In this episode, host Karen Borchert sits down with Devon Graham, principal of grades 6–8 at Washington Parks Academy, part of the Cornerstone Schools network in the Detroit area. Washington Parks is a tuition-free public charter school where character education isn’t just a poster on the wall it’s built into every routine, relationship, and classroom. A longtime community member and former elementary teacher who found his calling in middle school, Principal Graham has built a culture defined by three words: integrity, love, and collaboration. From greeting students each morning with affirmations and “nothing but love for you,” to rearranging every classroom into collaborative groups, to running a 42-person staff group chat that doubles as a real-time support and celebration thread, his leadership is deeply personal and relentlessly student-centered. Together, Karen and Devon dig into what it looks like to live out Cornerstone’s character mission every day: phone-free learning, radical transparency with families, hiring for heart first, and making sure both students and staff feel seen, supported, and held to high expectations. 💡 Little Wins in This Episode: 1. Nothing But Love: Why Devon starts every day with positive affirmations, clear expectations, and “I’ve got nothing but love for you” for his 6–8th graders. 2. Desks in Fours: How rethinking classroom layout—from rows to centers—teaches collaboration, difference, and global readiness. 3. Hiring for Heart: The interview questions, on-the-spot mock lessons, and “do you love children?” filter that shape Washington Parks’ staff. 4. The 42-Person Group Chat: One shared text thread for teachers and staff that handles bathroom breaks, tough moments, quick changes, and daily celebrations. 5. Radical Transparency with Families: How honest conversations about staffing, student challenges, and social media build trust and shared ownership. 6. Phone-Free as a Game Changer: Collecting cell phones every morning—and how it’s shifted focus, safety, and emotional regulation on campus. Key Moments 01:20 Inside Washington Parks: community roots, family feel, daily affirmations 03:00 Morning “little wins”: clean halls, collaboration, and daily growth 03:28 Why desks aren’t in rows anymore—what collaboration looks like today 04:34 Devon’s path: from 5th grade teacher to middle school social studies 08:58 Cornerstone Schools & the three dimensions of a complete life 12:44 Hiring for culture: loving kids, mock lessons, and day-one expectations 16:09 Voice & vulnerability: making it safe for teachers to ask for help 19:26 The 42-person group chat: support, coordination, and daily “love my work family” notes 21:48 Real-time wins: assessment growth, emojis, and protecting instructional time 27:36 Working with families: Title I meetings & honest staffing updates 30:56 Phones & safety: collecting devices and partnering with parents 33:25 Teaching emotional regulation: more adults to talk to, fewer reasons to fight 34:49 Phone-free as a “game changer”: focus, recovery, and closing gaps 39:12 A little win: a retaken test, a 79/80, and a life-changing call home 42:42 What educators can do now: lead with care, love, and respect Connect with Devon Graham Website: https://cornerstoneschools.org/ Follow UsKaren’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenborchertAlpaca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-alpacaAlpaca Website: https://www.getalpaca.com/Alpaca Resources Library: https://www.getalpaca.com/resources-library 🧵 About the Podcast:Little Wins is the podcast that digs into the small, deliberate actions school leaders are taking to build strong, human-centered cultures. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Alpaca for more conversations on building powerful school cultures.
