GENERAL SCHOOL CULTURE IDEAS

Jostens Renaissance Education is designed to inspire, motivate, and renew a climate and culture of character, connection of stakeholders, and celebration of achievement while addressing the needs, challenges, and concerns in today’s schools. These are proven ideas to impact school climate and culture! From using Jostens Renaissance resources (such as Pause Before You Post and The Pulse Student Recognition Survey) to other successful approaches in the schoolhouse, these examples provide tangible and actionable ideas and tactics.

FEATURED IDEA EXCHANGES

The Idea Exchanges in this area are available to all schools without logging in.

ARTICLE

STUDENT CARE STATIONS

Place student care stations throughout your school with school supplies and hygiene products to help students feel prepared and confident every day at school.

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VIDEO

MINUTE TO PITCH IT WITH STEVE BOLLAR

With a timer counting down, how many school culture ideas can Steve Bollar give? He’ll be sorry if he takes too long!

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ARTICLE

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TOURNAMENT

Reinforce a sense of community with a surprisingly exciting school-wide Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of Champions. This is one of our favorites!

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EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL CULTURE IDEAS

The Idea Exchanges below are available to Jostens customers after logging in.

Compliment Chair
Elementary, General Ideas

Decorate a Compliment Chair where students and Staffulty members can take a turn sitting to receive compliments from their peers – a great SEL activity for…

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Grow Your Social Media Footprint
General Ideas

Let’s face it – students are on social media and most use it daily. Why not make sure they are seeing your content there so they…

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Town Hall Meeting
General Ideas

Reinforce school values and the idea that everyone’s thoughts matter by hosting a Town Hall meeting for students. Invite a speaker and offer breakfast or treats…

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Freshmen Welcome Bags
General Ideas

Welcome your incoming 9th grade freshmen to your school community with a gift bag that includes school swag for them to wear and encourage school spirit.…

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Discussion Cards
General Ideas

Build relationships anytime during the school year with either students, Staffulty, or both with these easy to use discussion cards. Just print, pass, and start getting…

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Minute to Pitch It: Spirit Week
General Ideas

Boost school spirit anytime, not just Homecoming, with a competitive spirit week! Activity goal: General Culture and Climate Timing: Anytime you need some school spirit  …

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Minute to Pitch It: Screaming Toes
General Ideas

AHHHH!!! Here is your next ice breaker game from Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate that is both silly, loud, and doesn’t need any materials! Activity goal: Build Culture…

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Frivolous Fun Scavenger Hunt
General Ideas

Reinforce a culture of joy by creating a fun scavenger hunt at school in which students search for designated items, like dollar store dinosaurs, around campus.…

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Therapy Dog Visits
General Ideas

Promote mental wellness by having therapy dogs visit your campus. School type: K- 12 Activity goal: SEL Submitted by: Brazoswood High School, TX _________    

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Mental Wellness Week
General Ideas

Bring awareness to the importance of mental health for Staffulty and students alike during a Mental Wellness Week. Each day, introduce a focus area and a…

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Black History Month Celebration
General Ideas

Celebrate Black History Month with an event that your entire community can attend and enjoy together at school. School Type: High school Activity Goal: General Culture…

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Spirit Week Cafeteria Fun
General Ideas

Encourage participation in your school’s spirit week by playing a variety of Minute to Win It games that are quick and entertaining during lunch periods. School…

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Pancake Feed
General Ideas

Get your community excited for the first day of school with a pancake feed – breakfast is the most important meal of the day after all!…

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Student Care Stations
General Ideas

Place student care stations throughout your school with school supplies and hygiene products to help students feel prepared and confident every day at school, no matter…

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Paper Cranes of Peace
General Ideas

Help students process their grief or other large feelings by creating origami cranes of peace, based on the story of Sadako Sasaki – a survivor of…

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Summer Spike Out
Fundraising, General Ideas

Celebrate the beginning of summer and the end of a great school year by bringing your school community together for a school-wide 6 vs. 6 volleyball…

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Klondike Bar Challenge
General Ideas

“What would you do for a Klondike® bar?” Host a Klondike Bar Challenge Day – a day of challenges that your students and Staffulty can do…

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Halloween Egg Hunt
General Ideas

A spooky good time for all! Organize an Halloween Egg Hunt during October to connect students and Staffulty. School type: K-12 Activity goal: General Culture and…

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Taffy Time
General Ideas

Spread giggles (and maybe some groans) through your whole school with Taffy Time – an easy-to-do activity of passing out candy during class and sharing a…

