WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:12.149 --> 00:00:15.659 Mike Caldwell: Hello, and welcome to another episode of Transformative Principal Podcast. 00:00:15.659 --> 00:00:20.519 This is Mike Caldwell, your host, and joining me today is Derek Cantrell. 00:00:20.639 --> 00:00:21.809 Derek, welcome to the show. 00:00:22.649 --> 00:00:23.249 Derek Cantrell: Absolutely. 00:00:23.249 --> 00:00:24.599 Thank you for having me on. 00:00:24.599 --> 00:00:27.089 It's a pleasure to be on the Transformative Principal. 00:00:28.259 --> 00:00:28.469 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:00:28.469 --> 00:00:31.259 Well, you have been a Transformative Principal. 00:00:31.259 --> 00:00:38.009 You are a Transformative Principal, and I'm excited to jump into your journey and, uh. 00:00:38.684 --> 00:00:44.774 And hear about, you know, your transition to working with two different schools and consolidating into one. 00:00:44.774 --> 00:00:52.904 That sounds like an unbelievable undertaking and it sounds like, uh, you, you were able to navigate that with success. 00:00:52.964 --> 00:01:00.164 Um, so we'll get to that and I love that and, and obviously and get to your book as well and lot, lot for you to share. 00:01:00.524 --> 00:01:02.054 Uh, so excited about the conversation. 00:01:02.414 --> 00:01:04.334 Derek, tell me a little bit about your background where. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:06.104 I, I know you're in Virginia. 00:01:06.104 --> 00:01:07.994 Gimme a little bit of your, your story. 00:01:08.954 --> 00:01:09.104 Derek Cantrell: Uh, 00:01:09.134 --> 00:01:09.494 Mike Caldwell: where you coming 00:01:09.494 --> 00:01:10.934 Derek Cantrell: from, from, from western. 00:01:10.934 --> 00:01:11.924 Part of Virginia. 00:01:11.954 --> 00:01:22.964 Grew up in, in this community, actually went to school in the Allegheny County school system, which is the, the county that merged with the city school with the consolidation piece. 00:01:22.964 --> 00:01:28.694 So, grew up, um, played baseball, football, and different things and went away. 00:01:28.934 --> 00:01:33.734 Graduated from Farham College, but also went and played baseball at Liberty University. 00:01:34.364 --> 00:01:47.499 Came outta school, came back and taught in Allegheny County and was a teacher and a coach, and then was the last principal at Covington High School, which was the city school for the final seven years and wrapping up the final. 00:01:48.179 --> 00:01:55.859 The third year here at the Consolidated High School, so had a little bit of value from kind of both perspectives. 00:01:56.339 --> 00:02:06.629 Covington High School was built in 1939, so a long, rich tradition in history and sports and academics and pride within that community. 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.529 And Allegheny High School's been around since 1963, so. 00:02:11.294 --> 00:02:18.224 Longstanding school systems and, and definitely deep traditions and pride within each community in that part. 00:02:18.884 --> 00:02:19.124 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:02:19.184 --> 00:02:19.544 Cool. 00:02:20.804 --> 00:02:21.104 Yeah. 00:02:21.109 --> 00:02:22.399 What, what did you teach and coach? 00:02:23.279 --> 00:02:26.119 Derek Cantrell: I taught started off as an elementary PE teacher. 00:02:26.894 --> 00:02:36.314 And a baseball coach and did that for a number of years and then moved up to middle school and then got the opportunity to be a high school principal. 00:02:36.314 --> 00:02:41.654 So I went from the bottom up with that part of it, and definitely enjoyed the journey each way. 00:02:41.654 --> 00:02:44.744 It was always like, you know, I don't know if middle school's for me like that. 00:02:45.049 --> 00:02:47.989 Don't know if high school's for me really and would have a hard time. 00:02:47.989 --> 00:03:06.259 I think going backwards as a principal, once you've been in that high school setting with the athletics clubs and activities that happen, it's just really awesome to see the smiles and the things that kids are involved with and kind of that final product as they go to graduate and where they've come from. 00:03:06.529 --> 00:03:08.389 Walking down the hall, you know, one. 00:03:08.459 --> 00:03:11.609 Cute story as an PE teacher in elementary school. 00:03:11.969 --> 00:03:15.539 I remember kids walking down the hall to lunch and being like, Hey, Jim. 00:03:16.049 --> 00:03:18.599 I'm like, why do they keep calling me Jim? 00:03:18.899 --> 00:03:21.119 And they're going to Jim later that day. 00:03:21.119 --> 00:03:24.809 So I became Jim instead of Mr. Cantrell with that. 00:03:24.809 --> 00:03:27.719 So that was, that was cute that you get from that side of it. 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:30.239 But definitely a, a cool journey. 00:03:30.239 --> 00:03:37.589 Had the opportunity to work for a variety of principles, which I think really helped grow me from being. 00:03:38.459 --> 00:03:44.519 In multiple schools as only elementary folk and then moving to middle school and being at high schools as a coach. 00:03:44.519 --> 00:03:48.269 So that definitely was eye-opening and, and definitely helped with MedPar. 00:03:48.899 --> 00:03:50.069 Mike Caldwell: Yeah, man. 00:03:50.069 --> 00:03:57.809 You gave me PTSD just now thinking about elementary PE I, when I student taught a billion years ago, um. 00:03:58.259 --> 00:04:02.789 I was a pe, health math kind of, those were all my credentials. 00:04:02.789 --> 00:04:12.869 And I, for my, uh, certification, I had to, to, uh, um, student teach in elementary as well as a secondary, either middle school or high school. 00:04:13.409 --> 00:04:16.019 And, uh, did the secondary first and. 00:04:16.574 --> 00:04:23.774 I felt really comfortable there, and I think I did six or eight weeks in elementary PE and, uh, I couldn't get outta there fast enough. 00:04:23.834 --> 00:04:36.194 And it was, you know, so I was in my twenties before I had my own kids and everything like that, so I didn't understand the little creatures, you know, and, you know, kids peeing their pants and crying and all the kind of stuff. 00:04:36.194 --> 00:04:38.414 It's just like, oh, I gotta get back to the high school. 00:04:38.509 --> 00:04:39.884 I, I, I can't do this. 00:04:39.934 --> 00:04:48.964 Now I think I could, you know, after having, having my own kids and kind of maturing, I like to say I've matured over the years and, and see things differently. 00:04:48.964 --> 00:04:54.034 But man, those were, those were tough, tough years for, or tough few weeks for me. 00:04:54.094 --> 00:04:58.894 Um, so you've seen all the, all the different levels, not necessarily as an administrator, right? 00:04:58.899 --> 00:04:58.939 Right. 00:04:59.044 --> 00:05:00.064 Like, yeah. 00:05:00.484 --> 00:05:03.964 Um, so that's, that's an interesting perspective to have. 00:05:04.024 --> 00:05:09.274 Um, and you've, you've stuck it out kind of the, the majority of your career been in, in the high school. 00:05:09.289 --> 00:05:09.579 Yeah. 00:05:10.214 --> 00:05:19.784 Derek Cantrell: It's, it's kind of, I think I taught for about 10 years, finishing my 10th year as a high school principal, so a little bit kind of at the halfway point of both of those. 