Marcus Campbell: Taking on Dress Code and AP Classes

Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast.  This is a weekly show for ruckus makers — What is a ruckus maker?  A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.

Do you know students can advise you in ways that you cannot imagine?  Dr. Marcus Campbell tells us how his students helped him come up with the dress code for the school.  Additionally, Dr. Campbell tells us how his school changed the status quo and got more students to the AP classes regardless of their race.

We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com

Key Talking Points

  • How Marcus implemented dressing code in his school
  • Race vs. Gender
  • Breaking the status quo of the AP classes
  • Being a better decision maker

Key Milestones of the Episodes

[05:10]  The history of dress codes

[06:15]  Adopting the Oregon chapter

[10:59]  What shift happened to the dress code?

[17:02]  Access and equity to AP classes

[24:47]  How Marcus makes decisions

[27:41]  Self-care

 Key Quotes

  1. “There’s nothing worse than being inconsistent.”
  2. “If you say you’re going to do something, follow through.”
  3. “Authentic leadership is a leader’s ability to lead with their mind their heart and their feet.”
  4. “If learning is our focus, let’s focus on the learning and leave the dressing.”
  5. “Do what you have to do when you have to do it regardless of how you feel.”

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Key Resources 

Frederick Douglas by Dr. David Blight

About Our Guest

Dr. Campbell earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at National College of Education, National Louis University in the fall of 2015.

Marcus Campbell also serves as the Assistant Superintendent/Principal at ETHS since 2013. In this role, he serves as the educational leader and chief administrator of all school operations at Evanston Township High School and is responsible for implementing and managing the policies, regulations, and procedures of the Board of Education to ensure that all students are educated and supported in a safe, equitable, culturally relevant and student-centered learning environment.

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Be Consistent:  Consistency leads to trust.  Make sure you are doing what you say you are going to do each day.  Follow through and be consistent with your teachers. Your authentic leadership depends on it.   People love a leader who they trust.

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