Read Transcript:

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Carla Cummins: Hi, I’m Carla Cummins.

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Uh, welcome back to the Better Learning Podcast.

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I am joined by our co-host Nick, our education market leader out of Lubbock, Texas.

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So Nick brings a real world experience of boots on the ground and a perspective from someone who’s worked directly with, um, within a district every single day.

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So Erica, you bring insights into education.

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So.

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Give me a brief introduction of who you are.

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I say Colorado, but it’s a big state, right?

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Erica: So, yeah, I’m a native of Colorado.

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That’s kind of rare, and it’s a little branding thing that I get to patch onto my thing so I could proudly wear it.

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I love my state.

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It’s one of my favorite things about me.

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So I tell people, take down my information.

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If you ever want to come to Colorado, I’ll help you plan your little tours and I’ll let you know the ins outs, where to go.

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And so I just love all about that.

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It’s my state’s who I am.

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Um, what else is there that’s kind of fun about me?

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So I kind of got a little bit of a roundabout way in construction.

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You know, I started off at school.

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I’m gonna take you guys way back.

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So let’s just, let’s just do it.

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You know, I would start off in college.

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I was like, you know what I’m gonna do?

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I’m gonna be a nuclear engineer.

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You know what I realized?

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Not that smart.

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So I went accounting and it’s just as equally as smart.

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But you know, I went accounting, got out in the world, very thankful for my accounting degree.

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It led me down really unique paths.

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I actually got to, you know, here in Colorado we get this lovely reputation for our medical marijuana.

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I actually gotta be part of that experience.

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Such a fun time.

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So anyway, that experience kind of led me into, um, just the importance of developing relationships as an entrepreneurial idea.

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And what happened was, a good friend of mine that I ended up meeting was like, Hey, you should try sales.

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And I said, wow.

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I don’t know.

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I mean, I love talking, but do people really wanna listen to me?

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And absolutely you have something to do.

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So I got into construction, but just, you know, developing relationships for a major company.

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Um, I had no experience, but I had this amazing boss.

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Um, I have to give him a shout out.

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Mark Stets.

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He really saw me.

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I had no brick experience, no construction experience, no sales experience.

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But he is like, you know.

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I believe in you and I’m so thankful for him.

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And that really just skyrocketed my career into now where I’m at, you know, as a BD person.

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And that’s really got my start in this.

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So I do business development for Wells.

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Wells is a building systems, um, who is really grounded in regional connections.

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And one of our real big stress, you know, trust building exercises is through K through 12 and learning environments.

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And we really help them connect, you know, their common needs now to how they kind of build a building out to help.

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So provide solutions to that.

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And that’s kind of where I am.

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Carla Cummins: So did you jump from marijuana to building like one, was it, did you go directly from

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Erica: Yeah, I went directly from helping.

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Marijuana distributors job costs, marijuana plants into selling brick

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Carla Cummins: I

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Erica: right into it.

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Carla Cummins: I love it.

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I, what would you say the, um, the best part of that transition was?

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Erica: You know, sales is such a unique perspective too.

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You know, we obviously believe that entrepreneurship is a profession.

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We believe accounting is a profession.

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We believe architectural is a profession.

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We believe, you know, super superintendents as a profession.

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Sometimes we believe sales and we view sales as just like.

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These people who are out here just trying to close deals and you know, Wolf of Wall Street style, but it is actually a profession and one of the biggest things for me is just really, you know, embracing that too, that I have to learn how to public speak.

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I have to make sure I can control my tone, I can make eye contact, I can get people to believe.

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It’s a lot of research too as well.

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I have to make sure what I’m providing, I believe in, and it is providing a solution to gain that long-term trust.

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I have to believe that I too belong on the table.

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You know, to make sure that you know what I’m offering is something that you’re going to need.

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And I also get the right to say no to the sale as much as you get the right to say no to the sale too as well.

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And so that’s kind of been the biggest challenge in kind of shifting of my thought process is that we’re, sales is a professional.

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It is something that takes development and we have to be part of it too.

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Carla Cummins: For sure.

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I think any role that we have is, it’s all people oriented.

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Right?

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So what does that look like?

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And, and that’s a, that’s a skill that’s, that’s transitionable through marijuana or,

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Erica: do like that part about my background.

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Carla Cummins: It’s legal here in Arizona too.

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So I think the novelty for Colorado’s worn off a little bit given all of that, but it is still cool.

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so what organizations are you part of that have given you the ability to grow in, like in the construction industry?

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Are you active

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Erica: Beyond just having really amazing bosses through my thing.

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I know, um, the bio that I kind of sent in, I highlighted a lot of my bosses because, you know, I really live in the collective.

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We, I do not believe anybody gets anywhere by just your hard work.

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It takes a team to make, you know, to make this whole thing go through.