00:05:19.784 --> 00:05:28.214 And one, one other cool thing with that elementary, my first substitute job was pre-K coming outta college. 00:05:28.484 --> 00:05:29.834 And it was actually for my mother. 00:05:29.834 --> 00:05:31.334 It was in a pre-K classroom. 00:05:31.634 --> 00:05:35.294 And I feel like if you're, you're gonna make it, if you can make it through a pre-K day. 00:05:35.659 --> 00:05:43.519 You're gonna be okay because you give directions and half the kids by the time you make it back to your desk are done and the other half have their hands up. 00:05:44.059 --> 00:05:47.299 So you're, you're having to figure it out on the fly at that point for the rest of the 00:05:47.354 --> 00:05:47.634 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:05:48.709 --> 00:05:48.769 Yeah. 00:05:49.909 --> 00:05:54.559 Well, we're gonna get to your story, but I, you know, you mentioned working for a lot of different leaders. 00:05:54.649 --> 00:05:59.179 Um, you know, I, I had the pleasure working under several leaders as well. 00:05:59.659 --> 00:06:00.139 Um. 00:06:00.654 --> 00:06:11.094 What resonates to you as you think about the, the people you had to work with as you were kind of growing into your own, uh, leadership and watching and learning from others? 00:06:11.094 --> 00:06:20.544 Like what sticks out to you as something that you, you really, I, I don't know, really inspired you to either be a leader or kind of helped you become the leader you are today? 00:06:22.014 --> 00:06:22.314 Derek Cantrell: I think that. 00:06:23.909 --> 00:06:37.409 Even before I got into programs and working towards my master's degree and all, there were several that saw potential in me doing this and put me in situations that I probably wouldn't have put myself in. 00:06:37.409 --> 00:06:44.789 Like, Hey, you're gonna go help read, be a part of this reading club in second grade and run small group reading stations. 00:06:44.789 --> 00:06:49.499 You're gonna be the um, RTI chair person and things. 00:06:49.499 --> 00:06:51.329 And I think it really helped. 00:06:51.649 --> 00:07:02.149 To get into those different scenarios and grow and have some leadership roles along the way before even becoming, going through your educational program. 00:07:02.149 --> 00:07:09.769 And once I got into that, our division did a good job of giving us the opportunity to like sub for principals when they were out. 00:07:10.129 --> 00:07:17.299 So sometimes, uh, I would get shot out into different schools for. 00:07:17.924 --> 00:07:22.814 A week at a time, at an elementary school, at a middle school filling in as an assistant principal. 00:07:23.144 --> 00:07:34.784 And also had the great opportunity one semester to finish out, like the last six weeks in an elementary school to get to do observations and things before I became a, a high school principal with that. 00:07:34.784 --> 00:07:37.784 And that really helped get through that end of the year process. 00:07:37.814 --> 00:07:42.464 'cause always the, the beginning of the year, end of the year is so fast and furious. 00:07:42.904 --> 00:07:47.164 Getting through those really help add to your toolbox and I think make you a better leader. 00:07:47.164 --> 00:07:47.614 For sure. 00:07:48.334 --> 00:07:48.694 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:07:48.964 --> 00:07:49.354 Yeah. 00:07:49.924 --> 00:07:53.254 You know, something you said there, you know, it got me thinking. 00:07:53.794 --> 00:08:05.344 I, you know, I, I never anticipated or it was not on my, you know, trajectory or goals to, to be a school principal until somebody. 00:08:06.059 --> 00:08:18.419 That, you know, with, with my former, you know, first superintendent and my first principal both saw that in me or, or encouraged me to kind of pursue in that direction and also put me in leadership positions. 00:08:18.689 --> 00:08:29.909 It makes me curious, like, you know, if, if we could survey all the school leaders across the country, how many of them kind of went into it because that was their plan from right outta college. 00:08:29.909 --> 00:08:31.469 That's where, where they wanted to go. 00:08:31.784 --> 00:08:41.444 Versus how many of 'em, you know, like you and I, somebody kind of opened that door or kind of created that spark, uh, for good, bad, or ugly. 00:08:41.504 --> 00:08:44.924 Um, and, and led us to the dark side, if you will. 00:08:44.924 --> 00:08:45.224 Right? 00:08:45.224 --> 00:08:52.694 Like, I'm, I'm curious about that, those ratios of how many people I would bet, but the vast majority of people. 00:08:52.994 --> 00:09:01.814 Ha have similar experiences where, where somebody kind of lit that fuse and, and nudged nudged them in that direction, wouldn't you say? 00:09:01.814 --> 00:09:02.864 Or how do you 00:09:02.864 --> 00:09:03.134 Derek Cantrell: see it? 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:06.974 I would, I would, I would highly say that there, somebody saw something in someone. 00:09:06.974 --> 00:09:12.404 I mean, I kind of went through the same you got there and it's like, Hey, I'll go through this program and give it a try. 00:09:12.404 --> 00:09:15.734 I don't know if I'll ever want to jump into being a principal, but. 00:09:16.784 --> 00:09:21.524 As you get a master's degree in our area, it's a $3,000 stipend each year. 00:09:21.524 --> 00:09:28.004 So I mean, there is compensation for doing that and filling in and you know that opportunity comes and somebody believes in you. 00:09:29.609 --> 00:09:31.829 Knows that you're a fit for that situation. 00:09:31.829 --> 00:09:36.419 It definitely makes you think and you jump into it there and you're so glad that you did. 00:09:36.419 --> 00:09:42.809 But it definitely takes some people that see the good and the positivity of what you can do and push you along. 00:09:42.809 --> 00:09:44.039 And we all need that. 00:09:44.369 --> 00:09:50.159 And I think you're right that you would pull people, I bet you'd be 90% or more, somebody pushed them along. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:55.499 'cause I don't see people that really jump outta college, Hey, I'm gonna be a high school or a principal at something. 00:09:55.529 --> 00:09:57.329 'cause it's definitely a, a journey. 00:09:58.139 --> 00:09:58.499 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:09:58.529 --> 00:09:59.399 Yeah, for sure. 00:09:59.429 --> 00:10:05.729 And for those leaders that are listening, we need more great leaders in in education right now. 00:10:05.819 --> 00:10:06.329 Um. 00:10:07.109 --> 00:10:08.909 And look around. 00:10:08.939 --> 00:10:17.129 Look around and find those people that you think are, you know, the, the, the young potential that, that, um, and encourage 'em. 00:10:17.219 --> 00:10:25.199 Um, and I know a lot of people do, but sometimes we, it, it, you know, it can be assumed that people, you know, have those ideas made up already. 00:10:25.199 --> 00:10:29.189 But it sometimes it takes a little bit of a nudge to get those people going in that direction. 00:10:29.189 --> 00:10:31.979 And like you and I, and so for people that are listening. 00:10:32.939 --> 00:10:36.869 Uh, we need more leaders in this, in this space, so encourage you to do that. 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:38.279 Well, let's jump into your story. 00:10:38.669 --> 00:10:38.699 Okay. 00:10:39.449 --> 00:10:42.869 You let something most school leaders will never experience. 