School Culture By Design

Kelly Griffin wants to "change the educational ecosystem" with an emphasis on social emotional learning (SEL). She shares numerous SEL activities to help build community in the classroom. Kelly also discusses the importance of teaching and practicing self-awareness, self-management, and coping skills. CLICK HERE for the Better Together Connect Cards that Kelly mentions during this episode.

Donovan Taylor Hall, youth advocate and educator, is an inspiring, positive force for youth. He helps kids improve their most important relationship… the one they have with themselves. Donovan shares 3 skills to help students build a positive self-identity. Listen in to hear about the importance of encouraging helpful self-talk, creating a growth mindset, and practicing gratitude.

Brooke Barton is on a mission to build positive school culture and develop "get on your feet" leaders … because as Brooke says, you can't lead sitting down! Don't miss her school's unique approach to the typical canned food drive that gets more students involved, the "Big Greet" to welcome students mid semester, and more ideas that help build amazing campus culture!

Be inspired by Kenny Monday, former Olympic gold medalist wrestler and current Head Coach and Director of the wrestling academy at SPIRE Institute. Kenny shares the value of learning from all experiences, including wins and losses, to drive us forward. Kenny is creating opportunities for youth and student athletes as he believes "when we re-invest in our youth, we make a deposit into our future."

Take a journey on the "Road to Awesome" with Phil Boyte and guest Darrin Peppard, keynote speaker, author, and former teacher and administrator. Darrin shares ideas on how to build positive school culture and how focusing on what people are doing right changed his mindset.

It's back to school time, and we are chatting with Christina Onuskanich (Mrs. O), Teacher at Central Mountain Middle School in Mill Hall, PA. Christina shares ideas on how she is kicking off the new school year with a focus on engagement and building relationships. Ideas include dedicated circle time, welcome back activities, mindfulness tools, team building, and a school wide book reading of "Deep Kindness" with her goal to "Let kindness lead the way this year."

Listen in to the CULTURE LEVER series finale and hear ideas on how you can CELEBRATE and SUPPORT your staff. It starts by creating and building genuine connections with colleagues. Phil Boyte shares ideas to consider this fall, such as relationship builders, check-in's, and the Love List to get to know your staff and how they like to be celebrated or supported. Download the staff Love List (plus some student love list questions in this blog post): https://www.learningforliving.com/cultureblog/2020/8/18/the-love-list

Join Phil Boyte and guest Jason Jedamski, Director of the Vanguard Academy of Broken Arrow, OK, as they share ideas on "Creating Irresistible Experiences for Students." Jason shares his passion to create an environment of emotional commitment among staff and students across campus and in the classrooms. JJ believes in micro experiences and that these moments create momentum. Listen in and consider how you can create irresistible experiences at your school this fall!

Next up in the CULTURE LEVER series, join Phil Boyte and guest Shyana Frost, Learning for Living COO, for an episode packed with ideas and tips on how you can intentionally build connections at your GATHERINGS from staff meetings to social events. #PeopleFirst

In this episode of the School Culture By Design CULTURE LEVER series, Phil Boyte welcomes back guest Ted Goergen, Director of Student Activities at Adlai E. Stevenson HS in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Ted views this fall as an opportunity to recalibrate and reimagine school culture and shares ideas on "Welcoming Students Back."

Continuing the Culture Lever mini podcast series, this episode focuses on the "Onboarding/Reboarding" lever and gives ideas for welcoming staff back to your campus this fall. Hear how to communicate "we are so glad you are here" from day one with culture at the forefront.

Listen in as Phil Boyte provides an overview of the CULTURE LEVERS, four core areas that can be leveraged to intentionally build thriving school culture. In this episode, Phil focuses on the COMMUNICATION lever and shares simple ways to take a "people first" approach to communicate with your staff leading into the fall semester.

Spring is here and before we know it school will be out for summer, so what a great time to pause and consider the potential we have before staff and students leave for the year. During this mini podcast, Phil shares the concept of "intent versus capacity" and thoughts on prioritizing this spring for optimal impact.

Join Phil Boyte and guests Kim Karr, co-founder of #ICANHELP, and Malorie Bournazian, Lead Intern at Digital4Good, as they discuss using technology and social media in a positive way and empowering students to be part of the solution. They share tips on how educators can encourage students to have safer and healthier digital habits as well as the importance of training students to help and support fellow students as they often turn to one another. Additional resources, including free curriculum and the "21-Day Digital Wellness Challenge" to create healthy technology habits can be found on ICANHELP.net. Also, don't miss the Digital4Good Virtual Summit Power Hour on April 23, 2021!

