Special Report
School Climate & Safety Opinion

6 Ways to Create a Healthy School Climate

January 04, 2013 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Over the last two decades, many in the public have viewed the lack of discipline as one of the key problems facing public schools. How can educators find a balance between establishing order and creating a welcoming learning environment for students? To share their insights into this thorny issue, Education Week Commentary asked six thought leaders the question:

What is the most effective approach for maintaining discipline and a positive climate in the public schools?

Read their responses:

School Climate & Safety Opinion Raise Expectations
Clinton L. Robinson Jr.
Southwestern Area Superintendent
Wake County, N.C.
Clinton L. Robinson Jr., January 4, 2013
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Channel Energy to Social-Justice Projects
Xian Barrett
Law and History Teacher
Gage Park High School, Chicago
Xian Barrett, January 4, 2013
3 min read
Families & the Community Opinion Keep Communication Lines Open
Candi Cushman
Education Analyst
Focus on the Family
Candi Cushman, January 4, 2013
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Be Consistent
Earl Perkins
Assistant Superintendent of School Operations
Los Angeles Unified School District
Earl Perkins, January 4, 2013
2 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Emphasize the Positive and Personal
Matt Cregor
Assistant Counsel
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Matt Cregor, January 4, 2013
3 min read
School Climate & Safety Opinion Build Relationships
Laurie Barron
Principal
Smokey Road Middle School, Newnan, Ga.
Laurie Barron, January 4, 2013
3 min read

Related Tags:

Events

Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting Struggling Readers in Middle and High School
Join this free virtual event to learn more about policy, data, research, and experiences around supporting older students who struggle to read.
School & District Management Webinar Squeeze More Learning Time Out of the School Day
Learn how to increase learning time for your students by identifying and minimizing classroom disruptions.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Webinar
Improve Reading Comprehension: Three Tools for Working Memory Challenges
Discover three working memory workarounds to help your students improve reading comprehension and empower them on their reading journey.
Content provided by Solution Tree

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Climate & Safety Opinion Behavioral Threat Assessment: A Guide for Educators and Leaders (Downloadable)
Two specialists explain the best course to prevent school violence.
Jillian Haring & Jameson Ritter
1 min read
Shadow on the wall of girl wearing backpack walking to school
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety New York City Is the Latest to Deploy Panic Buttons in Schools
The nation's largest district is the latest to adopt emergency alert technology.
4 min read
A faculty member at Findley Oaks Elementary School holds a Centegix crisis alert badge during a training on Monday, March 20, 2023. The Fulton County School District is joining a growing list of metro Atlanta school systems that are contracting with the company, which equips any employee with the ability to notify officials in the case of an emergency.
A faculty member at Findley Oaks Elementary School holds a Centegix crisis alert badge during a training on Monday, March 20, 2023. Emergency alert systems have spread quickly to schools around the country as a safety measure. The nation's largest district is the latest to adopt one.
Natrice Miller/AJC.com via TNS
School Climate & Safety Q&A Inside the Fear at Chicago Schools Amid Federal Immigration Raids
Sylvelia Pittman has never experienced something like the current federal crackdown in her city.
5 min read
Sylvelia Pittman stands for a portrait outside of Nash Elementary School in Chicago on Oct. 30, 2025.
Sylvelia Pittman stands for a portrait outside of Nash Elementary School in Chicago on Oct. 30, 2025. She spoke with Education Week about the fears she is grappling with regarding immigration raids and federal agents' increased presence near her school.
Jim Vondruska for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Download How to Use School Security Cameras Effectively: 5 Tips (DOWNLOADABLE)
Smart, thoughtful use of security cameras can help bolster the safety of schools, experts say.
1 min read
A photo showing a CCTV security eye style camera monitoring students in a classroom. The classroom is blurred in the background while the camera is in focus.
iStock/Getty