A Heart for People

On the latest episode, we celebrate Virginia Principals Appreciation Week by speaking with three dedicated school leaders who share their experiences, challenges, and strategies for fostering positive school environments. Their insights emphasize the importance of relationship-building, community engagement, and resilience in education, revealing how they support both students and staff.

The Stories Behind Our Story

Transcript

Celebrate Chesapeake Public Schools Principals

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to Amplify the Chesapeake Public Schools podcast.

Speaker 2 0:13

Chesapeake Public Schools is located in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. We proudly serve over 40,000 students in 45 schools and three centers. Join us as we share the stories behind our story by celebrating the people and programs that make us one of the premier school districts in Virginia.

Speaker 1 0:33

Hey listeners, this is Matt Graham here with Chris Vail, and on today's episode you're going to hear from three of our outstanding principals here with Chesapeake Public Schools. January 13th through the 17th was Virginia Principals Appreciation Week and we brought three of them in.

Speaker 2 0:49

And you know what, matt? What makes this so special is, first off, you have three principals that are passionate about their job, and then, second off, for the listener, we have principals with varying levels of experience.

Speaker 1 1:00

Right, we had Chad Triolet over at Sparrow Road Intermediate, Brenna Stanley at Indian River Middle and Quentin Hicks from Western Branch High.

Speaker 2 1:08

So listeners, tune in for this episode and hear what makes all three of them special.

Speaker 1 1:17

So joining us today. We have three principals with us. We have Quentin Hicks from Western Branch, High Brenna, Stanley from Indian River, Middle and we have Chad Triolet from Sparrow Road Intermediates. Welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 4 1:31

Thank you, thanks for having us.

Speaker 1 1:33

Quentin, how are things going this year at Western Branch High?

Speaker 5 1:37

Things are awesome at Western Branch. We're excited. It's an awesome experience now when we begin the second semester, or, and when we begin the second semester, or when the cross would begin the second semester, it's always excited to watch the seniors start to realize it's almost time for the next phase. And so there you know excitement, anticipation, nervousness, apprehension all that at the same time. And then the juniors are like we're about to be next on, next on. So it's pretty awesome Culminating the fall sports season. Now we're in the winter season and I'm watching our teams. When the cold weather hits, we have more activity on the inside, as in clubs and activities, concerts, plays, drama productions, you name it and so it's always exciting to see the students and then get the community involved all at the same time.

Speaker 2 2:26

So with your seniors you get a lot of laughs with them, right so. I'm sure they start talking to you hey, this is the last time. Hey, I'll be at a football game, last time I'll be at a school dance or prom. So you get to witness a lot of those. And then Chad and Brenna I think the two of you sometimes get to witness a lot of firsts, right? So what are some of those exciting things that you have going on in your building, Brenna, right now?

Speaker 4 2:51

We just switched the block scheduling this year in middle school and it is exciting because kids get to dive a little bit deeper into their learning. They have a little bit longer time instead of the 45-minute period to actually finish projects, and I had my student advisory meeting the other day and a student told me I'm more engaged in my learning now that we're on block and I was like you are pulling on my heartstrings.

Speaker 2 3:12

So you're part of that modern classroom.

Speaker 4 3:13

Yes, we have teachers that are also doing modern classroom.

Speaker 2 3:16

So far, it's been your success story, one of your biggest success so far this year, you think.

Speaker 4 3:21

Yeah, I think it is successful. It really depends on the kid and the subject they enjoy, I think, as far as their enjoyment of that, but it's an awesome way to meet students' needs and also provide enrichment for them.

Speaker 1 3:32

Right. I remember when I was teaching with the middle school 45 minutes just seemed to fly by. So they like having that extra time.

Speaker 4 3:39

They do.

Speaker 2 3:40

Yeah, chad. How about you? Any initiatives you have going on with the smaller students right?

