The Alignment Nashville School Culture & Climate A-Team is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance the well-being and academic success of students by fostering positive school environments. This team integrates community resources and evidence-based practices to support schools in creating nurturing and inclusive atmospheres that promote social-emotional learning, student engagement, and academic achievement. The goal of the School Culture & Climate A-Team is to equip schools with a toolbox of community and district resources to mitigate the impact of disproportionality and ensure that EVERY STUDENT IS KNOWN.
This A-Team represents the combination of the Student Voice and School Climate A-Teams; together, these two teams will be able to more effectively and efficiently align resources to support the work of the MNPS Positive Schools Supports Department.
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Co-Chairs:
Dr. Jaime Lomax, MNPS
Magistrate Jennifer Wade, Juvenile Court
Members:
Destini Burns, The F.I.N.D. Design
Simyka Carlton, MNPS
Thomas Chappelle, Backfield in Motion
Ingrid Cockren, Paces Connection
Mary Crnobori, MNPS
Allie Duke, Nashville After Zone Alliance
Laura Fittz, Vanderbilt University
Judy Freudenthal, Oasis Center
Susan Galeas, Family Center
Joe Gordon, MNPS
Melissa Gordon, MNPS
Quincy Ingle, MNPS
Dr. Thomas Lavallais, MNPS
Chad Prather, MNPS
Benjamin Smith, Southern Word
Lakeisha Thomas, Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee
On March 20th, the Alignment Nashville School Climate A-Team visited Pennington Elementary and Two Rivers Middle to experience firsthand the innovative Advocacy and Peace Centers. These centers are not just physical spaces but vibrant hubs of support, collaboration, and empowerment within the school community.
Advocacy Centers, now in all MNPS elementary schools, provide short-term interventions on-the-spot when needed to help students feel better and get back on track during the school day, and develop prosocial skills that support emotional and behavioral regulation and school success. Advocacy Centers are designed to provide students with a voice, offering them a platform to express their thoughts, concerns, and aspirations. Advocacy Centers also support teachers and staff in the building, providing a place of respite when needed, but also providing support for dysregulated students.
“Our Advocacy Center Coach has a huge impact on our school climate. She’s a calm presence and helps build positive relationships across the school community. When she helps one of my dysregulated students, she helps me and my entire classroom of students.” - Pennington Elementary kindergarten teacher
Peace Centers, which are in all MNPS middle schools, equip students with tools and strategies to manage conflicts peacefully, cultivate empathy and understanding, and promote a culture of mutual respect and inclusivity. These centers not only address immediate conflicts but also contribute significantly to creating a supportive school climate over time.
The visits to Pennington Elementary and Two Rivers Middle underscored the profound impact of Advocacy and Peace Centers on school climate. These centers not only cultivate essential skills and values in students but also contribute to a culture of empathy, understanding, and resilience. As schools continue to prioritize holistic approaches to education, initiatives like these play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of compassionate and empowered leaders.
“...as our students come to us with increasing needs each year, the Advocacy Centers are critical in responding to those needs.” - Pennington Elementary Principal Raquel Gonzalez
