Elementary-school principal Tracey Smith first focused on the staff when she wanted to improve her school's culture. In this commentary, Smith offers several methods they used to make the school happier and shares the school's theme for next year -- "We Are Connected."

All staff members at a Mississippi elementary school have a hand in instruction, asserts principal Kathleen Grigsby. In this Q&A, she reveals three more practices that led to the school's success.

A California elementary school focused on project-based learning to implement the Common Core State Standards into its curriculum, principal Tyler Graff explains in this interview. Graff describes a project where a grade 2-3 combination class applied several literacy standards and engaged in community issues by interviewing, writing about and "voting" on school board candidates.

School mission statements offer direction and framework, asserts elementary-school principal Tom Martellone. In this blog post, he compares the singular direction of mission statements to the synchronization of a skilled rowing team and asks school leaders to consider whether everyone on their own team is rowing in the same direction. "In a time of great upheaval in education, a school's mission and vision may be just the thing your school needs to help keep you focused on why we all got into this work in the first place -- student learning," he writes.

One New Jersey principal says the implementation of a strict dress code for students has improved the school's atmosphere and culture. "I would recommend it to any public school in America," the principal said of the policy, which allows students to wear navy or khaki pants, shorts or skirts and red, white or blue polo shirts.