What does it look like to lead a hurting school toward healing? 

In this episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen speaks with Julia Bielecki, award-winning education leader, former principal, and author of Leading with Grace, about rebuilding trust, navigating racial tension in schools, and leading with courage and compassion.

When Julia stepped into her first principalship in 2019, she quickly discovered the role was not about management or instructional plans. It was about repairing harm, restoring trust, and guiding a fractured community toward connection. In this powerful, story-driven conversation, she shares practical strategies for school culture transformation, servant leadership in education, and leading through crisis with integrity.

If you are an aspiring or current school leader who feels the weight of responsibility, isolation, or culture challenges, this episode will remind you that lasting change begins with relationships.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why leadership in a hurting school begins with listening, not fixing
• How unresolved racial issues can fracture students, families, and staff
• The power of one on one relationship-building in rebuilding trust
• Three intentional questions that shaped Julia’s first year as principal
• How presence, communication, and connectedness became her leadership focus
• Why small daily actions create long-term cultural momentum
• How to move from crisis response to collaborative vision building
• What authentic apology and humility look like in school leadership
• A real story of a fractured parent relationship that became a thriving partnership

Chapters

00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:09 - Stepping into a first principalship
00:03:31 - “I had been selected to lead at this moment in time”
00:05:05 - Facing the weight of leadership responsibility
00:05:59 - How hurt fractured the staff and community
00:08:40 - Trusting instincts and leaning into connection
00:13:04 - Strategic leadership begins with relationships
00:16:41 - The three questions that shaped her first year
00:18:59 - Building connectedness in a large, divided campus
00:25:27 - Recognizing cultural momentum through small wins
00:28:43 - When the staff was ready to rebuild vision together
00:31:16 - A fractured parent relationship transformed
00:34:39 - Leading with authenticity, apology, and grace
00:36:01 - How to connect with Julia and her work

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What if transforming a struggling school system starts with reconnecting people to purpose?

In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Superintendent of Aldine ISD in Houston, Texas, to unpack what it takes to lead large-scale school transformation. From her childhood shaped by poverty and powerful teachers, to leading 67,000 students in a 100% Title I district, Dr. Goffney shares how vision, belief, and courageous leadership can move a system from despair to momentum.

This is a masterclass in servant leadership, culture transformation, and raising expectations without losing compassion.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• “If you could read, you can go anywhere.”
• “I recognize I am living my ancestors dreams and it was education that made it possible.”
• “I know the power of people.”
• “Without a vision, the people perish.”
• “The opposite of hope is despair.”
• “The thing that I had to do was connect them to more than just a job in the paycheck, but the opportunity to make a difference.”
• “Where are we?”
• “We need some proof points.”
• “I would rather have one impactful, high performing principal and 30 mediocre teachers.”
• “How they come to us is no excuse for how they lead us.”

00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:09 - How education changed Dr. Goffney’s life trajectory
00:03:58 - Becoming a first time principal in an unacceptable rated campus
00:06:05 - Unifying staff around vision and belief
00:08:36 - Leading at scale in Aldine ISD
00:10:48 - Why hope is essential in school leadership
00:16:13 - Creating proof points through demonstration schools
00:18:01 - The power of one exceptional principal
00:22:33 - Leading as a mother of a child with special needs
00:26:32 - National leadership and what is next

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What happens when a leader steps into a struggling middle school during a global crisis and chooses people first?

In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen welcomes Dr. Brandi Kelley, former superintendent and two-time Principal of the Year, to share her experience leading a middle school through uncertainty, low expectations, and pandemic disruption. Dr. Kelley reflects on how student-centered leadership, human connection, and small intentional actions can transform school culture, build trust, and unlock potential in both students and staff. This conversation explores school turnaround leadership, servant leadership in education, and how calm, clarity, and hope can guide leaders through crisis.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Taking a school from uncertainty to shared ownership starts with focusing on what is within your circle of control.
• Leadership begins by connecting with educators and understanding their pain points and strengths.
• Students with learning disabilities are just as intelligent as any other students and learn differently.
• Low expectations can become one of the greatest barriers to student success.
• Collaborative data conversations help educators focus on progress rather than perfection.
• Celebrating small wins builds momentum and strengthens school culture.
• Psychological safety is essential for both students and adults to thrive.
• Home visits created belonging, trust, and deeper relationships with students and families.
• Calm, consistent leadership steadies schools during times of uncertainty.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

