In this episode of Unlock 360°, host Wendy York Davoud sits down with Dr. Jamie Harper Martinez, Assistant Superintendent of Van Alstyne Independent School District. Dr. Martinez shares how her district is navigating rapid growth while keeping instruction aligned, supporting teachers, and strengthening collaboration across every campus.
Wendy and Dr. Martinez explore how Van Alstyne ISD uses district level instructional focus documents, intentional coaching systems, and leadership academies to create coherence across classrooms. Her story highlights the power of clarity, alignment, and people-centered leadership in building systems that work.
Key Moments
00:00 Welcome and guest introduction
01:07 Dr. Martinez’s journey in education
03:29 Moving between districts and building experience
06:12 Why Van Alstyne ISD is growing so rapidly
08:03 Opening new campuses and planning for capacity
09:55 Earning her doctorate while serving as a district leader
10:54 Her research on principal coaching and district level PLCs
13:10 Building collaborative leadership structures across schools
15:27 Turning PLCs into authentic conversations, not compliance
17:21 Data meetings that drive instructional action
19:49 How coaching strengthens relationships and trust
23:08 Daily campus visibility and leadership presence
30:42 Creating districtwide alignment so every student experiences equity
Why You’ll Love This Episode
This episode offers a practical, encouraging look at how a fast-growing district maintains coherence without losing sight of people. Dr. Martinez explains how her team uses shared instructional documents, coaching structures, and consistent expectations to ensure every student receives an equitable learning experience, no matter which classroom they are in.
You will appreciate her honest reflections about what principals and teachers truly need, and how district leaders can build trust through presence, listening, and collaboration. Her insights make district level systems feel human, accessible, and grounded in real relationships.
If you are looking for actionable strategies for managing growth, strengthening alignment, or supporting instructional leaders, this conversation will resonate deeply.
Connect with Dr. Jamie Harper Martinez
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About Unlock 360°
Unlock 360° is the podcast where school leaders and instructional trailblazers reveal how they are turning bold vision into sustainable action. Powered by Lead Teach Learn 360, each episode brings you inside the systems, strategies, and human stories that drive school improvement, one leader, one learner, and one breakthrough at a time.
What is Unlock 360?
Each episode unpacks the practices, partnerships, and people behind measurable gains in student outcomes. From building collaborative leadership cultures to designing equity-driven systems, you'll hear what happens when clarity, coherence, and coaching align.
Whether you're a superintendent, campus leader, or classroom educator, Unlock 360 offers fresh insights, practical strategies, and an honest look at what it takes to create lasting impact. New episodes released biweekly.