7 Ways Great Schools Welcome New Teachers

Building a strong school culture starts long before students walk through the doors.

Every August, thousands of educators begin a new chapter.

Some are stepping into their very first classroom. Others are joining a new school community after years of teaching elsewhere. While each brings valuable experience, every new teacher shares one thing in common: they want to feel welcomed, supported, and confident that they belong.

Unfortunately, many new teacher orientations focus on logistics—handbooks, policies, technology, and paperwork.

Those things matter. But they don’t build culture.

For more than three decades, Muriel Summers, founding principal of A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School and Global Ambassador for Leader in Me, believed that onboarding new staff was one of the most important investments a school could make. Long before “school culture” became a common topic in education, Muriel recognized a simple truth:

How you welcome educators shapes how they will lead, teach, and serve students for years to come.

Here are seven lessons every school can apply as they prepare for a new school year.

1. Hire for Heart In Addition to Skill

Instructional skills can be strengthened through coaching and professional learning.

Passion, purpose, and a belief in children’s potential are much harder to teach.

When interviewing candidates, Muriel looked beyond résumés and lesson plans. Instead, she asked questions that revealed who they were as educators:

• Why did you become a teacher?
• What are you passionate about?
• At the end of your career, how do you hope your students will remember you?

Those questions uncovered something far more important than technical expertise—they revealed whether a candidate aligned with the school’s mission and values.

The best hiring decisions begin with shared purpose.

2. Begin Building Culture Before Day One

Culture doesn’t begin on the first day of school.

It begins the moment someone considers joining your team.

At A.B. Combs, prospective teachers were asked to read The Leader in Me before their interview. This wasn’t about assigning homework—it was about helping candidates understand the school’s beliefs, expectations, and commitment to leadership.

When educators know what a school stands for before accepting a position, they’re better prepared to contribute to that culture from the very beginning.

3. Make Hiring a Team Effort

One of the most distinctive aspects of Muriel’s hiring process was who participated.

Grade-level teams met with finalists. Candidates taught lessons. Teachers evaluated how well they would fit into the collaborative culture.

Even more remarkably, members of the Student Lighthouse Team interviewed prospective teachers.

Students weren’t given scripted questions. Instead, they asked what genuinely mattered to them.

Questions like:

• “How do you sharpen your saw?”
• “How do you think abundantly?”
• “How do you show pre-forgiveness?”

Their thoughtful questions revealed something powerful: students notice leadership, and they value adults who model it.

Inviting teachers and students into the hiring process sends a clear message that leadership is everyone’s responsibility.

4. Teach Your Culture as Intentionally as Your Curriculum

Many schools assume new teachers will naturally absorb the culture over time.

Muriel believed culture should be taught intentionally.

At A.B. Combs, onboarding included dedicated time to explore the 7 Habits, understand leadership principles, and learn how those ideas came alive in everyday classroom instruction. Today, schools can build on that same philosophy through resources like First 8 Days, which provides practical lessons for establishing leadership habits, classroom expectations, and a positive culture during the opening days of school.

When educators understand not just what they are expected to do—but why it matters—they’re better equipped to create classrooms where students thrive.

5. Practice Relationships Before They Matter

Relationships don’t happen by accident.

They can—and should—be practiced.

Muriel’s onboarding process included role-playing phone calls home before school started, practicing conversations with families, and preparing teachers for Meet the Teacher events.

Experienced educators modeled how to greet families, kneel to a child’s eye level, shake hands, and create an atmosphere where every family felt seen and valued.

Those first interactions establish trust long before the first report card is sent home.

Families rarely remember every detail that was shared.

They always remember how they were made to feel.

6. Empower Teachers to Lead From the Beginning

Leadership isn’t reserved for administrators.

One of the hallmarks of A.B. Combs’ onboarding was that much of the learning was facilitated by teacher leaders.

Experienced staff welcomed new colleagues, shared best practices, and modeled the school’s leadership culture. Even the school’s “Combs 101” orientation reflected this philosophy, weaving together relationship-building, community immersion, leadership habits, classroom expectations, and collaboration throughout the day.

This approach accomplished something far greater than orientation.

It communicated trust.

When experienced educators teach and mentor others, everyone grows.

7. Remember That Culture Is Never “Finished”

Perhaps Muriel’s most enduring lesson is that onboarding doesn’t end after orientation.

Professional learning isn’t an event.

It’s an ongoing commitment.

At A.B. Combs, teachers revisited leadership principles throughout the year. They reflected together, coached one another, and received additional support whenever needed.

The expectation wasn’t perfection.

The expectation was growth.

Strong school cultures aren’t built in August.

They’re strengthened every day through consistent modeling, encouragement, and shared purpose.

The Lasting Lesson

Education has changed dramatically over the years.

Technology has evolved.

Student needs have shifted.

The demands placed on educators continue to grow.

But one thing remains true:

Teachers who feel welcomed, connected, and supported are better equipped to help students feel the same.

As schools prepare for another year of learning, Muriel Summers’ advice reminds us that the foundation for a great school isn’t built with schedules or supplies.

It’s built with people.

And the way we welcome them matters.

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Three Key Takeaways

1. Great onboarding begins before a teacher’s first day by clearly communicating your school’s mission, values, and culture.
2. Strong relationships—with colleagues, students, and families—are intentionally built through modeling, practice, and shared experiences.
3. School culture isn’t created during orientation; it’s reinforced every day through leadership, support, and continuous learning.