00:10:42.869 --> 00:10:45.749 You merged two rival high schools into one. 00:10:46.589 --> 00:10:50.579 Um, what did the moment feel like walking into day one? 00:10:50.579 --> 00:10:53.699 And then we'll backtrack on kind of why you're merging in the first place. 00:10:53.699 --> 00:11:01.019 But what did that look, what did that feel like when you, when you, when you arrived first day, bringing these two schools together? 00:11:03.149 --> 00:11:05.549 Derek Cantrell: Day one of school, I'll, I'll start there. 00:11:05.549 --> 00:11:08.429 So you come back. 00:11:08.429 --> 00:11:09.479 It's the first day. 00:11:09.479 --> 00:11:24.599 It starts a little bit later because the logistics of getting furniture and items from multiple schools into one building to be ready for the 800 kids instead of 500 that that were here before with bringing those together. 00:11:25.049 --> 00:11:27.569 So we started a little bit later and. 00:11:28.349 --> 00:11:31.979 This is something that's been talked about in our community for over 40 years. 00:11:31.979 --> 00:11:33.629 It would always come up for a vote. 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:35.279 The vote would get denied. 00:11:35.669 --> 00:11:37.589 Then it would be another 10 years or so. 00:11:37.589 --> 00:11:38.879 The same thing would happen. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:50.039 So even as a kid growing up, that experience, I lived that as, as we may be merging schools and it always got voted down and I really think that. 00:11:50.549 --> 00:11:56.339 Our community, just the pride and the values and the traditions that that fear of loss. 00:11:56.789 --> 00:11:57.149 In hearing that. 00:11:58.319 --> 00:12:03.779 We are gonna be able to do some things that keep those traditions along so that, that, that helped along the way. 00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:07.679 But that first day, just, you know, are the bells gonna ring? 00:12:07.859 --> 00:12:09.059 Are people gonna show up? 00:12:09.389 --> 00:12:10.769 Are people gonna get to class? 00:12:10.769 --> 00:12:18.899 Or are we gonna, you know, work well together and build those relationships and not have, you know, knock down drag out fights to be honest and 00:12:18.904 --> 00:12:19.224 Mike Caldwell: Right. 00:12:19.289 --> 00:12:19.589 Right. 00:12:19.589 --> 00:12:19.859 Yeah. 00:12:19.859 --> 00:12:21.269 Derek Cantrell: How, how are we gonna. 00:12:22.334 --> 00:12:25.394 Be proactive as a staff and, and be visible. 00:12:25.394 --> 00:12:40.874 That was something we talked a lot about and we had staff that, you know, the first year that we had duty in the hall and just being there to say hi and get to know people and, and little things like that being visible, paid dividends early on, but really just. 00:12:41.764 --> 00:12:42.394 Getting there. 00:12:42.394 --> 00:12:46.024 Are people gonna show up with the new gear and the new brand in class? 00:12:46.024 --> 00:12:56.134 And are we gonna just see the Allegheny red hats with the A's and the, the Covington Cougars and those different things were definitely the question mark in day one. 00:12:56.134 --> 00:12:57.724 And, and people showed up. 00:12:57.724 --> 00:13:06.304 We had our staff out on the front porch with like a cheer tunnel welcoming all the kids in just to be very hospitable with that part and. 00:13:08.339 --> 00:13:27.089 Just, you know, when the bell rang at the end of the day, I remember we sat down in here as a leadership team in this room and it was six 15 and, 'cause it took a little longer with buses, with all the logistics and things, and actually it was our, some of the activity buses showed up and we thought it was another wave of buses coming. 00:13:27.089 --> 00:13:29.519 It was like, oh no, what's happened there? 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:29.789 But. 00:13:30.284 --> 00:13:32.324 To sit down and just be like, wow. 00:13:32.624 --> 00:13:36.164 We did something that's been 40 to 50 years in the making. 00:13:36.434 --> 00:13:37.694 We're through day one. 00:13:38.084 --> 00:13:41.834 We got 179 more to go, but hey, it was a positive day. 00:13:42.164 --> 00:13:43.724 Smiles on kids' faces. 00:13:43.724 --> 00:13:49.304 Our teachers were, were pumped and it, it was, it was really cool to see. 00:13:49.889 --> 00:14:04.349 How packed the hallways were, the, the excitement and all the fears that you think going into it kind of evaporate with, with those relationships and the intentionality that we put before we walked into school day one. 00:14:06.239 --> 00:14:08.309 Mike Caldwell: Yeah, that's, there's a lot in there. 00:14:08.309 --> 00:14:16.709 I mean, when, when I first read the story, you, you know, and learned about this from you, it's, I thought more about the students, but you also are merging. 00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:29.489 You know, faculty and staff and, and, um, you know, cultures at different schools and expectations and, um, uh. 00:14:30.899 --> 00:14:33.059 Uh, there's a lot that goes in there. 00:14:33.059 --> 00:14:45.329 So let's unwrap that a little bit and start from kind of when the decision was made and this was on, was it on your shoulders to kind of navigate this? 00:14:45.329 --> 00:14:47.609 Was this because you had two different schools? 00:14:47.609 --> 00:14:56.309 How did that, talk us through a little bit of the logistics on what, how this worked, and then we'll get into kind of your strategy on how you, how you made this a positive experience. 00:14:57.119 --> 00:15:05.969 Derek Cantrell: So honestly, in the fall coming out of COVID, so I guess it would've been what, 20 fall of 2020. 00:15:05.969 --> 00:15:16.289 When we returned to school, it was September, the first day of school, our school board voted to consolidate schools divisions. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:18.809 So that put a huge weight. 00:15:19.514 --> 00:15:19.724 I was 00:15:19.724 --> 00:15:25.244 Mike Caldwell: just based on declining enrollment and efficiencies and, and those types of things. 00:15:25.244 --> 00:15:35.354 That's what I would assume when you had one school that was in the 1930s, another one in the 1960s, and so you had facility probably advantages of, of consolidating as well. 00:15:35.354 --> 00:15:36.554 So I I kind of see that. 00:15:36.704 --> 00:15:37.184 Keep going. 00:15:37.184 --> 00:15:37.364 Yeah. 00:15:37.364 --> 00:15:37.694 Sorry. 00:15:37.694 --> 00:15:44.594 Derek Cantrell: So, so yeah, we, we had declining enrollment in both schools and Allegheny years ago as a three, a high school. 00:15:44.594 --> 00:15:47.924 It had been, become a two, Covington always had been a smaller. 00:15:48.314 --> 00:15:50.894 Single A with eight through 12 is the high school. 00:15:51.344 --> 00:15:57.044 So the first day of school that year, our school boards voted to consolidate school. 00:15:57.074 --> 00:16:09.374 So you come in, you get through the first day of school, you're excited, and then you have that dropped on you as a school community and it, it takes a while to go through the process of just realizing that. 00:16:10.649 --> 00:16:13.379 At some point, Covington High School won't exist. 00:16:13.594 --> 00:16:14.219 And And you 00:16:14.219 --> 00:16:15.209 Mike Caldwell: were at Allegheny? 