Creating a Culture of Listening and Action: The Secret to a Thriving School District

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So what's the formula for solving this problem? In today's conversation, we'll look at how tight alignment between the community and the local school board helps create a unified district that's well equipped to retain their talent and serve their students and families. And the person that's going to be leading us through this conversation is joining us today, Dr.

of innovation and secondary [: 00:01:00

So he's had a progressive career within the space. He's played an active role in the community and champions the impact Mutually Beneficial Community Partnerships can have on families, students, staff, organizations, businesses, and schools.

He and his wife have three active children in their community and are grateful for every opportunity to showcase the region as a great place to live. Casey, welcome to the show.

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[00:01:26] Dr. Jim: I'm pretty excited to have you on the conversation. And this is part of our continuing series on K through 12 education, leadership, best practices, and how those best practices influence teacher retention outcomes. Being a turnover nerd, this is a right in my wheelhouse in terms of things that I like to talk about.

But before we dive into the conversation, I think it's going to be important for you to get our listeners and viewers up to speed on a little bit more about your story, as well as paint a picture of the district that you serve.

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opportunities and got here and stayed had incredible mentorship and worked in a number of different roles. I was our middle school principal for 10 years, so probably the role I spent the most time in. But when we got to this community, we really recognized for our family. It's just been a really great experience.

A fantastic fit, and I've had amazing opportunities to grow and learn and really fortunate fortunate to be able to carry forward some of the things that were happening here prior to me with great mentors.

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[00:03:01] Casey Nye: I think there was this idea of calling and I think there still is for educators and that's a little diluted in what's out there. In the public eye today, but I feel like we're in this really happy little bubble where we still have notions of that. And I think it starts with our school board probably an under, under researched component of what helps districts have that stability, I think is board stability.

And so an interesting thing for me as a relatively young educator coming in was to observe how there was this really consistent focus on just taking care of people helping them grow, having a culture that, we're a good size district at around 6, 000 students, but we're going to feel small enough to be tight and connected and know each other.

lots of different ways. And [: 00:04:00

If you try to map quest to the town of DC Everest, it doesn't exist. We're really I see um, as a community member, as a parent, as a, as an educator, that. Everest is what ties our smaller municipalities together as one and our community really identifies a connection with the district. And so we have opportunities to lead in different ways and to bring people together and to collaborate.

And our board has really expected that kind of a a place, a stance in the community and the community has accepted and supported us in different ways because of that. So it's been a fun place to be that I might not have thought almost 20 years ago that I would be staying here still.

But I'll stay here as long as I possibly can. It's been a great place to be home.

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[00:05:10] Casey Nye: our board really has prided itself in operating at a high level of governance. And Their goal structure is pretty, pretty clean, pretty straightforward. And I think the sort of thing that we're all proud of, it's about DC Everest being a great place for students to learn a great place for our staff to work and a great community being part of building a great community, which might be different than some places expect the the role of an educational institution to be.

place that, that talks about [: 00:06:00

We're doing that in our regular conversation with people around us and not pretending that we act in isolation as we prepare kids for the future. We've got amazing partnerships related to giving kids community and work based experiences. When we looked at a referendum a number of years ago it was really all about bringing in our business community and our technical college and saying, what should these spaces look like to emulate the kind of environments kids are really going to be in later?

So our business community showed up in a big way and said, this is what it needs to be like for kids. When that population carries your story for you I think you have different kinds of results. Today, I think, we're not in a scenario where we're actively seeking a referendum, but we're still engaged with our community.

ss community in, and we have [: 00:07:00

I think that has long been a part of the culture here is to stay connected, get feedback and not put our heads down and live in a bubble, but it has clearly made a difference for the district in the support that we've gotten from our community.

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But one of the things that caught my interest was recently, Wisconsin put out a educator workforce report. And one of the things that they noted in that report was some major factors that. Are driving the shortage of educators coming into the field, and you have similar issues where there is a [00:08:00] shortage of administrators and leaders at the principal level as well.

So when you look at those trends that are being filtered through from the state of Wisconsin and you apply it to the strategic direction of the district and communicating that with the board and community as well. How are you walking through that process? I think everybody agrees that there's an educator shortage.

People might be unaware of an administrator shortage. So what are the conversations that are happening at the board and community level? And how are you Working together to fix those issues.

