School climate describes the norms and attitudes that shape a school. In successful small schools, cooperation, collaboration, respect and shared responsibility characterize the interactions of students, teachers, staff and families. Diversity is consistently celebrated as an asset through all messages and actions of the school. In classrooms and hallways, cafeterias and offices, the school consistently operates as a positive and inclusive learning community. Nothing—and no one—is taken for granted.
To visitors, a school’s climate is palpable. The facilities are well maintained by and for students to ensure a safe, positive environment in which to learn. Conflict between students is addressed through peer mediation, empowering students to diffuse volatile situations and resolve issues in a fair, collaborative way. Fear of violence in classrooms, hallways and bathrooms is eliminated, allowing students to concentrate on learning. Discipline policies and practices are not punitive, but are instead aligned to reflect the priority of student learning. In successful small schools, cooperation, respect and responsibility are the norm and there is an intentional focus on maintaining a positive atmosphere.
Everyone benefits from a positive school climate. Students, who often feel “invisible” in large schools, benefit from the personalized environment that characterizes a small school. Parents are encouraged to actively participate in all elements of their child’s education and the life of the school. Teachers report greater job satisfaction in the climate of a small school, which fosters the school’s growth as a learning community. In large schools, administrators’ responsibilities often are bureaucratic with limited connection to the realities of teaching and learning. In contrast, principals in a small school become facilitators of the learning process, establishing new roles for themselves and teachers in an environment of shared leadership and collaboration.
In a small school everyone matters. While small size is necessary to achieve this climate, it alone is not sufficient—parent engagement, student engagement, equitable and distributive leadership, collaboration, and the establishment of a learning community are all essential elements in creating an environment where young people and adults feel welcome to learn together.
Review this element on the Oregon Small Schools Initiative School Change Rubric Self-Assessment Tool.
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