A copy of the 2013 CSCA Presentation slideshow by Melissa Vasa and Brendan Gallagher from Fossil Ridge High School. "Impacting school culture: how counselors can facilitate school-wide initiatives that embrace diversity, community & acceptance" Video Links are: 1) 2011 Diversity Day http://youtu.be/HxeGNEjrGcw 2) 2012 Lip Dub http://youtu.be/yXJ3tKJCuW0 3) 2012 Diversity Day "Hear My Story" http://youtu.be/8cGLwTtaNJE 4) 2013 Unity Day "Ridge Life" http://youtu.be/ltt5dbACjaI 5) 2013 Ridge Life http://youtu.be/eStM6Ficy8s

1. Impacting school culture:
how counselors can facilitate
school-wide initiatives that embrace
diversity, community & acceptance
Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins
Melissa Vasa & Brendan Gallagher

2. What can YOU expect to get out of this
today?
LEARNING TARGETS
SUCCESS CRITERIA
1. Develop an understanding of how Fossil 1. I can identify potential areas for growth
Ridge High School identified areas of
in my school, as well as identify student
need in their school culture.
groups and staff who can help initiate
school-wide PBIS initiatives.
2. Develop an understanding of Fossil
Ridge High School’s processes in
developing school-wide initiatives that
improve school culture.
2. I can identify available resources as well
as resources needed to implement a
school-wide project that promotes my
school’s culture.
3. I can identify one new building wide
project to help unify my building
culture.

3. The Journey, The Process
Current School Culture
How
do y
ou
ge t t
here
?
What do you want
your school culture
to be???

4. How do you get there?
Identify the Gap
Who is this gap impacting?
Utilize RtI/PBIS data to begin
Access your administrators/deans/counselors who hold
this information
Identify ways that this information is impacting your school’s
culture

5. How did this beginning stage look at
FRHS?
Identify The Gap, Utilize data, Identify Impact on School
Culture
In this case, our deans identified a higher
referral rate with our Hispanic students
higher rate of fights & conflict
higher number of unexcused absences
self-reported feelings of disengagement and not
belonging from our Hispanic students

6. Data can be your friend

7. Next Steps for FRHS...
District resources= peace circle/conflict resolution
Outcome of mediation = a need for these students to have their
voices heard
Club to give opportunity for voice
Voice = Empowerment
Students started to make the transition from victimization to
action for overall improvement of culture
They wanted more TIME = administrative approval for class

8. Purpose + Voice = Empowerment
What do you feel our goals should be?:
“To show that no one is better than someone else” –Lucia
“Our goal should be to make FRHS a better place – Even more than it is – where different
cultured people are recognized in this school. We can change the names kids call it – from
‘rich kids school’ to ‘Fossil Ridge High School.” - Fernando
“I think our goals in the class are to make sure that every student and faculty member is
accepted without judgment.” - Mariah
“We need to increase student knowledge about stereotypes. For me personally, I feel most
uncomfortable when people see that I’m Hispanic, or hear my accent and then make
assumptions about me. Another goal would be to get students to interact with people they
typically wouldn’t to reduce animosity between groups.” - Kathia

9. Worksheet
1. What are some of the strengths in your school?
2. What groups are most recognized and supported
in your school?
3. Who are your underrepresented??

10. A group of students wants to make an
impact... now what?
Get the right people on your bus!!!
COLLABORATION IS KEY
Identify your most supported and recognized
groups in your building - they can become your
partners!

11. A group of students wants to make an
impact... now what? (continued)
Make a team with people willing to
go the distance
Grass Roots It begins with the STUDENTS
Recognize that you are building culture
within your team throughout the process

12. Identify Your Resources
A space and a place
Time to share common experiences
Time for Action
Ways to reach your student body
Media
Advisory
DL A 2
012-20
13

13. Our Projects - Ideas for School-Wide
Initiatives
Diversity Day 2011
Lip Dub 2012
Diversity Day 2012
Unity Day 2013: Ridge Life
Diversity Day 2013
Common Threads:
Student Voice, Messaging, Collaboration, Relevancy

14. Diversity Day 2011
http://youtu.be/HxeGNEjrGcw

15. Not just a video...
-a pledge
United
In
Diversity
-bracelets
-a banner
DLA 2011-2012

16. FRHS Lip Dub 2012
http://youtu.be/yXJ3tKJCuW0
May 2012 - Featured on the today show on 6/7/12 - YouTube Search - “Fossil Ridge High School Lip Dub 2012” (10:44 min)

17. Lip Dub Looking Back
Purpose & Messaging
School Wide Buy-In
Bumps in the road

18. Diversity Day 2012: Hear My Story
http://youtu.be/8cGLwTtaNJE
Fall 2012 - - YouTube Search - “Diversity Day Video 2012 - Fossil Ridge High School, Fort Collins, CO” (24:35 minutes)

19. I am more: Hear My Story

20. Unity Day 2013: Ridge Life
http://youtu.be/ltt5dbACjaI
Spring 2013 - YouTube Search - “Ridge Life: A High School Musical” (51:09 minutes)

21. Collaborators:
Ridge TV, DLA, Song-Writers
Guild,
Band, Local Coffee Shop, Choir
- What went well
- What didn’t go so well

22. Diversity Day 2013: #stopthenoise
http://youtu.be/eStM6Ficy8s

23. Not just another video...

24. #ridgetbh

25. Lessons along the way...
There is no right answer
Be prepared to encounter resistance
Set realistic expectations... but dream
big :)
Expect continuous refinement.

26. Lessons along the way, cont.
Accept change. Constantly.
Remember the message.
It IS about the students.
Don’t be afraid to be EPIC.

27. Integrate your work with your working culture:
PBIS, RtI, Rachel’s Challenge, etc.
4.
What, if any, school-wide positive culture initiatives have you
had in your school?
a. Do you feel they were impactful/effective? Why or why not?
5.What do you want to change about your school culture?
6.Where is your school in the PBIS/Rachel’s Challenge/etc. process?
7.Whom do you see as teammates/collaborators in the process?
8.What students or group of students would benefit from an opportunity
in empowerment?

28. Integrate your work with your working
culture:
PBIS, RtI, Rachel’s Challenge, etc.
9. In thinking about what you want to
change/improve/act on in your school’s culture, what
kind of events or activities would help you get there?
9. What resources do you have to follow through with
this?
10. What resources do you need?

29. Questions???
Melissa Vasa mediaz@psdschools.org
Brendan Gallagher
bgallagh@psdschools.org
YouTube Channel: SaberCatFilms
Twitter: @teachgallagher
@FossilRidgeDLA