Projecting a Positive School Culture

Every morning, I’m impressed with how I’m greeted and treated at my local coffee shop. The shift manager always makes sure to acknowledge me, but more important, she makes sure her employees address me by name. They efficiently prepare my order (often before I even enter the store), engage in friendly conversation, then wish me a great day with positive eye contact and a smile as I leave. The focus on those little details motivates me to return every morning, and I enjoy telling everyone about my experience.

A school is not a coffee shop, of course, but as I reflect on my tenure as an elementary school principal, I cannot help wondering about the interactions of my staff with colleagues, students, and families. Did I provide adequate training for my office staff? Did I set the expectations for how I wanted parents and visitors to be treated?

What about your school? Do you routinely discuss your expectations about standards of public relations with your staff members who serve as the first point of contact, face-to-face or by phone, with your stakeholders? Whose responsibility is it to provide ongoing training and supervision? And what are the little things that your staff can and should do to help ensure that those who visit your school are made to feel they are a very important person?

Ensuring a positive experience 

The basic concept of Seth Godin’s book The Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable—that to survive in the modern world, a company needs to create an unusual, “purple cow” experience—can also apply to a school or any public service endeavor. Here’s an example.

If you were driving along a highway and saw a purple cow grazing in a field alongside others that were black, brown, or white, you would likely do what most people would do—stop, pull over, snap a picture, then share it with everyone you know. Seeing a purple cow would be a remarkable experience—like, I would add, receiving exceptionally thoughtful and outstanding service from someone. No doubt, people will talk about “purple schools” just as they do purple cows and the distinctive experiences they have interacting with them.

So, what are some of the little things that can collectively create a remarkable experience for anyone who visits your school? What follows are some topics to consider and share with your team.

1. Accessibility and accommodations. Start in the parking lot. Is there adequate parking? Is it within easy walking or wheelchair distance to the main office? Can visitors with challenging conditions that limit mobility (visual, aural, sensual, physical, etc.) easily enter and maneuver to your office?

2. Aesthetics. As visitors walk to your school, do they see flowers or weeds? Trimmed shrubbery? Clean windows? Are doors in need of painting? Is there welcoming signage that directs visitors to the office and how to gain entry?

3. Attitude and atmosphere. Are your office greeters visibly happy, or are they stressed? Do they convey an attitude of gratitude when assisting visitors? School offices are busy places, and those who work there must be skilled at switch-tasking and multitasking, capable of focusing their attention on the visitor’s needs. 

What is the tone, vibe, mood, ambiance? Does the public see your problems, especially unruly students? What might they overhear that they should not? 

4. Courtesy. Is there a pleasant, respectful, welcoming tone of voice from the person who answers the phone? Is the business of every visitor managed efficiently and professionally?

5. Effective communication. Greeters need to be able to answer questions and/or refer to the appropriate person. “How may I help you today?” should be heard when guests enter and “Have a wonderful day” when they leave. These two routine statements will begin to define your school’s culture (how things are done). If possible, avoid using answering machines.

There are countless other little things your staff can brainstorm that will lead to the development of your school’s distinctive interaction with the public. Bring the team together and discuss the concept of creating the “purple cow experience” for everyone interacting with your school. (The book would be a great professional development study.) Encourage creative ideas but avoid gimmicks. The best interaction is genuine, reflects your school’s core values, and sets the tone of the school climate.

As you do this creative work, you will elevate the team’s potential and develop a sense of community. That takes time to develop, but once people begin to share responsibility for success, support each other, and witness positive results, they will grow and bond as a team. To maintain your momentum, implement a morning huddle with this team that provides such vital service to your school every day. Morale will be high and turnover low. 

The principal must take the lead in setting standards for excellence and accountability for customer service. Your investment of time, training, and support with the people who serve you and your stakeholders is vital. Bring them together, keep them together, and enjoy the success, together, of creating a remarkable school that people talk about.