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Minute to Pitch It: Elementary First Day of School Ideas
Elementary, General Ideas

Building relationships between students and Staffulty™ keeps everyone, especially elementary students, enthusiastic about coming to school. Get started with these elementary first day of school ideas…

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Minute to Pitch It: Kicking Off the School Year
General Ideas

We love back to school season! Start your year off on a positive note with these spectacular back to school culture building ideas from Horizon Middle…

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Low Cost Rewards
General Ideas

Looking for some new rewards that won’t break the bank? Check out the list below for ideas for big or small low cost rewards for students…

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Increasing Student Participation: A Step By Step Guide
General Ideas

Do an audit of your student body and the percentage of students that are involved in some type of club, competitive student organization, or athletic program…

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Better Teacher Retention Starts with Culture
General Ideas

It’s not a secret that administrators and teachers are leaving schools at a high rate. More than ever, school culture and climate is key to attracting…

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Monday Memo
General Ideas

Have your principal (or other administration Staffulty member) send a Monday Memo to communicate all of your school’s Renaissance initiatives to students, parents and Staffulty using…

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Back to School BBQ Bash
Fundraising, General Ideas

Host a Back to School BBQ Bash to bring together your entire school community (Staffulty, students, parents, and community partners) for a night of fun, and…

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Student Club Cookie Exchange
General Ideas, Student Recognition & Reward

Bring together students involved in the many clubs and organizations at your school by hosting a Student Club Cookie Exchange – a great way to celebrate…

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Lunch on the Lawn
General Ideas

Invite your school community to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets to your school’s green space on the first Friday of each month for Lunch on…

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Daily Words of Wisdom
General Ideas

Reinforce your school’s values by starting or ending the day with an inspirational quote or other daily words of wisdom for students. Share on social media…

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Dress Up Day Ideas
General Ideas

Looking for some new dress up day ideas that you can do at your school? Check out the list below for ideas where you can go…

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Student Club Rush
General Ideas

How do students in your middle or high school find out about student groups or clubs? Make a fun event out of the search for new…

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Minute to Pitch It: School Lib Dup
General Ideas

EVERYONE can participate in creating an all school lip dub. And that’s an easy recipe for building a lasting sense of inclusion and camaraderie. School Type:…

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Minute to Pitch It: Say Cheese!
General Ideas

We’ve all seen it. We’ve all felt it. And we know it works, but it’s easy to forget how effective it is for motivation and building…

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Create a Sense of Fun
Elementary, General Ideas

Use Renaissance to build on the positive things happening at your school. Hear Tina’s perspective on how she does it at the elementary school level in…

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Harbor Homerooms
General Ideas, The Harbor Ideas

Harbor Homeroom can support SEL and help you discover more student leaders on your campus than you ever imagined. School type: High School Activity goal: Implement…

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Minute to Pitch It: Culture Building Ideas with Steve Bollar
General Ideas

With a timer counting down, how many ideas can Steve Bollar give? He’ll be sorry if he takes too long! One minute. 60 seconds. Ideas Ideas…

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Minute to Pitch It: High Five Fridays
General Ideas

High Five Fridays are easy, free, and effective at reinforcing positive relationships between Staffulty and students. Activity goal: Develop relationships with all students.  Timing: Before or…

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Gratitude Wall
General Ideas, The Look of Renaissance

A celebration of the people in your school At Rock Hill High School, TX, a wooden box sits on a prominent round table in the middle…

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Clean Laundry Initiative
General Ideas

Provide free laundry services for students who may not have access to a washer and dryer at home. Renaissance students wash, dry and fold the clothing…

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First Day of School Photos
General Ideas

Make the first day of school even more fun by creating a photo backdrop with photo props for students and Staffulty to take pictures all day.…

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Trick or Treat
General Ideas

Build school-wide involvement and positive interactions between students and Staffulty through Trick or Treating activity. School type: Middle School, High School Activity goal: Build school-wide involvement…

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Virtual Backgrounds
General Ideas

Talking with others on video calls gives us a glimpse into their living situations. Some educators, as well as students, might prefer not to share their…

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Virtual Back-to-School Night
General Ideas

Walker Junior High School in La Palma, CA From Jennifer Sasai, Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame Member Here is the Google Site I created for our…

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VIRTUAL LEARNING DAILY CHECK-IN PROMPTS
General Ideas

Share these prompts to encourage your students to do something a little different each day they are virtual learning. Each prompt includes: A check-in question to…

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Applause
General Ideas

Welcome students as they arrive on the first day of school with applause and cheers from the school staff. School type: Elementary, Middle School, High School…