Join Phil Boyte and Debbie Hawkins, Campus Culture Director, at Sunnyside High School in Fresno, California, for a run down on virtual and social distancing ideas for this spring. Debbie has created possibilities and fun events for her staff and students during this pandemic without skipping a beat. Listen in to hear how she helps her school stay connected, including STUDENT events such as Senior Shout Outs on Instagram, Move Up Day, and Virtual Prom; and STAFF events including social distance lawn chair lunches, staff competitions, and a virtual holiday party.

Join PB and PC as they bounce questions back and forth about culture, travel, books, self-care, and so much more! Get to know the two friends who are deeply passionate about building great culture, as they share both personal and professional experiences and insights.

In this episode, Phil Boyte interviews guest Jennifer Duston, former teacher and administrator, and current Client Partner with Franklin Covey Education. Hear Jennifer's views on celebrating hard work, being yourself, and how leadership skills prepare students for life after school. She also shares a virtual spin on making "emotional bank account" deposits to help increase engagement and build relationships among the school community while distance learning.

In this mini podcast, Phil Boyte encourages you to take a moment to REFLECT on what is positive in your life and to CELEBRATE those around you! This year we have challenged ourselves in many new ways… be sure to celebrate the incredible, resilient person that you are.

In Phil Boyte's latest podcast, hear Rhett Ladner, 27-year veteran educator, share ideas on creating a school where everyone is excited to be there. Don't miss Rhett's "mullet philosophy" of injecting some fun into everyday activities and the pivotal question from his colleague that transformed his mindset and approach… Be Yourself!

Hear Phil Boyte and Dr. Maria Peek, Educational Consultant at Future Behavior and former teacher and administrator, share ideas on how students and staff can connect virtually. Maria has a passion for building relationships with students, parents, and community. Listen in to hear how she prioritizes building relationships and takes what works well in-person to the virtual environment. Maria grounds herself in her "why" and encourages others to reflect on their "why."

Hear from Sara Cowey, Educator and Activities Director, on creative and fun ways she is connecting students virtually this fall, ideas for staff collaboration and recognition, and the importance of self-care. As Sara and Phil discuss, everyone on campus (virtual or in-person) is "in this together" and it is critical to not only take care of each other but also ourselves.

When your mantra is "Teach to Make a Difference," the outcome is amazing. Dr. Farah (Meadows) Ortega-Choate shares what she is doing this fall to inspire culture with both students and staff while distance learning. Hear her ideas on building relationships early in the semester and the importance of "connection before content." Farah is in her twentieth year of teaching in Desert Sands Unified School District at the secondary level and is currently the Activities Director, AVID Coordinator, ASB and Renaissance Teacher, and AVID Teacher at La Quinta Middle STEM Academy.

In this episode, Phil Boyte and his guest, Sabrina Goodwin Monday, Global National Sales Director of Mary Kay Cosmetics, encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and think in an innovative way. Get a dose of positive mental attitude (PMA) as Sabrina shares many inspirational ideas on how to motivate others, the importance of listening and understanding, and working with an end goal in mind.

Listen in as Phil Boyte and his guest Mark Schumacher, former high school teacher turned keynote speaker and stand up comedian, share some educational humor! Mark has a brilliant way of finding humor in the classroom setting or staff meetings. Take Mark's challenge on how you can find more humor around you! Also, he shares tips on what you can do if a comedic student becomes a distraction and ideas to bring laughter into the virtual classroom environment.

In this episode, Phil Boyte and Steve Bollar, a.k.a. Stand Tall Steve, an educational thought leader and former superintendent and principal, share IDEAS TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY with staff and students as many of us begin the school year with remote learning. One approach Steve recommends is to go "old school" during these virtual times to help build connections… from picking up the phone, defining classroom values, supporting social emotional needs, to learning about new students and staff… because we are people first! Don't miss Phil and Steve demonstrate a Relationship Builder, "HIGH, LOW, CHEER," that you can also easily use to create connections with staff and students in a virtual environment this fall.