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And so I’d really like to highlight the people who’s been part of Met Success so beyond just, you know.

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Being selective in the organizations that I work for and making sure I’m behind the product, that I’m also representing the company that I’m representing.

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That also means for like organizations too, right?

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So there’s so many organizations out there that want to uplift the construction industry and whole.

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So what are those and what can really evaluate, you know, and.

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Uplift my talent and can use my talent to then uplift the whole, you know, tide.

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And some of that would be a four LE.

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I love a four LE, especially in the educational world.

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They do a wonderful job connecting, educators, uh, supers, you know, facility managers.

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Architects, GCs, product representatives like myself.

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Um, another one is CSI, construction Specification Institute.

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I fully believe in them.

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Um, sometimes that specification where people feel like it’s gonna be boring and it’s just gonna be these written documents.

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But if you wanna talk about a good group of people, specifiers, they’re like the accountants at the holiday party.

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You know, they’re just fun people to be around, but they do like, you know, good sentence

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Carla Cummins: I used to be a member.

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Erica: Yeah.

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Um.

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Carla Cummins: I used

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Erica: Yeah, I love CSI.

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Um, I also am part of s and PS, which is a business development and marketing kind of group as well.

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All of these are going to be nationwide with like local chapters.

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That’s really fun too.

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And so those are the three that I’ve really decided to invest.

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My time into now.

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There’s so many out there and I’m not just saying, just ’cause of these three, please look into that, make makes sense for you and your professional organization, but don’t just join to join.

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Okay?

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If you’re gonna join an organization, invest in it.

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Really make intentional connections.

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There’s there a, you know, a community that you need to be part of.

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Is there a. a group that might need help with programs.

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Is there a way I can be on the board?

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You can, maybe you’re not ready to fully dive into the full term relationship of a board member, but there’s definitely ways to get involved other than just showing up, like be part of that

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Carla Cummins: Yeah.

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Well, Erica, I should, um, introduce you to some of my fun people

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Erica: good.

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Carla Cummins: Well, obviously, right, the Better Learning podcast is grounded in education.

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So put on your education hat ’cause that’s what we’re really gonna talk about when we look at it.

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I think we’ve.

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Already figured out how you got involved in school design and educationally based.

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Right.

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So going into, um, and starting with Wells, did that and education is one of the verticals that you guys

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Erica: Correct.

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Yeah.

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Carla Cummins: that

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Erica: Alright, so yeah, so I started creating, like got into designing, helping design school.

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So I’m not an architect, I’m not a gc.

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I’m gonna be a building product that they ultimately use to then help, you know, the school actually become through to for fruition.

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And so I got into this through obviously business development, which contrary to popular beliefs is not just happy hour and golf.

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Okay.

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And it is a solid perk, but it’s more than just that.

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Okay.

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Business development is about research and relationship at its core.

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So I spend a lot of my time studying enrollment trends, you know, population growth, funding cycles, long-term facility needs.

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And I take all of this.

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Beautiful research that I get, and then I kind of translate into that, into al uh, support.

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So if that can be done through stakeholders, it can help my company make decisions, whether we’re, you know, going on the right transition path too as well
for our companies, whether these superintendents or these principles and these community members are actually going through the right path too, as well.

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And that has to include students too, is the space and this option that I’m providing.

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You know, also include students.

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Is it gonna be for this students this year?

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Is it gonna be generational students too as well?

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So I’m like big words.

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My job is about cultivating real relationships that take real problems and connect with real solutions, right?

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That’s what business development is.

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and yes, it does come with golf tournaments sometimes.

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But as I dug in to the K through 12 higher and higher ed markets, I started noticing like some real common headaches.

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You know, I was tasked by my boss to kind of grow this, um, this community of, of the higher earning and learning environments.

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And so I said, okay, well lemme start researching into it.

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And so through this I started noticing these really common kind of sticky points, like tight budgets, really aggressive schedules.

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A lot of times the schedules have to be done while this kids are either, you know, finishing while the kids are outta school so they can transition in.

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A lot of times you’re building right next to an existing school where the kids are still in school, you know, you have growing communities, like some of these communities are just skyrocketing.

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So how do you help with that?

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Like there was one school I worked on.

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it was a 10-year-old school and they already outgrew it.

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And so what do these kind of things look like?

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You know, like, so we have these green problems and then more of that, it’s just.

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These schools are so left with doing more with less, right?

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They don’t wanna constantly go out for BUN for funding every time that there’s a budget constraint.

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So how can we do more with less?

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How can we plan for the future?

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Right?

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And that’s where like, like myself and Wells really kind of came in where like we’re.

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We’re a national building solutions company.

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We specialize in prefabricated building systems, a little bit architectural and structural.

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And so it just really kind of helped me understand here are all my components that I have that I represent, and does it actually fit for K through 12?

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My boss has asked me to pursue K through 12 in higher learning.

