School Leaders’ Guide to Building a Positive School Culture

Create a community that supports learning and growth in every way.

School leaders set the tone for everyone: students, teachers, staff, families, and even the community. That’s why you need plenty of support to do your job well! Discover the best school culture and leadership resources, strategies, activities, and expert guidance to help principals, administrators, instructional leaders, and teacher leaders create thriving school communities.

Building a Positive School Culture

A positive school culture doesn’t happen by accident. It develops through intentional leadership, strong relationships, shared values, and systems that help students and staff feel connected, supported, and empowered.

School Spirit

Celebrate students and create memorable experiences.

101 Ways To Build School Spirit

Build community and unite your school.

Spirit Week Ideas

Dress-up days and more!

School Theme Days To Avoid

And what to try instead.

Examples of pep rally activities, including students with fake mustaches in a photo booth and the crowd celebrating during a cheering contest.

Pep Rally Games & Activities

Get everyone involved!

an image of two assembly ideas that include an author visit and taping your principal to the wall

School Assembly Ideas

Gather with purpose.

Collection of cartoon feet wearing socks with sandals

Underground Spirit Week

Such a fun idea!

Creating Community

Create a school where everyone feels they belong.

Students and adults volunteering in a food pantry

Favorite School Traditions

These bring students together.

School Newsletter Names

Pick a name to reflect your school’s style.

Paired images of read alouds to try at faculty meeting

School-Wide Read-Alouds

Books worth sharing with everyone.

Creative classroom display board for parents teacher meeting event

Front Office Bulletin Boards

Welcoming messages for everyone who enters.

Strudents in wheelchairs train together on a track

Best High School Extracurriculars

Something for every student.

Quote about embracing indigenous knowledge in schools

Can Knowledge of Indigenous Culture Shape School Discipline?

Turns out it can!

How To Create a Green School Culture

Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Group of happy fans are cheering for their team victory. Collage made of six models.

Try an Academic Pep Rally

They’re not just for sports.

Inspiring Quotes About Education

Wise words to live by.

Supporting Students

Help students feel seen, valued, and connected.

A black elementary school teacher with four multiracial students in a hallway, walking side by side, holding hands. The teacher, a mid adult woman in her 30s, is looking toward an Hispanic boy. The other students are girls. The children are 6 and 7 years old.

Behavior Management Starts With Principals

They’re looking to you.

Logical Consequences for Student Behavior

Think beyond detention.

Portrait of unrecognizable teenage boy wearing hoodie and hiding face during meeting with therapist or school counsellor comforting him

Suspension Alternatives

Substance abuse requires extra support, not punishment.

What Is Restorative Justice?

And does it work in schools?

Boy holding a sign with red palm print and text stop bullying

Start a Bullying Prevention Program

Stomp out bullying!

What Is PBIS?

And how can you make it work in your school?

Inclusive Classrooms Benefit Everyone

The research proves it.

How To Choose an SEL Curriculum

Make social-emotional learning count.

Quote about schools LGBTQ+ inclusive policies

Helping LGBTQ+ Students Feel Safer at School

They deserve support.

Quote that says, The majority of my students who have failed my class in the last three years where chronically absent.

Dealing With Chronic Absenteeism

It’s a major issue in schools.

What You Should Know About Student Trauma

How to spot it and support kids.

Quote about tailoring coursework to student interests

Engage Students With Tailored Courses

Gen Z has unique interests!

FEATURED RESOURCE

Weekly leadership tips and school culture ideas for principals, heads of school, department heads, and other school leaders!

Principal Leadership

Effective leaders shape every aspect of school success. These resources support principals, assistant principals, district leaders, and teacher leaders as they strengthen communication, systems, and instructional leadership.

An elementary student walking with a teacher, or perhaps the school principal, through the school hallway. The student is an 8 year old multiracial boy, African-American and Caucasian. The teacher is a mature African-American man, in his 40s. They are side by side, looking at each other, smiling.

Why Principals Love Their Jobs

It’s the best!

Dialogic Leadership Improves School Community

Here’s how to try it.

A woman standing in a corridor in the school that she works at in Gateshead, North East England. She is looking at the camera and smiling while holding a notebook.

What’s Your School Leadership Style?

And what does it mean?

Quote about how principal experience doesn't necessarily boost school performance

Are Experienced Principals Better for Schools?

Short answer: NO.

Hands of Businessman Notebook and documents working

How To Vet Educational Research

Watch for red flags.

Financial investment volatility and market uncertainty due to Coronavirus crisis, businesswoman investor falling on unstable profit graph with volatile up and down arrows showing business risk and loss

Why Do So Many Administrators “Fail Upwards”?

Can we fix this problem?

Teacher and Staff Relationships

Schools are strongest when educators feel supported, appreciated, and empowered. These resources help leaders improve staff morale, retention, professional growth, and workplace satisfaction.