During Episode #60, Phil Boyte talks with Jimmy Gleich, Director of Activities at Bishop Gorman High School, about re-thinking how we return to school this fall. While the start of every school year is important, this fall we have a tremendous opportunity to change how we welcome back students and staff! In their conversation, Jimmy shares ideas and activities to build connections as you kick-off the fall semester… whether that is in-person or distance learning, or a hybrid. Looking for ideas on how to plan an unforgettable Day 1, how to create time/places for students to socialize while social distancing, how to utilize social media to create connections, and more… then don't miss this episode!

Listen in as Phil Boyte and Hans Appel discuss ideas to cultivate positive culture. Hans reflects from his recent book, "Award Winning Culture" to bring you real life examples of where to start to impact your school and what he does to make himself approachable to students. As we think ahead to fall and what returning to school may look like, Phil and Hans share a reminder of how we can check-in and support the adults and students on campus and build in intentional time.

Join Phil Boyte as he and his good friend, Phil Campbell of The Green Room Podcast, talk about the power of cultivating relationships during a virtual time. They share thoughts on the using social media, creative ways to connect with those who feel disconnected, and offer approaches to help shift mindset even from afar. Looking for ways to expand your perspective and find the possibilities in the midst of whatever might be ahead… you won't want to miss this idea filled podcast!

Phil welcomes back Heather Garcia to dive deeper into "Staying Positive in an Ambiguous Time" - Part II. Heather pulls from her vast experience and shares ideas for administrators and teachers to carry a mindset of HOPE, JOY, and COURAGE in their lives. Listen in as she shares her thoughts on using this time to focus, provide clarity for teams, and encourages you to consider the "boomerang" challenge!

Join Phil as he welcomes Heather Garcia to the podcast. Heather has played many different roles in education including teacher, coach, activities director, principal, and eventually at the district level as an associate superintendent. While her roles have evolved overtime, one thing has never changed… her contagious attitude and way of staying positive even in the most challenging of days. During this podcast, Heather talks about the power of staying positive even in the midst of ambiguity, ideas she has seen work for her own life and ideas you can take back to the school environment.

Join Phil as he welcomes back Kristin Patten, for a second interview on the podcast as she shares an amazing idea they rolled out at Antelope High School in April called "Titans ALL IN Virtual Spirit Week." Many schools have been rolling out virtual spirit weeks, but what makes this one unique is the idea that Kristin, the Activities Director at Antelope High School in Antelope, California had to include alumni from her past student government classes to participate and help coach her current leaders. Listen in as Kristin shares the idea, how they set it up, and the ripple effect of the TITAN SPIRIT that captured the entire community and alumni around the world!

During this episode, Phil talks with Rochelle Whellams, a motivational speaker and leadership facilitator about the mindset she lives by and how it impacts her everyday life. During their conversation, Rochelle shares how being intentional with what she gives her energy has been life giving and shares the 5 questions she recommends using to filter thoughts. Looking to hit this week with a new dose of perspective? You won't want to miss this great episode.

On this episode, Phil interviews Christiana Kraus about the importance of intentionally building relationships as a new administrator. Christiana views her role as an educator as an opportunity to serve others well, with heart and with intentionality. She believes as leaders; we must foster and build clear communication, processes, and practices that focus on relationships, which is the building blocks to a strong foundation of positive culture and climate in a school community. Listen in as Christiana shares a few practical tips she has implemented this year as the new principal at Paramount High School in Los Angeles.

Join Phil Boyte and his guest Dean Whellams as they talk about the power of building trust over time and the concept of Psychological Safety. Dean spends his life helping cultivate incredible leaders, so you won't want to miss as he shares very practical ways he has seen educators cultivate the culture they want through organic change.

Listen in as Phil interviews Tamara Givens, the Activities Director at Granite Bay High School about a few activities they do in the spring to build culture with both their staff and students. Tamara is passionate about finding ways to include people from across campus, so we hope you walk away with even one simple idea you could pilot in the spring.

With only a few weeks before the end of the semester, how can you support staff during an often busy season? Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski talk about why taking the time to check-in is so important, share a few ideas that could be easily implemented, and leave you empowered to find even just one thing to do over the next few weeks.

During this podcast, Phil Boyte interviews Steve Moos, the lead custodian at Country Lane Intermediate in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Steve has become the heartbeat of his campus and through this highly inspirational interview, we hear why he believes his role is simply a "mentor with a mop." Phil and Steve talk about creative ways he builds relationships across campus, how he empowers students to help, and simple ways to take care of non-instructional team members. Looking for reminders of how every single person on campus can build thriving culture? You won't want to miss this episode.

