Leading with Culture: Building Schools Students and Teachers Want to Attend with Shaun Hurtado

📝 Episode SynopsisWhat makes students genuinely want to come to school?In this episode of Classroom Narratives, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with principal, speaker, and author Shaun Hurtado to explore how school culture is created—not through slogans or assemblies, but through thousands of intentional interactions between students, teachers, and leaders.Together they discuss why every student deserves at least one trusted adult, how administrators can lead through visibility instead of isolation, and why authentic relationships are among the strongest forms of prevention available in today's schools. Shaun shares practical leadership strategies from his Leading with Culture framework, including his powerful "No Dot Student" exercise, daily leadership habits, and the importance of creating schools where both educators and students feel genuinely seen.The conversation also examines teacher wellbeing, leadership empathy, safe spaces, student voice, and the responsibility every adult carries in shaping school climate. Whether you're a classroom teacher, administrator, counselor, or educational leader, this episode offers practical ideas for building cultures where people don't simply attend school—they belong.💭 Memorable Takeaways:💡 "Every data point has a heartbeat."💡 "It only takes one trusted adult for a student to feel connected to school."💡 "Culture is never finished—it's something we build every single day."💡 "Everybody has an effect on culture."🔗 Links and Resources📌 Shaun Hurtado personal website📌Leading With Culture: Creating Schools That All Students Want To Attend📌 Leading With Culture-75 Leadership and Culture🎧 CLASSROOM NARRATIVES PODCAST SEGMENT: When Presence Becomes Prevention: School Safety, Trauma, and Educator Voice with Abbey Clements🎧CLASSROOM NARRATIVES PODCAST SEGMENT: More Than a Title: Leadership Through Service and Presence (Part I with Jeremy Brooks)*Special thanks to Jeremy Brooks https://www.theedtalk.com/ for the connection to Principal Hurtado!