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Just Checking In Cards
General Ideas

Students are often the first to know when another student is having a rough day or could use a little extra attention. These Just Checking In…

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Rock Star Certificate
General Ideas

Parents and other adult volunteers are critical to making your school’s activities run smoothly. Be sure to show them how much you appreciate their donations of…

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NEW STUDENT AND TEACHER BINGO
General Ideas

Encourage new students to get to know the adults in your school by having conversations about an interesting aspect of their lives. School Type: Middle School…

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CUT ME SOME SLACK PASS
General Ideas

New students need a little extra time to find their way around the school and understand expectations. These cards are an easy way to show them…

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GPA CHAMPIONSHIP
General Ideas

Create a connection between athletics and academics by rewarding the varsity team with the highest in-season GPA. School type: High School Activity goal:Create a strong connection between…

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TEST DAY DESK MESSAGE
General Ideas

Build classroom community by writing an encouraging message to students on the day of an important test or presentation they have been working hard on. School…

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TESTING PACKET
General Ideas

Put together packets filled with supplies that will help students prepare and perform well on state exams or other tests. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High…

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JOKE OF THE DAY
General Ideas

Tell a joke during morning announcements to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School Activity goal: Start…

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MORNING HI FIVES
General Ideas

Create a positive vibe to kick off the day. Have students and staff at each door giving Hi Fives to everyone who enters. School type: K-12…

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PINNING CEREMONY
General Ideas

Create a feeling of belonging to the school community for the new class of students by having a pinning ceremony. School type: High School Activity goal: Welcome…

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Mirror Clings
General Ideas

Place these clings in various locations around the school as a visual reminder to keep a positive attitude and share it with others through compliments and…

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Passing of the Torch
General Ideas

A fun ceremony that celebrates the accomplishments of the graduating class and the advancement of underclassmen from one grade to the next. School type: Elementary School, Middle…

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Sidewalk Chalk Messages
General Ideas, The Look of Renaissance

Welcome students to campus with positive messages on the sidewalks, setting the tone of your school as a fun place where everyone belongs. School type: K-12…

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A Compliment for Every Student
Character Recognition & Reward, General Ideas, Student Recognition & Reward, The Look of Renaissance

Place compliment notes on each locker – a great way to display your positive culture in the hallways! School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize students Submitted…

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School Board Appreciation
General Ideas

Recognize and thank your school board for their contributions to making your school a better place. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Recognize your school board Submitted…

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Rainy Day Message
General Ideas

Add some energy and fun to a rainy day. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Set a positive tone on a rainy day Submitted by: Steve Bollar

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Movie Night
Fundraising, General Ideas

Help your students celebrate the end of the semester or school year with a movie night at school! School type: Elementary School, Middle School, High School…

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Dot Exercise
General Ideas

An activity to help your staff and faculty ensure all students feel connected. School type: MS, HS Activity goal: Identify your “invisible” students so you can ensure all…

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The Look of Renaissance: Birthday Walls
General Ideas, The Look of Renaissance

A great way to recognize students and staffulty during their birthday month. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Provide recogntion for all students and staffulty members. Submitted by: Tara…

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ADAPTIVE PROM
General Ideas

A great way to honor and recognize a very special group of students in your building with an adapted prom night, creating a night they will…

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NAME CALLING TURNED POSITIVE
General Ideas

Empower students and staff by turning name calling into something positive. School type: Elementary School Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by: Tina Dietrich, Fountain Woods Elementary, NJ  

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MONTHLY PERFECT ATTENDANCE FOR STUDENTS
General Ideas

A great way to get all students to care about their attendance. Because it matters!   School type: High school, middle school Activity goal: Recognize and…

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BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE
General Ideas

A good example of a creative reward for good behavior: VIP, home-style seating at varsity games. School type: High School Activity goal: Encourage positive behavior Submitted by:…

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ATTENDANCE BUCKS
General Ideas

Give students Attendance Bucks for good attendance. Allow them to use those bucks to enter a drawing for various prizes. For even more fun, allow teachers…

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GETTING STARTED: TIPS AS YOU START RENAISSANCE
Fundraising, General Ideas

It’s not always easy to know where to start, but educators have been using Renaissance ideals for decades. The following are some great tips to keep…

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GETTING STARTED: FORMING A RENAISSANCE COMMITTEE
General Ideas

A good early step in starting Renaissance at your school is to form a Renaissance Committee. School type: K-12 Activity goal: Create a committee for Renaissance…

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