Purposeful cultural changes at an alternative high school: A case study

Synthia Lee Parish-Duehn

doi:10.7273/000006150

The purpose of this study was to record the process, events, and reactions that occurred when an administrator made purposeful changes to the culture of a toxic alternative high school. Consistent with the purpose, this study used qualitative case study design and methods. The principles of action research were also applied, because the researcher was also a participant. Participants' journals were the primary data sources for this study. An alternative high school in a rural Washington state community was the site for this study. The journal data were analyzed and compiled to create a portrait of the cultural change process in the school during the period of one academic year. In this study, a narrative regarding cultural system changes and their impact was developed. The responses in the journals of the other participants were analyzed for descriptions of what did happen and their perceptions of the changes. The data were analyzed and sorted into themes from which a narrative was constructed. An attempt was made in the narrative to include the various voices of the participants in the writing. The elements that contribute to a toxic school culture were explored. A case study was conducted to record the experiences of the individuals involved with the school as the administrator made purposeful cultural changes to the school in order to create a positive school culture. Several conclusions were reached as a result of this study: (a) Chronological order of the changes made does matter; (b) it is not necessary to "gut" the staff of a building to retool the culture; (c) staff is more resistant to change than students; (d) a positive school culture increases emotional safety, student connectedness, and impacts student learning; (e) in a healthy culture you do not want to be complacent. This study is significant in that it contributes knowledge regarding the process of purposeful cultural change at alternative high schools. Conclusions and implications resulting from this study may be useful to administrators at alternative high schools as they endeavor to retool a toxic school culture into a positive school culture.

Purposeful cultural changes at an alternative high school: A case study

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