Culture First: How Adult Shifts Drive Student Behavior, Engagement and Belonging

We’ve all heard it, and maybe even said it ourselves: “These kids are different.” And it’s true. But what often gets overlooked is this: So are we. In this high-impact session, we’ll explore five strategic adult shifts that create strong and supportive learning environments for today's middle grades students. Grounded in research on student development and motivation, these shifts help schools design a culture that increase consistency, strengthens adult-student relationships, and reduces the need for reactive discipline practices. Participants will reflect on how school culture is experienced by students and teachers, evaluate current practices, and walk away with tools to lead strategic conversations, and implement practices that foster belonging, emotional safety, and engagement.