Standard 3: Cultural Leadership

Principals will understand and act on the understanding of the important role a school’s culture
plays in contributing to the exemplary performance of the school. Principals must support and
value the traditions, artifacts, symbols and positive values and norms of the school and
community that result in a sense of identity and pride upon which to build a positive future. A
principal must be able to “re-culture” the school if needed to align with school’s goals of
improving student and adult learning and to infuse the work of the adults and students with
passion, meaning and purpose. Cultural leadership implies understanding the school and the
people in it each day, how they came to their current state, and how to connect with their
traditions in order to move them forward to support the school’s efforts to achieve individual
and collective goals.

Substandard Artifact Description of Artifact

3A. Focus on
Collaborative Work
Environment: The school
executive understands and acts
on the understanding of the
positive role that a
collaborative environment can
play in the school’s culture.
Experience of the Other
3B. School Culture and
Identity: The school
executive develops and uses
shared vision, values, and
goals to define the identity and
I conducted a research project to
Equity and Inclusive determine if the environment at Garner
Practices at GMHS Magnet High School is conducive for
equitable and inclusive practices. By
gathering this baseline data, I would be
able to address areas of weakness in
order to make GMHS a safer and more
welcoming place to work and learn. At
any new school I am a leader of, I
would conduct a culture audit to give
myself the understanding of the
collaborative atmosphere of the school
because if not all staff and students feel
a sense of belonging, the school would
not be able to flourish.
For my experience of the other
assignment, I chose to learn more and
participate in activities with the Islamic
Association of Raleigh. I chose a group
that I did not have many previous
experiences with, and I wanted to
deepen my understanding of Islamic
culture to support one of my students I
had in class at the time. By
acknowledging the sense of discomfort
I felt as “the other”, it helped me
understand my responsibility in
creating a more equitable classroom
and school.
I created a plan as if I were a new
Establishing a School principal, and what I would do to
Culture establish a positive school culture. This
plan covers four elements: demography
and community history, diversity
culture of the school.
A Cultural Perspective on
Farmington Woods ES
3C. Acknowledges
Failures; Celebrates
Accomplishments and
Rewards: The school
executive acknowledges
failures and celebrates
accomplishments of the school
in order to define the identity,
culture and performance of the
school.
consideration, collaboration, and
empowerment. By addressing these
cultural elements, a school leader
would be able to build upon the
existing culture of the school and make
needed changes for positive growth. As
I formulated this plan, I realized the
element at the heart was diversity
considerations because as a school
leader, I strive to establish a supportive
and inclusive environment.
During the spring of 2019, I visited
Farmington Woods International
Baccalaureate Primary Years
Programme Magnet Elementary
School. This is an overview of my
thoughts on the positive culture at
Farmington Woods. Principal Pierce is
a strong cultural leader and strives for
her building to be a welcoming place
for all learners. This school was a great
exemplar to cultural leadership and
how to involve the community in the
success of a school. She develops and
uses a shared vision, values, and goals
to define the school; for instance, the
Fifth Grade Exhibition’s topic (a final
project to meet the Primary Years
Programme requirement) was human
rights. This topic was chosen by the
students, and each class chose a
subtopic. Principal Pierce created a
culture in partnership with the students
and community in order for Farmington
Woods to be a student-led school. I will
use this experience and my analysis to
lead a school in my future.
At the end of each quarter, the sixth
Award Ceremony grade uses a day to acknowledge the
Walkthrough Notes growth and accomplishment of our
students. Each team uses part of the day
to bring their students to either the
auditorium or the gymnasium to present
students with awards. Teachers have
creative names for their subject awards:
historian, mathematician, future
novelist, and super scientist. I have
learned from River Bend how to
celebrate students’ academic
accomplishments.
RBMS also has a tradition of sending

3D. Efficacy and
Empowerment: The school
executive develops a sense of
efficacy and empowerment
among staff which influences
the school’s identity, culture
and performance.
Fall Special Olympics off the Extended Content Standard
Whole School Sendoff Students as they leave to compete in the
seasonal regional Special Olympics. I
was a special education teacher for six
years, and I have never witnessed such
collective love and joy as I experienced
during this send off. The whole school
rallied in the main lobby of the school
and all clapped and wooed to hype up
and support our ECS students. I will
definitely like to do something similar
at a school in my future. Principal
Weddle has created an atmosphere of
celebrating all learners and where
everyone is family.
In partnership with the admin team
Principal Weddle’s Boss’s (sans Principal Weddle) and RBMS
Day Celebration teachers we presented Principal Weddle
a cake, balloons, and a gift card to her
favorite restaurant. Principal Weddle
did not only create a culture to
celebrate others but for others to
celebrate her. This was a joyful day at
the Bend.
I assisted in the development of the
RBMS Faculty Handbook 2019-2020 faculty handbook. Within
Club List the handbook, RBMS encourages
teachers to join task forces (Principal
Weddle’s preferred term versus
committees) and to sponsor and lead
clubs and sports. Many teachers are
empowered to lead through clubs,
athletics, School Improvement Team,
Media Technology and Advisory
Committee, department chairs, team
leads, PLT leads, and through duties
around the school. Sixth grade teachers
are in charge of afternoon buses by
tracking the buses arriving on campus
and posting them to a Google
Document, so all classrooms are alerted
when a bus arrives. Teachers are also
encouraged to be part of the interview
process for prospective teachers. I have
enjoyed working with teachers and
learning their strengths, so I can guide
them to lead in those strengths.
Analyzing the teacher to leader pipeline
Teacher to Leader Pipeline at Garner Magnet High School
provided me with understanding of how
Principal Hillman empowered teachers
to lead and grow in their craft. I learned
different areas a teacher can lead inside
and outside the classroom. I also felt
that encouragement from Principal
Hillman, my special education
department chair, and Assistant
Principal Pruette when I wanted to
grow as a teacher and when I made the
decision to pursue school leadership. I
want to be able to provide future
teacher leaders with that same feeling
of empowerment.