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Is it actually a fit?

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And I realized it kind of, it is a fit.

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Like there’s a lot of things that kind of can be big and I really took a lot of pride in that because schools are just these buildings.

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They are the heartbeat of the community.

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You know?

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They are where Friday nights happen, they’re where families gather.

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They’re where people get to wear school spirit.

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It’s where somebody goes.

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People ask me all the time, Hey, you’re from the Springs?

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Yeah, I’m from the Springs.

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What high school did you go?

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It’s the first question that they ask, what high school did you go to?

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So it’s important.

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It’s part of who I am.

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It’s part of my identity, it’s part of what I am.

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So when our real questions came, it’s not just, do I have a product to sell, but am I actually helping these learning environments to stretch their dollars to create an entire community?

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So when somebody asked me, what school did you go to, I can proudly say and represent my team, go Spartans.

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Right?

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That’s kind of where it’s,

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Nick: well, I, I’m curious, have you always been this meticulous of a learner, or, or what are some of the natural advantages you, you brought into this, this

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Erica: Um, I would, I would say I always loved learning.

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Um, again, if you remember back in my intro, except for nuclear engineering, I quickly was like, get calculus out.

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But no, I really do like learning.

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I like connecting.

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I think that’s my favorite part of business development and going back to being sales as a profession, is you have to learn if you’re not constantly learning.

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Then you’re not literally learning how to help your customers Right, too, as well.

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And so when you start to see me as a profession, it does mean that I have to continue my education just like an architect, just like a gc, just like lawyers, just like accounting.

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You have to do that.

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So yeah, I do enjoy learning and I do enjoy researching to help people.

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’cause the more I can come prepared, the more I can really help guide these questions that need to be helped.

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Carla Cummins: Well, I think every role you take on, right, every job, let’s just say that there’s an element of learning that you just have to do in order to be good at that role and.

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Understand, you know, who your target audience is.

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So that leads us to the next question of when you’re talking about education, and you said so many of them, right?

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Like communities are, or schools are the center of communities.

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There’s, they have their own distinct culture.

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They have their own distinct, set of, I mean really like rules that you go by, but they can oftentimes too, make or break.

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A community in a sense where you’re looking at, is this a place where you wanna live?

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Eh, that school’s not so great.

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Um, we don’t wanna live there.

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So when you say, in your own words, what does radically student centered mean?

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Because that’s our tagline right?

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On the podcast, what does that mean to you?

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Erica: Oh man.

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Um, this one kind of took me a little while to kind of think about and I really wanted to make sure I articulated it really well.

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And so I have this statement that I live by and its teamwork makes the dream work.

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So I play D one soccer.

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You’re always had to be with your team, constantly kind of doing things and it really kind of embedded in me there, but it also really embedded in me when I actually started getting into a profession like sales.

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And I’ve had to talk back to my bosses, right?

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This teamwork makes the dream work.

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So when I think radically centered, I try to think, how is this environment developing kids to meet their own team too?

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So a lot of times.

00:13:34.640 –> 00:13:40.700
We often live in the me such as my role, my department, my grades, my agenda.

00:13:40.850 –> 00:13:42.770
Am I getting what I need?

00:13:42.980 –> 00:13:43.400
Right?

00:13:43.730 –> 00:13:51.170
And so we start to have to really think, and the real impact is when we start doing everything in the we, when everything is, everything done right, is generally done collectively.

00:13:51.170 –> 00:13:51.590
Right.

00:13:51.680 –> 00:13:53.900
And if we’re being honest, like team.

00:13:54.695 –> 00:13:56.405
Building a team requires networking.

00:13:56.555 –> 00:13:59.705
And if you’re not networking, then how are you building a team?

00:13:59.945 –> 00:14:03.725
And it’s not just peer to peer, it’s not student to student.

00:14:03.725 –> 00:14:06.335
It, it is also, you know, teacher to student.

00:14:06.335 –> 00:14:10.925
It is principal to teacher, it is, you know, senior to freshman.

00:14:10.925 –> 00:14:15.810
It is this kind of big encompassing, intergenerational kind of way of doing it.

00:14:16.385 –> 00:14:18.065
And as much as we don’t wanna admit it.

00:14:18.680 –> 00:14:20.300
Schools are networking machines.

00:14:20.510 –> 00:14:23.660
It is where you’re going to build your cultivation too, right?

00:14:23.990 –> 00:14:33.440
So to go back to student radically student centered, okay, great, you taught your kid, you know, photosynthesis, but have you taught these students also how to build their team?

00:14:33.440 –> 00:14:36.710
That longevity is going to shape their lives too, as well.

00:14:37.290 –> 00:14:44.970
And this networking can happen in formal ways, like clubs, student organizations, um, athletics is a way too as well.

00:14:45.300 –> 00:14:49.290
Um, but it also can happen in these really unofficial ecosystems too.

