About the Video Series

How these leaders are transforming education

Battelle for Kids helps education leaders engage their community to re-envision and transform their school systems through a series of “big moves.” Taking a systems approach, this partnership promotes enduring transformation and equitable, deeper learning outcomes for every student. A core way this happens is by focusing these big moves around Battelle for Kids’ Theory of Action, which begins with the setting of a vision and moves on in developing strategy, putting it into practice, and accelerating the work through collaboration. All this work—the big moves—provides a hopeful vision for the future.

"Big Moves: Transforming Education Systems” is a video series that features eight education leaders from across the nation. All are members of Battelle for Kids’ EdLeader21 Network, the premier network for educational transformation. This is the story about how they are making the big moves necessary towards the transformation of their systems and building hope along the way to help realize the power and promise of 21st century, deeper learning for every student.

Big Moves features the following education leaders:

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Episode 1 “Why I Became an Educator”

In episode one, we meet our eight education leaders as Dr. Karen Garza, president and CEO of Battelle for Kids, introduces us to her thoughts about the theory of action and how it showcases the connection between all the big moves necessary to activate and sustain education transformation across the system. Each system leader describes their reasons for becoming an educator, not always a linear pathway, and what inspires them to do this important work.

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Melvin Brown, Ed.D., Superintendent, Montgomery Public Schools (Ala.)
Matthew Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools (Va.)
Scott Dutey, Superintendent, Portsmouth City Schools (Ohio)
Tina Howle, Director, Professional Learning, Loudoun County Public Schools (Va.)
Kipp Rogers, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (Va.)
Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Director, MTSS & Innovation, San Gabriel Unified School District (Calif.)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids

Episode 2 “Setting the Vision for Transforming Education”

In episode two, the Portrait of a Graduate is introduced. Setting the vision for the system is an important way to determine the North Star for the community. Through a locally developed process, the vision—a system’s Portrait of a Graduate—becomes a vital goal that the entire community rallies behind. The education leaders featured in the series discuss big move number one—Setting the Vision—and the impact and importance it has on student agency, preparation for the future, and more.

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Melvin Brown, Ed.D., Superintendent, Montgomery Public Schools (Ala.)
Matthew Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools (Va.)
Scott Dutey, Superintendent, Portsmouth City Schools (Ohio)
Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Director, MTSS & Innovation, San Gabriel Unified School District (Calif.)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids

Episode 3 “Developing Strategy for Education Transformation”

In episode three, the leaders discuss what developing a strategy is all about and its importance in driving the work...together. In Battelle for Kids’ Theory of Action, after the vision is established, the strategy sets the stage for determining measures of progress, support systems for teachers and staff, and more. Through their personal experiences in their very dynamic school systems, these leaders highlight how developing a strategy ultimately impacts every student and their futures.

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Melvin Brown, Ed.D., Superintendent, Montgomery Public Schools (Ala.)
Matthew Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools (Va.)
Scott Dutey, Superintendent, Portsmouth City Schools (Ohio)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids

Episode 4 “Putting the Vision & Strategy into Practice”

Once your school system’s vision—its Portrait of a Graduate—has been locally developed and your strategic plan is in place, the next step is putting it all into practice. In episode four, the leaders discuss how professional learning, system structures, academic content and the needed skills and mindsets actively help students realize their potential and promise as they determine their futures. As Aimee Garcia from Val Verde Unified School District relays in this episode, “It’s the messy work, but it’s the good work.”

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Melvin Brown, Ed.D., Superintendent, Montgomery Public Schools (Ala.)
Matthew Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools (Va.)
Kipp Rogers, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (Va.)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids

Episode 5 “Acceleration Through Collaboration in a Deeper Learning Network”

You’ve made the big moves to spark system transformation in your community, but how does that work accelerate? One way is by committing to collaboration and professional learning through a network. In episode five, the leaders discuss how their involvement with EdLeader21, a network of Battelle for Kids, has helped them forge a path forward in their transformation work. By having thought partners and like-minded leaders to learn and grow with, the big moves begin to yield results.

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Melvin Brown, Ed.D., Superintendent, Montgomery Public Schools (Ala.)
Kipp Rogers, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (Va.)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids

Episode 6 “Hope for the Future of Education”

In the sixth and final episode of our series, the importance of having hope for the future comes to the forefront as our leaders discuss their hopes for what’s ahead for education. Dr. Karen Garza espouses that hope is a science that gives students goals, pathways, and agency, and helps create a vision for a path forward. Hope inspires and engages the community and is a powerful and impactful strategy in helping transform systems and realize the power and promise of 21st century, deeper learning for every student.

Leaders featured in this episode:

Michael Barnes, Ed.D., Superintendent, Mayfield City Schools (Ohio)
Aimee Garcia, Director, K-12 Education, Val Verde Unified School District (Calif.)
Matthew Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools (Va.)
Scott Dutey, Superintendent, Portsmouth City Schools (Ohio)
Tina Howle, Director, Professional Learning, Loudoun County Public Schools (Va.)
Kipp Rogers, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (Va.)
Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Director, MTSS & Innovation, San Gabriel Unified School District (Calif.)
Karen Garza, Ph.D., President & CEO, Battelle for Kids