Pickett County Schools implementing a positivity-focused culture to improve student performance and teacher retention with support from the top down.
Director of Schools Melissa Robbins said the district is prioritizing a positive atmosphere where students and staff are more prepared to learn and work when they feel excited to be in the building. Robbins said while academic test scores remain a priority, the district must strive beyond that to focus on celebrating the opportunity to work with students and the growth they achieve.
“For our students and our teachers, we want to make it a positive culture where people are excited to come to work, want to come to work, and where students want to come to school and are excited to come to school,” Robbins said. “Yes, they’re going to have to work hard on both ends, on both fronts, but that is what we’re looking for, is to make sure that we’re promoting a positive environment for everyone.”
Robbins said the district focuses on highlighting small wins, such as a student learning new letters or a high schooler mastering a math strategy. Robbins said the positivity focus is also on the teachers, listening to feedback from faculty and ensuring they feel supported in areas like student discipline.
“(Teachers) are the ones in the classroom, the rubber meets the road with them and with our support staff,” Robbins said. “And so we’re just trying to create a community where we listen to them and they listen to us and we work together for the good of students.”
Robbins said the district utilizes student surveys to measure whether children feel safe and cared for by their teachers. Robbins said this data is integrated into the district’s three-year strategic plan to ensure the environment remains conducive to learning.
Robbins said the district has historically maintained very little turnover in recent years. Robbins said she intends to continue that trend by ensuring every employee, from bus drivers to central office staff, feels like a valued member of the team.
“If you listen and you’re open to feedback, you will you will find out, you know how people feel and if they’re happy where they are,” Robbins said.
“I think that all that creates a positive environment because everybody wants to feel heard and supported whether it’s the principal, the assistant, the teacher, the bus driver or the cafeteria staff, the staff at central office and, you know I want us to be a team and every year we’re going to work to to further that goal,” Robbins said.
Robbins said she plans to conduct a new survey this year specifically for teachers and staff to ensure they feel supported by the administration.