Staff Appreciation

Recognize achievements and strengthen connections.

2025 Teacher Appreciation Week Celebration Ideas

When Is Teacher Appreciation Week?

Plus, tons of ideas for celebrating it.

Teacher Appreciation Ideas for Principals

Make your staff feel extra special.

Free Teacher Appreciation Posters

Plaster the walls with these!

Teacher appreciation gifts including Amazon gift cards and personalized artwork

Best Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Ideas for every budget.

Thank-You Quotes for Teachers

Clever words to convey how you feel.

Confident young adult asian woman accepting respectful applause from her mixed age range business colleagues after a successful presentation or achievement in a modern office

Speaking Teacher Appreciation Languages

It’s not the same for every teacher.

Printable thank you cards for custodian and other school staff members.

Celebrate National Custodian Day

They’re absolutely vital!

The best teacher lodges an intent not in the mind but in the heart.

Retirement Quotes for Teachers

Say goodbye with love.

Examples of thank you cards for school staff including the nurse, custodian, cafeteria worker and secretary

Thank-You Cards for Support Staff

Bus drivers, admin assistants, nurses, and others.

Supporting Teachers

Make educators feel valued and supported.

A black elementary teacher with children in the classroom. They are sitting at desks having a math lesson.

Let Teachers Do Their Jobs, Please

Show them your trust.

How To Make Staff Meetings Better

Because you’re all busy enough as it is.

An exhausted teacher at his computer with his fingers pressing on his face.

When Teachers Bully One Another

Here’s how to help.

Young man in button down business shirt coughing into his hand

Don’t Reward Teachers for Not Taking Sick Days

It sets a bad precedent!

A person is planning and writing notes in a journal at a cozy cafe. A laptop and smartphone are on the desk.

Teachers Need Their Planning Periods

Please don’t take them away!

Name games can include a group of upper elementary students sitting in a circle with one student standing like the ones shown.

Creative Ways To Alleviate Coverage Shortages

Think outside the box.

Brunette woman looking at a laptop while rubbing her temples due to a headache caused by working in a school with unhealthy air quality

Teachers Need Mental Health Days

Support their mental and physical health.

Businessman sending and showing resignation letter to employer boss. Quiting a job, businessman fired or leave a job concpet.

How To Keep Good Teachers From Quitting

Don’t just let them walk out the door.

Hands, love and care touching in support, trust or unity for community, compassion or understanding. People holding hands in respect for loss, affection or passion for listening, talk or time

How To Support Teachers After Pregnancy Loss

It’s heartbreaking, but you can help.

Team Building & Staff Culture

Promote healthy relationships among coworkers.

Examples of team building games for adults including a cup stacking challenge and fact bag.

Team-Building Activities for Adults

Fun ways to build community.

"We can learn how to better serve our students from EVERYONE who works in the school, from our teammates to specialists to support staff."

Using Horizontal & Vertical Collaboration

Build teams in every direction.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. - Helen Keller

Team-Building Quotes

Together everyone achieves more.

Icebreaker Questions for Adults

Fun ways to get to know one another.

Teachers Are Sharing the Most Insulting Icebreakers They've Been Forced To Do

Avoid These Insulting Icebreakers

Just … don’t.

35+ Holiday Staff Party Games That Won't Make You Groan feature

Fun Staff Party Games

For holiday parties and more.

Woman holds painted smile for on piece of paper closeup

Don’t Promote Toxic Positivity

It hurts more than it helps.

Indian schoolgirl in uniform works out a classroom quiz on a digital smartboard while her teacher supervises beside her, illustrating active learning and use of technology in education.

Technology Can’t Fix Everything

To start, security cameras don’t always make schools safer.

School making sure school kids are not using phones during class

How To Solve Tough School Problems

Smart ideas for tricky issues.

Principal-Teacher Relationships

Develop strong and effective teams through personal connections.

an image of a teacher favorite things form printable

Teacher’s Favorite Things Forms

Get to know them better!

A Guide to Tough Conversations

It’s hard, but it’s got to be done.

Hand writes a TRUST concept to explain on the chalkboard

When Principals Don’t Trust Teachers

Believe in their abilities!

Work-Life Balance Quotes

Encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Managing Non-Renewed Teachers

They’re not out the door just yet.

Admins Should Still Teach Sometimes

Walk a mile in their shoes from time to time.

Shocked Black man feel frustrated looking at laptop screen

What Teachers Want Principals To Know

But are afraid to tell you.

How Principals Can Support Teachers

They’re tired. Show them you understand.

Cheerful high school teacher talks with students

What Teachers Look For in Their Principals

What separates the good from the great?

FEATURED RESOURCE

Best Leadership Books To Up Your Game

Whatever your management style, these books can help you make it even more effective!

School Administration

Strong school culture relies on safe, supportive environments where students can thrive academically and socially. These resources help leaders and educators create systems that encourage positive behavior and student well-being.