LEADINGtheJOURNEY

An E-newsletter on EXCELLENCE in Leadership

School Climate

The principal's role in establishing the climate of the school cannot be underestimated. The school climate reflects the effectiveness of the spiritual and scholastic growth taking place in the school. The climate, good or bad, is determined by the school spirit demonstrated by the students, by the collaborative culture of the staff, and by the communication plan between administration, staff, students, parents, and the local community.

It is important to determine whether faculty, staff, students, parents, and the community feel that the school is safe and maximizes collaboration for the enhancement of student learning. Research (Marzano) indicates that a safe and collaborative culture is considered foundational for the well-being of a school.

  • Teachers and collaborative groups regularly interact to address common issues and have formal roles in decision making regarding school initiatives.
  • All stakeholder groups have formal ways to provide input regarding optimal functioning of the school.

Because school climate affects teacher productivity, the instructional quality received by students will generally be affected. Following are some of the effective principal’s roles in fostering and sustaining a positive school climate:

  • Involving students, staff, parents, and the community to create and sustain a safe learning environment.
  • Using knowledge of the social, cultural, leadership, and political dynamics of the school community to implement effective change.
  • Modeling respect for students, staff, parents, and the community.
  • Developing and implementing a plan that manages conflict and crisis situations in an effective and timely manner.
  • Utilizing shared decision making.

(Found in the Handbook for Principals 2024, under “Leadership” Category, pp. 18-25.)

Books on Cultivating School Climate

Handbook for High Reliability SchoolsRobert Marzano, Phil Warrick, Julia Simms

Shaping School CultureTerrence Deal and Kent Peterson

School Culture RewiredSteve Gruenert & Todd Whitaker

August 2025 | Volume 14, No. 1

Prayer-Covered Campuses: How Intercession Shapes School Climate

By Zaidy Olivarria
Principal of Orangewood Academy

When you step onto a school campus, you can often feel the atmosphere before you even hear the first bell ring. Some schools carry a sense of warmth and welcome that immediately puts students, staff, and visitors at ease. Others might feel tense, rushed, or heavy. This intangible “vibe” is what we often refer to as school climate. For me, as a principal of a Seventh-day Adventist Pre-K–12 school, I have come to believe that prayer is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have for shaping a positive, Christ-centered climate.

Prayer doesn’t just respond to crises; it sets the spiritual tone. It creates an atmosphere where students feel safe and cared for, where staff members feel united and encouraged, and where God’s presence is invited into the daily life of the school. When a campus is intentionally covered in prayer, peace becomes more than a concept—it becomes a culture.

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Biblical Vision

Prayer and peace

The Bible speaks often of prayer’s transformative power. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” In a school setting, where there is no shortage of challenges—from academic pressures to social conflicts—this peace is priceless.

 

As educators and administrators, we make countless decisions each day that impact the lives of students and their families. I have found that when those decisions are grounded in prayer, they are less reactionary and more aligned with the values of grace, wisdom, and fairness. Prayer changes not only the outcomes, but also the way we approach challenges—with patience, understanding, and faith.

 

Interestingly, the practice of “praying” for a positive environment is not limited to Christians or even religious people. There is something deeply human about wanting to create spaces filled with hope and peace. My husband, who is also an administrator and school psychologist in the public-school setting, once shared an experience from a previous school principal he worked with. Before the start of each school year, she would walk through every classroom with an egg, rubbing it in each corner and door as a way to “remove bad energy” and set a positive tone for the year ahead. She was not a Christian, yet she understood the importance of shaping the unseen atmosphere of the school.

 

In many ways, this desire is universal. Even those who do not believe in God often turn to practices like meditation, mindfulness, or rituals to bring peace and clarity. These are echoes of humanity’s shared longing for connection, renewal, and positive transformation. As Christians, however, we recognize that prayer is more than a ritual. It is an invitation for the Holy Spirit to dwell among us, guiding our steps and blessing the communities that we serve.

 

 

as the

Prayer

Atmosphere setter

When prayer becomes the foundation of leadership, it transforms school culture from the inside out. It shapes how we see our students, our colleagues, and even ourselves. Prayer helps us shift our focus from problems to possibilities, from anxiety to hope. I’ve seen how starting every staff meeting with prayer, even a simple one, changes the tone of the conversation. It invites humility, collaboration, and a willingness to listen with grace. Prayer has a way of softening hearts and opening minds. It turns routine tasks into opportunities for ministry, and it transforms classrooms into places where students feel loved, understood, and supported.

 

Prayer doesn’t mean that challenges disappear, but it does mean we face them differently. It reminds us that we are not alone and that the Creator of the universe is invested in the daily rhythms of our schools.

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Practical ways

Embed Prayer into School Life

A prayerful school climate doesn’t happen by accident; it takes intentionality. Here are some practices that have shaped our campus:

 

Walking the campus and praying over each classroom, hallway, and playground can be a powerful way to claim the space for God’s peace. This has become a meaningful practice for us—at the start of each school year, in gratitude at the end, and before major events.

Inviting parents to partner with the school in intercessory prayer helps build a strong connection between home and school. One of my students’ great-grandparents sends me a short note and prayer every day by text. The peace I feel when I know someone is praying for me is indescribable—and often, those messages arrive at just the moment I need them most

Pairing teachers and staff to pray for one another creates a sense of unity and care. When educators know someone is lifting them up in prayer, they feel supported not just professionally, but personally and spiritually. It’s been powerful to watch our faculty pause during the day to seek God together in prayer.

