WS/FCS District Wide Rule #3
Schooltopia
Students imagine a positive school culture and connect their vision to attendance, engagement, responsibility, and being in the right place at the right time.
Aligned to WS/FCS District Rule #3
Arrive on Time, Stay in Class, and Have Permission to Travel
Expectation: Arrive to class before the bell, remain in assigned areas, and obtain permission before traveling in common spaces during the school day.
Be in class before the bell.
Remain in your assigned area.
Get approval before traveling.
Activity
Schooltopia
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Paper, pencils, no slide deck required
Purpose
Students will explore what makes a positive school culture and identify how individual actions contribute to a safe, supportive, and successful learning environment. Students will connect their ideas to the importance of attendance, engagement, and being in the right place at the right time.
Teacher Opening Script
“Today we are going to imagine a school where things work the way they should. We will think about what students need, what staff can do, and what each person must contribute. A strong school culture does not happen by accident. It is built by the choices we make every day, including arriving on time, staying in class, and getting permission before traveling through the building.”
30-Minute Lesson Flow
Part 1: 10 Minutes
Opinion Spectrum: Students move to Agree, Not Sure, or Disagree and explain their thinking.
Part 2: 15 Minutes
Design Your Schooltopia: Groups design their ideal school culture.
Part 3: 5 Minutes
Making It Reality: Groups identify one realistic action they can start now.
Teacher Facilitation Checklist
- Keep the opinion spectrum moving so Part 1 stays near 10 minutes.
- Push groups to connect ideas to real student and staff actions.
- Require one realistic action, not just an ideal vision.
- Close by explicitly reconnecting the lesson to Rule #3.
Part 1: Opinion Spectrum
Setup
Create three areas in the room: Agree, Not Sure, and Disagree.
Directions
- Invite students to gather near the spectrum.
- Read each statement aloud.
- Students move to the area that best represents their opinion.
- After each statement, invite one or two students to explain their reasoning.
Sample Statements
Read one statement at a time. Use 3–5 statements depending on the group and available time.
Part 1 Discussion Questions
- What did you notice during this activity?
- Were there any common responses?
- Did any responses surprise you?
- If you could change one thing about school immediately, what would it be?
Talking Point: “Next, we will imagine what the perfect school culture would look like. A utopia is a place where everything works the way it should. Today, we will create our own ‘Schooltopia.’”
Part 2: Design Your Schooltopia
Directions
- Place students into groups of three or four.
- Ask groups to design their ideal school culture.
- Encourage creativity while considering the planning questions below.
- Have groups record or sketch their ideas.
- Invite each group to share its Schooltopia with the class.
Schooltopia Planning Questions
Example Final Schooltopia
Show this example so groups understand what their final idea could include. Their product can be words, a quick sketch, symbols, or a simple map.
Schooltopia: “The Phoenix Way”
Culture
Students feel safe, welcomed, challenged, and respected.
Values
Respect, responsibility, effort, kindness, and accountability.
Mission Statement
We show up on time, stay engaged, and help each other grow.
Policy Idea
Students use passes responsibly and stay in assigned spaces so everyone is safe and learning.
Part 3: Making It Reality
Talking Points
- Positive change begins with a vision.
- While no school is perfect, improvement happens through small actions taken consistently.
- Every member of the school community contributes to school culture.
Directions
- Ask groups to review their Schooltopia.
- Have each group identify one realistic action that could be implemented immediately.
- Discuss what support would be needed from staff and peers.
- Invite each group to share its action step.
Making It Reality Discussion
Reflection: Connection to Rule #3
- How does arriving on time help create the school culture you described?
- How does staying in class contribute to learning and safety?
- Why is it important to have permission before leaving class or traveling through the building?
- How can being responsible for your time and location improve the school experience for everyone?
Follow-Up
Check in with students later in the week to see whether anyone has implemented their action step and what impact it had on the classroom or school community.
Closing Reminder
A strong school culture is built by showing up, staying engaged, being where you are supposed to be, and making responsible choices every day.
Rooted in Excellence, Growing Toward Greatness!
Show up. Stay engaged. Be where you belong. Build the culture you want.
