Imagine three Retired Army Veterans with a passion for making a difference who have chosen to spend their retirement as full-time teachers and leaders within their school community. With forty-four kids to a classroom, the idea of building a cohesive culture may seem challenging, but they’ve made a point of implementing quick culture wins and establishing themselves as keystones of the school community.
They tell stories of their students eating lunch in their classrooms, students eating there not just to escape being bullied, but also because they find friendship, mentors, and role models in their teachers.
They tell stories of finding their students waiting outside their classrooms at 6:30am for classes that don’t start for another hour and twenty minutes. They tell stories of being a safe set of shoulders to cry on during times of high school strife, of being non-judgmental mirrors and counselors for their students, and of being helping hands and minds in time of academic need.
They speak of 270 students in their programs despite only having the capacity for 150. They speak of overburdened school structures and overcrowded classrooms and undisciplined students without any regard for school authority. They speak with the conviction of seasoned veterans who continue pushing forward despite the circumstances in which they find themselves. They speak, they come forward with their stories, because they are leaders.
They are community leaders who inspire not only students, but also those who likewise aspire to be community leaders. Always willing to lend a hand or ear to those in need, and always putting their best feet forward, regardless of circumstance, they become the kind of people that glue communities together. They even act as substitute teachers when necessity calls for it, and you can bet they’re the most popular subs in school.
They build culture by example, and their integrity and commitment to education is what so many struggling schools lack. How they open themselves to their students literally opens the gates to community, camaraderie, and the building of a unified, valued, and respected culture. It’s leaders like these who often become the spark of an entire school community creating their unique school culture on purpose!
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