Connections = Culture

Connections = Culture

Twenty years as an educator has given me the opportunity to visit hundreds of schools, witness thousands of activities, and observe hundreds of thousands kids, teachers, coaches, and parents. One of the first things I notice when I attend events is the culture of the group. I like to see the way people interact in the hallways, the way teams give their full attention to the coach (especially during timeouts), the way the crowds support effort and quality performance, and how an audience reacts to those they disagree with (referees, coaches, players, teachers, etc.)

This school year in Scott County Schools we’ve really hit the mark with the culture our kids, staff and fans are exhibiting. I posted the tweet below during one of my daughter’s MS home volleyball games:

If it’s hard to tell what’s going on here, the HS volleyball team showed up to cheer on the MS team during a home match. In this picture HS volleyball players are leading the “Let’s Go Bluejays! (clap, clap… clap, clap, clap)” cheer. You can see the MS players looking over and noticing this support. What the picture doesn’t show is the pride this put in the MS team; the conversations they had later about how cool it was for the girls they admire to support them; the arrangements the parents then had to make for these MS players to go support the HS team to pay it back!

And this is only one example. I’ve also seen: 

• The High School band bringing in the Middle School band for a halftime performance.
•  Nearly every time I walk into the elementary school, a child much smaller than me holds the door open for me.
• Middle School boys attending volleyball tournaments on Saturdays. 
• 5^th grade kids working the concession stand.
• Middle School girls working as line judges for High School volleyball tournament.
• High School National Honor Society kids tutoring Middle School kids.
• Students willing to give their time to present what they do in school at BOE meetings.

I know I’m missing many other examples, so I apologize if you didn’t make this short list. But the list could be pages. I encourage each of you to notice these actions from our kids. Be proud when these things happen!

Peter Drucker is credited for the famous quote, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” In Scott City, we’re also having lunch, dinner, and a midnight snack!