How Principals Can Shape a Thriving School Culture
DR. SETH MEIER, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALMy career began as a high school special education teacher, and for the past decade, I've held various leadership roles, including district-level curriculum and personnel positions and principalships at middle and elementary schools. Most of my experience has been in schools serving high percentages of economically disadvantaged families, except for a three-year period as principal at one of the district's most affluent elementary schools.
Currently, I'm in my fourth year as the principal of an elementary school in Oklahoma's fourth-largest school district. Our school ranks second (out of 25 elementary schools) in the district for its concentration of economically disadvantaged families, with 86% of our students coming from such backgrounds. Despite these challenges, we have achieved remarkable success: over the past three years, we've hired more than 80% of our current staff and maintained an overall retention rate of 85%. When excluding involuntary turnovers and promotions, our retention rate soars to 98%.
Creating large-scale change in a school takes time—5 to 7 years, according to Michael Fullan (2001). However, principal turnover remains alarmingly high. A 2014 report, The High Cost of Principal Turnover, found that approximately 25% of principals leave their schools annually, and 50% of new principals resign by their third year (School Leaders Network, 2014). More recently, Levin, Scott, Yang, Leung, and Bradley (2020) found that 42% of surveyed principals were planning to leave their schools. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, turnover rates were high, with nearly half of the principals leaving their positions every year. Principals must secure early wins when establishing a positive culture, so that the likelihood of turnover decreases. When there is consistency in the principalship, it produces a greater likelihood for an increase in consistent school culture. If the consistent school culture can be built upon care, positivity, and inclusivity, students and their achievement have a great likelihood to flourish.
Combatting Principal Turnover: The Role of Culture-Crafting and Supportive Conditions
Principals are vital to the success of students, schools, and districts. Their recruitment, development, and retention are crucial, given their significant impact on school climate and culture. Recent research suggests that a principal’s role extends far beyond managing personnel and daily operations. Principals establish shared values, norms, and contexts across their schools. When turnover is frequent, the entire school culture can suffer.
Levin et al. (2020) identified several key factors that influence principal retention and turnover, including:
Working Conditions Conducive to Learning: A positive school environment supports both student learning and staff well-being.
Adequate and Stable Compensation: Fair pay and job security are essential for keeping talented leaders in their roles.
Productive, Not Punitive, Accountability: Accountability measures should focus on growth and development rather than punishment.
Decision-Making Authority: Principals need the freedom to make decisions that best serve their schools.
High-Quality Professional Learning Opportunities: Access to ongoing professional development helps principals grow in their roles and adapt to changing needs.
While these factors are critical, there is another area that could significantly impact principal retention: training early-career and newly transitioned principals in the importance and technical aspects of culture-crafting.
Being a principal is no easy task. The role often involves balancing the delicate line between leading mandates and finding practical ways to implement them, while also managing the expectations of frustrated stakeholders and finding effective solutions, all while balancing the overall health of the organization. Principals are the crucial link that holds these often-conflicting forces together, making their position both challenging and vital to the success of any school.
Fostering a strong, positive school culture can have a ripple effect, leading to increased staff retention and reduced turnover. When teachers feel supported and valued, they are more likely to stay, reducing one of the primary stressors for principals—high staff turnover. By investing in professional development focused on building and maintaining a positive school culture, we may find a key strategy in combating the high rates of principal turnover that threaten the stability and success of our schools.
If we hope to keep more principals in their roles, we need to consider the broader ecosystem in which they work and provide the tools and support necessary for them to thrive. Training in culture-crafting could be a crucial part of that effort, offering new principals the skills they need to lead effectively and stay committed to their schools for the long term.
This raises an important question: How do we shape school culture?
Craig Groeschel’s quote, “Culture is equal parts what you establish and what you allow,” has always resonated with me. It underscores the great responsibility I have as a school leader to engage four key groups—students, staff, families, and the community—to build a culture focused on positivity and growth. But how do you shape a school’s culture during a national teacher shortage, especially when, even before COVID-19, over 100,000 classrooms were staffed by underqualified teachers (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017)?
In Oklahoma, it's becoming more evident that principals need to focus on cultivating great teachers rather than merely hiring them. The current job market leans heavily towards experienced teachers, making it vital to establish a positive and supportive school culture to attract, nurture, and retain these professionals.
Key Characteristics of a Healthy School Culture
Through my experience across all levels of PK-12 education, I've learned that certain characteristics are essential for developing a healthy school culture. Below are some of the key principles and practices that have been instrumental in our journey toward creating a supportive and thriving school environment:
1. Praise Your People and Share Your Story
Celebrate successes publicly and frequently. Positive reinforcement builds morale and helps create a culture of appreciation.
2. Let People Hear You Talk to Kids
Show your passion and commitment to your students. It’s harder to criticize when people witness genuine care in action.
3. Create Collective Commitments and Cultural Norms
Define clear commitments that guide behaviors and attitudes. Our school has established norms:
High Expectations: We commit to the belief that all students can achieve high levels of academic, social, and emotional success.
Respect: We commit to exhibiting respect to self and others, so that our community has a strong example of respect.
Communication: We commit to respectful and growth-centered conversations, even when these are “tough conversations”.
Growth: We commit to improving our professional skills and expertise.
Instructional Consistency: We commit to providing a consistent instructional model by utilizing research-based curriculum and our instructional expertise.
Fun: We commit to creating an optimistic environment that is enjoyable to learn and work.
4. Consistency in Leadership Matters
People feel safe when they know what to expect. This safety leads to ownership of the culture. We don’t just want buy-in, we want ownership of the culture.
