Episode 354

full
Published on:

30th Jan 2025

Building a District of Champions: Turning Challenges Into Triumphs

Join host CT and Scott Kilgore, superintendent of Ingleside ISD, as they explore how leadership and systems thinking are transforming rural education. Scott shares his journey from teacher to superintendent, offering insights on building a collaborative, student-centered culture. Learn how he's addressing bilingual education challenges, integrating career pathways, and fostering community ties. This conversation offers valuable strategies for educational leaders looking to drive positive change and improve outcomes in rural school districts.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Leadership Drives Change: Scott Kilgore's journey from teacher to superintendent highlights the importance of strong, visionary leadership in transforming a school district into a “district of champions.”
  2. Community Engagement is Crucial: Building strong ties with the community and fostering collaboration among staff, students, and families is key to driving success in rural districts.
  3. Addressing Bilingual Education Needs: Proactively tackling the challenges of a growing bilingual student population is essential for academic success and ensuring every student has equal opportunities.
  4. Career Readiness Through CTE: Integrating Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs early in a student’s journey helps prepare them for diverse career paths, whether in college, the workforce, or the military.
  5. Creating a Culture of Excellence: Fostering a culture of hard work, acceptance, and teamwork among students and staff encourages continuous improvement and creates a supportive environment for growth.
  6. Embrace Systems Thinking: Using a systems-thinking approach helps leaders address complex challenges while ensuring that solutions are sustainable and have a long-term positive impact on the district.


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:26 Diverse Community

06:24 Bilingual Education

10:10 CTE Programs

15:30 Barbecue Championship

19:49 Leadership Journey

27:45 Be a Champion


Connect with Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Scott Kilgore: www.linkedin.com/in/scott-kilgore-6b3778a4

Music Credit: Shake it Up - Fesliyanstudios.com - David Renda



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About the Podcast

Engaging Leadership
Uncovering stories and strategies behind successful educational leadership
Each week we sit down with inspiring leaders who are transforming education and creating positive outcomes for students across the country.

In their own words, these leaders share their daily challenges, breakthrough moments, and the practical approaches they use to build and support student achievement.

Whether you're a principal, superintendent, or aspiring educational leader, you'll find actionable insights you can use right away.

Want to stay connected with more stories from innovative education leaders? Visit engagingleadershipshow.com and subscribe to our weekly updates.

About your hosts

CheeTung Leong

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I'm committed to helping people live their best lives through work.

I'm one of the co-founders of EngageRocket, an HRTech SaaS startup and we are focused on helping organizations build empowered managers, engaged employees, and elite teams.

I'm a big nerd when it comes to economics and psychology and regularly use data and tech to help folks live their best lives.

I've been recognized by Prestige Magazine as one of the top 40 under 40 business leaders and have been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider, and Tech in Asia.

Jim Kanichirayil

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Your friendly neighborhood talent strategy nerd is the producer and co-host for The HR Impact Show. He's spent his career in sales and has been typically in startup b2b HRTech and TA-Tech organizations.

He's built high-performance sales teams throughout his career and is passionate about all things employee life cycle and especially employee retention and turnover.