Want to transform a school’s culture and outcomes? Start with clarity.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Rick Surrency, 2023 National Superintendent of the Year, shares how intentional leadership raised Putnam County’s graduation rate from 54% to 92%. From overcoming a culture of low expectations to creating systems of trust, engagement, and teacher celebration, his strategies deliver measurable change.

You’ll learn how to:

• Set schoolwide expectations that stick
• Transform faculty morale through celebration rituals
• Build student engagement to reduce misbehavior
• Shift mindsets among veteran staff
• Engage families through community-first leadership

This is a masterclass in servant leadership, school transformation, and leading with courage

Key Takeaways
• Challenging low expectations begins with belief and clarity
• Instructional improvement starts with posting learning targets visibly
• Celebrating teachers builds trust and transforms culture
• Community engagement includes meeting families where they are
• Staff resistance is best overcome through teams and empowerment
• Clear expectations reduce discipline issues and improve outcomes
• Engaged leadership means asking good questions, not having all the answers
• Faculty meetings can become powerful culture-shaping spaces
• Building trust requires modeling integrity and consistency
• Student engagement reveals whether instruction is actually working

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What happens when a young, first-time principal steps into a school reeling from a leadership change? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Amber Shields, now Managing Director with the Commit Partnership and founder of PM Consulting, shares how she built trust from scratch, reconnected fractured staff, and turned reflective adult learning into a foundation for sustainable culture change.

Listeners will learn how small daily actions and intentional relationship-building helped transform staff mindsets, rebuild community, and center professional growth on ownership and reflection. Whether you’re leading through transition or building a new foundation, Amber’s story offers both encouragement and practical strategies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Building trust starts with small, consistent daily actions
• Coffee chats and hallway check-ins can drive real connection
• Arrival and dismissal are overlooked opportunities for visibility
• Reflection must be embedded into daily school culture
• Teachers thrive when they can name one area they want to grow in
• Safe spaces for adult learning foster vulnerability and growth
• Peer observations increase self-awareness and instructional insight
• Individual growth plans should align with broader school goals
• Psychological safety is essential for sustainable culture shifts
• Leadership requires self-awareness, consistency, and alignment

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:52. “Every time we’re together, you are so full of joy and optimism and practical wisdom.”
00:04:02. “I had to do some mindset work of my own to separate what is not mine to carry.”
00:05:15. “Coffee was on me... I wanted to get them off campus.”
00:07:00. “Those small acts can really be impactful in terms of building connection.”
00:07:51. “Hey guys, this didn’t work. That has so much trust building in that simple act alone.”
00:10:12. “Name one thing they wanted to own improving.”
00:13:00. “When teachers began to do that informally... it’s beautiful because it impacts the students.”
00:14:12. “When people feel safe to be vulnerable... there has to be a sense of safety.”
00:15:32. “Gratitude was something that I tried to use to center me in those difficult moments.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What if the hard parts of your story were actually preparing you to lead? 

In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen talks with Jayme Braida, Principal of Columbus Elementary and Iowa’s 2025 Elementary Principal of the Year. Jayme shares how her leadership identity was forged through childhood adversity, how her faith and purpose continue to guide her, and how she cultivates a resilient, relational school culture. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead through challenge without losing yourself, this episode will equip and inspire you. Learn how transformational leadership grows from reflection, grace, and the daily decision to show up with courage.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Leadership identity can form long before stepping into a formal role
• Adversity, when reframed, becomes a powerful leadership teacher
• Relational leadership drives sustainable school culture change
• Capturing Kids’ Hearts creates belonging for staff and students
• Values-based leadership fosters alignment and integrity
• Grace and accountability can coexist in effective leadership
• Staff emotional support builds long-term instructional trust
• Leading with faith brings clarity and purpose during trials
• Reflective practices help leaders stay anchored in mission
• Transformational impact starts with seeing people deeply