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I'm out in listening sessions in our [00:09:00] schools engaged regularly with our leadership team. And we're talking about the reality of what's working for our staff and kids and what's not. I think that culture of feedback Leads us to be a little bit more comfortable acknowledging when things aren't going great.

So I think you talked about what are the things that push people away. Compensation is part of that work life balance and education is really tricky. We're trying to be competitive to the best of our ability in our region with our pain compensation and our board recognizes. We're doing that because it starts and ends with great people in our classrooms, great people in our building.

We shifted to a PTO model a couple of years ago, recognizing it was one of the few things that we could really do that provided some different opportunities for people to make balance choices and self care are part of their world. We're talking about perception in the community.

appreciated in the same way. [: 00:10:00

They can maybe distance themselves from those bigger perceptions because they're seeing people show up and show them support and talk about that in the community. And I think that goes a long way that there's this connectedness up and down the organization. It doesn't make all of it go away.

They're still really hard jobs. But I think it. Connects to purpose in a different sort of way that we can come back to. I think that stability throughout our organization in terms of leadership, including at the board level, means that even though we want to be nimble and innovative and move quick when there's something better for kids and better for our community we don't take a hard shift in different directions.

alk about that, because it's [: 00:11:00

[00:11:04] Dr. Jim: There's a component of what you said that when you were looking at the trends of the stay and and exit interviews, some of the things that commonly came up were compensation related. And then you had another bucket that was work life balance related compensation. You really can't control due to a number of different factors at the state level.

And then if you need to make a pivot there, you probably have to go to a referendum to, to make that happen. What are some of the other bigger factors that are that you've seen tend to be trends on why educators are leaving the profession and what have you the board in the community done on those specific trends to impact?

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We offer a cash in lieu option for that PTO if it's not used and standardized the compensation across all employee groups so that there is a feeling that we're all all have access to that benefit in a similar way. And we have had really positive response from staff about just being trusted as professionals.

There's this kind of weight that I. I remember when I was in a classroom and I saw it as a principal and I still see it from our staff today that they're so committed to the work that being gone is somehow shortchanging their team. Enter an era where we really needed people to take care of their health and step away when they weren't feeling well.

d that sort of refresher for [: 00:13:00

And then I think that sent the message to our staff that to take care of themselves in those ways, they had to take that underground and that's not the kind of place we want to be. And I think our board has said figure out a way to give people that flexibility. The PTO structure, I think, is a piece of the equation.

I think the other thing that we see people leave classrooms for, if I were to hit on two other big trends, I think the reality today is we hear a lot about behaviors, we hear about tougher student needs and I don't think that's wrong and our board has. Reviewed data and tried to shift how we allocate resources to put better supports in place related to those needs.

cing that kind of a need get [: 00:14:00

So I think that's a whole nother. Area that we're trying to do more to support because it is a reality today that it's an area that we have to address differently, especially at the youngest stages. There's just some needs that have emerged that we're trying to do more with and again, not bury our heads in the sand.

And I'd say the third thing that we hear from people is, do they have authentic opportunities to grow and learn? And some people that's, a really quality professional development system. So we give people a ton of choice and our whole Pay system is structured around opportunities for people to learn and grow and to try to give them both choice and alignment with, what our objectives are is important.

But then we've also done a ton in the area of leadership as you hit on before to try to give people different ways to lead from where they're at and keep growing them. And and that's been really important for us too.

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What the impact is and how do we solve it like walk us through that process because I would imagine there's a lot of other districts that are facing similar challenges and probably are struggling with making the case to the board in the community that additional head count in these areas are needed to solve these issues.

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And I'm grateful that is how it is here. But what that means process wise is when we are seeing new [00:16:00] dynamics emerge or issues, We're really expected to figure it out or expected to bring solutions forward. And I don't want to suggest in any way that we have all that figured out or that we've nailed it.

But our board is really receptive when we bring potential solutions forward that are backed by the data of the day and evidence about the likelihood that we're going to improve those outcomes. So I think sometimes people are waiting for. Approval per se on additional F. T. I don't necessarily think that's the way we operate.

