(AUDIO) "You Are the Strategy": Transforming Chronic Absenteeism Through Relational Invitation with Shelley Berman
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
When a student stops showing up to school, our default instinct as a system is often to drop the hammer: automated warning letters, threats of fines, or referrals to juvenile court. Here’s the truth: those compliance letters don't build enthusiasm. They alienate families and often worsen the problem. In this latest episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we sit down with veteran superintendent and former CASEL CEO to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing education today: chronic absenteeism. Instead of treating attendance as an...
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(VIDEO) "You Are the Strategy": Transforming Chronic Absenteeism Through Relational Invitation with Shelley Berman
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
When a student stops showing up to school, our default instinct as a system is often to drop the hammer: automated warning letters, threats of fines, or referrals to juvenile court. Here’s the truth: those compliance letters don't build enthusiasm. They alienate families and often worsen the problem. In this latest episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we sit down with veteran superintendent and former CASEL CEO to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing education today: chronic absenteeism. Instead of treating attendance as an...
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(VIDEO) From Blackouts to Belonging: Chris Lynn and Leading the International School of Havana
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In the latest episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we sit down with , Head of School at the Leading an international school in Cuba amidst daily grid uncertainties, fuel shortages, and complex operational challenges requires incredible resilience, empathy, and community-first leadership. Chris Lynn approaches each challenge with a human-centered approach. 🌟 1. The Belonging Manifesto To ensure that every student, staff member, and family feels safe, known, and valued, Chris spearheaded the co-creation of the school’s...
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(AUDIO) From Blackouts to Belonging: Chris Lynn and Leading the International School of Havana
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In the latest episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we sit down with , Head of School at the Leading an international school in Cuba amidst daily grid uncertainties, fuel shortages, and complex operational challenges requires incredible resilience, empathy, and community-first leadership. Chris Lynn approaches each challenge with a human-centered approach. 🌟 1. The Belonging Manifesto To ensure that every student, staff member, and family feels safe, known, and valued, Chris spearheaded the co-creation of the school’s Belonging...
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(AUDIO) Courage, Systems, and Conviction: A Lesson in Vulnerability with Supt. Michael Hayden with Supt. Michael Hayden
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
This week on An Imperfect Leader, we sit down with Superintendent of the Clyde-Savannah Central School District for a deeply moving conversation on leadership, literacy, and human-centered courage. Here are two key takeaways from this powerful conversation: 1. Thinking in Systems to Guarantee Middle School Literacy Michael shares how middle school serves as a crucial pivot point. Rather than leaving literacy to chance, Michael applied systems thinking across the district: Protecting Instructional Coaching: Even during state aid cutbacks, the district prioritized non-evaluative...
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(VIDEO) Courage, Systems, and Conviction: A Lesson in Vulnerability with Supt. Michael Hayden
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
This week on An Imperfect Leader, we sit down with Superintendent of the Clyde-Savannah Central School District for a deeply moving conversation on leadership, literacy, and human-centered courage. Here are two key takeaways from this powerful conversation: 1. Thinking in Systems to Guarantee Middle School Literacy Michael shares how middle school serves as a crucial pivot point. Rather than leaving literacy to chance, Michael applied systems thinking across the district: Protecting Instructional Coaching: Even during state aid cutbacks, the district prioritized non-evaluative...
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(VIDEO) Process over Product: How Courageous Leaders Build Community Trust with Dr. Gustavo Balderas
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
When we talk about leadership in education, it’s easy to rely on broad phrases like "building relationships" or "equity" without defining what those actually look like in daily practice. In this week's episode of An Imperfect Leader, co-host Jamie Almanzan and I sat down with , Superintendent of Puget Sound Educational Service District and former AASA and NABE National Superintendent of the Year. We explored what it takes to turn abstract ideas into concrete, actionable systems. Here are a couple of themes from our conversation that every leader can appreciate: 1. Process Is as...
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(AUDIO) Process over Product: How Courageous Leaders Build Community Trust with Dr. Gustavo Balderas
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
When we talk about leadership in education, it’s easy to rely on broad phrases like "building relationships" or "equity" without defining what those actually look like in daily practice. In this week's episode of An Imperfect Leader, co-host Jamie Almanzan and I sat down with , Superintendent of Puget Sound Educational Service District and former AASA and NABE National Superintendent of the Year. We explored what it takes to turn abstract ideas into concrete, actionable systems. Here are a couple of themes from our conversation that every leader can appreciate: 1. Process Is as Important as...
