S2:E10 - Strengthening School Climate & Culture w/ Steve Bollar
S2 #10

S2:E10 - Strengthening School Climate & Culture w/ Steve Bollar

In this episode, Jordan sits down with school culture expert Steve Bollar (“Stand Tall Steve”) to share simple, but powerful strategies that help every student, staff member, and family feel seen, valued, and connected. These ideas require minimal effort but generate major impact—especially when repeated intentionally throughout the year.

Whether you're a principal, teacher, or district leader, this conversation delivers actionable tools you can use tomorrow to build the positive climate and culture your school deserves.


🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Culture is built through repetition—not slogans.
Climate is what people feel the moment they enter a school. Culture is what people repeat until it becomes tradition.
✔️ Being seen is the root of all positive culture.
Every idea Steve shares ultimately comes down to visibility—students, staff, families, and community members feeling acknowledged and valued.
✔️ Growth must be recognized—not just high achievement.
Recognition tied to improvement (not perfection) increases motivation for students who are often overlooked.
✔️ Strong schools intentionally engage their community.
Local businesses, younger grades, older grades, and families can all become partners in celebration and connection.
✔️ Support staff are culture drivers—and must be honored.
Paraprofessionals and custodians play major roles in how a school feels. When they are recognized, morale improves across the building.


💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Repetition creates tradition. Tradition is culture.” —Steve Bollar
🗣️ “Find a way to let people be seen—from students, to staff, to families.”
🗣️ “Some kids work incredibly hard even if they never get straight A’s—recognize their growth.”
🗣️ “Take the time to build community connections. Students and families should feel supported inside and outside of school.”
🗣️ “It doesn’t take a lot of effort—just a little bit done consistently.” —Steve Bollar



🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

Change Your Name / Show Up With Your Name
  • A simple visibility strategy: allow students or staff to rename how they want to be known—encouraging identity, confidence, and belonging.
“Be Seen” Moments
  • Everything from recognition to support to one-on-one check-ins—Steve emphasizes the importance of intentionally affirming people at every level.
Comeback Kid Recognition System
  • Celebrate any student who improves a grade letter or grows academically in any measurable way. Examples include: F → D, D → C, C → B, B → A. This system reinforces progress, effort, and resilience—not just perfection.
Community Connection Certificates
  • Partner with local businesses (Steve used pizza shops) to reward student growth and achievement, like Honor Roll, Comeback Kid, GPA improvement, or even Behavior improvements
  • Businesses display a certificate saying they support your students, while students/families receive coupons or rewards. It can boost motivation, community pride, and even family engagement. Steve also recommends building traditions like Trunk-or-Treat, high schoolers mentoring younger grades, and student service activities.
Support Staff Spotlights
  • Custodian Recognition Frames: Place framed hallway plaques reading: “This hallway professionally maintained by…”
    This brings dignity, visibility, and appreciation to custodial staff.
  • Paraprofessional Supply Locker: Fill a private supply locker with pencils, post-its, pens, rulers, erasers, etc.


👁️‍🗨️Additional Practices

  • First Five, Last Five – Focus on the first and last moments of class/day to shape emotional climate and connection.
  • Staff Visibility Plan – Increase adult presence in key areas to boost safety, relationships, and positive tone.
  • Student Spotlight Board – Highlight students weekly for kindness, growth, leadership, or effort—not just academics.
  • No-Homework / Family Connection Night – Replace homework with meaningful family activities once a month.
  • Staff Shoutout System – Create a simple way for staff to leave anonymous praise for one another.
  • 30-Second Celebrations – Quickly acknowledge student wins with short, sincere moments of recognition.


📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Steve Bollar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standtallsteve/
🔗 Steve Bollar book: “Ideas Ideas Ideas”: https://youthlight.com/product.php?id=3521
🔗 Steve Bollar Website: https://www.standtallsteve.com/

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