ASSESSING
SCHOOL CULTURE
David Price
Coordinator
Office of Organizational Effectiveness
and Leadership
West Virginia Department of Education
Culture in Action
“A life devoid of ritual
and ceremony would be
one without richness
and zest.”
- Peterson and Deal
Rituals
Processes or daily routines
that are infused with deeper
meaning.
R ITUALS

Help Transform common experience into
uncommon events.

Examples:
Greeting Rituals
Students
Parents
New Staff Members
These rituals communicate how a school
values various groups.
GREETING RITUALS

How are new teachers acknowledged in
faculty meetings?

How are new students and their parents or
guardians greeted? What are they told
about the school? What are they given to
help them connect and adjust?
TRANSITION RITUALS
Transition rituals provide staff
member with a way to move from
one role, program, or approach to
another or to end an era
symbolically. Without transition
rituals, the sense of loss can
increase and cause problems.
TRANSITION RITUALS
•What significant Rituals does your
school have during the year?
•As school begins
•End of Grading Period
•End of Semester
•End of Year
TESTING PREPARATION
RITUALS
•Before Testing
•End of Testing
•Results of Testing
CLOSING AND ENDING
RITUALS
• How does the school bring
closure to events or programs
•Students “graduate”
•Staff members retire or leave
TRADITIONS
Events or actions that occur from year to year
These events build a sense of continuity, reinforce
values and build community.
TRADITIONS
What are your school’s traditions,
and what meaning do they have for
faculty, students and community.
IDENTIFY CORE TRADITIONS
AND CEREMONIES
Opening Day Ceremonies
Recognition Ceremonies
Homecoming Ceremonies
Memorial Ceremonies
C EREMONIES AND TRADITIONS

What are all the Ceremonies in your
school.

What message do the ceremonies
communicate and reinforce?
TRADITIONS AND
CEREMONIES

ACTIVITY:

Write down the large and small
traditions and ceremonies over the
year in your school then construct a
timeline.

Note any periods of time that have
few of these important events.

ANY WEAK OR DEAD ONES? DROP OR
RESUSCITATE THEM.
ASSESSING AND TRANSFORMING
NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF CULTURE
•Identify Toxic Subcultures
Who are the members of the negative group?
What is the focus of the negativity?
What is the possible historical source of the
negativity?
What are some ways to work with the group to
address their concerns?
TOXIC ELEMENTS
1. Lack of Share Purpose

Revisit the vision, mission and core beliefs of
the school.

Who owns the vision, mission and core beliefs?
T OXIC ELEMENTS
2.
Viewing the Past as a story of
defeat and failure.
Openly address the problems of
the past and the focus on current
successes, NO MATTER HOW
SMALL! And make clear plans to
avoid the errors of the past.
T OXIC E LEMENTS
3.
Little sense of Community
Increase opportunities for staff
members to celebrate their own
and other’s contributions.
Increase the number of “quality and
informal” interactions among staff
members. (potluck dinners, time
to share personal and professional
ideas.)
Framework Overview
Correlates of Effective Schools
Vicarious Field Trip
Vicarious “Field Trip” to Your School
Directions: The following activity is designed to help you assess the culture of your school.
First, think about the core values that are conveyed in your school mission and beliefs. Pick out
key words or phrases then record them in the top box. Next make four imaginary trips to your
school. Instructions for completing each stop are provided in the four “stop” boxes.
What are the key words/phrases in your school mission and core beliefs?
First Stop: Do an imaginary walk through your
school and grounds.
What do you see around you
that conveys the school culture? Is the culture you
want “consistent and pervasive” during the walk? Do
the physical observations and representations match
words and phrases cited from the mission and core
beliefs? Explain. (Reference Shaping School Culture,
p. 69-84)
Second Stop: Do a “fast forward” auditory and visual
tour of the school’s major ceremonies and celebrations
(from opening of school to closing). Which key words
from the school mission and core beliefs get the most
attention?
Which get little attention at these events?
How would you change the ceremonies and celebrations
to have them better aligned with the mission and beliefs?
(Reference Shaping School Culture, p. 29-48)