During this podcast, Phil Boyte interviews Robby Riggs, a dynamic consultant focused on unlocking the potential in the 4-generation workplace. Robby shares quick examples of each generation, why great managers take the time to stop and listen, and how people can think about using counter mentors at the school level. Ready for a fast and furious look at building even more trust and communication across your team? Check out the podcast today.

When we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week back in the spring, we pulsed our School Culture By Design Facebook group followers for teachers who are doing incredible culture work on their campuses. Out of all the great nominees, Kelsey Graham a teacher from Middle Township High School was selected! During this podcast, Phil Boyte interviews Kelsey as she shares a few of the great ideas she implemented on her campus this past year. Listen in as Kelsey shares how they catch students doing great things around campus, support their staff members monthly, and focus on building thriving culture a year long.

Join Phil Boyte as he interviews Allie Snyder as she reflects back on this past year as she started her teaching career at Weaverville Elementary in North Carolina. During this podcast, Allie shares simple things that were helpful to her and things she wished she would have known from the start. Looking to support your brand new teachers, take a listen and maybe you will walk away with one more thing you can do to make your brand new staff feel welcome this year!

When was the last time you took a tour of your campus with culture on the brain? Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski both know there are some limitations on what can be changed within physical spaces, but during this podcast they share simple ideas for making people feel welcome from the moment they step up to the curb. It is a combination of what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like... so listen in today!

On this mini podcast episode, Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski talk about the power of the first day back for faculty. They talk about what a typical first day is expected to look like and contrast that with a variety of ideas that will get your staff excited to be back! Many of the ideas they share don't take too much time or energy, but can truly set the tone for the rest of the year. Looking to remind the adults on campus that relationships are key to a successful year... you won't want to miss this one!

On this mini podcast episode, Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski talk about why welcoming new staff members strategically can have such an impact on culture. Throughout the conversation they share a variety of ideas (some big and some small) that will leave your team re-thinking your on-boarding model. Looking to create a school where no one will ever want to leave… check out this brand new podcast today!

On this mini podcast episode, Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski share ideas on how to use your graduation ceremony to support the culture you want using the "look like, sound like, feel like" filter. Phil and Jason also discuss the power of traditions at graduation and offer several easy-to-implement ideas to communicate who you are and what you believe as a school. Ready to be more intentional with your messaging at graduation? Check this podcast out today.

On this episode, Phil interviews Corissa Stobing, the Director of Activities at Ygnacio Valley High School in California, about the 4 things that "make it or break it" for a Week of Welcome. Corissa has learned so many valuable lessons when designing a great week for both staff and students! Listen in as she shares things they have learned about what activities to include, how to involve staff in decision making, and how to use this week to launch a great year!

On this episode, we interview Dr. Amy Besler about the 5 actions that create new norms on campus. Amy began her career as a high school English teacher and has since served in the roles of dean of students, assistant principal, and principal and is now a director of secondary education for Elk Grove Unified School District. Her passion for school culture led to her dissertation on the topic, through which Amy studied the ways California high schools had positively transformed their school cultures. Listen in as she shares her top 5 actions and great ideas to start using immediately.

On this mini podcast episode, Phil Boyte shares 4 books he would highly recommend picking up to build a great culture. He shares a simple concept he found helpful from each book and reasons to pick them up today! Want to keep growing? Listen today!

On this mini podcast episode, Phil Boyte shares three simple ideas to kick-off a new semester. He shares 2 simples ideas for the classroom and 1 idea for the hallway. Looking for easy, yet impactful ways to create connections? Check this podcast out today.

On this episode, Phil Boyte and Jason Jedamski share the importance of building great relationships in the classroom. They talk about the design for a brand new resource called Connected Classroom; a strategic online course (which provides a simple system), that equips teachers to build relationships through PLAY which grows TRUST and engages students to LEARN. To learn more go to www.learningforliving.com

On this episode, Phil Boyte interviews Azul Terronez who is international leader in project based learning, educational entrepreneurship, and innovative practices. During the podcast, Azul and Phil talk about the power of classrooms focused on relationships first and creating a community of care. Azul shares about the importance of celebrating mistakes, an awesome project called "design a classroom," and how to stay fresh as an educator.