This month, we have the opportunity to learn from a dynamic leader, Dr. Mark Tracy. Mark is currently the executive director of Kestrel Heights School, a K-12 public charter school of 1000 students in Durham, North Carolina. Before entering the charter world, Mark spent time working in traditional schools and in higher ed, so he brings a unique perspective to his current mission, which is to reform a troubled 15 year old charter school. As you will hear mark say, his viewpoints on what is successful in education, how to develop and evaluate based on focused results, and on your number one responsibility as an educator no matter what your position - these are highly applicable to the public charter school world that we live in, by in reality, they apply to every school everywhere.
Enjoy! And please send feedback to geoff@leaders-building-leaders.com or visit us at www.leaders-building-leaders.com.
Notes:
2:30 What do you get from watching the Charter School Advisory Board
6:00 Career path
8:50 How has your early teaching impacted your current view on school leadership?
11:30 What was your best year in schools?
14:30 Why switch to charter schools?
16:40 What surprised you about charter schools?
20:58 Building your administrative team
24:05 How do you serve the needs of kids from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade?
29:00 What keeps you going and keeps you sharp?
31:25 What advice would you give to yourself as a first year principal?
34:10 How do you approach a “reform” school?
41:10 Is it harder to open a school or to rewire a school?
44:06 What will success look like for Kestrel in 5 years?
48:00 Favorite interview questions
50:00 How to connect with Dr. Tracy