00:16:15.449 --> 00:16:16.739 Derek Cantrell: I was at Covington at that time. 00:16:16.829 --> 00:16:17.519 Mike Caldwell: You were at Covington? 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:17.609 The 00:16:17.609 --> 00:16:18.089 Derek Cantrell: smaller school. 00:16:18.089 --> 00:16:20.639 I was the final, final principal at Covington in the city. 00:16:20.999 --> 00:16:26.849 So you know, you go that first day and then that that goes and you have to kind of. 00:16:27.299 --> 00:16:38.759 Go through the process of grieving and how we're gonna make this work and lift your staff up and also continue to service those kids that are gonna be Covington High school graduates. 00:16:38.939 --> 00:16:41.549 And it, the process took a little bit of time. 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:45.629 There was one more year after that that we were still separated. 00:16:46.049 --> 00:16:48.899 Then the first year the divisions merged. 00:16:49.099 --> 00:16:50.779 We kept the high school split. 00:16:51.319 --> 00:16:56.869 Then in 23, 24 was the first year of the consolidated Allegheny High School. 00:16:57.199 --> 00:17:01.639 That is where like the Covington High School students came to Allegheny in that high school. 00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:08.509 The old Covington high school building became the middle school as part of the merger agreement between local governments. 00:17:08.734 --> 00:17:16.009 So that was a little bit, we had to figure out how we get furniture from three different buildings into the two. 00:17:16.604 --> 00:17:19.124 So that we can have staffing and be ready for that. 00:17:19.124 --> 00:17:28.064 You also had staffing pieces that went from looking at what are people's first, second, third choices of where they would want to be. 00:17:28.454 --> 00:17:30.854 What does it look like if we give everybody the first? 00:17:30.854 --> 00:17:32.624 Do we have too many history teachers? 00:17:32.984 --> 00:17:39.794 If we do, then we make that decision on where they go to the middle school or a different building within that part. 00:17:39.794 --> 00:17:42.704 So the logistical pieces of staffing. 00:17:43.604 --> 00:17:49.964 Furniture, setting up buildings to make sure you have enough space with that, that, that was definitely an initial challenge. 00:17:50.474 --> 00:17:53.864 And then I was hired in the fall. 00:17:53.864 --> 00:17:54.074 That was 00:17:54.074 --> 00:17:55.484 Mike Caldwell: all before chat, GPT. 00:17:55.484 --> 00:17:58.304 So you actually had to, had to, had to think about that. 00:17:58.364 --> 00:17:58.604 Derek Cantrell: Yeah. 00:17:58.604 --> 00:17:58.844 A lot. 00:17:58.844 --> 00:17:59.474 A lot of thinking. 00:17:59.479 --> 00:17:59.559 You, 00:17:59.894 --> 00:18:02.804 Mike Caldwell: you didn't have an Ai AI agent to do it for you. 00:18:03.134 --> 00:18:03.644 Derek Cantrell: That's right. 00:18:03.644 --> 00:18:05.594 You know, AI is the brainstorm partner. 00:18:05.594 --> 00:18:06.374 Now's great. 00:18:06.794 --> 00:18:10.934 And so I was hired in October, 2022. 00:18:11.864 --> 00:18:15.614 About a little less than a year before we, the high school part. 00:18:15.614 --> 00:18:18.524 So then that planning became the high school piece. 00:18:18.524 --> 00:18:20.444 So there was a A frame. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:27.419 From the vote, the, the, the vote in 2020, the divisions consolidated, 22, 23. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:41.219 So there was a lot of planning on pay scales, how we're gonna merge, pay scales, um, benefits, what buildings, how they're gonna be used, that the division did, but also involved principals at that time, before the high school part. 00:18:41.219 --> 00:18:45.239 But a lot, a lot of work in that piece of the logistical part. 00:18:46.139 --> 00:18:46.469 Mike Caldwell: Sure. 00:18:46.529 --> 00:18:47.039 Yeah. 00:18:48.149 --> 00:18:49.499 Yeah, that's sounds like a lot. 00:18:49.499 --> 00:19:00.599 So you, you had to help your, your staff move from, you know, this grief kind of experience, um, and maybe even resistance to ownership and pride, right? 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:06.719 So what did, what does that, you know, set aside the, the logistics of all the things you talked about? 00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:10.079 Now you get to the human element side of change. 00:19:10.139 --> 00:19:12.989 Um, what did that journey actually look like? 00:19:15.029 --> 00:19:23.609 Derek Cantrell: It definitely took some time and, and there was, you know, we had almost two years to finish Covington High School for that part. 00:19:23.609 --> 00:19:38.849 And, and as we got there and knew this was happening and this was where we're gonna be, just the talk of how can we do this right for kids and, and put our best foot forward and go into this open-minded, we did some division. 00:19:39.179 --> 00:19:44.669 Sessions where we got together as secondary folks and just, they called 'em mingle sessions. 00:19:44.669 --> 00:19:49.109 We got together just to talk, build relationships, do some activities. 00:19:49.109 --> 00:19:52.679 We got, they fed us in a half a day in the afternoon. 00:19:53.249 --> 00:20:01.019 Then we had some times as we got closer where we came to Allegheny High School, we went to Covington High School and did scavenger hunts. 00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:05.939 And even the simple part of getting a department together and once we knew what room people were gonna be in. 00:20:06.514 --> 00:20:07.954 How's this room set up? 00:20:07.954 --> 00:20:08.884 Where are the outlets? 00:20:08.884 --> 00:20:15.244 How does, how does printing work and questions that teachers are gonna have when they're moving rooms and, and things. 00:20:16.649 --> 00:20:21.629 A lot of the work we did is just talking to people, you know, what are you concerned about? 00:20:21.689 --> 00:20:23.009 What are you excited about? 00:20:23.009 --> 00:20:32.069 I mean, that's super simple, but if we can answer those concerns and, and, and, and highlight more of those things that they're con excited about, good things happen. 00:20:32.069 --> 00:20:35.459 And a lot of listening took place to just, it's gonna be okay. 00:20:35.729 --> 00:20:36.869 We're gonna make this work. 00:20:36.869 --> 00:20:38.759 It's, we're gonna get there. 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:43.889 And really getting the staff at Covington, I think, to, to know that. 00:20:45.974 --> 00:20:51.474 We, we gotta do it right for the kids that are graduating as a class of 2022 and, and right. 00:20:51.734 --> 00:21:01.724 And also be preparing for the next year and in that, well, I guess 23, class of 23, preparing for that next year, 2324 school year. 00:21:02.309 --> 00:21:02.939 As well. 00:21:02.939 --> 00:21:15.329 So there's a little bit of both happening, uh, throughout that time, but making sure that we listened, we valued people's input on staffing, room selections, department chairs and all that. 00:21:15.329 --> 00:21:21.059 And just super intentional with communication and involving staff so that there was ownership. 00:21:22.707 --> 00:21:28.437 Mike Caldwell: when going through this, did you, so you shut down Covington. 