Name: Johnathan Moore

Title: Principal

Organisation: Guilford County Schools

Johnathan Moore currently resides in Greensboro, North Carolina. He serves as the principal of Southern Guilford Elementary School. Outside of his work in the school building, he advocates for K-12 public schools, most recently meeting with elected officials at the state and national level. During his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends.

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

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

What I have found most challenging as an Educational Leader is ensuring that my intent matches my staff, students, and families' perception. As an educational leader, there's so much that I want to do to further support the academic, social, and emotional well being of my community, however, with all that we must accomplish as leaders, finding that balance is often a struggle. In addition, there are sometimes policies in place or unfunded mandates that prevent what I intend to do for my community to come to fruition.

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

My journey into education leadership has been unique. I began my career as a teacher's assistant and then later became a teacher through an organization called Teach For America. Through the support that I received from Teach For America, I applied to become a Master's of School Administration student at North Carolina A&T State University in my 2nd year of teaching.

After my third year in the classroom, I began my year long principal internship, which awarded me the opportunity to become an instructional coach and then assistant principal. I served as an assistant principal for two and a half years before becoming an interim principal, and then principal the following school year.

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

I structure my days by beginning with morning routines, followed by making time throughout the day to be present around the school building. Whether I am completing classroom visits, joining students at recess, or eating in the lunchroom, I believe presence matters. I usually spend my afternoons in meetings, followed by time in the evening to unwind and relax.

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

As an educational leader, I most recently have been reminded about the power of student voice. As building leaders, one could easily be consumed in the daily operations of their building, interacting with staff, families, and guardians, however miss the purpose of why we do this work. I have become more intentional in being a listening ear to students, as their perceptions need to be communicated.

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?

One of the books that has had a profound impact on my educational leadership journey is Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond. This book has been impactful to me, as it has changed my perspective on how students learn based on cultural influences. It allowed me to get a better understanding about cultural relevance and responsiveness, while also providing me with the context to help teachers evolve their understanding of how to expand the intellectual capacity of all students.

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?

The advice that I would give to a young educator is to understand the importance of networking. As an educational leader, I have learned that no one has all of the answers, however, the answer will be found through the right connection. Often times it's stated that leadership is a lonely journey, however, having networks allows one to stay supported through this work.

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

During my time as an educational leader, I have had the opportunity to share my experience as a first year principal on the state level. I was interviewed and was awarded the opportunity to speak at a summit about my perspective on public school education.

These opportunities allowed me to connect with others doing this work. I have had the opportunity to learn from veteran principals and serve as a mentor to those interested in advancing their leadership.