Dr. Melvin Brown on Weighted Grades, Systemic Change, and Serving as a Lead Learner
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 06/18/2024
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Welcome to Season Three of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. We’re beginning this season with something truly special—we have a co-host! , a partner and equity coach at , will be joining me this season. Jamie brings a wealth of experience in equity work and leadership coaching, and I’m thrilled to have him help us dive even deeper into the complex issues facing education leaders today. Today, we’re excited to welcome , Superintendent of Ithaca Public Schools in New York. Dr. Brown has been recognized as one of the nation’s top school leaders,...
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INTRO: In this episode of An Imperfect Leader, we have a very special guest. The Chief Ruckus Maker of , Danny Bauer, is here. You might be asking yourself what makes a Ruckus Maker. I assure you, I ask Danny that in the episode. Let me set the stage a little bit about why today is exciting. Danny describes himself as: An UNORTHODOX leadership coach and who loves to ask “Why follow the rules when you can make them up?” He hosts a podcast that ranks in the TOP 0.5% of all shows worldwide with over 2 million downloads. And he is a best-selling author of ! He has mentored...
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Intro: Hartford, Connecticut was the location of my very first hockey game. The Hartford Whalers vs the NY Rangers. And what a scene it was. During the second period, there was an obvious offense because both benches cleared and both teams were absolutely brawling! I find myself in Hartford at least once a year and so every year, I revisit, in my mind, that very violent episode in my life. But now, after talking with my guest, Dr. Torres-Rodriguez, I have a delightful replacement memory and for that, I am grateful. My mentor, Dr. Linda Henke, the creator of the human-centered school...
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Hello, Imperfect Leaders! INTRO: Evaluations. In every single profession, employees are evaluated. They are evaluated by their direct supervisors or evaluated by a board of directors. Often they are evaluated by the people they lead in the form of a survey (often referred to as a 360 survey). Plus, there are informal evaluations conducted by the community over social media (those can be brutal). Formal evaluations can be difficult to navigate if there is not a clear process and protocol established at the very beginning. How often have you entered an evaluation meeting only to discover...
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INTRO: In this episode, Matt Robbins is my guest. Matt is the Superintendent of the Daviess County Public Schools in Daviess County, Kentucky. What’s different about Matt is that he didn’t follow a traditional route to the superintendency. His background is in finance. In this episode, we talk a little about how his past experiences help him in his current job. In Part 2, in his After Action Review, he describes a situation all superintendents should be prepared to deal with. What happens when you adopt new routing software for your bus system and it crashes? What happens when the...
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Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. Intro: Hope is a powerful theme for today’s conversation. ...
info_outlineAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. INTRO: Choosing a name for a public building is a...
info_outlineAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. INTRO: This week, Matt Hornbeck is my guest. He is the...
info_outlineAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. Intro: Hello Imperfect Leaders! On August 29, 2005,...
info_outlineAn Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: Hop on the Energy Bus for our latest podcast episode! This week, we're thrilled to have Dr. Jim Van Allan, a nationally recognized speaker and co-author of , take the wheel. Jim shares his expertise on school leadership, student engagement, and the power of positivity in education. In this episode, discover how Jim's journey and dynamic approach can transform a school's culture. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or just passionate about positive change, this conversation is packed with valuable insights and practical tips, include: Part 1: We dive into the themes of...
info_outlineINTRO: In my third year as a superintendent, the AVID classes at one of my high schools invited me to the school library at 7:30 in the morning. That is EARLY for high school students accustomed to starting school at almost 9 o’clock, so it had to be important. Over donuts and juice, it was the students who led an activity called Philosophical Chairs. The topic? Weighted grades. Our school district didn’t offer weighted grades and the students saw this as a distinct disadvantage. They were prepared for my argument to maintain the status quo. I reasoned, “Why would we need weighted grades? The research is really clear. If you complete an AP course, even with a C, you’re more likely to complete college.”
In Philosophical Chairs, after each statement, participants can choose to move in proximity to the person making the statement. I didn’t sway anyone. A student then stated, “I hear the argument that completing an AP course shows me that I can handle a college course, and that it becomes more likely I will finish college, but I need to GET into college first, and I need to get a scholarship to pay for it, and a peer who takes a less rigorous course and gets an A gets accepted to college and gets a higher scholarship.”
She was right (we verified this with our local University and they weren’t stripping weighted grades from transcripts). I was won over. I wish I could say that this change happened immediately. Getting 4 votes from the school board took some time, but we got there. My guest, Dr. Melvin Brown, shares his experience with a decision he made about weighted grades in Montgomery, Alabama.
In Part 1, Melvin Brown talks about the importance of reclaiming the narrative in Montgomery Public Schools. He talks about how enduring change will take time. He talks about recognizing the systems that exist, persist, and ways to RESIST. We discuss the ways external partners like EdConnective can support leadership development. We talk about the goal of increasing opportunities like algebra at middle school and the systems thinking approach that will be necessary to do that.
In Part 2, we talk about weighted grades, how AP courses and honors courses earned the same full point on a transcript, and the unintended consequences on a student’s future (scholarships and such). Dr. Brown lived the role of a lead learner.
It’s a great episode. Also, this episode had one of my favorite lines ever! I laughed out loud when Dr. Brown described himself as a student. He said, “Summa Cum Laude? No, it was more like, thank you, Laude!” I edited out my outburst!
BIO: Dr. Melvin Brown is the Superintendent of the Montgomery Public Schools in Montgomery, Alabama, a position he has held since 2022. Previous to that, he served as Superintendent of the Reynoldsburg City School District in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. And before that he served as a Superintendent in Residence and Visiting Professor at The Ohio State University. And before that, he held various leadership roles: as Deputy Superintendent, as Director of Human Resources, as an Associate Superintendent, and as both an elementary middle school principal.
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At the end of every interview we have for teacher candidates, we say, “What questions do you have for us?” And they always ask, “What kind of support can I expect?” And we always say, “Don't worry, we'll give you a mentor.”
But it's not real mentorship. I mean, it's support with the difficult kid, or the field trip form, or the grade card. But it isn't coaching.
That's where partners like EdConnective step in. Because they provide real coaching, observations and feedback with practice. EdConnective ensures that every student thrives by facilitating exceptional educator growth. If you're looking for support for your people, for your leaders, for science of reading efforts, for recruitment and retention initiatives, check out EdConnective.com.
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Imperfect Leaders! Are you facing challenges filling open Speech-Language Pathologist positions within your district? Empat Speech understands the critical need for qualified professionals in your schools. The recognize that communication lies at the heart of academic success. Don't let open positions hinder your students' progress. Partner with Empat Speech today and ensure every child in your district has access ot the speech therapy they deserve.
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Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.
Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.
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My book, An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is available at Amazon.com or peterstiepleman.com.