In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Buddy Berry, the superintendent of Eminence Independent Schools in Kentucky. He founded the innovative model “School on FIRE” (Framework of Innovation for Reinventing Education). He was recognized by the Obama Administration as one of the top 100 School Superintendents in America for his district’s implementation of digital learning and invited to the ConnectED Superintendents Summit at the White House. 

Some Questions We Ask:

• Please tell us about your career as a superintendent. (01:13)
• What is the most rewarding aspect of being a superintendent? (04:53)
• What can you say about the 2023 RAND study and how do you cope with the stress your career brings? (06:06)
• How has scrutiny of the superintendency changed over the years? (07:41)
• Do your experiences represent other school administrators' experiences across the nation? (09:21)
• How do you bring the community to see your vision? (11:02)
• What are the core values or core metrics that you focused on to change the community’s view of the education system? (16:52)
• What is your advice to other district leaders for building a community? (23:55)
• What is your take on humanizing the role of superintendents and how can the community benefit from it? (26:48)
• What advice can you give supporters of K-12 education about advocating for district leaders? (28:45)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Dr. Buddy Berry (01:39)
• Rewarding aspects of being a superintendent (05:02)
• His take on the 2023 RAND Study and coping with stress (06:33)
• Scrutiny of the superintendency (07:46)
• Comparison of his personal experiences to other administrators’ (09:30)
• Building a community with one vision (11:17)
• Establishing core values across a district  (17:24)
• Advice for district leaders (24:18)
• Humanizing the role of superintendents (26:56)
• Advice to those advocating for superintendents and district leaders (29:13)

Quotes:

“Enrollment has doubled in the last decade. Test scores have gone from the eighth percentile to hovering around the 80s. We started the first early college high school program in Kentucky that's on a college campus. … We've had 500 kids go through that program, and 498 have earned a degree or are college right now. Crazy results from a population that's, you know, 70% free and reduced lunch, 18% homeless, and the vast majority first-generation college.”

“I'm a big believer that your teachers live in the community. They're the people that are mostly talking to everybody at the grocery. And so if you can win your teachers over to your vision and your thinking and what you're doing, they'll sell it for you.”

“You can't win everybody over in one day. So it's about that consistency and that transparency and just being real to them—that I think eventually does win everybody over.”

Stay in touch with Dr. Buddy Berry:
School on F.I.R.E
School on Fire Innovating Instruction 

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook