Focus Areas

Dignity and Belonging

We aim to create a dignity-affirming culture in Southern Oregon’s schools where the environment is inclusive and inviting; people can show up authentically without fear; racial diversity, ethnic heritage, culture, unique lived experiences, and multiple languages are appreciated as assets; hard truths, limiting beliefs, and harmful systems are reckoned with and revamped; and our ultimate aim is for everyone to know, feel, and confidently say, ” I am safe, I matter and I belong at school and in my community.”

We listen deeply, share stories, make room for healing (ourselves and others), connect what we have in common, and strengthen relationships across our differences so we can improve experiences and foster conditions for true belonging. We’ve witnessed the dysfunctional cycle of equity work unfold over and over – with little to no improvement over time. We believe investing time and energy cultivating a culture of dignity is the fastest and most effective way to interrupt discrepancies, disparities, and proportionality in our school systems and truly improve experiences and outcomes so more people (adults, adolescents, and children) can thrive in the school environment and beyond. Our practices are rooted in Donna Hicks’ 10 Elements for Dignity (Hicks, 2018) and Floyd Cobb and John Krownapple’s Dignity Framework (Cobb & Krownapple, 2019).  We invite more openness, patience, listening, and empathy – more curiosity and less judgment – more love and less fear. The changes we seek are systemic and the equity and inclusion we seek begins in each one of us in community with others.

Continuous Improvement

Driven by dignity, educator voice, skilled leadership, collective efficacy, psychological safety and wellbeing, our Aim includes three key factors – safety – significance – and belonging.  These three items may seem separate, but we see them as linked.  The proximal nature of each indicator creates a closely coupled relationship where one indicator often affects the others. We are excited to see some incredible shifts in beliefs; ways of being and relating to others; and eagerness to engage in complex work.

In the spirit of continuous improvement, SOREN continues to refine our possibly wrong, definitely incomplete theory of change.  Our team continues to engage with educators, including SOREN Advisors, as well as seek support from our Community Partners and Gifted Team of Consultants and Contractors.  We are pushing on systems that are over a century old with an AIM that is simple and complex at the same time. We are consistently fighting the urge to fall into a place of comfort as we stretch our “Whys” and develop interconnected ways to move and measure small shifts that matter in the schema of continuous improvement and growth.

Focus on Educator’s Experience

Creating school environments where educators feel safe, know they matter, and experience belonging is essential for psychological safety, well-being, effective teaching, sustainable school improvement, and student success.

TOP 5 Reasons Why Safety, Significance & Belonging Matter

 1. Psychological Safety and School Climate

• Educator psychological safety—the belief that one can take risks, voice ideas, or express concerns without fear of negative consequences—improves collaboration, innovation, and school climate.
  • Source: Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams.
    In schools, this translates into higher team functioning and shared leadership, which leads to improved outcomes for students.

“When educators feel safe to be vulnerable, schools become places of real learning—for both staff and students.” – (Kraft & Papay, 2014)

2. Teacher Significance and Retention

• Teachers who feel valued and heard are more likely to remain in their roles.
  • One study found that teachers who feel respected and involved in decision-making are 3.4 times more likely to stay (Ingersoll et al., 2014).
  • Schools with high levels of teacher voice have lower turnover, especially in high-poverty contexts (TNTP, 2012).

“It’s not just about salary—teachers stay where they feel they make a difference and are supported.” – TNTP, The Irreplaceables (2012)

 3. Belonging and Professional Efficacy

• A sense of belonging among educators correlates with:
  • Lower burnout
  • Higher self-efficacy
    Greater commitment to equity and inclusion
  • Source: Collie et al. (2016), Teachers’ perceived autonomy support and well-being: The role of school climate and trust 
• Belonging also boosts educator-student relationships, making teachers more likely to connect with and advocate for diverse student needs.

4. School Culture and Student Achievement

• Schools with positive staff culture and shared values have:
  • Higher student test scores
  • Improved attendance and graduation rates
  • Reduced behavioral issues
  • Source: Leithwood et al. (2004), Review of Research: How Leadership Influences Student Learning

“You can’t have a thriving student culture without a thriving adult culture.”

 5. Inclusive & Equitable Leadership

• Leaders who intentionally foster staff belonging—through listening, collaboration, and shared power—contribute to:
  • Greater equity in school policies
  • Stronger implementation of student-centered initiatives
  • Better alignment between adult and student SEL outcomes
• Source: The Aspen Institute (2018), CASEL, Learning Policy Institute

A few References

• EdTrust – Teacher voice and equity
• Learning Policy Institute – Teacher turnover studies
• Aspen Institute – School Climate Playbook
• CASEL – Alignment of adult and student SEL

Mentoring

Our novice educators are supported through a robust and research-based mentoring program that continues to change and evolve to meet the needs of our educators, mentors, and districts through a human-centered approach that has been our foundation for over a decade. This rich tradition has continued in alignment with our “Educator Voice” and “Psychological Safety” primary drivers.