Following our North Star: Fostering Collaboration to Develop School Culture

Dr. Linda W. Beck • Cahn Fellow 2023

A collaborative team is a group of individuals who share a common goal, who have a strong sense of unity, and who work cohesively for the benefit of the organization. A cohesive and collaborative school culture is fundamental to an effective school; at collaborative sites teachers open their classroom doors and share curriculum and pedagogy, engage in risk taking central to professional growth, and work in unison to develop an environment supportive of both teachers and learners.

Following our North Star: Fostering Collaboration to Develop School Culture chronicles Castle Heights Elementary School’s journey to revitalize our school culture, damaged both by the onboarding of a language program not popular with a large portion of the staff and the long period of distance learning imposed by the COVID pandemic. Through Vision refinement, agreement on norms that align our actions with our Vision, and increased opportunities for professional and social engagement we were able to foster a greater sense of collaboration within our school community. Although our work is just in its infancy, we see and feel the positive impact of our work, and are optimistic that we will continue our journey after our Cahn Fellowship year has concluded.