Name: Dr. Brian Grass

Title: Principal

Organisation: Desert Sands Unified School District

Dr. Grass found his way into education as a young teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. As a young leader, Brian was able to engage with dynamic school teams from all over the Los Angeles area, from Culver City to Highland Park. Brian has led five different elementary campuses, as a Principal. He has brought two schools to the "California Distinguished School" level and currently leads an International Baccalaureate (IB) campus in La Quinta California. His doctoral studies in urban educational leadership, at the University of Southern California, helps him to provide distributed and servant based leadership to his current student and parent populations.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Dr. Brian's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

One of the more challenging aspects of school leadership, is working within the confines of a system, which seems designed to slow necessary progress. Often when the opportunity comes to make decisive and dynamic moves, the systems we work under can feel ossified. The challenge is to navigate this entropy and use local momentum to move now.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I fell into teaching as a means to an end. I was focused on Law school, after college. I did not think that I would love teaching as much as I did. As the years progressed, in my small elementary school, I took on more varied challenges. Soon, I and a few others, were basically running the school. I saw what could happen with energy and data based strategies. I gravitated toward school administration as the natural next step. It has been an excellent run ever since.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I have always been an early riser. I get up very early every day. I start with coffee and catching up on emails. I spend time with a daily meditation and then off to the gym. I get to school around 7 am, and am able to meet with staff and walk the campus and see kids right away. The day is always busy and is rarely the same. I am able to utilize rounding routines, as a way to engage with teams around campus regularly. I am usually off campus by 4 or 5 pm. I go home to help make dinner and play with our dogs. We are usually reading and in bed by 7 pm or 8 pm at the latest. I rarely take work home with me. However, I do check emails and texts regularly from 4 am to at least 6 pm. My weekends are my own to enjoy my life. I love my work and look forward to every day.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

I am reminded of the fact that one never knows the battle people are fighting. It takes so little effort on my part, to demonstrate compassion and understanding, to those I am helping. I try not to take people's problems personally, and to take on each new staff or parent issue, as a teachable opportunity.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

The Skillful Leader, by Platt, Tripp, Ogden and Fraser. Confronting institutional deficiencies and mediocre teaching to elevate all aspects of the school. This book has been a touchstone for me for awhile.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Understand the concept of going slow to go fast. The idea that if you put in the time and effort, to get the small stuff right, the bigger stuff gets easier and less daunting. When turning a big boat, it can be hard to track progress, but over time, when you look back, you can often see readily how far you have come. Don't give up.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

I recently ran into a former student of mine out in the world. She was a waitress in a restaurant, that I ran into one night out for dinner. She had a very troubled childhood and was one of the office's frequent flyers, when she was enrolled at my elementary school. She let me know that so many years later, she could never forget that I always remembered her name. She wanted to let me know that she always felt that I cared about her, even when I was giving consequence for some infraction or other. She wanted me to know that she never felt afraid of me, but she knew that she was safe at school and could count on me and the office ladies, when things at home got too difficult. I am always moved to take extra time to remember names and to remind myself that these students have lives outside of school, sometimes rough lives. If they feel safe at school, ultimately they can learn. My favorite quote is by Hiam Ginott, which states that "..it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.".