128. Looking at the Big Picture, with Kris Swett

Today's conversation is with Kris Swett (https://muckrack.com/kris-swett/articles), who wrote the following: “My passion is for the alternative. Making sure schools can better serve different students' needs, my life's work is to create alternative educational models. Conventional schooling is falling by the wayside and technology, and a global community becomes our new reality. We cannot teach the students of the future with the ways of the past." Though Kris has held a number of roles in education today’s episode is going to focus a great deal on his time as the principal at South Valley High School, which became, under his leadership, Big Picture Ukiah. It is a remarkable story, listeners, worthy of your time. Kris has a masters in education from Cal State Chico with an emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction and School Leadership. His bachelors is in political science with an emphasis in international relations and economics, also from Cal State Chico. Kris writes, “I am a Northern California native and the son of an elementary school teacher and union leader. I am described as restless and always full of new ideas. My path to becoming a principal was not a straight journey. I began my adult life as a Bartender and Manager of a Michelin rated restaurant in rural Northern California. I then became a high school teacher, teaching mostly social studies with a smattering of English, math, independent study, and physical education. I love being with students and challenging them to think. They showed their appreciation for me by selecting me as the 2007 Teacher of the Year.” Robert Landau, who first introduced me to Kris as together they launched what is called IMPACT (https://www.impact-bound.com), a project that exists at the cutting edge of what school could be and what could be school, wrote the following about Kris for this episode. “In August 2020, I, along with many others, believed that the worldwide pandemic might spark a global transformation in education. While this didn't fully materialize, I designed a framework for the future called IMPACT. While searching for thought partners, a trusted friend, Scott Paulin, recommended I meet Kris Swett. The rest, as they say, is history. Kris is a dynamic, passionate, and determined change agent. It has been wonderful to find someone so committed to leaving theory behind, rolling up his sleeves, and getting in the trenches to make schools better and more equitable for all students. It is an honor to pass my baton to Kris Swett.” Editing for these episodes is provided by the talented Evan Kurohara. Our theme music comes from the vast catalog of pianist, Michael Sloan. Please leave us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!