School Culture’s Influence on Teachers’ Wellness and Students’ Achievement in Glan’s Last Mile Public Secondary Schools

This study examined the influence of school culture on teacher wellness and student achievement in selected last-mile public secondary schools in Glan III District, Sarangani Province, Philippines. While the relationship between school culture and educational outcomes has been widely recognized, limited research has explored how these dynamics play out in remote, under-resourced contexts. This study aimed to determine the extent of school culture experienced by teachers in terms of school collaboration, school and teacher affiliation, and school community. It also sought to assess teachers’ wellness in terms of emotional, physical, and spiritual health, and evaluate students’ achievement based on their General Point Average (GPA) and National Achievement Test (NAT) scores. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, 105 teachers from seven last-mile schools were selected through proportional sampling. Standardized and validated survey instruments were used to gather data, which were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and linear regression. Findings revealed that teachers perceived a very high extent of positive school culture (M = 4.57, SD = 0.63) and reported very healthy levels of wellness across all dimensions (M = 4.58, SD = 0.63). Students’ academic performance was rated as satisfactory based on GPA and average based on NAT results. Notably, the study found that school culture has a significant influence on teacher wellness, affirming that a collaborative, respectful, and value-driven school environment contributes positively to educators’ overall well-being. However, no significant relationship was found between school culture and student achievement, suggesting that broader factors beyond the internal school setting may shape student outcomes. This study emphasizes the significance of enhancing school culture to promote teacher well-being and recommends additional research on the external and instructional factors influencing student performance, particularly in schools serving marginalized and geographically isolated populations.