This episode features Dr. Lynn Moody, Superintendent of the Rowan-Salisbury School System in Salisbury, North Carolina. Dr. Moody’s present work centers on 3 critical actions -

• Building relationships

• Learning students’ passions and interests

• Tailoring instruction around those passions and interests

Dr. Moody has the courage to bluntly discuss the harsh realities of our education system through the lens of low-income students who have to overcome the pressures of poverty on the path to developing college-going confidence. We discuss philosophical differences with prioritizing standardized testing metrics over student self-discovery, as well as honoring the unique values and goals of individual communities. As part of the conversation, we also talk about how parental expectations for their students’ education is sometimes clouded by their own experiences in school. Combining an old school approach of valuing teaching over testing with the new school reality that tech helps her students move forward, Dr. Moody is focused on transforming outcomes while honoring the individualism of each RSS student.