Speaker 3 3:50

Yeah, Well, athletics, I love athletics and I had the fortune of being at a middle school for the past two years and just seeing that and the things that you can do with clubs and athletics. So we actually have a cheer and basketball team and we're going to be playing. Some other intermediate schools in the district Greenbrier, Truett, Carver has a team. There's quite a few and so we're playing our games actually at Indian River Middle. So we're excited to do that. The kids are really excited. They just had tryouts before the holidays, Got an amazing group of cheerleaders. I watched their tryouts and it was like wow, like they were amazing and the basketball players are excited to be out there. So we've got a new first time coach. It's been kind of going on within the district kind of unofficially. It's not a sanctioned sport but it's just a way for us to get the kids kind of show off some talent in a different way.

Speaker 3 4:39

Tomorrow Our kids will start their running club that will go up through March where we run at the final mile at the Shamrock Marathon. So that's going to be kicking off and then we also just put out our clubs. We're actually going to do clubs for the first time after school clubs at Sparrow Road we're doing a four week, two four week sessions. Our first one's going to start in February and I'm really excited. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. We did all of the sponsor did commercials for their clubs and the kids are excited, so I'm hoping that we'll have a great turnout for that.

Speaker 4 5:12

That's awesome to hear. We actually started club day this year during the day, so during our Braves block every other Tuesday the kids have an opportunity to explore different clubs and gives them everyone an opportunity to participate so that they don't have to have a ride or, you know, wait for a bus. I mean, the kids love it. They're like when's the next club day? When's the next?

Speaker 3 5:29

club. I saw the same thing at Jolliff last year and it was such a big hit that I had to bring it to Sparrow Road and I had a teacher who had done it previously in another school in Virginia Beach and she was all on board and I just basically said, hey, do you want to do clubs? And she said, can I run it?

Speaker 5 5:45

and I said okay, sure oh yeah, and the excitement doesn't even end at the high school level we might think about it where our goal now is to expand some of our clubs and activities. So one of the biggest excitements now for our clubs is the gaming club, and I didn't think it was going to be as big as it is, but you come on a certain day into our media center and it's packed.

Speaker 4 6:05

You know what club is most engaging for our kids? Or the biggest turnout is chess club.

Speaker 5 6:10

Yeah, they love it. Yeah, chess, robotics, gaming clubs like wow, yeah.

Speaker 2 6:15

So, Quentin, you're the most seasoned administrator in the studio right now. I am If.

Speaker 5 6:22

Never thought that would be the case. You don't look it at all and you lie. Very well, man, I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 6:29

And you can dap me up later for using seasoned instead of the oldest.

Speaker 5 6:32

You're the one. I embrace it. I'm proud of it now.

Speaker 2 6:36

Yep, so you have a lot of experiences. What's your recommendation for new administrators, new principals coming in on how to build a relationship with their staff, with their community, with their students? What do you need to know coming into the job?

Speaker 5 6:52

You have to have a heart for people. You have to have a heart for people. We all want to see student success. We all want to see that. But you have to make sure that you have a big heart for your faculty and your staff to show appreciation. You know we talk about at Western Branch every Bruin, every day. That doesn't just include the students, that includes our staff members, that includes the custodians, that includes bus drivers, that includes our security guards. Every Bruin, every day is everybody put together. But you have to show the appreciation you have to have in your heart and your spirit. You have to be really ready to serve your community, serve your school. You have to have a servant's heart. Once you show that heart, then they will I think you know come on your side yeah yeah, now, chad, you're a little seasoned in terms of being within the school system, right?

Speaker 1 7:48

This is your what year? 30th year, 30th year. But you are also a first year principal this year, correct?

Speaker 2 7:54

That is correct.

Speaker 1 7:55

So, as being a first year principal, what has been one of the biggest challenges that you have faced this year and how have you overcome that?

Engaging and Supporting School Staff

Speaker 3 8:04

Well, I like to think of challenges as opportunities. One of the things that I did when I arrived at Sparrow Road is I took some time to look at the end of the year survey from our staff. I also took some time to do voluntary meet and greets with the new principal. We had a significant number of turnover and so just my backstory is I was actually the assistant principal at Sparrow Road for six years before going to a middle school for two years and then coming back now as the principal, and there's been a significant amount of turnover. So I wanted to make myself available to the staff and kind of get to know them a little bit differently before the school year started and I also asked them some just very open-ended questions and it's funny because Brenna's here, but she actually gave the suggestion of some topics while I was doing the new principal training this summer and I actually used all of her questions. So they worked out great, got some good information from the staff and I felt like we really needed to focus on our culture and that servant heart. So it's actually kind of a nice tie-in to what Quentin is saying. Is, you know, making the teachers feel appreciated? I think that education has at times has taken some negative spotlight and I want to bring some love back to the staff.

