Episode Details

When I drove into the parking lot at East Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was greeted by bright yellow arrows on the parking lot, pointing the direction for incoming and outgoing traffic.

A beautiful flower bed had been built in front of the school. A friendly security staff person met me at the front door and showed me to the main office. Inside, a secretary asked my name and offered to get me a drink. As I waited, I noticed the clean hallways, the overall sense of order and the sense that this was a place people liked to work.

East Central High School is an urban school with a recent history of challenge and struggle. Just 5 years ago, only 50% of students graduated on time. But since that time, East Central has become a turnaround school with new Advanced Placement Programs, increased STEM offerings, and 80% graduation rate.

One reason for the changes has been leadership. Mike Crase, Principal of East Central High School, is in his fifth year of leading a movement. Previously, he was an assistant principal at Webster High School and before that a teacher and coach. He is in his 26th year of education with 12 years as a school administrator. But the past five years have been the most rewarding and productive in terms of student outcomes.

Looking at the Numbers

Since Mike has been serving at East Central, he has seen transformation in at least four ways:
1. A previously failing school has transformed into a culture of positivity.
2. Restorative partnerships with students, teachers and parents have increased good behavior, academic outcomes, and social expectations.
3. Learning to manage difficult conversations has become a learned habit among all members.
4. Personal and professional growth are driven by relationships and data.

During the past five years, East Central High School has cut suspensions by 80%, increased Advanced Placement offerings from 7 classes to over 20 offerings, and provided every student an individualized pathway for high school success.

Relationships Matter

But the data is only evidence of the relationships Mike has built. As I was talking to Mike, Assistant Principal Rex Langley stopped by and said he needed some assistance with a difficult parent conversation and I was invited to walk with them. When we stepped into a school conference room, we were greeted with a shout of “Surprise!” It was Mike’s birthday, and his office and admin staff had filled the room with a buffet of lunch and dessert. The difficult-parent story was a ruse, and you could tell Mike’s staff enjoyed him as much as he was enjoying being with them.

Positive school cultures don’t happen by accident. As I walked Mike’s school, met students and teachers, and chatted with members of his admin staff, it was clear that the transformation at his school is the