Every morning, Noble Street College Prep Culture Team members stand in the hallways and set the tone for the day. Mr. Smith gives fist bumps to students as they walk to their class. Ms. Solis helps students stay on task in the hallways as she reminds them of how much time they have before the bell rings.
The Culture Team at Noble Street is an integral part of our everyday success. The CT, as they like to be called, is a team of superheroes that ensures students not only flow effortlessly through the halls and arrive to classes on time but also helps students reflect on how their emotions and internal dialogue connect to their actions.
The Culture Team is loved by all and is led by the incredible Maricruz Montero, our dean of culture.
“Mari leads with love and always has,” Nikki Cavitt, Noble Street’s assistant principal, said, “Each day, she approaches her work with a renewed sense of joy that helps motivate the OC Culture Team to do their best work with our school community every day.”
Maricruz Montero standing in the hallway.
Montero has been at Noble Street for almost 20 years now. For 16 of those years, she has been leading the Culture team. She has seen her share of changes at Noble Schools and genuinely believes that Noble continues to lead and innovate with how educators can respond to students when they struggle with rules and expectations.
“Our students are young adults navigating many aspects of their lives. If, as adults, we struggle with getting everything done, I know it cannot be easy for them. That is why we need to be the guide – the example,” Montero said.
It is no easy feat to ensure our students feel safe and loved all the time, especially when they make mistakes. But it is without a doubt that our Culture Team does their best every day to make this true.
“Ms. Harvey is the teenager whisper, Ms. Solis is the coach, Ms. Higareda is the communicator, Ms. Jackson is the Mama Bear, Mr. Diamond is joyful and firm, Mr. Smith is the restorative guru, and Mr. Little, new to our team, has the patience of a saint!” Ms. Montero said.
The Culture Team meets on Friday to discuss the week’s events. From left to right: Mr. Smith, Mr. Diamond, Mr. Little, Ms. Montero, Ms. Solis, Ms. Higareda, and Ms. Harvey. Not pictured: Ms. Jackson.
Each member of the Culture Team has a unique strength, Montero says, and they complement each other to work well as a team. Every week, the Culture Team gets together to connect about their interactions with students and check in with each other to ensure they are responding to student behavior with fidelity and compassion. Montero leads the way, reviewing any concerns or problems Culture Team members might have. At the end of their weekly gathering comes the team’s favorite part: tallying students’ earned merits to see who the Students of the Week are. Diamond proudly reviews and tallies the merits with a dramatic flourish to announce the winners.
“Merit prizes have really inspired our students to show honest and helpful actions, and we want to celebrate them,” Montero said.
(Merits are earned through positive behavior at Noble—like helping out a peer/teacher or going above and beyond in your classroom participation. Students can add up their merits to earn prizes like snacks or homework passes.)
Montero’s experience as the Dean of Culture has not always been easy, she says, but it’s worth it when she can help a student feel seen and heard.
“I had a restorative conversation with a young lady who expressed how it was much less stressful for her when she’s able to speak her peace in a safe space and be understood. She had never been part of a conversation where she could be honest, upset, and supported all at once,” Montero said.
