Leadership Laps

The Long Run w/Superintendent Michael Giles, Jr.

In this special Season 3 finale of Leadership Laps, Superintendent Michael Giles, Jr. returns to close out where he began - as our very first guest in Episode 1 and now our 30th guest. When we last spoke a year and a half ago in 'The Starting Line,' Mr. Giles was 18 months into the superintendency. Now, wrapping up year three and having just received a five-year contract extension from the Board of Education, he reflects on the journey so far and the road ahead. From launching Destination APS as our strategic plan to celebrating schools achieving Performance rating for the first time in over a decade, from opening new schools to passing a historic bond, Mr. Giles discusses what leadership lessons have emerged, how his approach has evolved, and where he sees APS in five years. As we complete year one of our five-year strategic plan and board goals, this conversation looks back at progress made and forward to the long run still ahead.

Feeling Fantastic w/Principal Hannah LeCount

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Hannah Lecount, Principal of Vassar Elementary, in her first year as a school leader. After 20 years in education - from classroom teacher to instructional coach to assistant principal - Hannah made the leap to the principalship this year. When asked midyear how she was feeling, her response was remarkable: 'feeling fantastic' and 'so lucky to be here.' Hannah shares what made her first year as principal not just survivable but truly positive, how her decades of preparation equipped her for the role, and what she's learned about the difference between being an assistant principal and leading a school. Her story offers hope and practical wisdom for aspiring principals about what it takes to thrive - not just survive - in that critical first year of school leadership.

May the Force be with Y'all: JEDI Leadership w/Executive Director Jaelyn Coates

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Jaelyn Coates, Executive Director of Culture, Equity, and Engagement Departments (CEED), wrapping up her third year with Aurora Public Schools. As a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Advocate, Jaelyn shares her journey to equity work and how CEED's wide-ranging portfolio connects family engagement, student engagement, and staff professional learning on culturally sustaining practices. She discusses her team's instrumental role in major district initiatives including the Board of Education's LGBTQIA+ Resolution, the Immigrant Community Response Task Force, ensuring every school has a school accountability committee and completes equity audits, and supporting staff through the Intercultural Development Inventory. As the sponsor for our 'Schools as Community Hubs' strategy within Destination APS, Jaelyn offers insights about creating sustainable equity-focused change and building authentic engagement with communities that have historically been marginalized in educational spaces.

Where Bilingualism Takes Flight w/Principal Anabel Rafoul

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Anabel Rafoul, founding principal of Escuela Bilingüe Betty Benavidez, Aurora Public Schools' first dual language school opening this fall. Currently in 'year zero' which is a planning year before welcoming students, Anabel shares her experience building a school from the ground up, from curriculum adoption to the naming process honoring Betty Benavidez, from hiring staff to recruiting founding families. With a background in dual language education leadership, Anabel explains the power of bilingual education for both English learners and native English speakers, and why this school represents a historic opportunity for APS families. For those considering enrollment in preschool, kindergarten, or first grade this fall, this conversation offers an inside look at what makes Escuela Bilingüe Betty Benavidez a transformative educational choice.

From Policy To Practice w/Executive Director Christie Imholt

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Christie Imholt, Executive Director of Policy and Strategy, in her eighth year with Aurora Public Schools. Christie shares her remarkable journey from classroom teacher in Boston, Washington DC, and Arlington to federal education policy work with the Department of Education, the White House, the House of Representatives, and the American Enterprise Institute, and finally to district-level transformation in Denver and Aurora. She discusses her leadership of major APS initiatives including Blueprint APS and the development of Destination APS, our district's strategic plan that has become our North Star. Christie offers insights about the relationship between policy and practice, how change actually happens in education when you've worked at every level, and what it takes to build consensus and move forward together toward a shared vision.