00:21:29.622 --> 00:21:33.762 Allegheny is the other, the, the other school, did they just move into Allegheny? 00:21:33.762 --> 00:21:39.792 You kept all the, the mascot colors of Allegheny, or was this like a blend of something new? 00:21:41.652 --> 00:21:42.642 Derek Cantrell: The, it was blended. 00:21:42.672 --> 00:21:43.842 It, it was a process. 00:21:43.842 --> 00:21:51.762 We, we had a committee that worked on what the logo would be, what the mascot would be, the colors. 00:21:51.972 --> 00:21:54.582 We wanted to do something where. 00:21:55.512 --> 00:22:02.142 With going to Allegheny, the school was gonna be Allegheny, so the mascot was the same mascot at Covington as the cougar. 00:22:03.012 --> 00:22:06.612 So that, that kept a little bit of the tradition of both there with that, 00:22:06.617 --> 00:22:08.382 Mike Caldwell: so, so Allegheny. 00:22:09.852 --> 00:22:14.502 The name remained, but the mascot from Covington moved over. 00:22:14.712 --> 00:22:14.922 Derek Cantrell: Yeah. 00:22:15.372 --> 00:22:15.402 Mike Caldwell: Oh, 00:22:15.402 --> 00:22:15.432 Derek Cantrell: okay. 00:22:15.432 --> 00:22:17.892 It was the Allegheny Mountaineers, the Covington Cougar. 00:22:17.892 --> 00:22:19.542 So it became the Allegheny Cougars. 00:22:20.172 --> 00:22:20.262 Okay. 00:22:20.262 --> 00:22:22.842 And we took some of both school. 00:22:22.842 --> 00:22:23.112 What about 00:22:23.112 --> 00:22:24.912 Mike Caldwell: the Allegheny Mountain Cougars? 00:22:24.912 --> 00:22:25.392 Couldn't you just 00:22:25.482 --> 00:22:25.662 Derek Cantrell: Yeah. 00:22:26.682 --> 00:22:27.552 Double up on it. 00:22:27.942 --> 00:22:31.452 Um, so we went, we changed our colors to Navy and Carolina. 00:22:32.652 --> 00:22:35.802 Covington was Navy, Allegheny was red and Carolina blue. 00:22:35.802 --> 00:22:38.412 So we merged that together as well. 00:22:38.592 --> 00:22:46.662 We did create totally new mascots, which was fun, and came up with a, a cool, a Paul as kind of our main brand. 00:22:46.662 --> 00:22:55.512 Something that looked really cool that could be there, and you know, really focused on making sure the lockers were painted, the, the brand was on the school. 00:22:55.512 --> 00:22:59.442 When you walked into the school, the hope was feeling that you were coming into. 00:22:59.692 --> 00:23:09.982 The Allegheny Cougars, it was a different Allegheny High School because we felt we owed that to everybody to make it fresh and new, even being in an existing building. 00:23:10.312 --> 00:23:16.432 And when he came down the, the road, we had signs out flags, logos on the doorway. 00:23:16.732 --> 00:23:21.172 Uh, any, anything we could do to put the brand out and make sure that. 00:23:21.717 --> 00:23:26.967 You knew where you were coming into and it felt different day one, and we thought that was super important. 00:23:27.387 --> 00:23:34.167 Throughout the summer, I remember going to like a car show and different things and giving out the logos to put on cars. 00:23:34.437 --> 00:23:41.517 Anytime we could give out a hat or a t-shirt, we did, because that was important to get that brand out. 00:23:41.517 --> 00:23:47.937 And then when we went to that first football game, people showed up wearing the colors and the actual first play. 00:23:48.897 --> 00:23:50.967 First kickoff, we scored a touchdown on. 00:23:51.537 --> 00:23:53.362 You couldn't write any better. 00:23:53.462 --> 00:23:53.682 Wow. 00:23:54.147 --> 00:24:07.047 And I like to do in the presentation that I do at some of the different things that we've gone and presented at from Why us to We, and that was our we excitement moment that, you know, we had a first football game. 00:24:07.047 --> 00:24:09.477 People showed up, they wore the right colors. 00:24:09.477 --> 00:24:13.197 We scored on the first play and you get goosebumps still watching that 00:24:13.497 --> 00:24:14.817 Mike Caldwell: brings 'em all together right there. 00:24:14.817 --> 00:24:15.147 Right. 00:24:15.447 --> 00:24:16.977 Derek Cantrell: Pretty well we went nine and one. 00:24:17.367 --> 00:24:18.357 As a football team. 00:24:18.357 --> 00:24:19.287 So that really helped me. 00:24:19.827 --> 00:24:21.027 Mike Caldwell: That helps a ton. 00:24:21.087 --> 00:24:21.657 Yeah. 00:24:22.017 --> 00:24:31.047 I feel like the school culture also o oftentimes in the fall or maybe more the climate, not the culture, is kind of dictated by how well the football team does sometimes. 00:24:31.707 --> 00:24:36.027 Um, so going nine to one in that first year, I'm sure made a, made a big difference. 00:24:36.147 --> 00:24:37.167 Good, good stuff. 00:24:37.587 --> 00:24:44.307 Um, so in a lot of ways it sounds like it, you know, you're opening a new school, um, with. 00:24:44.937 --> 00:24:55.137 With a little bit of baggage kind of brink coming along where you had to recognize and, and, and realize that people were, you know, coming from their existing schools. 00:24:55.137 --> 00:24:57.807 But a lot of ways you, you kind of opened a brand new school. 00:24:58.617 --> 00:24:58.857 Derek Cantrell: Yeah. 00:24:58.857 --> 00:25:13.347 And, and we went, when we did some student advisory things, some things that popped up talking to kids or something you wouldn't think of, it was like, we really feel that we're going to, we're gonna be a senior and it feels like we're gonna be a freshman again. 00:25:13.437 --> 00:25:23.247 So that that was eyeopening and it's like, can we get in the school in the spring before the fall and do some tours and maybe do some shadowing? 00:25:23.637 --> 00:25:26.607 So we set up some things based upon talking to kids. 00:25:26.907 --> 00:25:27.807 We had a family night. 00:25:28.582 --> 00:25:33.687 In the spring, the Covington students could come down with their parents walk the school in the evening. 00:25:33.687 --> 00:25:49.077 We had Allegheny leadership students here that walked them around, gave 'em a tour, answered questions, and then we had some of our leadership students come down and, and shadow for a day and come back, talk to the grade levels, and just open that communication up. 00:25:49.077 --> 00:25:49.407 So. 00:25:50.352 --> 00:26:00.852 There were several things along talking to kids that they were concerned about, that we tried to answer before we got in here too, and just make it as comfortable as we could and, and really. 00:26:02.277 --> 00:26:11.547 Little things like putting our hand prints on the wall that Allegheny did each year was, I mean, those are big things that kids expect to be able to do. 00:26:11.547 --> 00:26:16.287 So we had to even bring, blend those traditions together the best that we could. 00:26:16.287 --> 00:26:18.327 And you know, what do we want to keep doing? 00:26:18.627 --> 00:26:25.772 What new do we want to do and how do we honor the traditions and pride of both buildings and that that was a lot of work into that as well. 00:26:26.817 --> 00:26:27.207 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:26:27.387 --> 00:26:27.777 Yeah. 00:26:28.377 --> 00:26:32.547 Well, sounds like it inspired you to write a book Better Together. 00:26:32.637 --> 00:26:36.267 Um, building one school, one culture, one Community from two Rivals. 00:26:36.297 --> 00:26:40.317 Um, is this a inspirational book? 00:26:40.317 --> 00:26:42.717 Is this a how to book? 00:26:42.957 --> 00:26:43.857 A little bit of both. 00:26:43.857 --> 00:26:44.727 Is it leadership? 