Speaker 3 9:17

So our first elementary teacher workday my dad lives in Gloucester. He put his blackstone in the back of his truck and brought it to Sparrow Road and he and I cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for the entire staff and it was a beautiful day. They had a great time. And for Indian River High School's homecoming we decided my assistant principal, ms Alexander, and I came up with the idea of let's do a tailgate at school after school on that homecoming Friday and then another.

Speaker 3 9:44

We did a chili cook-off. Everybody brought in different kinds of chilies, we had corn hole and some yard games and the staff just you know got to spend some time together. So we really tried to be intentional about making the staff feel like we're a big team. That was one of the things that came out in the survey. They felt like we don't. We don't do anything together. So try to think creatively about ways that we can engage the staff. Let them know that they're appreciated for all the hard work that they do, because they put a lot of time and energy into their work and into the kids, and so we want them to feel valued for that Right.

Speaker 2 10:17

So, Brenna, year two at Indian River Middle School. You made it through year one as a first year principal successfully. What has been your goal in year two as principal in Indian River Middle School?

Speaker 4 10:29

Our goal year two is really just to be more intentional with the supports we're providing not just to our students but also to our staff, so that we're building our staff capacity to be able to make sure students are successful. So we're just putting together different PD for teachers. And then I mentioned earlier about block scheduling. We're being able to do a lot more small group and really meet the needs of our students.

Speaker 1 10:53

Right. Well, each of you have a unique perspective. We have the elementary kind of mindset with Chad, and I wouldn't say mindset, sorry, the elementary level expertise.

Speaker 3 11:04

I'll take mindset, that's fine, that's fine, it actually. Sorry, the elementary level expertise. I'll take mindset, that's fine, that's fine, it actually it makes sense, middle school with Brenna and then Quentin here.

Speaker 1 11:12

So every student obviously is different. Absolutely Every grade level elementary, middle is different. How are you supporting those students academically, socially, at your grade level?

Speaker 5 11:27

It really depends. I remember I was a middle school principal for nine years seven years at Jollibee, two years at Hugo Owens. Well, you had a sixth grader coming in. They were literally coming in fresh, still used to recess.

Speaker 5 11:39

And you had an eighth grader who thought they were like the high school singers. It was just two total big gaps there. Even when you come to the high school, you have that high school freshman coming in with the excitement, looking at this big building. They're overwhelmed. Whether they have a brother or a sister, that the building, it doesn't matter, you can tell when they're just coming in and then at an awe. But then you and that's like a 14 year old, 15 year old coming in the building but the other 17 year old, 18 year old been there, done that, got the t-shirt, got the ring.

Speaker 5 12:07

I'm now getting ready for my next experience in life. So you have ninth graders coming in getting used to the block schedule because they didn't have it really at the middle school. They started it now at the middle school but they really didn't have it come to the high school. When you have juniors and seniors now going to tech school, preparing for this, you know, in their senior year, governor's school, going through the different things, the different experiences, ready for that next version part of life. So it's always very, very interesting.

Speaker 5 12:38

On the need, you're giving a lot of time to your ninth graders and your 10th graders and then when you're in 10th grade, you start shifting them to the 11th grade mindset because it's still really one of the most important years in your high school experience. And then the seniors. At this point now we're like, okay, let's start making that shift for you, as you're looking for college, the military, the workforce, and then when you watch them making their plans, it's awesome. So ninth grade it's let me get you onto a new regiment. Twelfth grade it's you're still hitting. Prior planning is going to prevent pitiful performance, but you're looking at financial literacy. It's just everything when it comes to seniors. So it just really depends on the grade.

Speaker 1 13:26

And you meet with almost all your seniors right.