00:14:49.290 –> 00:14:54.600
Times sometimes we use these terms, the jocks, you know, band, kids, skaters, robotic crew.

00:14:54.840 –> 00:14:58.020
These micro communities are so powerful, right?

00:14:58.020 –> 00:15:01.650
And so this is where people really start to form their identities.

00:15:01.650 –> 00:15:04.200
And these students are gonna build long-term relationships.

00:15:04.200 –> 00:15:05.760
Like I’m still really good friends.

00:15:06.395 –> 00:15:09.485
With people that I met in high school, and I love that.

00:15:09.490 –> 00:15:13.175
And that really started from these organic movement of micro communities.

00:15:13.595 –> 00:15:17.435
So like oftentimes we do focus heavily on academics and rightfully so.

00:15:17.465 –> 00:15:18.665
Algebra is important.

00:15:18.845 –> 00:15:20.735
I do use it every day.

00:15:20.975 –> 00:15:21.830
Don’t listen to the memes.

00:15:22.555 –> 00:15:29.575
I do, you know, especially when I was an accountant, so, but these schools are just far more than just coursework, right?

00:15:29.605 –> 00:15:30.445
Yes, I get it.

00:15:30.445 –> 00:15:42.685
When you get your high school diploma, it’s gonna say you can do X, Y, Z, but it also shows to when you apply for colleges, or if you’re in a higher ed too and you’re applying to jobs, they’re gonna ask you, how did you impact your culture?

00:15:43.400 –> 00:15:48.530
And so going back to this radically assumed idea, I start to question the built environment itself.

00:15:48.590 –> 00:15:55.430
Is it designed, you know, somatically to where kids can grow and really explore themselves too, as well

00:16:00.441 –> 00:16:05.181
You know, when we work with schools at K12 it’s not just about furniture design, it’s about impact.

00:16:05.421 –> 00:16:09.561
Our radically student-centered approach puts students at the center of every decision.

00:16:09.921 –> 00:16:16.191
From that first conversation to the final walkthrough, we’re focused on creating spaces that actually work for the kids.

00:16:16.611 –> 00:16:17.961
Teachers and the community.

00:16:18.261 –> 00:16:23.541
So if you’re looking to do more than just check a box on your next project, let’s talk Visit k12.com.

00:16:23.541 –> 00:16:32.271
That’s K-A-Y-T-W-E-L-V-E.com and see how we’re helping schools transform learning one student at a time.

00:16:32.601 –> 00:16:36.681
Because at K12 it’s not just about projects and furniture, it’s about purpose.

00:16:41.559 –> 00:16:51.339
Nick: Well, I, I’m, I am curious too, um, what do you, what do you think happens whenever adults, right, all the educational partners when they come together to be radically student, student centered?

00:16:51.339 –> 00:16:56.289
What kinda outcomes do you think, um, result from, from that kind of connectedness?

00:16:56.519 –> 00:17:00.149
so when I think back, I think back to the word innovation.

00:17:00.149 –> 00:17:07.949
If you just rewound five to 10 years, the word innovation as an educator used to kind of feel big and even scary for a lot of educators.

00:17:08.459 –> 00:17:13.559
And now when we look at it, that word is embedded into schools, into their departments.

00:17:13.559 –> 00:17:16.079
There’s entire departments positions for innovation.

00:17:16.709 –> 00:17:27.869
And when I think about the word radically, uh, when I think about that statement, it to me there’s no, there can be no wrong in there because the whole purpose of school is to help grow students essentially.

00:17:28.300 –> 00:17:36.890
what kind of, what kind of outcomes do you think, happen whenever designers and architects and providers come together?

00:17:36.890 –> 00:17:39.620
Builders come together to, to make sure that.

00:17:39.995 –> 00:17:44.075
Everything we’re doing is truly for the kids, with the kids in mind First.

00:17:44.105 –> 00:17:48.425
Erica: Yeah, so I think I’m gonna kind of dissect this in like a little bit of like a couple parts.

00:17:48.425 –> 00:17:50.285
One, start with your innovation.

00:17:50.555 –> 00:17:53.751
I’m so glad that that’s part of all schools now.

00:17:53.751 –> 00:18:00.111
Like, and how do you inspect kids to be innovative if you’re not letting them be themselves and have self-authorship of who they are?

00:18:00.111 –> 00:18:00.501
Right.

00:18:00.591 –> 00:18:01.941
And so that’s a real component.

00:18:01.941 –> 00:18:04.641
So, and I know that’s tricky with students, probably teachers nowadays.

00:18:05.341 –> 00:18:12.001
Really do, you know, have empathy for you and maybe a way of how do I let kids all develop themselves?

00:18:12.061 –> 00:18:15.271
But also I have a curriculum that you gotta stick to too as well, right?

