By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, October 17, 2022
Whether in districts large or small, rural or urban, Opportunity Culture directors often travel similar arcs from initial design issues to implementation challenges and successes. At the September virtual gathering of Opportunity Culture directors, four panelists shared how Opportunity Culture implementation has improved their district recruitment, teacher support, and student success, and discussed the collaboration needed among district offices, accountability concerns, and how their roles have changed.
What’s Happening
Opportunity Culture News and Views
New Opportunity Culture Videos: Teacher Residencies; Collaborative Spaces
By Public Impact, October 5, 2022
Check out our latest short videos, showing how Opportunity Culture residencies help schools create teacher pipelines and increase student support, and how one school’s building design enhances team collaboration.
Creating a Positive Classroom Culture: Tips from Opportunity Culture Educators
By Paola Gilliam, October 5, 2022
With many students struggling with unresolved social-emotional issues brought on or intensified by Covid shutdowns, what are some simple strategies Opportunity Culture educators use to help create calm, safe spaces that support their students’ academic growth?
Resources to Hear, Watch, Read: September Opportunity Culture Newsletter
By Public Impact, September 22, 2022
The September newsletter includes new Opportunity Culture audio and video posts, tools and resources, a video playlist, Opportunity Culture news, and more.
New Opportunity Culture Audio: Making the Most of Opportunity Culture Innovations
By Public Impact, September 14, 2022
Since Superintendent Scott Muri, a finalist for state superintendent of the year in Texas, brought Opportunity Culture models to Ector County Independent School District in 2019, the district has seen significant improvement in student learning and teacher recruitment.
Texas Opportunity Culture District Trumpets Recruitment Success
By Paola Gilliam and Sharon Kebschull Barrett, September 14, 2022
After struggling with teacher shortages for years, Ector County Independent School District (ISD) in Odessa, Texas, announced its best recruiting year in over a decade. In an Odessa American article, Superintendent Scott Muri attributed the recruiting success of about 450 teachers to several strategies, including Opportunity Culture implementation and pay raises.
New Opportunity Culture Audio: Becoming a Committed Opportunity Culture School
By Public Impact, September 7, 2022
In the annual, anonymous survey given to Opportunity Culture educators, Ross Elementary in Ector County, Texas, received high ratings despite the stress of another Covid year. Susan Hendricks, an Opportunity Culture Fellow who was the school’s principal until she became the district’s director of leadership in August, describes the communication needed to become a committed Opportunity Culture school in the latest Opportunity Culture audio piece.
Kicking Off the New School Year: August Opportunity Culture Newsletter
By Public Impact, August 18, 2022
Welcome to all the new sites and schools beginning to implement their Opportunity Culture designs this fall! Educators at 116 more schools—in both new and established Opportunity Culture sites—are about to see their plans in action. It takes a lot of hard work, deep thinking, and extensive communication to bring these plans to life, and we at Public Impact wish all of you the best! Read the full newsletter here.
New Opportunity Culture Audio: N.C. Principal Shares Communication Strategies
By Public Impact, July 15, 2022
Julie Shields has been principal of Bearfield Primary School in Hertford County, North Carolina, since 2003. Just before Covid hit, her school began Opportunity Culture implementation to improve academic outcomes for students and enhance the caring atmosphere of the school.
Advice for Opportunity Culture Schools & Districts; OC Stats as Challenging Year Ends: May Newsletter
By Public Impact, May 26, 2022
We send this newsletter today, which has much happy news, as planned because some educators are in their last week of school—but with heavy hearts in the aftermath of shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo, and beyond. Words are always inadequate in the face of these horrors, but we at Public Impact are holding all Opportunity Culture educators in our hearts as you carry the burden of continuing to help your students feel safe while absorbing this grief.