It's more we want to be a great place to learn. Great place to work. Great community when things are presenting barriers related to that. We better bring some plans forward. And that might mean that we are asking for additional resources that would bring about board approval or some kind of an ask. But usually it's more, how are we readjusting and reallocating within and there's limits, as you said, we don't control our revenue.

ative about that, but we are [: 00:17:00

But I think the process is really more workshop opportunities along the way in addition to more formal board governance and those meetings. They want to be engaged. They want to be aware, but they're expecting us to bring the solutions and talk through the problems.

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If more districts theoretically have that structure, it frees you up to shift priorities as needed based on whatever the emerging trends are. So that's really interesting that there, there's that dynamic that [00:18:00] exists. And it seems like it was something that that you observed even early in your career as an educator.

Is that, am I reading that correctly?

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So I just, I think we all acknowledge that our roles are a little bit different on that team. For me as an educator coming in as a principal and making comparisons to what I've seen in other environments and what I saw here, I was really impressed by that level of empowerment and trust and clear teamwork.

rest of our leadership team [: 00:19:00

And that culture means that kind of up and down the organization, we're going to adjust our plans from this, bigger framework at the board level down to conversations about what's happening in a classroom, so those. Alignment conversations are an infused part of what we do, and we're probably not.

We're not the most formal about that either. I definitely observed other districts that are incredibly sophisticated in their strategic plans and what the metrics look like. I think what we're doing is we're coming to the table more regularly to have just nitty gritty conversations about what's working and what's not.

And it's. In the context of a clear, consistent framework, but in between, it probably doesn't look as formal as I've seen in other places, but it's very real and authentic.

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[00:20:28] Casey Nye: Yeah um, my colleagues in other districts sometimes will observe how cohesive our board is and they'll mistake that for them being of a like mind or similar. They're super diverse in their perspectives and their theories. Background and experiences. And so at the same time, when they come to the table as a board they come together for kids and they understand that in that moment Finding common ground that aligns with those big ideas is the most important work, but they [00:21:00] apply that diversity and their connections in ways that.

Open doors for mental health conversations different kinds of collaboration that they might've observed professionally that we just get an invite to the table on connections to higher ed experiences, how we might partner better for youth apprenticeships or articulated enrollments and dual enrollments, transcribed credits.

, full circle position us to [: 00:22:00

I think we're, it's a great way to do it. Expected to be conveners in a different way than I, I see other leaders and I love that work. My predecessor was amazing in that area as well. And so I've seen that as part of the culture for a long time and people expect us to. Bring people together and have some of those conversations that that might not have happened without multiple connections happening, but the board's role in that is really important.

And for me, it's making sure that does it fit within what our biggest needs are today for kids?

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[00:23:01] Casey Nye: We start with our students. And that again is something that's happened for a long time. So we have a course called teachers change lives. So both on the workforce side of it and more just, Helping to give kids educational experiences and opportunities. We saw years ago that we were not doing ourselves any favors while we were presenting all of these other job opportunities that we didn't formally teach kids about the opportunities that are right here and we have a leadership course.

We try to provide students opportunities to hone their leadership skills. We include internships and job shadows within D. C. Everest alongside other community partners. So I think for kids we've tried to do more to get them to see what the next paths are. And that actually positioned some of our other departments.

ve our PD system allows for, [: 00:24:00

We have leadership teams formalized across all of our schools that provide I think, when we talk about up and down the organization alignment of priorities that's not Administrators that are making all that happen. I think our leaders are expected to facilitate conversations and then empower teams that are on the ground to say, here's what that should look like here.

So those building level plans are really informed by formal and ongoing leadership structures that exists there. We have a leadership pipeline experience that gives people a mentor and authentic experiences within school leadership. So that it doesn't have to be somebody that's in a master's program that's pursuing the principalship.

with those experiences. And [: 00:25:00

We have an employee experience. Committee that is really talking about some of the major challenges related to benefits and compensation. So I don't think we reserve those conversations for the boardroom. We try to test drive things and get feedback from groups and forecast what might be coming to get ideas.

So there, there are just. So many different ways for people to give feedback. And at the same time, I think a reality that our leaders struggle with sometimes is because we have so many mechanisms for people to give feedback and we are constantly listening when we don't use an idea that we heard, sometimes we'll get the they're not listening or they didn't hear.

from. And we're not going to [: 00:26:00

I'm sure they would think that doesn't mean that they do every single idea. But. I don't think people can argue with the fact that we are out there trying to give feedback along the way and get feedback and inform things.