00:18:15.271 –> 00:18:18.481
And I have these rules, so we have to be careful on these rules.

00:18:18.481 –> 00:18:24.481
Are they too, you know, rules are gonna be safety, but are they too rigid too as well to let this kind of start exploring?

00:18:24.481 –> 00:18:29.918
So I think when people start connecting, From the architect, the gc, and then myself as business.

00:18:29.918 –> 00:18:38.798
It’s really coming back to the why these students have and really asking the districts, what is your rooted mission and what’s the mission that you wanna come back to?

00:18:38.828 –> 00:18:41.768
’cause that’s gonna be the guideline that everything that you do at the end the day.

00:18:41.768 –> 00:18:47.738
So I have to understand as I make these selections for you and I help guide you, and I start asking you, what is your main why?

00:18:47.828 –> 00:18:54.008
And help me understand that too, so I can make sure I’m guiding it too, because I don’t want them to be sacrificed in any of this.

00:18:54.008 –> 00:18:55.088
I don’t want you to feel.

00:18:55.793 –> 00:19:05.063
That you are sacrificing a lot of these districts, you know, when you do make a new building or you do are doing, um, maybe remodeling too, a lot of times you do have to go out for funding.

00:19:05.273 –> 00:19:09.953
So you’re so excited that this community sought this investment and then you’re immediately met.

00:19:10.538 –> 00:19:14.828
With disappointment that you have to make sacrifices and that’s not what I want you to do.

00:19:15.068 –> 00:19:18.818
So staying rooted in alignment of what this mission is, I’m gonna help guide you.

00:19:18.818 –> 00:19:21.248
So it can be strategic versus sacrifice, right?

00:19:21.308 –> 00:19:25.418
And I think that’s our core part that comes with making these decisions.

00:19:25.418 –> 00:19:29.288
We are all here for you, and that’s ultimately all here for the community.

00:19:29.798 –> 00:19:29.978
Carla Cummins: Yeah.

00:19:30.028 –> 00:19:30.513
Nick: I love that.

00:19:30.513 –> 00:19:32.283
I love how you dissected that too.

00:19:32.403 –> 00:19:34.353
It helps my brain process it.

00:19:34.517 –> 00:19:35.987
And I think you said it well, right?

00:19:35.987 –> 00:19:40.487
Like at the end of it, there are sacrifices that are currently being made.

00:19:40.487 –> 00:19:53.897
And I think that’s a really important part of our mission is ultimately to make sure that we keep students at the center of every
decision that is made and not just as, um, you know, as something that we say, but it’s something we actually live out as best we can.

00:19:54.155 –> 00:19:55.715
Carla, what are you, what are your thoughts on that?

00:19:55.997 –> 00:20:03.797
Carla Cummins: I think it’s incredibly hard, like as you really look at it and when we’re looking at what is, you know, radically student centered and what does that mean?

00:20:03.797 –> 00:20:08.927
It, and it is Nick, exactly what you said, keeping students at the forefront of every decision that we make.

00:20:08.927 –> 00:20:17.237
But I also too, I think we oftentimes miss, and you said it Erica, so many times, like since we started talking in the last 20 minutes, we.

00:20:17.442 –> 00:20:19.152
Have a me mentality.

00:20:19.212 –> 00:20:19.722
Right?

00:20:20.112 –> 00:20:33.972
So I think the biggest thing in what we do as people in designing, building, constructing, equipping, all of that as it relates to school facilities is, is like, what is the future me going to need?

00:20:33.972 –> 00:20:38.052
So I’m not gonna be sitting in this seat in 25 years, ideally, right.

00:20:38.777 –> 00:20:40.937
I shouldn’t be sitting in this seat in 25 years.

00:20:40.937 –> 00:20:44.207
I should have moved on, should have grown, should have, you know, whatever.

00:20:44.627 –> 00:20:49.217
So what is the next me gonna need to support future generations of learners?

00:20:49.217 –> 00:21:04.547
And that’s a question that I think is sometimes so difficult to answer when it comes down to looking at an existing facility and what they’re doing and what we’re doing in a design and saying, this isn’t for me, it’s for me right now, but it’s.

00:21:04.907 –> 00:21:07.787
It’s really for future mes.

00:21:08.042 –> 00:21:10.772
Erica: Well, and in some communities they’re generational.

00:21:10.802 –> 00:21:14.762
Like we see here on the eastern plains of Colorado, there’s generations too.

00:21:14.762 –> 00:21:18.842
So you may be a student today, but it might be my son tomorrow or my daughter tomorrow.

00:21:18.842 –> 00:21:19.292
Right.

00:21:19.562 –> 00:21:22.352
And may hopefully if I’m blessed grandkids too, right?

00:21:22.352 –> 00:21:26.222
Like so it is, can be this investment that you do have to think beyond the me now.

