Summary: Join C.T. and guest Dr. Latora Baldridge, Head of Schools at Lodestar within the Lighthouse Community Public Schools in Oakland, California, as they dive into what it means to lead with intentional presence and foster a sustainable, student-centered culture across a TK–12 campus. This engaging conversation highlights Dr. Baldridge’s holistic leadership approach, her focus on building strong, distributed teams, and the practices that have produced notable gains in student achievement, college readiness, and teacher retention—with a 90% staff retention rate and 88% of graduates meeting California’s A–G college requirements.

Key Takeaways:

• Intentional Presence and Prioritization: Leadership must be intentional about presence, with priorities clearly defined and reflected in daily and weekly schedules. This ensures that staff and student needs are addressed proactively, not reactively.
• Empowering Teams: Spreading leadership capacity by building strong, empowered teams enhances a school’s ability to meet diverse needs and maintain a cohesive culture across all grade levels.
• Human-First Culture: Valuing humility and connection above authority creates a culture where everyone—students, teachers, and families—feels seen, heard, and supported.
• Routine, Purposeful Check-Ins: Regular, informal check-ins (“five-minute good, bad, and ugly”) with staff help surface issues early, prevent small problems from becoming large, and foster a reciprocal, trusting culture.
• Systems of Student Support: Data-driven, coordinated student support systems (like MTSS and COST) are core to ensuring students get what they need to thrive. This, in turn, directly supports teachers by reducing classroom stress and burnout.
• Delegation and Focus: Leaders must delegate non-priority tasks, aligning all work to a short list of top priorities, and be willing to let go of activities that do not serve the school’s central mission.
• Celebrating Community and Milestones: Bringing together the whole TK–12 community for celebrations (e.g., “Declaration Day”) strengthens the “family school” vibe, provides role models for younger students, and fosters a sense of belonging.
• Special Education as Good Teaching: Supporting students with diverse needs requires systemic, schoolwide attention and communication—not just the efforts of individual teachers.
• Adaptability and Communication: Systems should be flexible, transparent, and responsive. When interventions do not work, leaders must communicate openly, adjust, and keep the community informed.

00:00 Introduction

00:45 Guest Introduction: Dr. Latora Baldridge

01:26 Exploring Lodestar Lighthouse Community Public Schools

02:46 Managing a TK-12 Campus

10:40 Intentional Leadership and Staff Connection

28:41 Prioritizing Student Support Systems

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:45 Guest Introduction: Dr. Lara Baldridge

01:26 Exploring Lodestar Lighthouse Community Public Schools

02:46 Managing a TK-12 Campus

10:40 Intentional Leadership and Staff Connection

28:41 Prioritizing Student Support Systems

38:50 Advice for School Administrators

Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Dr. Latora Baldridge: linkedin.com/in/latora-baldridge-000

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