00:26:44.727 --> 00:26:49.407 Tell, tell, tell our audience, and I'm curious, like, tell, tell us a little bit about this book. 00:26:49.737 --> 00:26:58.617 Derek Cantrell: So, so the hope is kind of a. A little bit of story and a little bit of a leadership playbook, so kind of quickly goes through the process of, of. 00:26:59.262 --> 00:27:26.112 What happened to get to the point and how the vote went down, and then the work that we did as a leadership team, pre consolidation, and that goes from just the intentionality of communication, creating a culture and communication roadmap so that we ensured that we hit the right stakeholders along the way to building that pride and just those daily things that we did before we opened school. 00:27:26.337 --> 00:27:29.127 To just build those small wins to create momentum. 00:27:29.697 --> 00:27:41.367 And the second part of it is, is kind of some of the systems that we've put in place to recognize, acknowledge and extend the good things that are happening in our school so that we can make that. 00:27:41.802 --> 00:27:49.782 Positivity and recognition, something that we're proud of, that we do consistently and just keep uplifting our school community. 00:27:49.782 --> 00:28:03.162 So those are things that if, if you read the book or you've came to a presentation or anything that we've done that, that we share, that we want you to have access to, that you can take, tweak and adjust and, and make it your own. 00:28:03.162 --> 00:28:04.657 And those go from things from. 00:28:05.937 --> 00:28:25.327 Creating a podcast at your school where you talk to kids to a breakfast club of champions that we've put in place to a Cougar Scholars Club, to kind of just up that recognition of our expectations of graduating and getting your SOLs, your standardized tests done to a lot of different things of. 00:28:26.082 --> 00:28:34.272 With culture, with our cougar code of kind of just the all in mentality of show up, be involved, be a part of our community. 00:28:34.692 --> 00:28:46.067 So the hope is you could take the story, what we did intentionally with the communication and value in people, then some of the systems and programs we've put in place, and then what we've learned by. 00:28:46.677 --> 00:28:55.257 Listening to these types of podcasts, going to conferences and just being out there and being a continual learner, so that, that's kind of the hope in that. 00:28:55.257 --> 00:29:09.177 And give people some, some different things that can really help them in their school setting, whether you're consolidating, going through any kind of major change, different things that uplift people and recognize the good things. 00:29:09.177 --> 00:29:12.447 Definitely help the bang for your buck within your community. 00:29:13.197 --> 00:29:13.497 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:29:13.707 --> 00:29:14.067 Yeah. 00:29:14.247 --> 00:29:27.627 So it sounds like a real, you know, intentional focus on kind of the intentional things that you did from a culture standpoint to really build, bring people together in, you know, as one community, uh, and build that community. 00:29:27.627 --> 00:29:40.412 So if I'm a school leader and maybe struggling in, in that area, or just want, you know, another perspective on how to build a stronger positive culture, um, sounds like this better together book might be a good, uh, resource for them. 00:29:42.942 --> 00:29:44.487 Derek Cantrell: And it's definitely it. 00:29:44.487 --> 00:29:47.877 It's something that you can read from start to finish. 00:29:48.147 --> 00:29:52.797 You can pick up in, in the middle if you're looking for systems and programs that can help you. 00:29:53.127 --> 00:29:54.657 It's not a difficult read. 00:29:54.657 --> 00:30:01.497 It's not super heavy on the process of consolidation or any of that, but I wanted to paint the story. 00:30:01.857 --> 00:30:10.647 Of what it was and what we were going through and how the intentionality of involving people throughout the process pays dividends in, in the end. 00:30:10.677 --> 00:30:21.477 And we really focused on putting people first and hope and the good things will come academically and, and all the different avenues from that. 00:30:21.507 --> 00:30:27.267 'cause when you get that buy-in and people feel valued and a part of the program and a part of this building. 00:30:27.782 --> 00:30:28.622 Good things happen. 00:30:28.622 --> 00:30:30.872 They show up to work, they got smiles on their faces. 00:30:30.872 --> 00:30:32.702 And I always like to tell a story. 00:30:32.702 --> 00:30:43.022 Early on, I was walking down our second floor hallway and noticed that all of our teachers on that second floor were eating lunch together in the same room. 00:30:43.172 --> 00:30:45.517 And if you know high school folks, that's not the norm. 00:30:46.422 --> 00:30:48.732 They, they're out to their own usually. 00:30:48.732 --> 00:30:52.932 And that was math, science, special ed people, they still do it to this day. 00:30:52.932 --> 00:30:55.302 They invite us up for certain things. 00:30:55.302 --> 00:31:00.192 If somebody's having a birthday, uh, they'll, they'll buy food and have a big cookout or something. 00:31:00.222 --> 00:31:03.432 And that wasn't forced, that wasn't intentional. 00:31:03.432 --> 00:31:11.022 They, they did that on their own, from people from two different, possibly three different buildings came in and made that happen. 00:31:11.022 --> 00:31:15.492 And it's super cool to sit back and see it happening on a daily basis still. 00:31:16.632 --> 00:31:17.082 Mike Caldwell: Right. 00:31:17.172 --> 00:31:17.652 Yeah. 00:31:19.032 --> 00:31:22.332 Well, how much of this, you know, experience, um. 00:31:23.817 --> 00:31:27.357 Having gone through it shaped you as a leader. 00:31:27.567 --> 00:31:35.277 Um, you know, what are, what, what are some things that as you went into it, you know, that you learned and, and grew as a leader? 00:31:35.277 --> 00:31:40.982 Obviously you had to have some, you know, the right mentality and attitude and skillset to even. 00:31:41.767 --> 00:31:52.387 Begin this process, but I would imagine through the process, you, you, you were shaped as much as you were shaping, um, the, the culture, right? 00:31:52.387 --> 00:31:56.857 So can you talk a little bit about that and kind of how it affected you as a leader? 00:31:57.937 --> 00:31:58.207 Derek Cantrell: Yeah. 00:31:58.207 --> 00:32:08.377 I think that the first thing that comes to mind with that question is your leadership team and, and valuing those folks and, and really being a team. 00:32:08.377 --> 00:32:09.337 And it doesn't matter. 00:32:09.777 --> 00:32:15.267 Who's at the table or whose decision it is and and truly respect each other there. 00:32:15.717 --> 00:32:17.187 And I have a great group of people. 00:32:17.187 --> 00:32:27.747 We all are very focused on the same goals and being people oriented and, and that, and definitely everybody has their role. 00:32:27.777 --> 00:32:38.157 And we can come together, we can talk and what decision we make, we walk out and we feel good about and, and still smile and laugh and, and enjoy each other's company with that. 00:32:38.982 --> 00:32:45.822 Our goal is to be visible, to be out and be seen, talk to kids, talk to teachers, get into classrooms as much as possible. 