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:59. “I was the kid full of potential, but very misunderstood.”
00:02:49. “My leadership identity was formed long before I became a teacher.”
00:04:07. “Sometimes those things follow you into life. I made mistakes I wasn’t proud of.”
00:05:32. “She came to the hospital when my son was born. I thought, I want to be a principal like her.”
00:06:20. “I’ve always tried to have a bigger impact than just my own classroom.”
00:08:03. “Grace became a core value when I needed it the most.”
00:10:58. “You can’t have a kid’s head before you have their heart. That’s true for adults too.”
00:14:11. “Deep purpose and resilience really come from living through hardships and leaning on faith.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://www.gracelyn.edu

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What if your leadership legacy began with a popsicle and a push-up contest?

In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, Principal of Waterloo Elementary in Maryland and coauthor of Relational Intelligence. Rachel shares the powerful story of stepping into leadership after a beloved principal and rebuilding trust through joy, humility, and consistency. She breaks down how to use relational intelligence to transform school culture, build trauma-informed behavior systems, and lead with empathy, without losing structure or accountability.

If you’ve ever faced the challenge of inheriting a hurting campus or wondered how to lead change with authenticity, Rachel’s story will inspire and equip you.

Key Takeaways:

• Why joy and humility are essential traits in school leadership
• How to build trust quickly when following a beloved leader
• Why relational intelligence is foundational to school culture
• How to gather real feedback that drives actionable change
• Using push-up contests and popsicles to connect with students
• Building behavior systems that are consistent, clear, and trauma-informed
• How “PAW Pals” created strong mentoring moments across the school
• The impact of relational strategies on student attendance and behavior
• Why leaders must embrace feedback, even the hard truths
• The power of proactive, honest communication with families

Best Moments:

00:02:00. “There was a sadness amongst the whole school community.”
00:05:10. “We did some playground blacktop plots with popsicles with the principal.”
00:07:05. “I still think I can beat you.”
00:09:35. “I do a 100-day survey... Please give me feedback.”
00:10:37. “They wanted me to be more consistent with my behavior implementation.”
00:16:14. “Adults need trusted adults too.”
00:18:24. “We saw a decrease in incidents of physical aggression.”
00:22:23. “We are here to support you, and you have my word.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://www.gracelyn.edu

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

How do you transform a school that’s lost its way? Dr. Catherine Kennedy did it through trust, not titles.
In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen speaks with Dr. Catherine Kennedy of the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. When she arrived at Valley View Middle School in El Paso, the campus was in transition, low morale, academic underperformance, and faculty uncertainty. What happened next was a multi-year journey of trust-building, vulnerability, and alignment around purpose.

Dr. Kennedy shares the foundational principles she used to shift culture and outcomes, from greeting staff each morning to knowing the name of every student. If you’re searching for a model of courageous, servant-led leadership that leads to real transformation, this conversation is a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Daily visibility matters, but presence is what transforms
• Faculty buy-in starts with vulnerability and consistency
• Greeting staff every day created an emotional shift
• Knowing your teachers beyond their job titles builds trust
• Students flourish when faculty know them by name
• Ambassadors programs give voice to shy and struggling students
• Alignment of values leads to alignment in culture
• Creating a shared mission can unify a campus in transition
• Academic success followed emotional connection and structure
• Legacy is built when students feel known and seen

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:34. “So it was a big culture shock for me having to learn stuff like from learning the importance of a good master schedule.”
00:03:01. “Good teachers, good teaching, regardless of the grade level.”
00:05:12. “I wanted to know them as a person, and then I wanted to know their families, too.”
00:07:32. “So choose your attitude. Be present. Have fun. Make their day.”
00:10:54. “It’s the team that really become the heroes because they’re the ones that are going to do the work.”
00:12:19. “So it was first in pride, first in character, and first on the path to higher education.”
00:17:05. “To see them evolve and then become leaders, it was just amazing to see.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://www.gracelyn.edu

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

What really happens when a new principal walks into a struggling school just two weeks before the year starts? Dr. Katrise Perera did exactly that, and what followed became a case study in transformational leadership grounded in faith, trust, and purpose.

