This isn't your old school culture...or is it?

Schools are communities, and communities of all kinds express themselves through their culture. At Domus Academy, like Domus' two charter schools in Stamford, our culture is different from that of many other schools. It takes some getting used to, but that culture exists to remove all distractions and help students be ready to learn--it also helps children learn skills they'll need to be successful later in life.

• We set up each classroom, be it art or math or social studies, to have the same whiteboard arrangement and information. This saves time--time kids can use learning something instead of on figuring out where to find an assignment.
• We require students to mentally and physically prepare themselves for learning: In the hallways, they must be quiet and physically still (so as not to distract themselves or other students).
• We require uniforms, which means kids don't have to worry about having the "right" shoes or jeans. (It also reduces funds a parent or caregiver must spend on trendy school clothes). 
• We require students to tuck in their shirts and wear a belt so they look neat; learning is fun but also serious business. 
• We tell kids all the time what we expect--we want them to succeed, and the faster they figure things out, the faster they get to the good stuff.
• We set high expectations: We expect them to behave appropriately, to focus, to work hard. Adults who cannot or will not set high expectations for students cannot be part of our school community.
• We require students shake a teacher's hand and look him or her in the eye as they enter each classroom, every time: These are fundamental skills everyone needs to be successful in life. (Plus, it's just polite.)
• We never give up on a child. There's always a place for a young person to find success, and while we expect a lot from a young person, we also expect adults responsible for his success (ourselves included) to find or create a place where each child to reach his full potential.

Did your school have a strong culture? How important is culture in creating a successful educational environment? Who's doing a great job at creating that culture? (We like visiting other schools who are getting it right.)