00:32:45.822 --> 00:32:49.842 But we know how high school is some days that doesn't go the way you want it to be. 00:32:50.352 --> 00:32:57.852 And you know, I heard somebody talk, uh, recently about like, legacy and what do you want your legacy to be as a leader? 00:32:58.122 --> 00:32:59.797 And I think that when you leave. 00:33:00.567 --> 00:33:08.007 Do you have people that have worked with you that want to carry on the same things, systems and and culture that you've created? 00:33:08.007 --> 00:33:20.487 And I think we've really, as a school, done a good job of, of building that as a place where people want to be, where it could have easily been a place where people didn't want to come with all the change in that part of it. 00:33:20.547 --> 00:33:25.107 And I really appreciate our, our, our leadership team. 00:33:25.497 --> 00:33:28.227 And they, they've been here the whole three years. 00:33:28.227 --> 00:33:29.247 We did have the. 00:33:30.387 --> 00:33:36.687 Unfortunate passing of one of our teammates, um, in February last year, um, hard to hear 00:33:36.687 --> 00:33:37.047 Mike Caldwell: that 00:33:37.617 --> 00:33:39.477 Derek Cantrell: Timothy Cochran passed away. 00:33:39.807 --> 00:33:48.567 Um, and he actually had a unique perspective of he went through a consolidation elsewhere as a principal and, and came from the outside. 00:33:48.597 --> 00:33:49.527 He wasn't here. 00:33:49.917 --> 00:33:54.357 Um, one of the other aps, charity Hale, was a student in Covington. 00:33:54.987 --> 00:33:57.777 Became the ad here before consolidation. 00:33:58.137 --> 00:34:03.777 And our athletic director has been in Allegheny County and he had done that and been a principal. 00:34:03.777 --> 00:34:07.467 And, um, our other AP had been a principal before as well. 00:34:07.467 --> 00:34:12.837 So we had a, we got a really strong team of people and just get together, you know, really well. 00:34:12.837 --> 00:34:14.397 We just got back from Orlando. 00:34:14.397 --> 00:34:17.847 Three of us went to present at the make, um, innovative School Summit. 00:34:18.257 --> 00:34:20.507 So we do those things together as a team. 00:34:20.777 --> 00:34:25.907 So it's been a been a lot of fun in that journey and just continuing to, to build. 00:34:25.907 --> 00:34:28.487 And we have staff members that come with ideas. 00:34:28.517 --> 00:34:34.817 The Breakfast Club I mentioned, we were recognizing kids in a certain way and the teacher was like, Hey, we did something. 00:34:35.337 --> 00:34:44.457 Like this at our, at our high school, and it was super impactful and really cool, and just recognizing the great things kids are doing with leadership, character, effort. 00:34:44.937 --> 00:34:49.707 And what the teachers do is they nominate a student on a nomination form. 00:34:50.322 --> 00:34:53.532 We pick four or five a month, we have a breakfast. 00:34:53.532 --> 00:34:54.972 We, we send a letter home. 00:34:54.972 --> 00:35:00.072 We call the parent, and you know, this teacher nominated you for this part. 00:35:00.492 --> 00:35:04.992 The teacher comes that morning, reads that recognition to the parent and the kid. 00:35:04.992 --> 00:35:08.532 They get a certificate and a sticker costs 50 bucks for breakfast. 00:35:08.862 --> 00:35:09.312 But. 00:35:09.542 --> 00:35:20.822 The smiles on your staff members' face, your students, the parents, and just that interaction throughout that just you leave with a smile on your face and you just uplift your people and it, that's been super fun. 00:35:20.822 --> 00:35:29.042 We've done about four this year and this is something we'll continue to do and once we've had those events, you get 15 or 16 more nominations. 00:35:29.047 --> 00:35:36.632 So just creating that culture, that, recognizing the good things that people are doing and just making that snowball and it's been a lot of fun. 00:35:37.422 --> 00:35:38.022 Mike Caldwell: Hundred percent. 00:35:38.022 --> 00:35:38.262 Yeah. 00:35:38.342 --> 00:35:40.332 And that was a tradition that came over from Covington, 00:35:40.527 --> 00:35:42.822 Derek Cantrell: that that was one that we started, that was new. 00:35:42.972 --> 00:35:43.272 Mike Caldwell: Okay. 00:35:43.272 --> 00:35:43.782 It's a new one. 00:35:43.932 --> 00:35:44.052 Derek Cantrell: Okay. 00:35:44.052 --> 00:35:46.332 Just this year actually, just in December. 00:35:46.332 --> 00:35:50.352 And we kept hitting snow days, so we kept having to fix days to find it. 00:35:50.352 --> 00:35:53.592 So we've done, um, I think three or four of 'em so far. 00:35:53.592 --> 00:35:55.272 But that's something we started this year. 00:35:55.662 --> 00:36:01.872 Off of something, somebody lived as an experience and tweaked it and adjusted it, and it's been very dynamic to call. 00:36:01.872 --> 00:36:13.447 I mean, we've had a kid crying here talking to 'em about their teacher, nominating them, and then calling their parent and having that conversation, Hey, we wanna invite you because X, Y, Z, and I mean, it, it, it's been great. 00:36:14.412 --> 00:36:14.802 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:36:14.802 --> 00:36:18.972 That means the world to, to parents and obviously to the, to the kids as well. 00:36:19.722 --> 00:36:22.542 Well, in the time we have, let's do a little lightning round here. 00:36:22.572 --> 00:36:22.602 Okay. 00:36:22.632 --> 00:36:27.732 Um, what's one word to describe your leadership style during this consolidation? 00:36:28.752 --> 00:36:28.932 Derek Cantrell: People. 00:36:31.077 --> 00:36:31.347 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:36:31.347 --> 00:36:33.117 I sense that you're very, very 00:36:33.117 --> 00:36:33.572 Derek Cantrell: people oriented. 00:36:33.572 --> 00:36:34.047 Put people first. 00:36:34.047 --> 00:36:34.287 Yeah. 00:36:34.287 --> 00:36:35.367 Put people first. 00:36:35.907 --> 00:36:36.207 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:36:36.897 --> 00:36:40.737 And, uh, I, I imagine that doesn't stop after, after the consolidation. 00:36:40.737 --> 00:36:44.637 It seems like that's just in your, uh, leadership, DNA, which I love. 00:36:45.087 --> 00:36:45.717 Good stuff. 00:36:46.107 --> 00:36:48.357 What was the hardest moment you faced 00:36:49.887 --> 00:36:57.417 Derek Cantrell: within this proce, within this, I think that day that that vote came down and just. 00:36:58.167 --> 00:37:16.857 How do you as a leader pick something up that you know is gonna end and still make it meaningful for your kids and your staff, but also be able to paint it that we're gonna be okay afterwards and we can still do great things moving forwards and, and 00:37:16.862 --> 00:37:16.872 Mike Caldwell: Yeah. 00:37:17.457 --> 00:37:24.567 Derek Cantrell: You know, that that took a lot of, you know, it's a gut punch and you have to sit back and think, how can we do this the right way? 00:37:24.567 --> 00:37:25.287 And it was definitely. 00:37:25.947 --> 00:37:28.947 A unique challenge and, and, and to make it through. 00:37:28.947 --> 00:37:31.677 And my daughter was actually at that school at the time. 00:37:31.947 --> 00:37:36.657 She was a part of that and wouldn't be a graduate at, at, at the one school. 