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What Is School Climate?
What Is School Climate?
School climate refers to the overall atmosphere and quality of life within a school. It reflects the attitudes, beliefs, relationships, and practices that shape how students, staff, and families experience the school environment.
A positive school climate is built on:
Supportive relationships between students and adults
Clear behavioral expectations and consistent discipline practices
Physical and emotional safety
Respect for diversity and student voice
Engagement in meaningful, standards-based learning
When school climate is strong, students are more likely to feel safe, connected, and motivated to learn—leading to improved academic outcomes, behavior, and well-being.
Meet Your NGRESA School Climate Specialist, Patti Atkinson
Meet Your NGRESA School Climate Specialist, Patti Atkinson
As North Georgia RESA’s School Climate Specialist, Patti Atkinson supports schools and districts in fostering safe, supportive, and positive learning environments. She provides coaching, professional learning, and strategic planning around behavior supports, social-emotional learning, PBIS implementation, and climate improvement initiatives. Patti partners with educators and leaders to build systems that promote student success, teacher well-being, and a strong school culture.
Patti's teaching philosophy is rooted in a whole-child approach, recognizing that meaningful learning goes beyond academics to include the development of character, positive behavior, and overall well-being. She believes that by addressing these interconnected areas, educators can create more supportive and effective learning environments. Patti also champions a growth mindset, promoting continuous improvement and the belief that increased knowledge empowers individuals to thrive.
Contact: patti.atkinson@ngresa.org
School Climate Services
School Climate Services
Our NGRESA School Climate Specialist works with schools and districts to create safe, supportive, and positive learning environments where all students can thrive. School climate is not just about behavior—it encompasses the overall atmosphere of the school, including relationships, safety, teaching and learning, and student and staff well-being.
Key Areas of Support Include:
Key Areas of Support Include:
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) Integration: Supporting schools in aligning climate and behavioral practices with the Georgia Department of Education's MTSS framework—including universal supports for all students, targeted interventions, and data-based decision-making across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains.
Data-Driven School Climate Improvement: Assisting schools in using data to identify areas of need and develop targeted improvement plans.
Restorative Practices & SEL Integration: Supporting schools in building student-teacher relationships, conflict resolution strategies, and integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) into daily instruction.
Crisis Prevention and Response Planning: Collaborating with schools to strengthen emergency operations plans and ensure staff are trained to respond to incidents safely and effectively.
Professional Learning & Coaching: Providing workshops, team trainings, and ongoing coaching to administrators, counselors, and teachers on climate-related topics such as trauma-informed practices, de-escalation strategies, and student engagement.
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