1. What is one way you foster a positive school environment?

Common language - everyone talks the talk and walks the walk! We use the same language with
school staff, students and parents. Each room has a yellow poster with Core Values of Poplar
Ridge School...we talk about the poster ALL the time...when we see a child exhibiting one of the
values, or the class, etc.
Role model...for staff and students: saying hello, asking about the staff and their families, phone
calls home to parents - positive ones first!, monthly classroom newsletters, school newsletter.
Visiting each classroom every day...
Listening to our school staff, helping in the classroom when needed or asked, being visible not
sitting in our offices. Having meaningful conversations, in a trusting environment about teaching
practices, with staff members and what do they need to improve their teaching practice to
enhance and improve ALL student learning. Administration needs to have a strong understanding
of best practices, and knowledgeable about current research for pedagogy. Share this with the
staff for all to grow. Basically this is Instructional Leadership and shared responsibility
Mentorship: as an administrator you need to mentor your staff...help them to grow professionally
and personally in a non-threatening manner. Be there to support, coach and guide them
throughout the year. Make sure new teachers have the supports in place so that they want to stay
and continue to teach and not leave the profession...when all this is in play the students ALL
benefit. Help them improve their teaching practice to include all learners.
School Vision/Goal - as a staff at the beginning of the year we co-create our school goal...and
then we continue to revisit it, and make sure what we are doing in the classroom can answer the
question Is this in the best interest of the students in our school?, Does it fit with our school
goal?. What do we want to look like in 5 years?
Invite parents in as volunteers,to participate in events, reading and working with students
Appreciation for School Council, bus drivers, and custodians...basically anyone who enters our
building is treated with respect and dignity no matter what their position.
Collective Responsibility - just because a student is not in your class does not mean you do not
have a responsibility to do what you can to help and support that student. As there is going to be
a day when he/she may be in your class. We talk about all our students at our weekly staff
meetings and any concerns and what we need to watch out for on playground, etc.

I call my students parents before the school year begins...usually the last week in August to ask
them about their child(ren) - successes, challenges, hobbies, etc. and to let them know I will be
teaching their child(ren)
We have a Buddy Bench where students can go if they have no one to play with and then
others will come and ask him/her to join their game, etc.
Academically we do not focus on SLAs or PATs...we use outcome based reporting with no
percentages...only GL - grade level, AL - approaching grade level and NY- not yet there.

We use rubrics for formative and summative assessment: Good, Better, Best...again we have a
common language
Good, Better, Best
Do not let it rest, til your Good is Better
and your Better is BEST!
Consistency- we are all on the same page, working together, is another area to consider for
academic achievement and school pride for sure. Each class uses Good, Better, Best.
Collaboration - teachers working together...ex. Math concepts - how do we continue the Power of
Ten strategy throughout each grade? Daily 5 program? Looking at the essential outcomes and
making sure all kids have these skills, Personal Learning time (RTI) for students who are
struggling with different outcomes to give them the support they need to get it and move on. This
goes hand in hand with consistency. Often times the groups are cross graded in nature.
Relationship building:
Buddy reading...grade 5 reads once a week with grade 1 students as an example.
Cross -graded projects...the grade 5 and grade 4 students worked together on a Social project that
integrated outcomes from both grades.
Camp Evergreen: Yearly Team- building camp for grade 5 and grade 6 students...builds
relationships which in turn builds school spirit and academic success.

2. How much, if at all, of a role does school pride play in academic achievement?
Well....we are an elementary school and I feel kids at this age are not really cognizant yet about
school pride however, we as a school do talk to the kids about keeping our school clean, etc.

Our school council designed a logo for hoodies and t-shirts, and added the Wordle we have in the
front hallway to the back. Staff, students and parents can purchase hoodies or t shirts with logos
and school colors.
We have School Spirit Day on Fridays where every one wears school colors (yellow and blue),
hoodies, etc.
As a school we are involved in Me to We which has local, community and global issues...this
helps to improve our school pride because of what we are doing for others. We participate in
Christmas Shoeboxes, our choir goes to Retirement Homes ie. Pines Lodge at christmas and
take presents and sing carols to the elderly every year. We are sponsoring a dog kennel at the
SPCA too. All these things create pride in our school.
Most important is our Habits of Mind - by DaCosta, again we talk the talk and walk the walk,
we have a common language for academic and social-emotional skills...persistence, managing
impulsivity, open to new information, etc. You can Google Habits of Mind and you will have a
better understanding of what I am talking about.

3. What would say is the current state of school pride in your school? What factors
contribute to there being a lack of school pride? What factors contribute to there
being a high level of school pride?
There is a high level of pride in our school because of the way we treat each person. I would say
factors that contribute to a lack of pride in a school is a lack of collective responsibility, lack of
common language and a school culture that does not accept everyone due to their socio
economic background, behaviours or academic achievement. We have a motto...We Bring out
the Best in Every Child! Some schools are happy with the status quo, and see no reason to
continue to improve
What I have written above I think speaks to the last question you had...high level of school pride.