| Date post: | 23-Dec-2014 |
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Impacting school culture: how counselors can facilitate school-wide initiatives that embrace diversity, community & acceptance
Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins
Melissa Vasa & Brendan Gallagher
What can YOU expect to get out of this today?
LEARNING TARGETS
1. Develop an understanding of how Fossil Ridge High School identified areas of need in their school culture.
2. Develop an understanding of Fossil Ridge High School’s processes in developing school-wide initiatives that improve school culture.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
1. I can identify potential areas for growth in my school, as well as identify student groups and staff who can help initiate school-wide PBIS initiatives.
2. I can identify available resources as well as resources needed to implement a school-wide project that promotes my school’s culture.
3. I can identify one new building wide project to help unify my building culture.
The Journey, The Process
What do you want your school
culture to be???
Current School Culture
How do you get there?
How do you get there?
Identify the Gap
Who is this gap impacting?
Utilize RtI/PBIS data to begin
Access your administrators/deans/counselors who hold this information
Identify ways that this information is impacting your school’s culture
How did this beginning stage look at FRHS?
Identify The Gap, Utilize data, Identify Impact on School Culture
In this case, our deans identified a higher referral rate with our Hispanic students
higher rate of fights & conflict
higher number of unexcused absences
self-reported feelings of disengagement and not belonging from our Hispanic students
Data can be your friend
Next Steps for FRHS...
District resources= peace circle/conflict resolution
Outcome of mediation = a need for these students to have their voices heard
Club to give opportunity for voice
Voice = Empowerment
Students started to make the transition from victimization to action for overall improvement of culture
They wanted more TIME = administrative approval for class
Purpose + Voice = Empowerment
What do you feel our goals should be?:
“To show that no one is better than someone else” –Lucia
“Our goal should be to make FRHS a better place – Even more than it is – where different cultured people are recognized in this school. We can change the names kids call it – from‘rich kids school’ to ‘Fossil Ridge High School.” - Fernando
“I think our goals in the class are to make sure that every student and faculty member is accepted without judgment.” - Mariah
“We need to increase student knowledge about stereotypes. For me personally, I feel most uncomfortable when people see that I’m Hispanic, or hear my accent and then make assumptions about me. Another goal would be to get students to interact with people they typically wouldn’t to reduce animosity between groups.” - Kathia
Worksheet
1.What are some of the strengths in your school?
2. What groups are most recognized and supported in your school?
3. Who are your underrepresented??
A group of students wants to make an impact... now what?
Get the right people on your bus!!!
COLLABORATION IS KEY
Identify your most supported and recognized groups in your building - they can become your partners!
A group of students wants to make an impact... now what? (continued)
Make a team with people willing to go the distance
Grass Roots -
It begins with the STUDENTS
Recognize that you are building culture within your team throughout the process
Identify Your Resources
A space and a place
Time to share common experiences
Time for Action
Ways to reach your student body
Media
Advisory
DLA 2012-2013
Our Projects - Ideas for School-Wide
Initiatives
Diversity Day 2011
Lip Dub 2012
Diversity Day 2012
Unity Day 2013: Ridge Life
Diversity Day 2013
Common Threads: Student Voice, Messaging, Collaboration, Relevancy
Not just a video...
-a pledge-
bracelets-a
banner
UnitedIn
Diversity
DLA 2011-2012
FRHS Lip Dub 2012
May 2012 - Featured on the today show on 6/7/12 - YouTube Search - “Fossil Ridge High School Lip Dub 2012” (10:44 min)
http://youtu.be/yXJ3tKJCuW0
Lip Dub Looking Back
Purpose & Messaging
School Wide Buy-In
Bumps in the road
Diversity Day 2012: Hear My Story
Fall 2012 - - YouTube Search - “Diversity Day Video 2012 - Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins, CO” (24:35 minutes)
http://youtu.be/8cGLwTtaNJE
I am more: Hear My Story
Unity Day 2013: Ridge Life
Spring 2013 - YouTube Search - “Ridge Life: A High School Musical” (51:09 minutes)
http://youtu.be/ltt5dbACjaI
Collaborators:Ridge TV, DLA, Song-
Writers Guild, Band, Local Coffee Shop,
Choir
- What went well- What didn’t go so
well
Not just another video...
#ridgetbh
Lessons along the way...There is no right answer
Be prepared to encounter resistance
Set realistic expectations... but dream big :)
Expect continuous refinement.
Lessons along the way, cont.
Accept change. Constantly.
Remember the message.
It IS about the students.
Don’t be afraid to be EPIC.
Integrate your work with your working culture:
PBIS, RtI, Rachel’s Challenge, etc.
4. What, if any, school-wide positive culture initiatives have you had in your school?a. Do you feel they were impactful/effective? Why or why
not?
5.What do you want to change about your school culture?
6.Where is your school in the PBIS/Rachel’s Challenge/etc. process?
7.Whom do you see as teammates/collaborators in the process?
8.What students or group of students would benefit from an opportunityin empowerment?
9. In thinking about what you want to change/improve/act on in your school’s culture, what kind of events or activities would help you get there?
9. What resources do you have to follow through with this?
10.What resources do you need?
Integrate your work with your working culture:
PBIS, RtI, Rachel’s Challenge, etc.
Questions???
Melissa Vasa [email protected]
Brendan Gallagher [email protected]
YouTube Channel: SaberCatFilmsTwitter: @teachgallagher
@FossilRidgeDLA
