{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Lebra Podcast","title":"Leading with Community: How Dr. Chris Daughtry Is Strengthening Lewis Cass Schools","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/597a1044\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2422,"description":"In today’s episode, host Nate Lichte sits down with Dr. Chris Daughtry, Superintendent of Lewis Cass Schools (IN). With deep roots in rural education and service in the Air Force Reserve, Chris shares how he’s leading through listening, rebuilding trust, and shaping a strategic plan that reflects both fiscal responsibility and community pride.\nFrom launching a districtwide strategic plan built on clear pillars to mentoring future leaders and refreshing 1950s facilities, Chris offers a grounded look at how rural districts can thrive by focusing on people, purpose, and place.\nNate and Chris also explore aligning district goals with community values, creating in-house instructional models, and redefining “success” through belonging, safety, and engagement.\n\nTimestamps\n\n00:00 Welcome and introduction to Dr. Chris Daughtry\n02:24 From classroom teacher to superintendent—mentorship and leadership growth\n05:26 Defining success in a rural district: growth, safety, and fiscal stewardship\n07:06 Listening tours and aligning goals with community values\n10:18 Building a strategic plan rooted in district pillars\n12:27 Preparing students for career pathways and modernizing facilities\n13:47 Recruiting and retaining teachers in small-town Indiana\n19:49 Mentoring future leaders and sustaining the pipeline\n23:26 Elevating staff voice through collaboration and shared decision-making\n34:42 Advice for rural superintendents—relationships first, always\n\nWhy You’ll Love This Episode\nIf you lead in a rural or close-knit district, Chris’s story will resonate. You’ll hear how small schools can lead with flexibility, how culture and strategy intertwine, and why listening first creates lasting change. It’s a masterclass in grounded leadership—rooted in community, built on relationships, and driven by doing what’s best for kids.\nConnect with Dr. Chris Daughtry\nWebsite: https://www.lewiscass.net/ \nFollow Us\nNate Lichte LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-lichte/\nLebra Website:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/gwebu6vYiKxAI1HaurGwGAcdsNTaooai07Q924_P4Lg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8yNDc4/MmQ3OGM5ZGYxYWIy/YWRjNzljYWZjOTFi/MmFmZS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}