00:21:28.037 –> 00:21:28.607
Carla Cummins: yeah, for sure.

00:21:29.252 –> 00:21:30.062
Absolutely.

00:21:30.662 –> 00:21:40.382
Well, when, when, uh, what are the best resources that you use to looking at like, growing and growing your knowledge as it relates to education?

00:21:40.382 –> 00:21:42.392
Because I think, do you do multiple verticals?

00:21:42.392 –> 00:21:44.372
So you’re not just education, you’re all the way

00:21:44.567 –> 00:21:44.957
Erica: Correct.

00:21:44.957 –> 00:21:46.127
We do lots of verticals.

00:21:46.127 –> 00:21:46.457
Yeah.

00:21:46.749 –> 00:21:53.799
Carla Cummins: so I think education, and I, I mean, anyone who does healthcare or hospitality is gonna say they, they have different things too, right?

00:21:53.799 –> 00:21:58.299
And they, they might be the better, but I think education requires a different lens.

00:21:58.299 –> 00:22:05.649
What do you think the, um, biggest resource for you have has been in learning the vertical of education?

00:22:05.679 –> 00:22:07.359
Especially, I mean, K through 12 K

00:22:07.379 –> 00:22:10.164
Erica: Yeah, so, um, there are people who out there who help.

00:22:10.734 –> 00:22:13.194
Um, schools in particularly go after bonds.

00:22:13.524 –> 00:22:18.384
They have actually been some of my biggest supporters too, and just really diving into what they’re doing.

00:22:18.591 –> 00:22:20.901
reading master plans, super important.

00:22:20.901 –> 00:22:27.711
You guys, this is, you know, when a school, a district might be going out for a bond, there’s this master plan, they’re gonna actually see what their needs are.

00:22:27.711 –> 00:22:28.431
They’re actually.

00:22:29.071 –> 00:22:33.751
Taking this time, which is an investment and it is costly to go through what their needs are.

00:22:33.811 –> 00:22:36.301
So reading those master plans, if they’ve had ’em out.

00:22:36.661 –> 00:22:41.881
Um, talking to the bonds people and the bonds cycles to understand what’s coming up through fruition too as well.

00:22:41.881 –> 00:22:42.811
Seeing what they’re needing.

00:22:43.111 –> 00:22:44.671
Um, researching the community.

00:22:44.671 –> 00:22:45.901
Actually, it’s really important.

00:22:45.901 –> 00:22:51.241
Sometimes I think it’s something that people forget to do too as well, is researching the community that the school’s going into.

00:22:51.241 –> 00:22:53.221
What is the demographics of the community?

00:22:53.431 –> 00:22:54.751
Maybe actually go to.

00:22:55.351 –> 00:22:58.081
A town hall meeting for one time, you know, they’re kind of unique.

00:22:58.081 –> 00:23:06.271
Sometimes you get like, you know, somebody who just wants to ramble and has nothing to do, but then you actually find out some really valuable information that is concerning to the community too.

00:23:06.271 –> 00:23:09.181
Maybe it’s, you know, water rights, maybe it’s lack of land, maybe.

00:23:09.287 –> 00:23:12.407
there’s just really kind of unique, fun items that kind of come into it.

00:23:12.600 –> 00:23:14.690
so going back to, is really looking into the community.

00:23:14.690 –> 00:23:16.940
What’s their demographics that they’re gonna support?

00:23:16.970 –> 00:23:18.867
Is it, diverse.

00:23:19.137 –> 00:23:23.367
Is it mainly, you know, what kind of diversity are we talking about?

00:23:23.427 –> 00:23:26.637
Is it’s going to be a heavily a blue collar family?

00:23:26.637 –> 00:23:30.537
Is it gonna be heavily a, you know, agriculture, are we gonna be heavy in the city?

00:23:30.597 –> 00:23:44.487
Like so what kind of, if it’s in the heart of Denver, is gonna be a whole different need, then what, you know, rural Colorado’s gonna need Is this community also kind of in the mountain towns that’s also gonna have very unique different vibes, you know.

00:23:44.987 –> 00:23:47.147
Then what you’ll need down here in the city too as well.

00:23:47.147 –> 00:23:49.577
So really getting to know your demographics is important.

00:23:50.027 –> 00:23:54.983
’cause that’s gonna ultimately lead these, discussions to what my floor plan’s gonna look like.

00:23:54.983 –> 00:23:59.183
What do I want to bring to, maybe it’s not important to have a CTE here.

00:23:59.453 –> 00:24:03.143
Maybe it’s at school in Vail and they’re gonna need third, you know, seventh period off.

00:24:03.143 –> 00:24:04.913
’cause they’re all going skiing, you know?

00:24:05.393 –> 00:24:05.903
Just kidding.

00:24:05.993 –> 00:24:06.203
But.

