In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Josh Cooley, Principal of Aurora Highlands P-8, who brings a unique perspective to educational leadership as someone who opened a brand new school from scratch. Josh has extensive leadership experience from within APS as well as outside the district. He shares his journey from high school administration to guiding students from preschool through eighth grade. He discusses the rare opportunity of having a 'year zero' planning year, the challenges and rewards of building school culture and community systems from the ground up, and leading in one of Aurora's fastest-developing areas. His story offers valuable insights for leaders navigating startup environments, building new traditions, and adapting leadership skills across vastly different age groups.
