Critical dimensions of the caring culture of an urban middle school

The purpose of this study was to examine several operational arenas that functioned as organizational vehicles for the expression of a school's caring culture. Data from interviews with nineteen teachers, four administrators, and eight professional staff members, and participant observations indicated that the principal was a vital force in creating and sustaining a caring culture at this school. In addition to the administration, three other areas of school functioning helped sustain the caring culture at this middle school: mission and goals, curriculum and instruction, and structures. However, although the school's stakeholders had made strides in developing a culture of caring at their school, future efforts needed to focus, especially, on including students and their parents as important contributors to such an endeavor.