The NCUST Review: What Great Schools Do
The NCUST Review podcast was designed to discuss topics grounded in the educational research of the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). The mission of NCUST is to support district leaders, school personnel, and their communities with research-based practices, policies, and procedures that have successfully ensured equity and excellence for all children who enter their schools. The NCUST Review: What Great Schools Do podcast, hosted by award-winning school administrator and podcast host Debra McLaren, Ed.D, shares the stories and lived experiences of those schools, districts, and their leaders who have successfully transformed particularly urban schools into places where all students achieve academic proficiency, evidence a love of learning, and graduate well prepared to succeed in post-secondary education, the workplace, and their communities.
The NCUST Review: What Great Schools Do
Episode 9: Cara Riggs
Cara Riggs is an Omaha Public Schools transplant to San Diego California, after spending her whole personal and professional life there. A 30-year career in the Omaha Public Schools allowed Cara a great range of experience as a committed public school educator. She has experience as a high school English teacher and then enjoyed 8 years as their AP and Athletic Director. Following a 9 year role as principal of Beveridge Magnet Middle School, Cara’s last 6 years in OPS were spent as the principal of Omaha South High Magnet School where she and her team transformed it into a school of hope, great academic and graduation rate improvement, huge enrollment increases and a college-going institution with the highest freshman enrollment at the U-NE- Omaha. She is the author of HOPE in the Urban Schools: Love Stories.
Today, Cara proudly works as an Executive Coach for the National Center of Urban School Transformation. Her work with NCUST allows her to team with schools and leaders around the country as they focus on transforming their own schools into places where ALL kids are receiving equitable and excellent outcomes.
