Jennifer McDowell talks with Mark Bea, principal in Kentwood, Michigan, and Gabi Coty, community school coordinator at Endeavour Elementary, about what community schools look like in practice and why shared leadership is central to making the strategy work. The conversation focuses on how they structure teams, distribute responsibility, and keep the work aligned with mission so the strategy stays transformational rather than becoming a side program.

In this episode

• Mark Bea shares how a community school strategy differs from a traditional school model by embedding supports for students, families, staff, and the broader community into the core of the school.
• Gabi Coty explains her path from elementary teacher to community school coordinator and how her background shaped her focus on the whole child.
• Mark and Gabi describe community schools as a strategy, not just a list of extra services, field trips, or volunteers.
• They unpack the relationship between the principal and coordinator as the key driver of shared leadership.
• They explain Endeavour’s action team structure, including MTSS, academic extension, belonging and connection, and family engagement.
• Gabi describes how she leads the belonging and connection team and uses survey data to set goals and plan initiatives.
• Mark explains how the inverted leadership structure works, with the principal and assistant principal supporting team leaders rather than controlling every detail.
• They discuss how open invitations, aligned goals, and staff passion help develop more leaders across the building.
• They talk candidly about the risks of shared leadership without systems, including confusion, misalignment, and initiatives getting out of hand.
• Both reflect on the common good as serving people well, including students, families, and the community.

• 00:00 — First Michigan community schools conversation and introductions
• 01:25 — Gabi Coty’s path from teacher to community school coordinator
• 04:39 — Mark Bea’s leadership background and mission-driven approach
• 09:43 — Community schools as a strategy, not just extra services
• 11:20 — What a community school looks like in everyday practice
• 14:24 — Why shared leadership is a core part of the strategy
• 15:41 — What shared leadership means in a school setting
• 20:01 — Why the strategy cannot live on the sidelines
• 23:16 — The five action teams at Endeavour
• 24:13 — How the belonging and connection team uses data and initiatives
• 27:11 — The inverted triangle model and distributed leadership
• 29:23 — Why the team structure was designed this way
• 31:31 — Gabi’s experience stepping into a new leadership role
• 35:33 — Why the coordinator must be part of the core strategy
• 39:29 — District alignment and why it matters for community schools
• 42:09 — How Gabi helps identify and develop other leaders
• 46:56 — Concerns about decision-making in shared leadership
• 47:33 — Planning, approval, and keeping initiatives aligned
• 52:27 — Lessons learned from an initiative that got too far ahead
• 56:21 — Why leadership systems matter more than individual heroics
• 59:40 — Gabi on trying new things and building capacity
• 61:17 — Leadership training as essential to the community school coordinator role
• 62:19 — Closing reflections on the common good

Timestamps

🎙️ Listen to the full conversation and discover how coaching can strengthen schools, support educators, and advance leadership for the common good.

Learn more about Jennifer's coaching work at Common Good Coaching.

Connect with Jennifer McDowell on LinkedIn.

#LeadershipForTheCommonGood #LeadershipPodcast #CommunitySchools #InstructionalCoaching #EducationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingForLeaders #SchoolTransformation

This panel explores the transformative power of relational leadership, emphasizing how relationships shape effective leadership and community building. The speakers share personal journeys, practical practices, and insights on fostering relational cultures in schools and organizations.

🎙️ Listen to the full conversation and discover how coaching can strengthen schools, support educators, and advance leadership for the common good.

Learn more about Jennifer's coaching work at Common Good Coaching.

Connect with Jennifer McDowell on LinkedIn.

#LeadershipForTheCommonGood #LeadershipPodcast #CommunitySchools #InstructionalCoaching #EducationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingForLeaders #SchoolTransformation

What does it take to build a coaching culture that helps educators thrive—and creates better outcomes for students?

In this episode, Jennifer McDowell sits down with Esperanza Martinez and Cora Watkins, leaders who have helped shape the Community Schools movement within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Together, they explore how coaching can become a powerful driver of school transformation, strengthening leadership, supporting educators, and creating the conditions for every student to succeed.

Drawing on decades of experience, Esperanza and Cora share the lessons they've learned about building systems that prioritize collaboration, trust, and continuous learning. They also discuss the realities of implementing this work—from navigating limited resources to shifting long-held beliefs about what coaching is and why it matters.

Whether you're a school leader, coach, educator, or anyone committed to building stronger learning communities, this conversation offers practical insights and inspiration for creating sustainable change.

• The history and evolution of the Community Schools movement
• Why coaching is essential to lasting school improvement
• How coaching builds leadership capacity and strengthens educator practice
• Creating cultures of collaboration, trust, and continuous growth
• The connection between educator support and student success
• Common challenges in building coaching infrastructure—and strategies for overcoming them
• Lessons for district leaders committed to long-term, systems-level change

• Community schools succeed when they invest in both people and systems.
• Coaching empowers educators to grow, collaborate, and lead with confidence.
• Sustainable school transformation requires intentional leadership, ongoing support, and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Investing in educators ultimately creates better experiences and outcomes for students and families.

🎙️ Listen to the full conversation and discover how coaching can strengthen schools, support educators, and advance leadership for the common good.

Learn more about Jennifer's coaching work at Common Good Coaching.

Connect with Jennifer McDowell on LinkedIn.

#LeadershipForTheCommonGood #LeadershipPodcast #CommunitySchools #InstructionalCoaching #EducationalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingForLeaders #SchoolTransformation