Speaker 5 13:31

Yeah, that's my goal to meet with a bunch of them, to talk with them. They'll come to my office, assistant principal's office. We meet them in the halls. Hey, what's the next step For future plans? You know a lot of them will say will you mind writing my letter of recommendation? I think I've been blessed this year maybe to write between 50 and 60 for colleges and universities and for the workforce, for internships, and that's an awesome experience as well.

Speaker 2 13:58

So Brenna middle school I taught. High school actually started at Western Branch but I also taught middle school for the most amount of time. I think to be in middle school you got to have a screw loose Something's wrong right To enjoy that. Those hormones are bouncing everywhere. You never know what you're walking into. So what's it like, what are some of the challenges and how do you help them? You know, face them.

Speaker 4 14:21

Well, like you said, we have a lot of different hormones happening in middle school, but very similar to what Quentin shared Our sixth graders are coming in. I came from high school, right. So last year, my first year, was week one and I had a kid, you know, and he's in there in his sweetie bird jumpsuit and coming into sixth grade, and then down comes a hall, an eighth grader with a full beard Right, and you're like, oh okay, you know, and some days are great for some kids, and then the next day we're crying because we didn't get through the lunch line when they wanted to, or got to sit next to their friend they wanted to.

Speaker 5 14:52

So we have to balance that out. You can open your locker.

Speaker 1 14:54

Right, that was, sixth grade is the biggest deal, right, man?

Speaker 4 14:57

Yeah, that's a message to parents Make sure your child can use a combination lock going into sixth grade.

Speaker 4 15:03

No, but it is a balance. But I really think that through all of the middle school years, preteen, they think they know more than what a lot of adults, especially their parents. We have a lot of conversations with parents and they're like I've been telling them that and we're like we know that you've been doing that right. They just need to hear it from someone different, and that might be school administration, it might be a teacher, and that's where I need to give a shout out to our teachers because they do their heart work every day through the ups and downs of not just the day but from bell to bell with students.

Speaker 4 15:33

And you know how do they do on a test, one bell and it might translate into different behaviors. And their next bell but our teachers are the ones that are really really kind of honing in on what those students needs and are academically, socially, emotionally, and they're doing it day in and day out.

Speaker 5 15:51

Teachers, counselors, you name it.

Speaker 4 15:53

Yeah, I got to give them all credit.

Speaker 5 15:54

Making the difference.

Speaker 1 15:56

So it's a new semester. What are y'all looking forward to for this next half of the school year? Chad, we'll go with you.

Speaker 3 16:04

Okay, thanks for that.

Chesapeake Principals Focus on Student Success

Speaker 3 16:06

I think we're going to start clubs, so I think that's going to breathe a lot of energy into the school as well, as our basketball season is going to start. I think our first game is in February, so I think those things are exciting. For the kids it's something a little bit different. Obviously, we're going to be drilling down and getting. It's a lot different from middle school and high school because we're not it's a year-long kind of grade. We don't switch classes, we don't have any of those things. So it's just more of the same but a little bit more focused as we get closer to the SOL testing and just getting our students to feel like they're prepared for that.

Speaker 3 16:43

We spend a lot of time. Our coaches we're we're blessed to have five coaches at Sparrow Road and those are instructional coaches. They are doing an amazing job of, you know, getting in, talking about data with our teachers, supporting our teachers with instruction, and I think it's going to make a big difference for our teachers as we kind of get into the gauntlet of standardized testing towards the end of the year. You know there's a lot of pressure. I know the kids are going to feel pressure, the teachers feel pressure, so just trying to do things to help them, stay calm, know that it doesn't all come down to a test score. Especially if you focus on the test score, you're not going to score well. So it's today and you know when we go into the second semester and Brenna of course, remembers it being the API for all this, you know at the high school level.

Speaker 5 17:36

It's like you're starting a new school year with the block schedule and so once again, it's like, in many ways, you're having a new class and it's almost. It's just like in September, but it's January, but you might as well September again and we're going to, before you know it, you're going to go through the writing test and then start rolling once again. So, like at the middle school, a lot of things you would do once you have it twice at the high school, and once you start that testing season, which is in October, you never really end it. But in that second semester it's still a level of excitement because the seniors one you see who has the senioritis, but what I call you still see the senior excitement all at the same time when they're realizing wow, in June I'm culminating the experience. And so now, even in January, I'm thinking about I'm going to be shaking your hand and giving you a diploma in June at the Chartway Arena, and when I say that to a certain student they just start to smile.

