Hattie Burford

EDAD 633: School Admin and Leadership

Dr. Joan Carraher
Activity 5.1 Examining Your School Culture

 What are your ceremonies, events, and occasions?

Scottsbluff High School has many different ceremonies, events, and occasions

throughout the school year. There are the obvious sporting events; school dances

including homecoming, winter royalty, and prom; a homecoming parade and pep rally, a

winter royalty pep rally; recognition and rewards ceremonies, activities’ banquets, and

the back to school picnic.

 Who participates in them? Who is left out?

Participation in the ceremonies during school hours are usually held in the

auditorium, where all students, teachers, and staff are expected to attend. The student

senate is normally in charge of organizing and hosting these assemblies/ceremonies. Pep

rallies are usually planned to highlight spots teams, or even some other club activities.

School dances include any student who would like to attend.

There are so many activities that Scottsbluff High School has to offer, primarily

so that each students is able to find something that they are interested in and excel at. The

activities that are available to our students include:

Football
Volleyball
Boys & Girls Cross Country
Boys & Girls Tennis
Softball
Boys & Girls Golf
Boys & Girls Basketball
Wrestling
Boys & Girls Swimming
Boys & Girls Track and Field
Hattie Burford
EDAD 633: School Admin and Leadership
Dr. Joan Carraher
Activity 5.1 Examining Your School Culture

Boys & Girls Soccer

Music
Band
One Acts
Speech
DECA
Journalism
FCCLA
FFA
Mock Trial
Student Senate
Cheerleading
Drill Team
HOSA
Skills USA
Math Club
German Club
Spanish Club
Orchestra
Unified Bowling
S Club
Pro Start
Quill and Scroll
Youth Alive
Key Club
Board Game Club
National Honor Society

With this many activities available for students to be a part of, there are not many

students that are left out of activities. If students are not part of a club or sport, it is

usually because they don’t want to be.

 What values are expressed as a result of participation in these ceremonies, events,

and occasions? What displays, artifacts, banners, or left behind as a result?

Hattie Burford
EDAD 633: School Admin and Leadership
Dr. Joan Carraher
Activity 5.1 Examining Your School Culture

I think that our school really values being a part of something and representing

our school. Our students have a lot of pride in the activities that they are involved in. I

also think that the values of our staff and school leaders lie in providing our students with

the best experiences possible. It is important to all of the adults in our school that every

student not only is a part of something, but that they have a positive experience that is

going to benefit them in the future. Additionally, our athletic department puts a high

value on sportsmanship and class in every activity that students participate in.

One of the things that I have heard a lot of staff and students complain about is

our school not having the school spirit that other schools have in terms of banners,

displays, etc. Due to the recent renovation of our high school, the leadership team and the

school facilities coordinator does not allow a lot of things to be put on the walls of the

school. With that, this means that the only week that the student body is allowed to hang

banners and such is during homecoming or winter royalty week. After those weeks are

over, the banners come down immediately. It is unfortunate, because when we go to other

school that are decorated and full of school spirit, I think that our students really envy

that.

 Most schools have a mascot. How is your mascot part of your ceremonies or events?

Do all events get equal time from the mascot? Or does the mascot only appear in a

limited fashion?

Our mascot is not associated with any club or activity, meaning that no one

person is truly in charge of what the mascot participates in or shows up for. With that

being said, the mascot is usually present at football games, volleyball games, and some
Hattie Burford
EDAD 633: School Admin and Leadership
Dr. Joan Carraher
Activity 5.1 Examining Your School Culture

school assemblies/ceremonies. Therefore, not all events get equal time with the mascot,

and I think that this has led to a lot of disappointment and resentment from the student

body. When the mascot is present, it is usually dancing, getting the fans riled up, and

interacting with the student body.

 What kind of new ceremony would you create at your school? Why would you

create it? What values do you hope it might instill or reinforce in your school’s

culture?

This year our football team made it to the state championship or the second time

in school history. It was an amazing feat for our boys, coaches, and school.

Unfortunately, our school did not have a true pep rally, there was no send off, the

students were not allowed to create any banners or to decorate the school at all, there was

no line of high fives from teachers and classmates, and there was no announcement or

recognition of their success throughout the season. This happens to so many of our

students who deserve recognition and do not get it. Therefore, I would be sure to change

this culture. If a team, club, group of students deserve to be recognized, I think that it is in

the school’s best interest to celebrate that. If we want to build a culture of students and

staff that has pride in everything they do, then they should be recognized for their hard

work and success.