5. Say Yes Less
Just because we can do more doesn’t mean we should. Focus on a few key priorities to create early wins. Early wins boost morale and foster a sense of ownership, even if it means upsetting some stakeholders who are used to “the way it’s always been done”.
6. Make Hard Decisions
Don’t be afraid to make informed decisions but apologize quickly if you make a mistake. It shows humility and willingness to learn.
7. Be Narrow-Focused and Broad-Minded
Keep your goals at the forefront but be open to different perspectives. Avoid leading in a vacuum.
8. Invest in the Physical Environment
People thrive in welcoming and inspiring environments. Take the time to create spaces that feel good to work and learn in.
9. Micromanage Early, Delegate Quickly
Initially, provide clear expectations and guidance, then empower staff to take on responsibilities. This approach fosters ownership and confidence, while ensuring that you are creating tasks that are aligned with employee strengths, which create employees that aren’t just good task-masters, but exceptional decision-makers. With coaching, they will end up doing better with the task that I could have, which leads to confidence in future decision making.
10. Build Relationship Collateral
Get to know your people. An open-door policy for personal and professional conversations builds trust and makes tough conversations easier.
11. Celebrate Small Victories Like Big Victories
Recognize every achievement, no matter how small. This practice fosters a culture of celebration and positivity.
12. Accept Feedback and Examine Criticism
Encourage open feedback and self-reflection to continuously improve as a leader.
13. Protect Your Time
Prioritize tasks based on immediacy, importance, and urgency.
14. Appreciate the Present
Identify what you will miss about your current role and focus on enjoying it while you can.
Reflections on Leadership and Culture Change
Over the past decade, my journey as a leader across three different schools has taught me valuable lessons about fostering positive change. I've discovered that placing a strong emphasis on physical safety and cultivating a healthy school culture during the first two years leads to higher staff retention and greater consistency. This stability helps foster early adopters who become champions of positive change. Once a stable, focused staff is in place, a greater emphasis on curriculum and instruction can follow naturally.
Early on, we made two small but impactful decisions that set the tone for our school community. The first was a daily announcement: “If no one told you that you are loved today, please remember that Mr. Meier and every single adult in this building love you very much.” This simple message was a reminder of care and belonging every single day.
The second decision was to strengthen our sense of unity visually. We reached out to a local bank and secured a donation to provide matching t-shirts for everyone in the building. A generous local photographer volunteered her talent to take “family pictures” of each homeroom and a group photo of the entire school.
These actions spoke louder than words, reinforcing our commitment to being a safe, welcoming place centered around community and connection.
As we progressed, this approach has already brought about several positive outcomes in just three years:
Community and Student Engagement: We’ve organized engaging events like the "Trick or Read" carnival, Family Night cookouts, and student-led philanthropic activities. We’ve increased community partnerships and successfully established a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
Student Support and Enrichment: We've launched several initiatives designed to support and enrich our students' experiences, including a sensory room, outdoor education camps, grief support groups, and positive interaction programs specifically tailored for students who need extra support. Additionally, we offer multiple field trips for every grade each year, along with inter-grade activities, all aimed at enhancing student culture and fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Academic and Extracurricular Success: Our unwavering commitment to a positive school culture has led to notable achievements both in and out of the classroom. This year, approximately half of our students started at or above grade level in reading, reflecting substantial growth in formative assessments and continued progress among subgroups on state assessments. Our students have excelled beyond academics as well, winning the district Science Olympics and earning titles as district sports champions. These successes, combined with our enhanced school environment, have even sparked an increase in transfer requests from families eager to join our community.
Staff Retention and Development: We’ve maintained a high teacher retention rate of 85-98%, supported continuous professional development, and boosted morale through recognition and support programs.
Creating a Positive School Environment: We’ve secured numerous grants, reduced suspensions, established consistent fundraising efforts, and enhanced our school's physical environment with various donations and initiatives.
While I could list many more achievements, the most important takeaway is that these successes are a result of our dedicated people, not just leadership alone. Our focus on intentional hiring, staff development, cultivating culture, and establishing effective processes set the foundation, but it was our incredible staff who embraced this vision and drove the momentum forward—which will continue well beyond my tenure as principal. These outcomes clearly demonstrate that prioritizing safety and culture early on, with thoughtful timing, can lead to academic excellence and a thriving school environment.
Creating a positive school culture is an ongoing process that demands time, consistency, and deliberate effort from school leaders. By establishing a strong foundation built on safety, trust, and shared values, principals can lay the groundwork for long-term success and growth. My experiences have shown me that culture is something we both build and nurture, and as school leaders, it is our responsibility to guide it toward positivity, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.
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DR. SETH MEIER
Dr. Seth Meier is a dedicated public school principal in Oklahoma with over 15 years of experience spanning all levels of PK-12 education. With a decade of experience as both a site and district administrator, and as an adjunct university instructor, he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to his leadership role. His mission is to create school cultures where all stakeholders—students, staff, and families—can thrive and grow.
Dr. Meier is also available to work with districts and schools to provide coaching and mentoring for school leaders and staff, focusing on custom development programs that emphasize climate and culture, instructional leadership, and systems of support for school improvement.
Recently, Dr. Meier earned his Doctor of Education degree from the University of Oklahoma, where he researched the impact of fiscal decisions and demographic factors on principal retention and attrition. He also holds an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a B.S. in Special Education from the University of Oklahoma.
As a proud product of Oklahoma’s public schools, Dr. Meier remains deeply committed to serving and enhancing the public school system in his home state.
Access Dr. Meier’s research HERE.