00:24:06.460 –> 00:24:09.250
Carla Cummins: So Is, well, I mean, Erica, is there anything else?

00:24:09.250 –> 00:24:12.940
So as we’re about to wrap up, right, is there anything else?

00:24:12.940 –> 00:24:17.590
Are there any tidbits, is there any sort of, anything that you wanna cover?

00:24:17.650 –> 00:24:22.300
Do you have a, a specific project that you wanna talk about or

00:24:22.930 –> 00:24:23.260
Erica: Oh my gosh.

00:24:23.260 –> 00:24:25.720
That’s exactly what I went to was a specific project.

00:24:25.720 –> 00:24:32.200
’cause you guys, like, I was so excited to talk when you guys had the student radically standard student standard idea.

00:24:32.530 –> 00:24:33.190
This is it.

00:24:33.310 –> 00:24:37.570
So again, going back to, so one of my favorite projects I get to talk to is about is Montbello High School.

00:24:38.200 –> 00:24:38.950
It’s here in Denver.

00:24:38.950 –> 00:24:39.220
It’s not.

00:24:39.400 –> 00:24:45.850
It’s in a very diverse neighborhood, very blue collar, very hardworking people who are proud of their community.

00:24:45.880 –> 00:24:47.350
And I wanna say like, we’re gonna go back.

00:24:47.350 –> 00:24:48.550
So we gotta understand the why.

00:24:48.610 –> 00:24:51.820
And the why is really important, why this school got uh, brought on.

00:24:51.820 –> 00:24:54.460
Because this is what really highlights what community can do.

00:24:55.000 –> 00:24:56.710
So the school have, forget when it was built.

00:24:56.710 –> 00:24:57.820
I wanna say 1950.

00:24:57.820 –> 00:25:00.185
Don’t fact check me, but it was around then and.

00:25:01.060 –> 00:25:03.100
It was closed in 2010.

00:25:03.387 –> 00:25:05.757
and so students ended up having to be bused out of the neighborhood.

00:25:05.757 –> 00:25:11.847
They either had to go to charter schools or they had to be bused to other schools, and it was a real hardship on the community.

00:25:11.847 –> 00:25:18.417
So the community started coming back and just really fought hard to have that school reopened, and then they ultimately did.

00:25:18.417 –> 00:25:18.867
So Denver.

00:25:19.247 –> 00:25:25.367
Schools decided to open it voted unanimously to open it, but the community didn’t just want a bandaid.

00:25:25.367 –> 00:25:28.577
They didn’t want just this old school that had of small repairs.

00:25:28.577 –> 00:25:29.777
They wanted a new school.

00:25:29.777 –> 00:25:31.097
They wanted something to be proud.

00:25:31.097 –> 00:25:37.037
So that’s what Denver DPS ended up giving them, and it’s was really fun to be part of it because it was about.

00:25:37.242 –> 00:25:39.702
Rebuilding trust and community.

00:25:40.212 –> 00:25:50.052
And so, um, this DPS started engaging through surveys, advisory boards, public meetings, and it became very clear that this is what the community has fought for.

00:25:50.202 –> 00:25:52.632
That DPS is aligned with what those dreams are.

00:25:52.632 –> 00:25:54.552
And it’s gonna be fostering relationships.

00:25:54.852 –> 00:25:58.392
It’s gonna be celebrating multiculturism, putting students first.

00:25:58.602 –> 00:26:02.952
They have some really unique creative spaces and learning spaces that they’ve done.

00:26:03.282 –> 00:26:06.012
Um, this really translated into just.

00:26:06.597 –> 00:26:09.777
Organic movement from classroom to community space.

00:26:09.777 –> 00:26:10.737
And it was really fun.

00:26:10.737 –> 00:26:22.587
And one of my favorite parts, ’cause I’m a sucker for some mid-century modern construction, is like this really cool, I know like a really cool conversational pick kind of in the front was like this gathering space and it was good.

00:26:22.587 –> 00:26:25.077
And here’s like you guys, here’s the kicker.

00:26:25.077 –> 00:26:27.207
This is how measurable this was impacted.

00:26:27.267 –> 00:26:27.447
Okay.

00:26:27.447 –> 00:26:32.102
I’m gonna tell you outta the 1200 freshman seats that they had to fill the first year, how many do you think were filled?

00:26:35.067 –> 00:26:35.307
Carla Cummins: 12.

00:26:35.412 –> 00:26:35.892
Erica: my gosh.

00:26:35.952 –> 00:26:36.522
So close.

00:26:36.522 –> 00:26:40.902
1100, 1000, 100. So almost all of these things in the first year.

00:26:41.112 –> 00:26:42.072
And that’s so beautiful.

00:26:42.072 –> 00:26:43.902
’cause that really shows that the community wanted this.

00:26:43.902 –> 00:26:45.102
The community didn’t wanna drive.