In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Perera, now a superintendent, to unpack the story of how she led one of her district’s most challenged campuses through a culture shift that redefined belief, expectations, and outcomes. From building credibility as a first-time principal to leading with vulnerability and purpose, Dr. Perera offers a masterclass in what it takes to change school culture from the inside out.

Whether you're facing resistance, burnout, or the weight of schoolwide challenges, this story will remind you that transformation is possible, and it begins with trust.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Why Dr. Perera refuses to use the phrase “at-risk” for students
• The role of faith and purpose in leadership
• How to identify key influencers inside your building
• Why student voice must be part of school improvement
• Creating buy-in without top-down mandates
• The link between trust and accountability
• A real story of teacher transformation and redemption
• How shared vision builds sustainable change
• The emotional reality of school leadership
• What Dr. Perera still does every semester to stay grounded

BEST MOMENTS

00:03:36. “It’s kind of where I started this whole thing with student voice and having a student committee.”
00:04:15. “God has a way of putting you in a place where you really need to be.”
00:06:20. “I leaned on my faith… and my coaching ability to identify the influencers in the building.”
00:08:22. “That phrase ‘at-risk’… to me that puts the ownership on the kid to get better.”
00:13:12. “Had I listened to my predecessor about this individual, my students would have lost out on an amazing teacher.”
00:17:50. “What I can say to my board and the communities where I serve is that I gave my very best.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://www.gracelyn.edu

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com

Rebuilding Trust, Reclaiming Hope: Dr. Paula Patterson’s Journey at Crosby ISD

What happens when a leader steps into a district facing crisis, fear, and financial turmoil, during a pandemic? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Paula Patterson, Superintendent of Crosby ISD, reveals how she rebuilt a fractured district with a leadership style rooted in visibility, compassion, and deep community connection. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Flippen, this conversation dives into how trust can be restored after cultural and organizational wounds, and how courageous leadership can help schools not just survive, but thrive.

Whether you're navigating change, rebuilding trust, or searching for hope as a leader, this story is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Trust is rebuilt through presence, relationships, and consistency
• Leadership during crisis requires calm, encouragement, and visibility
• Culture is harder to heal than finances, and must be addressed intentionally
• Servant leadership begins with humility and community connection
• Four-day week implementation helped attract and retain quality teachers
• Listening and adjusting plans based on community feedback builds trust
• Rebounding from academic and financial decline requires long-term strategy
• Creating student and staff advisory groups fosters shared ownership
• Balanced budgeting and strategic planning are key to district stability
• Leadership is sustained through faith, reflection, and daily spiritual grounding

BEST MOMENTS

00:03:10. “The financial difficulties resulted in a layoff of 120 employees.”
00:05:21. “You build trust by building relationships.”
00:06:04. “I really just tried to be that calm and that sense of peace and also joy.”
00:08:58. “Servant leadership often starts with a position of humility.”
00:13:03. “Really what I needed was a four day week to recruit and retain exceptional teachers.”
00:16:06. “From that, we created Cougar News Now… that came directly from a student recommendation.”
00:27:35. “I could not do this without God.”

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://www.gracelyn.edu

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

🔗 Explore Gracelyn University’s online programs and leadership resources: https://sholink.to/gracelynuniversity

📖 Read Dr. Matthew Flippen’s new book, Win With Your Talent Pipeline: https://sholink.to/WinYourTalentPipelineBook

📅 New episodes release every Thursday at 6 AM CT.

Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformationalEducators?sub_confirmation=1

If today’s conversation inspired you to lead with courage and care, share it with another educator or school leader. Together we can build schools that truly transform lives.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com