In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast with George Couros, Dr. Rick Surrency, the superintendent of Putnam County School District, discusses the unique role he has taken on by being an elected education leader. Dr. Surrency shares insights from his extensive career in education, spanning over 47 years while emphasizing the importance of making education relevant to students' futures by integrating innovative problem-solving and collaboration into the curriculum. He highlights the significant improvement in the district's graduation rates and the successful implementation of a 'Profile of a Graduate' initiative, which was developed with community input to ensure students are prepared for local job markets. Dr. Surrency also shares personal stories that illustrate his transformation in educational practices and discusses the critical role of building a culture of listening and collaboration. The episode even ends with a bit of anticipation for George Couros' upcoming visit to the district and a promise of exploring local heritage, including Babe Ruth's winter home! Be sure to check out this episode to hear all of the great work happening in the Putnam School District! 

Quotes:

“ I think that (Portrait of a Graduate) is so embedded in our culture, in our community...it has really given us a whole new perspective on what graduation means.” - Dr. Rick Surrency

“Students have really focused on ‘what is life going to be like when I graduate?’... That work came out of Portrait of a Graduate.” - Dr. Rick Surrency

Links:

Putnam County School District - https://www.putnamschools.org/page/superintendents-office/

Dr. Rick Surrency on LinkedIn  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-surrency-221a69a5/ 

Portrait of a Graduate - https://www.putnamschools.org/page/portrait-of-a-graduate-2021 

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The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzgeorge0f-20&creativeASIN=1948334739&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2SBTFVTBT0S6X&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

Because of a Teacher - https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2 - 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=194833450X&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.2SBTFVTBT0S6X

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

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