National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

At Canton Charter Academy we have learned to do many things well including growing students academically and connecting with parents. These are both huge levers when it comes to our overall success. Despite this, the most important, thing we've done is maintained a positive building culture. As an Administrative Team, we constantly strive to understand the needs of the faculty and garner their input to help Canton Charter evolve into a better school. Each year teachers participate in strategic planning teams. Here, our faculty signs up for a series of meetings tackling topics as broad as data analysis to specific as revising the staff meeting calendar. These planning conversations, facilitated by an administrator, result in compromise and understanding as adjustments are made for the following school year. We whole-heartedly demonstrate John Maxwell's statements: "The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails."

Aside from supporting change, we also build camaraderie by hosting social events and team building activities for staff. These increase relational capacity across grades. In this way, we have a school where staff members enjoy coming to work and love working together. Canton Charter is lauded by staff as a great place to work. This positivity trickles down to students and ultimately impacts the building's culture and achievement.