Episode Details

Dr. Lisa Stanley is the Superintendent of North Texas Collegiate Academy, a public charter school district in Denton County, Texas. Dr. Stanley received her Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, was among the first 100 superintendents in the US to earn National Superintendent Certification and is a member of Southern Methodist University's District Leadership Fellows 2021-2022 cohort. Her focus on improving teacher retention in high-poverty schools has created a sustainable teacher pipeline with 93% of staff returning every year and 45% staying with the district for at least five years.

Show Highlights

• Creating a space of "Listen first and talk last" with your teachers as a powerful idea.I love your motto – "Over Serve the underserved" – what does that look like in the day to day?

• Grow teacher retention from 65% to 97% with "stay interview" and "goal getters" to address pain points.

• Teachers should never be secondary. Shift your focus and Invest in the heartbeat of your schools.

• Tips to make sure your staff's fingerprints are on every decision you make.

• You cannot buy culture by putting donuts in the break room or letting teachers wear jeans.

• A transformational recognize and reward idea that serves the moment.

• Spend the finances in empowering and building the capacity of the staff you already know believe the vision of your school.

"You cannot over-serve a child. This child is a member of a bigger household and if we don't address the barriers the whole household is facing, we're not gonna get full achievement from the student. We feel very much like it is our duty and our responsibility to connect our families with as many resources as we can. If the parent needs access to ESL classes or GED support or job skills or helping them write their resumes or help borrow tax ins or anything like that, we offer all of that for free for our families. Number one, because they deserve it. They're all valuable human beings who are unique and fearful and wonderfully made. They deserve the help. A school cannot just serve the kids that sit at its desk."

-Dr Lisa Stanley

Get the episode transcript here!

Dr Lisa Stanley's Resources & Contact Info:

• Lisa Stanley | LinkedIn

• Twitter

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