It Doesnt Have to Be Lonely at the

It Doesn’t Have to Be Lonely at the Top Melissa Krull Ph. D. Executive Coach, Pacific Educational Group

The results…Gaps leaving… 2011

Community Response-1965 - 2010 q Ruby Bridges Protests -1965, New Orleans q Racial Integration q q Eden Prairie Protests, 2010 Economic Integration

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Monday, October 22, 2012 Session Outline q. Leading for Racial Equity: Five Key Roles for Superintendents/ Top School Leaders q. What do we know? q. Voices from the field q. What will we do?

Leading Superintendents, Executives and Principals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Carole Smith, Superintendent , Portland Oregon Karen Salmon, Superintendent, Talbot County, Maryland Jose Torres, Superintendent Oak Grove, California Valeria Silva, Superintendent, St. Paul, MN Chris Lim, former Superintendent, San Leandro, CA Stephen West, Executive Director, Eden Prairie, MN Connie Hytjan, Principal, Eden Prairie, MN

The District Equity Leadership Team (DELT and DELTA) Glenn Singleton The superintendent who is impassioned and purposeful about achieving racial equity must also be effective in transferring his or her vision to the executive leadership teams whose job it is to supervise the execution of racial equity programming and practices throughout the system. According to PEG’s Systemic Racial Equity Framework and Theory of Transformation, the superintendent—utilizing an unapologetic, top-down approach—determines the depth, breadth, and velocity at which equity programming occurs.

To move courageous conversations about race from theory to practice, district superintendents have five primary roles

1. Superintendents must be the primary keepers of and voices for their districts’ racial equity vision. They must also be recognized as being highly advanced themselves in executing racial equity practices. To move courageous conversations about race from theory to practices.

The thing the most keeps me from unapologetically leading, from the top the racial equity work is… A. B. C. D. E. Fear that I am seen as a “know it all” with a “pet project” or just bringing “the next” new initiative. A desire to grow this work from the ground up, develop it collaboratively. My racial competence. Political backlash Lose my job

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Chris Lim Connie Hytjan Carole Smith Jose Torres Stephen West Valeria Silva Karen

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Please discuss the steps you must take to lead this work from the top…and why?

2. They must assist in the professional development of their boards of education transforming them into a body that can effectively oversee the ratification, and execution of sound racial equity policy. …. .

The thing that most interferes with board development on racial equity is… A. Their lack of interest B. Their fear C. Lack of racial competence D. Fear of loss of support from constituents

Carole Smith Jose Torres Karen Salmon Valeria Silva Chris Lim

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Please discuss school board development. What are key steps you can or have taken to ensure their racial development as school leaders?

3. They must spearhead the transformation of their executive team into a District Equity Leadership Team (DELT) charged with developing, monitoring, and assessing the districts’ movement toward equity. DELT members also must receive professional development to help them uncover, examine, and address the ways in which race influences their own personal, professional, and organizational beliefs and behaviors. An effective DELT not only engages in their own development and that of key site and central office leaders they also craft, execute, monitor, and evaluate their districts’ equity transformation framework.

As a leader, my greatest challenge in transforming my leadership team into a DELT is… A. My own personal courage B. My own racial competence. C. My team members D. My beliefs E. The beliefs of my team

Valeria Silva Jose Torres Stephen West Carole Connie Karen Chris

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Please discuss your needed strategies for transforming your top leadership team into a DELT…

4. Superintendents must lead their DELT to establish a professional learning community ethos. …for site administrators and central office directors in which all are expected to develop their individual and collective will, skill, knowledge, and capacity to lead their schools and divisions toward embracing a culture and climate of equity and excellence.

My top leadership team may struggle with developing their own will, skill, knowledge and capacity to racial equity because of… A. Their beliefs B. Their racial competency C. Fear D. Political Backlash

Stephen Connie Chris Carole Valeria Connie Karen

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Please discuss the leadership skills and capacity in racial equity of your top lead team. How have you supported and insisted upon their development? How have you navigated resistance or interference with their growth?

5. Superintendents must create a multi-constituency team comprised of administrators, teachers, students, and parents who can offer honest feedback on the nature and impact of the equity work system-wide. This group, known as District Equity Leadership Team Advisory (DELTA) • Include those who are uniquely determined and situated to understand speak to how the equity work is being experienced “on the ground. ” • These constituencies include, but may not be limited to, principals, department managers, teachers, parents, students, and community-based organization leaders. • Superintendents must also ensure that their DELTA is well supported and that their members feel empowered to have courageous conversations about race at the system’s highest levels.

The DELTA in my district should include members who… A. Bring multiple perspectives B. Are credible and walk the talk C. Can influence others D. Are racially competent E. All of the above

Superintendents and/or School and District Leaders must be personally resilient in order to lead racial equity work. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Strongly Agree Somewhat Agree Neutral Somewhat Disagree Strongly Disagree

In order to lead racial equity, superintendents and other district leaders must… A. Take care of their personal selves B. Never personalize the response to the work C. Find support in trusted others outside of the organization D. Never, ever give up E. All of the above

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Valeria, Jose, Chris, Stephen, Carole, Connie Karen

2012 Summit for Courageous Conversation It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top Westin Hotel San Antonio, Texas Wednesday, October 24, 2012