Presenters: Chris Barbic, founder of the YES Prep Public Schools, Mark DiBella, school director at YES Prep North Central, and Mayra Valle, a senior at YES Prep North Central Target audience: Ideal for teachers and administrators interested in strengthening the culture at their schools Anyone who has worked in public education knows that school culture can make or break the experience. Great teachers, programs, and practices succeed best only with a culture that supports them. In Houston's YES Prep Public Schools, educators put culture front and center, and it's a major force behind their success. Teachers support each other and constantly seek to help their colleagues improve. They build relationships with students to help them thrive even under the schools' rigorous demands. The end result: happy teachers, and hundreds of low-income students becoming the first in their families to attend college. There's no magic involved -- just good ideas, dedicated people, and deft execution. In this session, YES Prep leaders explain what they do, how they do it, and how you can put some of these ideas in action at your school, too.

1. Inspiration from Houston’s Successful YES Prep Schools Creating a Strong School Culture

3. Inspiration from Houston’s Successful YES Prep Schools Creating a Strong School Culture

4. Mayra Valle

6. Chris Barbic and Mark DiBella

10. “ Transforming public education is not rocket science. It’s just hard, hard work.” —Chris Barbic, founder, YES Prep Public Schools

12. Question Break

17. Question Break