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And you referenced that there might be Some grumbling that occasionally pops up where the leadership takes a direction that wasn't necessarily brought up from that listening campaign. So tell me a little bit more about how you communicate the reasoning behind the strategic direction so that everybody ends up being on the same page even if their idea isn't the one that gets picked.

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I'm going to go to a board meeting. But people are curious because they know that's a really influential part of the the atmosphere here and the ecosystem. So whether I'm saying something in a fairly informal video to staff, or I'm in a listening session or a principals in a faculty meeting, or I'm in front of our admin team on more challenging topics or complex things our leadership team is pretty active in developing common talking points and I, it's pretty simplistic strategy, but I think about back to the act 10 days and watched our leadership team go through having some conversations that we had never had to have previously.

re we going to do to support [: 00:28:00

I think where we struggle is when we're inconsistent and when we don't take those steps. We calendar out opportunities that are going to be predictable for these teams to come together. And I think what we've gotten better at is using those moments that are on the horizon to plan how we're going to effectively communicate with each other.

And I think our leaders are. They're listening for their own understanding for new things that are coming out. And then at the same time, they're listening for how they can articulate whatever news they're going to share information or change with the people that they serve. So that's pretty dynamic.

wn and really worked through [: 00:29:00

And We practice that. We role play it. You can't do that on every single decision because leaders are bombarded with different things that are coming their way, but on the bigger ones, we really try to get that right and spend the time supporting each other and it makes a difference for our staff.

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And I appreciate you giving us a window into your district and some of the things that you've been doing that has impacted your success. Now, when you take a look at the conversation that we've had, and you're talking to that other aspiring superintendent or district administrator that's out there that wants to build this sort of culture, what are the key pillars that they need to be thinking about to get started in this process?

It's not going to happen overnight, but if you can break down what's been successful in your district, what would those key pillars be?

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So I think trusting that partnership enough to lay out what as challenges. I also think I watched other superintendents that I were amazing mentors for me and they approached the work as community builders and thought. Bigger than I see some people think about what the role is.

And and I don't think that's maybe not every district is wired that way or expects that. I think it was part of the culture here and I was fortunate to step into it, but I've been humbled and amazed by when we did try to bring people to the table that they show up. And that's, I think people want to make the place that they live better.

n't have all the answers and [: 00:31:00

And and then I would say, even though maybe that message is think bigger about what the role is. I would also say, think smaller about how much, because I go into those conversations with our board. I go into the conversations with community leaders. And recognize that listening is a huge part of it.

I don't think they want just an open listening session, especially when we get executives and, other leaders in, they're super busy people too. And if they're going to give you the gift of their time and their perspective, I think they want something that they can take back that they learned that helps understand how we're working.

ocess is really strengthened [: 00:32:00

The people around us, they know that there's ways, whether it's coffee with me that I do monthly out at, different business locations, or whether it's a community connect and collaborate session where they come into our boardroom and sit down and visit and share ideas, they know we're looking to partner, they know we're looking for solutions that we want to stay up to date on what's happening in, in everyone's world in our community, and they know that we're willing to go the extra mile to try to bring people together, even on some challenges that might be Stretch the scope of what, our core mission is to educate kids.

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I think what stood out to me in the back end of the conversation was that you described a lot of what you do from a process perspective as [00:33:00] formal and ongoing. And the reason why it stood out to me is that you've built a listening and action culture that is formal, informal, and ongoing with an emphasis On empowering those around you and proactive in terms of delivering solutions as trends are identified.

And I think when you're looking at tight integration between board community and leadership within a school district, that leads to positive teacher retention outcomes, positive student outcomes and growth outcomes within the district. I think there's a formula there that could be broadly applied.

Now, one of the interesting things about. What you've done within the district, and this is a cultural aspect of it, is that the board works hand in hand with district leadership in the community on how they can actually be tightly aligned with the mission of serving students, and Building better communities.

at could be applied in a lot [: 00:34:00

If you'd like the conversation, make sure you leave us a review on your favorite podcast player. If you haven't already done so make sure you join the community. And you can find that at www dot engage rocket dot CEO slash HR impact and then tune in next time where we'll have another leader joining us and sharing with us the game changing insights that help them build a high performing team.