DLA SCHOOL CULTURE

The following core values shape the culture and climate of Dayton Leadership Academies. They guide how our staff, students, and families build relationships and support one another through proactive, positive reinforcement. These values are also reflected in our implementation of Leader in Me, a schoolwide framework that helps students develop leadership and life skills.

A group of diverse people participating in a guided tour at an art gallery, listening to an older man explaining artwork, with abstract paintings and jewelry displayed on the wall in the background.

77% of students improved their social-emotional skills as measured by the Leader in Me student assessment. This growth reflects DLA’s commitment to developing confident, resilient learners who demonstrate leadership, responsibility, and positive decision-making. Our school culture emphasizes respect, collaboration, and student empowerment, helping learners build the skills they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

DLA’s Four Principles of School Culture

  • Three young girls in maroon school uniforms smiling and posing together in a classroom. Two girls have box braids, and one has dreadlocks. There are posters and photos on a black bulletin board in the background.

    Positive Relationships 

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    Responsive classroom practices 

    Authentic positive relationships between student-student and teacher-student 

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  • Four young girls standing side-by-side, holding awards and certificates, in a colorful school setting. They are wearing gray shirts with a logo that says 'Dream Leadership Academy,' and are smiling.

    Positive and Proactive Supports

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    Positive discipline

    Positive behavior supports and interventions 

    Clear routines and procedures

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  • Children wearing maroon uniforms working on assignments at a classroom table.

    Social Emotional Learning 

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    Social skills curriculum aligned to core values

    Explicit teaching and reinforcement of social skills

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  • A woman in a white t-shirt and denim overalls is folding or arranging colorful artwork on a table, while an older man with glasses, a beard, and a colorful scarf observes her, smiling. They are in an indoor art or cultural space with various posters, artwork, and a calendar on the walls.

    Restorative Practices 

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    Logical consequences

    Restorative conversations

    Peace path

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