Healthy School Climate (HSC) Details

The Healthy School Climate program teaches the indicators of a Healthy School Climate, provides an HSC self-assessment, and assists each group in identifying their most important improvement goal and strategic action steps. Leaders of the three constituencies (teachers, parents, and students) then develop ownership of school improvement plans and recruit their peers in action steps.

Educators and Others Who Benefit From HSC

The HSC program directly benefits the following Educators and school leaders

Teachers (all disciplines)
Classroom/Lab assistants and aides
Principals and other administrators
Counselors and other support staff
Parents
Students

The HSC Program

The Healthy School Climate program teaches leaders the indicators of a Healthy School Climate, provides an HSC self-assessment, and assists each group in identifying their most important improvement goal and strategic action steps.

HSC Program Outcomes
Completion of the HSC program results in the following outcomes.
Immediate Outcomes

Leadership groups (teacher, parent, and student groups) complete a healthy school climate self assessment
Leadership groups identify one to three attainable improvement goals
Leadership groups determine group-specific action steps
Combined groups (team) identifies consensus goal and school plan

Future Outcomes

Climate of the school demonstrably improves in three critical areas:
- Safe
- Happy
- Productive
Representative parents, teachers, and students
- Become more committed to the school
- Become more supportive of the Principal
- Take ownership of improvement activities
As the school climate improves
- More students enjoy school and learning
- Attendance improves
- Graduation rates improve
- Student achievement increases

How the Outcomes are Achieved

As a result of completing the HSC program, Leaders learn the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve the program’s outcomes by engaging in the following Metis-facilitated activities.

When Leaders complete these activities the Immediate and Future Outcomes will be accomplished

Using the Indicators of a Healthy School Climate, leadership groups rate their school in the specifics of 1 safe, 2 happy, and 3 productive.
Leadership groups discuss the ratings and identify one to three indicators showing the greatest need
Leadership groups meet together to form one or more consensus goals
Leadership groups meet to determine action steps for one or two semesters
Leadership groups meet together to form a school-wide HSC document that details Parent, Teacher, and Student ratings (on a scale of 1 to 10) on thirty indicators of a Healthy School Climate.
Parent, Teacher, and Student Leadership groups select the most important indicator/goal.
Consensus group (team) identifies a school-wide goal.
Leadership groups (Teacher, Parent, and Student groups) identify and initiate school-wide Action Steps.
Each of the Leadership Groups, under the supervision of the Principal, implements their action steps. The Principal convenes the combined leadership groups to evaluate progress and modify the plan.
Structure of the Program’s Content

The HSC program is divided into four discrete Units.

Unit 1 Self-Assessment
Unit 2 Select Improvement Goals
Unit 3 Determine Action Steps
Unit 4 Evaluate and Re-Assess

How the program operates
This Metis program is highly process oriented and, while using prepared materials and format, adapts to the unique circumstances of each site.
The Principal and Metis Fellow work together to facilitate each meeting such that the Principal’s stature as a school leader is sustained and enhanced while each constituent group is learning the important attributes of high-achieving schools and determining how they will seek to acquire those attributes for themselves. The Principal will find the process creates a substantial number of supportive and committed workers who will then collaborate as other issues and circumstances arise.

For assistance in designing a program that meets your needs, contact Metis Leadership Group.