00:37:36.657 --> 00:37:40.977 And, but, you know, it, it went really well and super proud of her. 00:37:40.977 --> 00:37:43.137 And she's in college playing softball. 00:37:43.137 --> 00:37:44.847 And I got a one year break. 00:37:44.847 --> 00:37:47.127 My son's an eighth grader and he'll be here next year. 00:37:47.127 --> 00:37:51.057 So I have a good stretch of, let's see, five plus four. 00:37:51.462 --> 00:37:54.672 10 years, you got one year off between kids at the high school, so 00:37:56.322 --> 00:37:57.582 Mike Caldwell: Yeah, I know that could be tough. 00:37:57.582 --> 00:38:03.072 When you're the high school principal of when your kids are in the school, what was the most rewarding moment? 00:38:04.572 --> 00:38:10.152 Derek Cantrell: I think getting through year one and getting to that end of the year faculty meeting. 00:38:11.112 --> 00:38:18.042 Talking to our staff and being like, guys, we did something that's been talked about for 40 some years. 00:38:18.492 --> 00:38:30.552 You know, round of applause because we all in this room did that and we made it work against all naysayers of people that, you know, had always been anti doing something like this. 00:38:30.822 --> 00:38:33.432 We didn't listen to the noise with that part of it. 00:38:33.882 --> 00:38:34.332 We really. 00:38:35.157 --> 00:38:53.397 Came in and, and, and put kids and people first and look at what we did and, and being able to step back at the end and just seeing, you know, we made it, we were successful, we did well academically and super proud of each and every one of those people that made that happen. 00:38:53.397 --> 00:38:54.477 'cause they all contribute. 00:38:55.227 --> 00:38:56.427 Mike Caldwell: Yeah, absolutely. 00:38:57.297 --> 00:39:02.487 What's a one leadership habit that, uh, you'll never give up something that's just part of you. 00:39:04.002 --> 00:39:16.812 Derek Cantrell: I think something that's stuck and, and, and I think you've done it, but it really hit in some of the ways I've heard it said, is just recognize, acknowledge and extend the things that are happening as you go. 00:39:17.022 --> 00:39:19.752 When you see something good, celebrate it. 00:39:20.382 --> 00:39:21.312 Acknowledge it. 00:39:21.492 --> 00:39:27.072 Get it out there and, and as you're walking around, little, little, little things matter. 00:39:27.072 --> 00:39:37.302 Talking to people, those interactions that you make on a daily basis that you might not think are important are, and, and even a thumbs up and a smile go a long ways. 00:39:37.842 --> 00:39:39.072 Mike Caldwell: Yeah, absolutely. 00:39:39.462 --> 00:39:39.612 Yeah. 00:39:39.612 --> 00:39:40.477 I used to have, uh. 00:39:42.132 --> 00:39:43.392 Two or three times a week. 00:39:43.392 --> 00:39:44.682 I just an hour block. 00:39:44.682 --> 00:39:50.262 I called the MBWA management by walking around and it was just dedicated time. 00:39:50.262 --> 00:39:50.412 I just. 00:39:51.252 --> 00:39:58.152 Try to pick out different times of the day where, you know, teachers on prep, pop in, say hello, walk through the halls, whatever. 00:39:58.512 --> 00:40:06.432 But yeah, those little micro moments, those micro conversations, you can have meet, you know, add up and, uh, build those relationships. 00:40:06.492 --> 00:40:08.322 Um, so good stuff. 00:40:09.042 --> 00:40:14.232 So before we close, tell us about your, when, where can people find your book? 00:40:14.322 --> 00:40:16.542 Um, is it, is it out now? 00:40:16.542 --> 00:40:19.152 Is it, is it, is it published and ready to be? 00:40:19.572 --> 00:40:20.202 To be read. 00:40:20.202 --> 00:40:21.582 Is it available on audio? 00:40:21.852 --> 00:40:22.692 Talk to us about that. 00:40:23.352 --> 00:40:25.212 Derek Cantrell: It, it, it's on Amazon. 00:40:25.212 --> 00:40:30.072 I actually did the self-publishing route for the first one here, so it's on Amazon. 00:40:30.072 --> 00:40:35.142 If you search better together and put my name Derrick Cantrell, it'll, it'll come up. 00:40:35.142 --> 00:40:39.672 And I can send you the link too if you wanna put that in, show notes or anything there. 00:40:39.672 --> 00:40:42.102 But it's online if you have any. 00:40:42.432 --> 00:40:45.192 I also have at the end of the book an access to our. 00:40:45.587 --> 00:40:48.647 Presentation slides and our resources. 00:40:48.647 --> 00:40:53.297 So all the stuff that's there, you got, you can tweak, you can implement and do. 00:40:53.597 --> 00:41:00.317 So anything that we can help from here, it's, it's not a, it's how can we help people and leaders and if you have questions, reach out. 00:41:00.617 --> 00:41:02.327 Definitely be supportive of that. 00:41:02.327 --> 00:41:09.017 Anybody on our team will, and, um, anything that comes along from those conversations, we're glad to help for sure. 00:41:09.912 --> 00:41:10.362 Mike Caldwell: Awesome. 00:41:10.452 --> 00:41:10.782 Awesome. 00:41:10.782 --> 00:41:16.032 Yeah, I'll definitely put a link in the, in the show notes for the, for your access to your book. 00:41:16.392 --> 00:41:28.572 Um, and, uh, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people start reaching out that those that are trying to, maybe going through some, something similar with the con consolidation, uh, they could keep you very busy, so careful what you ask for. 00:41:28.662 --> 00:41:28.752 Right. 00:41:30.342 --> 00:41:30.732 Yeah. 00:41:30.942 --> 00:41:32.322 Well, last question, Derek. 00:41:32.322 --> 00:41:34.632 What does it mean to you to be a Transformative Principal? 00:41:36.492 --> 00:41:37.182 Derek Cantrell: I think that. 00:41:38.757 --> 00:41:50.367 Just being able to do the things that you do on a daily basis and and value your people and put people first, I think can take you a long ways. 00:41:50.637 --> 00:41:55.047 And I really believe that that culture piece success comes from that. 00:41:55.377 --> 00:41:56.487 So when you can. 00:41:57.402 --> 00:42:01.902 Do things with the lens of how does it affect kids, how does it affect our staff? 00:42:02.082 --> 00:42:07.722 And get input from those great things are gonna happen and involve people, value people. 00:42:07.902 --> 00:42:09.642 Great things will happen in your building. 00:42:10.062 --> 00:42:12.522 Uh, I really think that I've heard some. 00:42:13.087 --> 00:42:21.487 Data and research that that businesses and schools that, that put people first in relationships first are much more successful. 00:42:21.847 --> 00:42:28.297 Those places that don't, might make money for a while, but people are gonna leave and that success is gonna come down. 00:42:28.297 --> 00:42:34.102 So, uh, for anybody out there with that part, you know, anything you can think, how do you, how do you value your people? 00:42:35.517 --> 00:42:47.427 Mike Caldwell: Without a doubt, Derek, uh, could spend another 45 minutes, hour or more talking to you, but I know you have a softball game to get to and a few hours to drive to get there, if I remember right. 00:42:47.757 --> 00:42:50.667 So, uh, Derek, appreciate, um, you being on the show. 00:42:50.727 --> 00:42:56.847 Um, thanks for what you do as a, as a school leader, and for those that are listening, uh, look up his book. 00:42:56.907 --> 00:43:00.957 Sounds like it's a, it's a winner and, and, uh, I'll check it out myself. 00:43:00.957 --> 00:43:02.067 So thanks again, Derek. 00:43:02.607 --> 00:43:02.997 Derek Cantrell: Appreciate it.