David McGuire

Behind every successful child is an educator who believes in their success.

While teacher quality is key, the relationship between school and home is equally important. As a leader, my focus was threefold: being a warrior for kids, a champion for teachers and an agent for parents. Leaders must fight to ensure students feel safe, uplift teachers and bridge gaps with families. Leadership is about serving with purpose, passion and relentless advocacy.

Warrior for kids

Being a warrior for kids embodies the spirit of the Maasai warriors, who greet one another with the phrase, “And how are the children?”

This simple yet powerful question reflects the deep commitment needed to ensure our children’s overall well-being and future. As warriors for kids, we focus on their education, safety and long-term success. We create conditions where excellence is the only option. Warriors for Kids are advocates who fight every day for them.

As a school leader, I prioritized connecting with students during lunch duty and seeking their input on improving the school. When a group of 5th graders suggested adding sports, I proposed starting a basketball team, and they excitedly added the idea of a cheer squad.

Partnering with our high school, we joined a league, and after raising funds, upgraded our gym with new goals and a scoreboard. A parent established a cheer program, and our first home game transformed the schoolā€™s culture, energizing students and building lasting opportunities.

Champion for teachers

Imagine three circles: the outer circle represents the leader, the middle represents the teachers and the innermost circle represents the children. Teachers are closest to the children, and while leaders must advocate for kids, they must also be champions for teachers.

As Rita Pierson believed, ā€œevery child deserves a champion,ā€ and teachers need leaders who support, trust and equip them to succeed. When teachers feel valued, they inspire greatness in students. Building relationships, fostering growth and ensuring teachers feel supported is essential for creating a thriving environment for all.

As a leader, I prioritized supporting my teachers by providing the resources and opportunities they needed to succeed. I created tailored professional development and wrote grants to send staff to national conferences, connecting them with Black leaders nationwide. I organized trips to high-performing schools to share best practices. Publicly acknowledging their hard work, I celebrated their achievements and nominated them for awards. When we were short on substitutes, I stepped into the classroom, showing that no role was beneath me. By reducing their extra duties, I ensured their focus remained on teaching, reinforcing that educating students was also my top priority.

Agent for parents

Being an agent for parents means adopting Ann Atwaterā€™s mindset: ā€œItā€™s simple. I listen to you until I learn what you want and help you get it. When we get halfway to what you want, I tell you what I want.ā€

As agents for parents, we have to listen to the needs of their children. If they are not talking, just like we do for kids and teachers, we create those conditions to get them to talk. As agents, we serve as the liaison between the school and the home, bridging that gap so we are a team.  As advocates, we bridge the gap between home and school, ensuring parents feel supported and empowered to shape their childā€™s educational experience. Itā€™s about partnership, respect and a shared commitment to helping their children succeed.

As a leader, I noticed a disconnect between parents and the school community, so I strengthened relationships by being present at morning arrival and dismissal. Recognizing the need for more, I collaborated with a supportive parent to create PEAK (Parents and Educators Alongside Kids), providing a space for collaboration.

A turning point was an adult game night where parents and teachers bonded through games, food and fellowship. This event helped build bridges, fostering stronger relationships. Parents became more engaged with the school, and teachers began seeing them as educational partners.

I challenge all school leaders to adopt this mindset: be warriors for students by ensuring their education, safety, and success; champions for teachers by providing the tools and trust they need; and agents for parents by listening and collaborating on a shared vision for their childrenā€™s success.

Letā€™s commit to this together. The future of our children depends on it.

Dr. David McGuire is an educator and researcher and hosts a podcast called The Recess Podcast.  Additionally, Dr. McGuire is researching the support needed for Black educators who aspire to become principals. He can be reached at davidmmcguire14@outlook.com