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(VIDEO) Chip Kimball and Three Leadership Lessons on Culture, Deep Thinking, and Knowing When to Hit Reset
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
"This was a fail, and I own it." This week, on An Imperfect Leader, shows us what real leadership vulnerability looks like. His insights on international education and systems leadership brought up some themes every leader should reflect on: 1. The Power of the Reset Button: When Chip tried to streamline his team’s global R&D process, the spark was missing. Instead of abandoning a noble goal, he had the vulnerability to admit the approach was a failure, hit pause, and launch "R&D 2.0". 2. Cultural Competence Over Standard Metrics Drawing from years leading major school...
info_outline
(AUDIO) Chip Kimball and Three Leadership Lessons on Culture, Deep Thinking, and Knowing When to Hit Reset
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
"This was a fail, and I own it." This week, on An Imperfect Leader, shows us what real leadership vulnerability looks like. His insights on international education and systems leadership brought up some themes every leader should reflect on: 1. The Power of the Reset Button: When Chip tried to streamline his team’s global R&D process, the spark was missing. Instead of abandoning a noble goal, he had the vulnerability to admit the approach was a failure, hit pause, and launch "R&D 2.0". 2. Cultural Competence Over Standard Metrics Drawing from years leading major school...
info_outlineWhen a student stops showing up to school, our default instinct as a system is often to drop the hammer: automated warning letters, threats of fines, or referrals to juvenile court. Here’s the truth: those compliance letters don't build enthusiasm. They alienate families and often worsen the problem.
In this latest episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we sit down with veteran superintendent and former CASEL CEO Dr. Shelley Berman to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing education today: chronic absenteeism.
Instead of treating attendance as an enforcement issue, Shelley challenges us to embrace an invitational, relationship-rich model grounded in belonging. As he reminds us: kids show up when the culture is positive and when they—and their families—feel genuinely known and valued.
💡 Key Takeaways & Practical Strategies from the Episode:
- The Attendance Paradox: Many educators believe attendance is entirely a family issue outside their control, but research shows school culture and engagement actually have a massive influence. In fact, students with growing social-emotional competencies are half as likely to be chronically absent.
- You Are the Strategy: Quoting Superintendent Kevin Wilson of Winston-Dillard, before searching for external programs, school communities must look at how adults interact with kids and families every day.
- The 2x10 Strategy: Pioneered in places like Oregon’s Umatilla School District (shout-out to Superintendent Heidi Sipe!), pairing an at-risk student with a staff member for just two minutes of conversation a day for 10 consecutive days about life, not attendance or schoolwork.
- The Relationship Audit: Bringing school staff together to map out which students have a champion on campus and proactively ensuring no child falls through the cracks without an adult connection.
📚 Two Free Reports You Need to Read: Shelley and his colleagues have documented how real school systems cut chronic absenteeism by double digits without adding extra staffing. We invite you to dive into both resources:
- 📄 From Compliance to Invitation: Lessons in Improving Attendance in 11 Oregon School Districts (highlighting the real-world trials, errors, and successes of 11 districts).
- 📄 Connection That Keeps Students Coming Back: Improving Student Attendance Through Relationships, Community, and Engagement (co-authored by Dr. Shelley Berman and CASEL Director of Research Risa Plate).
🎧 Tune in to the episode wherever you get your podcasts, and let us know: What is your school or district doing to move from compliance to true relational invitation?
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Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/
Website: https://imperfectleader.com/
Follow Co-host Jamie Almanzán on:
Connect with APC Leadership Collaborative for support in navigating complex leadership situations: https://www.apccollab.com
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An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by IXL. Boost learning with a platform proven to deliver results. IXL gives educators a complete K–12 curriculum and personalized learning plans that adapt to every student.
Trusted by over 1 million teachers and 96 of the top 100 school districts, IXL helps schools outperform on state tests, and helps teachers focus on what matters most.
IXL: Powerful data. Personalized learning. Real progress.
Discover what IXL can do for your school at IXL.com/imperfect
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The Mosaic Project, one of our favorite organizations, has over 25 years of experience empowering students to celebrate differences, communicate assertively, and resolve conflicts peacefully at their outdoor school. Their innovative SEL curriculum is now available to An Imperfect Leader listeners at a 10% discount through their new documentary film-based Mosaic Classroom Project!
The Project’s ready-to-use lesson plans include film, original music, “gametivities”, and real conversations. We’re proud to partner with The Mosaic Project in helping educators build inclusive, peaceful learning communities! Just mention An Imperfect Leader during the onboarding process to receive the 10% discount.
Learn more about The Mosaic Classroom Project.
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Think differently. Think in systems. Reach out to The Waters Center for Systems Thinking to learn more about how systems thinking capacity building can strengthen your team and organization.
Homepage: www.waterscenterst.org
Thinking Tools Studio: https://thinkingtoolsstudio.waterscenterst.org
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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at imperfectleader.com.
Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.
Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.