School Leaders Beliefs about the Best Practices and Strategies for Creating an Engaging Classroom Culture for At-Risk Students. The key findings were the following: Alternative school leaders including principals, vice principals, and teachers create a culture of engagement in schools with at-risk students by enhancing school spirit, creating opportunities for success, sharing leadership among staff members, and displaying a concern for the well-being of at-risk students. The best practices and strategies that have successfully helped with discipline problems in at-risk students in alternative schools are scheduling regular meetings with students, modeling appropriate behavior, calling parents, being preemptive, referring to the school disciplinarian for in-school-suspension, and developing relationships with students.