How to End the School Year With High Morale
I believe what is appreciated appreciates. And in turn, was is depreciated, depreciates.
Here is what I mean.
One of the services my company provides is facilitating climate surveys and exit interviews for schools.
I was reading through the notes from one school and saw this response from a departing teacher.
“When I turned in my resignation letter no one from the administrative team came to talk to me. I felt devalued as an employee.”
It made me think about my practices as a school leader.
How do I treat people? Do they feel appreciated around me? Or depreciated?
I know that I have definitely avoided many rooms and halls of staff who turned in their resignation or who have been told they are not coming back.
I am definitely guilty of not engaging some staff.
I come up with excuses in my head. They don't want to talk to me. I am just glad they came today...terrible right?
But then I started to notice somethings about the school building.
Shelves were bare that once had lots of books and materials.
I was picking up more trash on the playground and halls.
More classrooms were being left unattended.
I recall going into to one classroom after school. It was so bad I grabbed the broom and started cleaning it just so it was presentable to the after school clean up crew!
As I was cleaning up a teacher came in and said, "yeah, they've checked out. I mean, they are here, but only physically anymore."
Then I realized, by not engaging the few, they are impacting the many.
Our transitioning staff were putting more stress and work on our key teachers.
Our leaving teachers were creating a climate that was not conducive for learning. Making it harder and stressful for students.
I don't want to stereotype transitioning staff and talk bad about them. Not all act as the "lame duck" employee they get labeled.
But here is the lesson - people don't quit organizations. People quit people.
They quit me because I, at some point, quit them.
The last thing you want as a school or team leader is reducing morale over the last week and your people thinking about other opportunities over the summer (students and staff).
As leaders, it is our responsibility to protect the culture. To not allow it to be destroyed from the inside. Leaders cannot allow the culture to be held hostage by an individuals talents or abilities when compared to their behavior.
We must have a no-compromise approach when it comes to culture.
This means...
- Everything matters
- We cannot look the other way
- Inaction is compromise
- Compromise leads to stress and is a passion killer!
Gather your team and work together to make sure we are not avoiding the problems and unintentionally eroding the climate.
Set clear expectations for the end of the year for all staff. Teach until the last bell on the last day. Reteach standards that were not mastered. Start introducing and teaching next years standards.
No packing up or moving items from the classroom until the workdays. Students are not movers, they are here to learn.
It's never too late. Be sure to leave everyone with a positive feel so if and when they do leave, they don’t leave angry.
If one of your transitioning teachers cannot do this, thank them for their time and move them now.
Give them closure and help them transition with their head up.
Not sneaking out the door to avoid shame.
Take my advice, as someone who has had to clean MANY classrooms over the summer, you'll be glad you did.
Raising your awareness,
Dr. Tom
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