Talking It Through with Dr. Lisa Lisa Helton

Dr. Lisa and Aaron Colins, Superintendent in Fulton County Kentucky discuss what Servant Leadership looks like in the small town of Hickman, KY during this pandemic. 

Let’s take a deep dive together into the great conundrum of standardized testing in the schools of America.

Let me ask, what in the world are we doing to fix the havoc these crazy tests have created?

Most educators on the front lines have great concerns with the current design, administration and uses of standardized testing but have very little input and control of what happens within their own schools and classrooms.

How did we get here?

This “Wisdom Wednesday” on our Educators Circle podcast and video blog, Ryan and I are talking about the major testing conundrum across the United States that has created chaotic and misguided learning communities in K-12 schools.

Educators Circle with Dr. Lisa Helton features Sarah Fortney, Polk County Schools Board member as Thursday's Transformational Leader. Sarah's contributions to public school education began as a classroom science teacher. Her experiences over decades caused her to follow transformational leaders which later inspired her to become one herself through her service as a board member and mentor to many. Sarah believes the best educational leaders always lead with a "heart in the classroom."

This weeks Transformational Leader Feature is Kevin McDonald,currently an assistant principal of student affairs under the leadership of Dr. Jazrick Haggins at Spoto High School in Hillsborough County Schools in Tampa, Florida, (a place I dearly love.)

With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in mass communication, (both from the University of Florida,) Kevin started his career as a newspaper reporter and later worked as a TV production copywriter. After a series of events and after having earned a specialist degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern, he ended up transitioning to teaching and taught for several years in Palm Beach County. As one might imagine, Kevin soon received what I call the “leadership nudge” and began serving as assistant principal for Hillsborough County.

Kevin’s mother had also been an educator and assistant principal but during her day, the role demanded more of a manager expertise. Today assistant principals should be serving as instructional leaders and they must have capacity to transform the educational environment by the building capacity of other leaders. In Kevin’s case that is exactly what he does.

Hillsborough County prepared Kevin for his leadership role in their district leadership academy program. Kevin says his preparation as a transformational leader has come from…


Being thrust in the role of serving students most in need
Having relevant continuous professional development unique to serving his      specific population
A positive mindset with high expectations
Creating an environment conducive for learning

Kevin emphasized the need to have ongoing professional development while getting a pulse on what will help teachers be the transformational leader in the classroom they need to be. Kevin says an important component of his role is building capacitywith the teacher leaders so they can help other classroom teachers with effective instruction.

Kevin and I discussed the book entitled, Closing hte Attitude Gap by Baruti K. Kafele. Here Kafele makes he case for an "attitude gap" that affects underperforming students and argues this gap can only be closed if educators first help students develop the will to strive for excellence. This involves five key areas also at the core of what is addressed in 5 Star Schools.

In reflection, realizing our first step toward school transformation is to transform minds and this includes transforming students’ negative attitudes toward learning. Kevin and I unite with Baruti Kafele today as transformational leaders to ask 3 very vital questions for educators:

1. Who are you?

2. What are you about?

3. What is your most recent evidence?

The third question forces us to reflect on what we have done to lead to the growth of our students.
Once we have reflected on this, we must find ways to build capacity.
In order to build this much needed capacity, we each have to be committed to the call to be a transformational leader.

This is a publication of Educators Circle with Dr. Lisa.
For Educators Who Love Their Work and Want to Get Better