Encouraging students to pray for one another—whether through classroom prayer journals, prayer walls, or student-led prayer groups—helps foster compassion and a culture of care. Last year, we witnessed this in action as students began praying for each other during tests and even lifting up their teachers when they noticed them feeling stressed. Prayer became their natural response—a beautiful testimony to their growing faith.

Setting aside intentional time for prayer as a team helps bring unity, purpose, and direction to our work. Last year, we met outside of regular staff meetings, gathering on Wednesdays in the auditorium to pray over our worries, hopes, and desires for the school. We saw God move mountains, and we praised Him when prayers were answered—and even when they weren’t, we had peace and praised Him, knowing that He was still working. These moments reminded us that this is truly His school, and our work is part of His greater plan.

Prayer Walks

Parent Prayer Involvement

Prayer Partnerships Among Staff

Student Prayer Initiatives

Staff Prayers

testimonies

 Transformation

of

I have witnessed firsthand how prayer changes things. In the past year, our school went through tremendous diffculties that shook the foundation of our entity. If it hadn’t been for the constant intercessional prayer of our faculty, staff, pastors, parents, churches, and community, our school wouldn’t be what it is today. But through this purposeful prayer and by seeking God’s wisdom and humility, our teachers renewed their strength and joy. And our students, too, have been moved—there is something powerful about knowing you are being prayed for by name.

 

One of the most profound testimonies has come from our staff prayers. Teachers began sharing how prayer shifted their perspective—not only on the challenges they faced but on the very purpose of their calling as educators. What once felt like obstacles became opportunities: opportunities for their faith to grow, for encouragement to be shared, and for hope to take root in their classrooms.

 

Prayer builds bridges where walls once stood. It changes not just the atmosphere of a school, but the hearts of the people within it.

Climate Christ Calls us

create

to

The

School climate is about more than decorations, schedules, programs, or events. It’s the spiritual and emotional environment that every child steps into when they walk through our doors. As Christian educators, we have a sacred calling to make sure that the environment reflects Christ’s love, grace, and peace.

 

Prayer is the foundation of this work. We don’t need elaborate programs or complicated strategies, just the willingness to invite God into our classrooms, offces, and hearts. Whether it’s a simple whispered prayer before a tough meeting or a school-wide day of intercession, every prayer makes a difference.

 

If you’ve never tried intentionally covering your campus in prayer, start small. Pray for one classroom a week. Invite a colleague to join you in praying for your students. I invite you to, as Paul commanded, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and watch how God begins to transform not just the climate of your school, but also the lives of those who walk its halls, from the youngest soul to ourselves.

Rooted in a Legacy of faith and a commitment to holistic education, North American Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) academies offer a school climate where students are both deeply cared for and academically challenged. At an SDA academy, every lesson and interaction is underscored by a Christ-centered philosophy that shapes not only minds but also hearts. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to weave biblical values throughout every subject, echoing the call to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Learning is vibrant and active: classrooms buzz with inquiry-based projects and group collaborations. At the same time, students are routinely encouraged to serve their communities, reflecting the biblical mandate to “serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13).

In SDA academies, students are genuinely rooted in faith but soar in learning—prepared not only for academic success but also for lives of character, service, and wisdom, living the truth that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

References:

Ellen G. White. (1952). Child Guidance. Review and Herald Publishing Association. (Original work published 1954).

Central to this climate is a student-focused organizational structure. School leaders, faculty, and support staff form a unified team dedicated to spiritual guidance and academic achievement, in partnership with parents, church members, and local communities. Teachers are more than instructors—they are mentors who cultivate character as much as scholarship, modeling Christian virtues and nurturing every child as an individual. As Ellen G. White reminds us, “True education means more than taking a certain course of study. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man” (Education, p. 13).

Safety and security form another pillar of this climate. Physical well-being is assured through comprehensive campus protocols, while emotional and spiritual health is guarded by anti-bullying programs, counseling support, and open communication. Regular worship, prayer, and spiritual reflection provide a safe space for students to deepen their faith and resilience. As Ellen G. White urges, “Let every parent and teacher who is a follower of Christ, labor earnestly and untiringly to aid the youth to reach the real standard of Christian manhood and womanhood” (Child Guidance, p. 469).

Respectful relationships flourish within these schools, marked by inclusiveness and peer support. Students are taught to act with honesty, kindness, and integrity, while healthful living—shaped by Adventist principles, such as plant-based diets and physical activity—reinforces the belief that the body is “the temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Expectations are high: students are challenged to pursue academic excellence and responsible citizenship, guided by clear codes of conduct and Dress, and inspired to take on leadership and service roles.

  Rooted in Faith, Soaring in Learning:

The Unique School Climate of SDA Academies

Student-Focused Structure

Safety and Security

Respectful Relationship and Healthful Living

By Addriene Rhodes

Headmaster/Principal— Pine Forge Academy

MISSION: STRENGTHENING ADVENTIST EDUCATION ONE LEADER AT A TIME

Newsletter Editor

Berit von Pohle, Editor

Ed Boyatt, Editorial Advisor

Issue Coordinator

Robin Banks

High School Principal

Loma Linda Academy