Speaker 1 18:34

I'm like oh my God, yeah, it's setting in.

Speaker 5 18:37

It's going to happen Like yeah and then, or I need to say, do you? Want me to hand you a diploma and shake your hand at the Chartway. Arena. Yes, sir, then we need to get it together now. So you use that same frame as an encouragement also, and then, while I was telling them, you need to finish strong, finish strong.

Speaker 4 18:57

It's awesome to hear you get to see the end result, quentin, but it's awesome to hear like Chad adding basketball and clubs ways to get students engaged, because coming from high school to middle school it's really hard to get the teachers to see that end goal.

Speaker 4 19:10

Everyone has an impact on that kid's educational journey and one of our things at Indian River is unlimited possibilities. So we want to expose kids to as much as they can, give them opportunities that they may not have unless we afford those for them here at Indian River Middle or through the school system. So that's one thing we really like. They may not know what they want to do in sixth, seventh, eighth grade, but they might start going. This is an interest of mine and I want to go down this career path or I want to take more electives in high school to really figure out if this is the right path for me. So that's something we try to do and I'm trying to still now, coming from high school to middle school, that we play a part and we've got to make sure they're prepared, and ready not just for ninth grade but for any opportunities that might come their way through that process.

Speaker 5 19:52

And think about the shift, how much things have shifted and changed now from a technology standpoint. So even when they're leaving the sixth grade doing it three years at the middle school, by the time they come to ninth grade you're going to have something new on that level and just things are just evolving and changing so much and so you know it's exciting.

Speaker 3 20:15

Well, and I think earlier you were talking about how high school looks and maybe what middle school looks like but at the elementary level our focus is building that foundation, absolutely. Our fourth graders and fifth graders are getting experiences through school counseling to to talk about career readiness at at nine years old yeah, wow, so it starts there. It's not like they get to high school and they've never heard before, you know. So I think for us as an intermediate school, I really want to make sure that we're broadening our students' opportunities. You know, because seeing the middle school for two years really opened my eyes to like look at all these possibilities and the students are starting to show some autonomy and some independence and they're starting to demonstrate some areas of interest. So why wouldn't we want to emulate that at the elementary level and give those students Now again, it's going to be a little bit more controlled environment, but just giving them the opportunity.

Speaker 3 21:03

And again, sometimes it's going to be voluntary. Hey, if you'd like to participate in the club, I'm not going to have everybody go to a club. Maybe that's not for everybody. We actually had that first for tryouts, having students try out but not make a team when they get to middle school. That's kind of how it works. You don't always make the team and so they're getting some of that exposure, and we try to think about the social, emotional side of all of that as well.

Speaker 3 21:28

But we want to give our young learners those opportunities because I think it's going to set them up for success as they take the next step to middle school. And I know Brenda's doing the exact same thing at middle school, trying to prepare her middle school students for that next step. So I feel like that pyramid approach to how we provide education in Chesapeake is a powerful way to get successful students in the future.

Speaker 4 21:52

Yeah, and I think that, just to piggyback on that, we look at academics right, and it's not all measured by what a report card says, right? Like Chad said, sometimes students don't make teams or aren't successful. They don't get the grade that they wanted or they thought they were going to get. And that's part of what we do. We teach them how to overcome obstacles and rebound from those. Resilience is something we try to teach them and it's a challenging thing to teach. Adults have trouble with that. So if that's something that we can instill in them, when you get to quitting getting ready to graduate and they're not sure what they're going to do, okay, it's okay, but let's come up with a plan. Let's walk them through that and guide them to find what's going to help them be successful and productive members of society.

Speaker 2 22:37

Well, it is Virginia Principals Week, so we do appreciate all three of you. Let's have a little fun. All right, I want to know as a principal, and I know there's tough days, but on those toughest of days, how do you remind yourself what is your favorite part of your job as being a building leader, as principal?

