be seen (and very much heard) at halftime during football games, but also at pep rallies, parent open houses, ramp up evenings, and more. There are over 225 students involved in Band who feel accomplishment because of it.  Similar successes are found all over campus. Creekside currently has 35 sports teams and last year won The Sunshine State Awards for Overall Athletics. We share data about our 691 “Scholar athletes”, as we call them, with the faculty. Last year our athletes held an average GPA of 3.29 if they competed with one team, which increased to 3.35 if they played on two or more teams, and 3.41 for those participating on three or more teams. Extra-curricular programs offer students the chance to practice and hone skills beyond the classroom and often incorporate teamwork. These skills help build a growth mindset within our students and give them a sense of belonging and value. When students find success in one area they are more likely to believe they can find it in another.

Put the right person in the right place
Putting the right person in the classroom can never be underestimated. But elective teachers are not always selected with the same concern as you pick those whose classroom scores will affect your school data. When we do not provide experts in elective classrooms, we essentially deter all students with passion or interest in that field. We tell them they are not valued. The Creekside Drama teacher started with only a couple of sections of Theatre, but all the passion and expertise in the world. Now, four years later, she teaches nothing but theatre and stagecraft all day long to 186 students. The International Thespian Society (honors drama club) recently competed in district competitions where 65 students entered 50 separate events, of which 47 scored a Superior or Excellent. Creekside offers over 200 courses including 4 year programs in art, music, civil engineering, and cybersecurity. Each is lead by teams of excellent teachers, and each has groups of students who call those programs home and find success there.

All means all
Creekside has over 54 student clubs. They encompass the usual honors societies and service clubs, but there are also clubs on Doctor Who, Harry Potter, and Kosher Food. Any student who wants to start a club needs only to pick up a single sheet form in the front office and seek a teacher sponsor. The reason we have so many successful clubs is that they are student driven. Creekside is also home to a program that serves students with intellectual disabilities and those who have autism and who are being served academically through the Florida State Access Points Standards. These students are an integral part of our school culture. We have programs such as The Shining Knights, where the Cheerleaders come and teach adapted routines to students in this club. They all cheer together at every home game for the first quarter and receive letters and recognition at the end of the year. This club was generated because a cheerleader found information and came to the school asking for help to make it happen.  Involving some of the same students is the Best Buddies program which joins students with disabilities with general education peers. We have 262 members – making Creekside’s chapter the largest in the entire internationally run program. Our students meet with their peers in school organized events such as Buddy lunches and also meet socially off campus.

The more avenues through which students can find success, the more likely they are to find a place where they can find success and feel valued. Disengagement in high school means a higher likelihood of dropping out, and that is something no one can afford. Providing opportunities for your students to express themselves and develop skills creates a palpable self-confidence in students as they peel back the layers to figure out who they are. By providing a safe place in which to do this we are not only telling students we value them, but teaching them to value each other and celebrate their differences.   There is nothing to stop you from building a culture that cares about helping all students find their talents, to find each students “private hope and dream” so that they too can build a future made better by the fruition of their talent.