00:26:45.102 –> 00:26:46.272
They wanted to be back in their thing.

00:26:46.272 –> 00:26:49.452
They wanted to represent the red and blue, the red and black, their school colors.

00:26:49.452 –> 00:26:55.962
You know, after school of being closed for almost a decade, they saw, they almost hit all of their enrollment numbers.

00:26:56.307 –> 00:26:58.977
And now they’re actually hitting all their enrollment numbers.

00:26:58.977 –> 00:27:01.017
So this goes beyond all of that.

00:27:01.017 –> 00:27:02.367
This was more than just enrollment numbers.

00:27:02.367 –> 00:27:13.357
It’s more of a systematic thing, you know, instead of leaving students, leaving the neighborhood They saw, instead of a building that symbolized closure in their community, you know, it became a visible investment.

00:27:13.417 –> 00:27:15.907
You know, this was a really beautiful part of it.

00:27:15.907 –> 00:27:17.077
It was also phased.

00:27:17.317 –> 00:27:22.477
So, you know, they had the students go back to the old school and then they built right next to the old school.

00:27:22.477 –> 00:27:25.087
And so, you know, the new school then opened once it’s done.

00:27:25.087 –> 00:27:27.277
So they knew that this wasn’t just gonna be a bandaid.

00:27:27.277 –> 00:27:27.997
This isn’t just.

00:27:28.522 –> 00:27:29.422
Carla Cummins: Oh wait, so stop.

00:27:29.422 –> 00:27:31.192
They put them back in the old facility

00:27:31.222 –> 00:27:37.462
Erica: they did, they put him back in the old facility for a little while and then built the new school right next to it as they were trying to do it.

00:27:38.182 –> 00:27:38.602
Yeah.

00:27:38.777 –> 00:27:39.777
Carla Cummins: they’re like, y’all are gonna

00:27:40.102 –> 00:27:42.322
Erica: Yeah, and it’s a beautiful campus.

00:27:42.562 –> 00:27:48.202
And the best part too is they actually did incorporate some of that old school that was really rooted in that community.

00:27:48.202 –> 00:27:51.232
Like the architecture was just like the stunning part of the architecture.

00:27:51.232 –> 00:27:58.042
So they actually kept some of that old school and, um, incorporated into the news so that you can see that this was a community investment in the school.

00:27:58.072 –> 00:28:02.717
The community was really proud of it and I just love that ’cause it just shows what you can do.

00:28:03.532 –> 00:28:04.912
Of the school, you know?

00:28:04.912 –> 00:28:07.012
And so people are proud and it’s really great.

00:28:07.012 –> 00:28:10.552
And so now you have people who went to this school, like you said, generational.

00:28:11.212 –> 00:28:12.472
This isn’t the heart of Denver.

00:28:12.532 –> 00:28:14.992
And so this isn’t just rural, like this is heart of Denver.

00:28:14.992 –> 00:28:20.572
And so you have people who went to the school now have grandkids going to the school, and kids can, they can be proud to say that.

00:28:20.572 –> 00:28:21.129
And they wanna go.

00:28:21.323 –> 00:28:21.623
Carla Cummins: Yeah.

00:28:21.653 –> 00:28:26.633
My ex-husband always tells my kids, he’s like, don’t you wanna go to the same school as your sister?

00:28:27.113 –> 00:28:28.613
Everyone will know you.

00:28:28.613 –> 00:28:32.723
And I’m like, I don’t know if it works that way anymore, but I sure hope it does.

00:28:32.723 –> 00:28:33.083
Right.

00:28:33.443 –> 00:28:36.233
Because our schools are so much bigger and there’s so many different things.

00:28:36.233 –> 00:28:45.158
But Well, um, as we’re wrapping up, I just wanna say, Nick, thank you for, for just being great co-host and bringing your perspective in from the field.

00:28:45.158 –> 00:28:51.458
And then Erica, I think, uh, the biggest takeaway is your excitement and your stewardship of your great state of Colorado.

00:28:51.458 –> 00:28:58.748
So, I’m gonna call you because I need to go for a visit, but also too, I know that I need to introduce you to some of my good friends.

00:28:58.778 –> 00:29:00.158
They’re there, but.

00:29:00.254 –> 00:29:03.014
to everyone listening, thank you for being part of this community.

00:29:03.014 –> 00:29:04.154
Today’s conversation.

00:29:04.184 –> 00:29:08.414
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00:29:14.114 –> 00:29:17.924
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00:29:17.924 –> 00:29:19.214
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00:29:22.814 –> 00:29:27.234
The Better Learning Podcast is produced by Matt Rogers and edited by Cali Jones.

00:29:27.894 –> 00:29:37.284
The views and opinions shared on this podcast are those of the individual speaking and do not necessarily represent the perspectives of their affiliated companies, organizations, or associations.