Speaker 4 22:58

The students On the toughest of days. Just get into a classroom and your whole demeanor can change, because that's ultimately why we're there.

Building Trust and Appreciation in Education

Speaker 3 23:06

Yeah, I try to get to every classroom at least two or three times a week just for a morning check-in and through a reward system, students can earn lunch with the principal or the assistant principal.

Speaker 3 23:19

I've had the opportunity to have lunch with like 15 kids already this year and it is. It is like it is the coolest time because it's one-on-one. They're asking me questions about what I like because they're sitting in my office and they see that I have Star Wars up or or whatever you know it is, and so they. It generates questions and it just neat to learn about the students in a different way, you know, and I think that to me neat to learn about the students in a different way, you know, and I think that to me, seeing their just walking in and seeing their faces lit up and encouraging them, saying hey, I'm so proud of you for sitting and doing this work, what are you doing? And just asking those questions and having them talk to me about it, I think it really builds a sense of trust in the leadership and and it makes me like happy, it fills your bucket. Yeah, definitely every day. If I can do it, I want to do it same the scene, the students.

Speaker 5 24:10

It called me crazy but, like in the morning, I still go to the bus ramp and I'm out there with one of my favorite security guards and it was mr bailey and we joke we were joking with each other because it was 30 degrees outside- yesterday it was layered you outside yesterday it was.

Speaker 5 24:24

But even with the buses coming in, they're coming off the bus and you're still saying good morning.

Speaker 5 24:29

And it's just to lock eyes with certain students and say good morning, fist bump, high five, someone still give you a hug, you name it, and then you go into the hallways and you start your day. You know, and I always say to this day, to be an effective educator, you have to realize that you weren't just hired to teach but you were called to educate. And if you have that mindset, still the students will make your day, drive you crazy, but they will still make your day. And you know what? For me, the experience that I will still never, ever forget, ever in every graduation, is the students, probably, that you have the biggest challenges with for 170 days, you know. But on the day of 181, and they're walking across the stage and they look at you in the face and they just it can't be loud on the stage but they're saying thank you and they're just looking at you and just saying thank you and when you see that then you know it was job well done.

Speaker 1 25:34

Yeah, that is awesome.

Speaker 5 25:36

It is. It's an awesome experience, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:38

Well, I can tell y'all love your jobs. This has been a great experience and I'm really happy that you all are here with us. Before we go, if you could share one message with your community, what would that message be?

Speaker 4 25:52

Together we rise. I know it's kind of cliche for the whole it takes a village to raise a child, but it truly does. And, like I said, teachers are doing their hard work, parents are doing that at home and we just have to work collaboratively together so that students can be successful.

Speaker 3 26:09

I would say thank you to the parents for their investment in their children. Thank you to the kids for coming to school and working hard every day, and to the teachers and my teacher assistants, my entire staff. We forget often about our custodians and our cafeteria. They provide food for kids every single day and that is amazing and we are so thankful. So I just want to say thank you to all the people that make a difference to help us do what we do and to give our students the best chance to be successful every single day.

Speaker 5 26:37

I can simply say that, bruin Nation, I love you, and I have to say that, for all the reasons that both my colleagues talked about, I love what you do. I love you for sending your students to our school and trusting us to help raise your child, to help motivate them, to help challenge them. And then you know, when they go home they talk about the experiences they had at the school A lot of times. It's great, sometimes it's great, sometimes it's not, but then we do the process over and over again every day. So I just want to say again thank you, I love you and let's continue to create excellent partnerships.

Speaker 2 27:13

Well, the three of you, sometimes, in the position you're in, you just don't hear it enough. On behalf of Chesapeake Public Schools, I want to thank you for the jobs you do for your community, your students, your staff families. All three of you are amazing leaders, Thank you.

Speaker 1 27:29

Thank you. We hope you enjoyed the stories behind our story on this episode of Amplify the Chesapeake Public Schools podcast. Feel free to visit us at cpschoolscom forward slash Amplified for any questions or comments and make sure to follow us wherever cpschoolscom forward slash amplified for any questions or comments. And make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts.