Standard+3

= Standard Three: Cultural Leadership  = //School executives will understand and act on the understanding of the important role a school’s culture plays in contributing to the exemplary performance of the school. School executives must support and value the traditions, artifacts, symbols and positive values and norms of the school and community that result in a sense of identity and pride upon which to build a positive future. A school executive must be able to “re-culture” the school if needed to align with school’s goals of improving student and adult learning and to infuse the work of the adults and students with passion, meaning and purpose. Cultural leadership implies understanding the school and the people in it each day, how they came to their current state, and how to connect with their traditions in order to move them forward to support the school’s efforts to achieve individual and collective goals.//

Related Coursework & Trainings

 * Distinguished Leadership in Practice Assignment: "Cultural Leadership"
 * Crucial Conversations
 * Facilitative Leadership
 * High school turnaround case study
 * Internship Project / "Problem of Practice"
 * Internship site assets video
 * Llano Grande Digital Storytelling workshop
 * Positive Behavior Intervention Support training
 * School visits to A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School, KIPP: Gaston College Preparatory, Bertie Middle School, and Franklinton High School
 * Social Justice workshop
 * Understanding By Design workshop

3A. Focus on Collaborative Work Environment
// The school executive understands and acts on the understanding of the positive role that a collaborative work environment can play in the school’s culture. //

Selected Experiences & Artifacts
// Internal agendas from LEGO Innovation Day and Leadership Day: // At A.B. Combs, nearly everything we do is done collaboratively. Our grade level teams plan collaboratively, and we work together to plan and execute many large-scale events throughout the year. I have had many opportunities to work with the administrative team to design plans for collaboration; for example, Walk to School Day, our LEGO Innovation Day, and our Leadership Days require seamless collaboration.

// First Day of School Video: // I created this brief video, which was shared at our final staff meeting before the first day of school, to get the staff excited about beginning a new school year. media type="youtube" key="bcB6SKdXHlk" height="219" width="392"

3B. School Culture and Identity
//The school executive develops and uses shared vision, values and goals to define the identity and culture of the schoo//l.

Selected Experiences & Artifacts
// School Improvement Plan – Leadership Goals & Staff Handbook: // Each year at A.B. Combs, we set academic goals, as well as leadership goals that align with our leadership magnet theme. For example, we adjusted our Leadership goal in our School Improvement Plan to better meet the needs of our changing student population. In addition, our shared vision, values, and goals are embedded throughout our staff handbook. In all of my interactions with students, staff, and families, I seek to model our school’s core beliefs that all students are leaders, and that everyone has unique gifts and talents that must be unleashed and maximized.   

// Camp PACK: // At mid-year, our administrative team identified students in each grade level who were falling behind academically and struggling behaviorally, and noted that while we had many academic interventions in place, we were not providing enough social / emotional support for our students, particularly those new to A.B. Combs. Of our approximately 150 new students, the majority were students of color who lived in nearby low-income housing developments and were behind academically. In order to provide these students and others with additional support, I worked in collaboration with staff members in NC State University’s Athletic Department, as well as the founder and director of the successful C.A.M.P. Gator program in Florida, to develop Camp PACK. Through this program, student-athletes from NC State University from diverse backgrounds serve as mentors for A.B. Combs students. Once a week, they eat lunch with the students and collaborate on an activity related to Stephen Covey’s //Seven Habits of Highly Effective People//, which aligns with our School Improvement Plan and our vision and mission. The goals of the program are to help students develop their leadership skills, forge a positive relationship with a strong role model, and build their confidence, sense of optimism, and interpersonal skills. 

3C. Acknowledges Failures; Celebrates Accomplishments and Rewards
//The school executive acknowledges failures and celebrates accomplishments of the school in order to define the identity, culture, and performance of the school.//

Selected Experiences & Artifacts
// Kudos video // : In preparation for our staff meeting on Monday, March 12, 2012, I created a video showcasing the recent contributions of each of our staff members. media type="youtube" key="7Uj5gEKmNXw?rel=0" height="282" width="364"

// Teacher Evaluations: // I use established criteria, such as those outlined in the NC Teacher Evaluation Standards, to recognize teachers for excellence in instruction and provide constructive feedback. Assistant Principal Briana Pelton says: //"// //Ms. Swanson is masterful at providing constructive and thought-provoking feedback. The entire administrative team has learned from her comments that she provided when completing teacher evaluations."//



3D. Efficacy and Empowerment
The school executive develops a sense of efficacy and empowerment among staff, which influences the schools identity, performance, and culture.

Selected Experiences & Artifacts
// Staff meeting agenda: // I designed and facilitated a staff meeting on November 28, 2011, in which staff members identified students who had made significant progress and then highlighted the strategies they had employed to lead to that progress. They then identified struggling students and trends in what was holding them back, and discussed strategies for moving each group forward. During this meeting, staff members had the opportunity to recognize the work that they had done to move students forward. 

Events: Throughout the year, we host events that promote a sense of well-being among staff, students, and families. Events like our annual pre-school Family Picnic, Walk to School Day, Read Across America Week, and Breakfast with Dads bring our school community together in celebration. I have had the opportunity to lead the planning of Walk to School Day, to serve on the committee that planned Read Across America Week celebration, and to collaborate with the administrative team and staff throughout the school to plan these events. More event photos can be found on the [|A.B. Combs website].