Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

What happens when a high school dropout becomes the principal of one of the top-performing schools in the state? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Al Johnson, former principal of Two Rivers High School and current academic dean at Uplift Education. Dr. Johnson’s story is one of radical transformation, servant leadership, and deep healing. From walking into a grieving school community to building one of Minnesota’s top-ranked campu...

What does it really take to turn around a hurting school, without losing your soul in the process? In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Jim Vasquez, now Superintendent of Socorro ISD, to uncover the leadership journey that began at Horizon Heights Elementary, a campus with five principals in ten years. Jim shares how he built trust through one-on-one conversations, why culture must always come before strategy, and how he led with both courage and...

How do you transform a hurting campus into a national model of success, without losing your soul as a leader? In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Rose Pearson, Superintendent of Carrizo Springs CISD, to unpack her remarkable journey of school transformation. As a first-year principal at Goodnight Middle School, Rose inherited a punitive culture with high suspension rates and disengaged staff. Within three years, she led the school to become a nat...

What does it take to transform a school where hope feels lost? In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Darryl Henson, Superintendent of Hitchcock ISD, to unpack the real story of how he led a dramatic turnaround at Parkland High School in El Paso. When Dr. Henson arrived, the culture was apathetic and fractured. Within one year, the school achieved every academic distinction in Texas, one of only 1.8% to do so. Through stories marked by courage...

What happens when a leader walks into a hurting school and chooses to listen first? In this episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Ramiro Nava, Superintendent of Cotulla ISD, shares the powerful story of how he led a struggling elementary campus through a season of healing, growth, and transformation. From one-on-one conversations with teachers to a game-changing meeting with a misunderstood parent, Dr. Nava reveals how servant leadership, trust, and consistency over time can rebuild an...

What if the secret to transforming a school isn’t a new program, but a new posture of leadership? In this inaugural episode of Transformational Educators, Dr. Darrell Floyd, Superintendent of Blue Ridge ISD and former Regional Superintendent of the Year, shares how he turned around a fractured high school by building trust, empowering teachers, and focusing on what truly matters. With over four decades in education, Dr. Floyd reveals how relational leadership and practical strategy can bring...

What does it take to turn around a failing school without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Karen Engle, Superintendent of Clear Creek ISD, whose leadership transformed Clearview, a struggling, at-risk alternative campus, into one of the district’s highest-performing schools. Recognized as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award, Dr. Engle shares how listening, learning, and responding bec...