Building an Intentional School Culture

Charles F. Elbot was born in Europe and lived his first twenty years as part of three cultures—French, German and American. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he pursued his dream to see the world. With his backpack, sleeping bag and only a few hundred dollars, he traveled west, crossing Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe over a three year period. For funds, he worked on ships out of Bali and Singapore. These were three extraordinary years of being exposed to a rich array of the world’s cultures. Upon returning to the United States, he began teaching and then helped to found an alternative high school, September School, in Boulder, Colorado. After several years of teaching and serving as a principal, he attended Harvard University, earning his masters’ degree in moral development and educational administration. This was followed by serving as a principal in public and independent schools over the next twenty-one years. Charles served as principal of Slavens School, a K-8 Denver public school, which in 2001 was honored as one of eight schools in the nation as a National School of Character. This school was also recognized for its extraordinary student academic achievement. These accomplishments attracted educators from around the country who spent days observing “how” things were done at the school. The following year Charles founded the Office of Character and School Culture and began to take these ideas to other schools in Denver and around the country. In 2003, the New Zealand government invited Charles to share these approaches with educators in New Zealand. Since then the Office of Character and School Culture has continued to develop the work of harnessing a school’s culture to build excellence in academics and character, culminating in this book. Charles is married to Barbara Robertson Elbot and they have two children, Jason and David. After graduating from Emory University, David Fulton taught high school and middle school for four years in Denver, Colorado. While in graduate school, he worked for the State Department of Education in Wisconsin, was a researcher for a National Science Foundation-funded school reform project, and supervised preservice social studies teachers. After completing his MA and PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison in foundations of education, he lived in Northern Ireland as part of the International Forgiveness Institute. In 2003, he joined the Denver Public Schools Office of Character and School Culture. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver-School of Education and has taught courses at the University of Colorado-Boulder and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

"Many school leaders realize that a school′s culture impacts everything, including the quality of relationships, staff morale, and student achievement, and most would like to know how to go about changing their school′s culture in deep and lasting ways. The authors offer a powerful set of strategies for getting staff to think and work together to make their school the very best it can be. They have packed a wealth of practical wisdom into this small volume."

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Authors1. Building an Intentional School Culture: Excellence in Academics and CharacterThe Importance of School CultureLaneer Middle School: The Shaping of School CultureResource2. The School TouchstoneResources3. The Four Mind-Set ModelTeachers and the Four Mind-Set ModelStudents and the Four Mind-Set ModelParents and the Four Mind-Set ModelLeadership and the Four Mind-Set ModelHow to Use the Four Mind-Set ModelResources4. Introduction to the Eight GatewaysTeaching, Learning, and AssessmentRelationshipsProblem SolvingExpectations, Trust, and AccountabilityVoicePhysical EnvironmentMarkers, Rituals, and TransitionsLeadershipResources5. Applying the Four ToolsTimeline: The First 36 Weeks (Year 1)Timeline: The Second 36 Weeks (Year 2)Pulling It All TogetherClosingReferences Index