In this powerful episode, Transformational Educators host Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Katrise Perera, who shares the remarkable story of her first principalship, where faith, servant leadership, and intentional listening turned around a struggling school. Now a superintendent, Dr. Perera reflects on how she built trust, shifted staff mindsets, and prioritized student voice to lead lasting change.

How do you lead a school when trust is broken, morale is low, and expectations are even lower?

This episode is for every educator who's ever asked: Can transformation really happen here? Dr. Perera's story answers with a resounding yes.

In this episode

• Why Dr. Perera banned the phrase “at-risk.”
• Building trust before accountability
• Identifying influencers to drive change
• Creating a student advisory committee
• Winning staff buy-in through vulnerability
• A powerful story of a teacher who became Teacher of the Year
• Aligning goals from the boardroom to the classroom
• Leading as a mother, educator, and servant first
• YOUTUBE CHAPTERS:
• 00:00:00 - Coming up...
• 00:01:27 - First impressions at John Rolfe Middle School
• 00:02:21 - Signs of low morale and misalignment
• 00:03:28 - Listening to student voice from day one
• 00:04:07 - Scared but called: her first leadership challenge
• 00:05:41 - Building credibility as a first-time principal
• 00:06:29 - Using faith and coaching to lead with purpose
• 00:08:29 - Why she doesn’t use the phrase “at-risk”
• 00:12:00 - A student success tracking system that works
• 00:12:44 - A teacher’s redemption story that changed everything
• 00:17:49 - What she tells every community she serves
• 00:18:38 - Where to find Dr. Katrise Perera and her work
• 00:19:46 - Final reflections and lessons from the journey