Deal and Peterson (1994) provide the following description of Cherry Creek High School:
For many years, Cherry Creek High School had a strong leader in Henry Cotton. Cotton had a powerful vision for the school as one that served all students by providing an intense, intellectually stimulating learning experience. By communicating high expectations for staff and students and supporting the development of quality instruction through a variety of symbolic actions, the principal reinforced a strong collegial culture that was focused on student academic achievement. In everything he did, said, and wrote, he reinforced a culture that shared ideas, took responsibility for change and improvement, and expected only the best from staff and students alike. Through careful staff selection and socialization, the nurturing of teacher leaders, and the development of deeply held educational values, Cotton lead change and improvement.
(For more information on improvement and change efforts in urban high schools, see Louis and Miles, 1990.)