Sarah Holliman (00:00)
Hello and welcome to the third episode of HeadWay, an official podcast of Head-Royce School. In this episode, head of school Rachel E. Skiffer sits down with Dr. Shavon Davis, the incoming Head of lower and Middle Schools at Head-Royce. This newly created role reflects a deeper investment and the K-8 experience, one that recognizes childhood and early adolescence as distinct and essential stages and a student's journey. Together, they explore what it means to center students and everything from academics to belonging and how the school's evolving structure with a K-8 head.

a K-8 Director of Teaching and Learning, and K-8 Director of Equity and Community creates the conditions for joyful, purposeful learning across the arc of childhood. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply curious about how Schools evolve to meet students' needs, this episode offers a hopeful and grounded look at what's next for Head-Royce.

Rachel Skiffer (00:50)
Before we dive into our conversation, I wanted to take a moment and share why this new structure matters and why we've created it and the first place. At Head-Royce, we have always believed and meeting students where they are, and now we're able to incorporate the recent research about child development.

and be even more intentional about how we support the full arc of childhood from kindergarten through eighth grade. By having a head of Lower and Middle Schools alongside a K-8 director of teaching and learning and a K-8 director of equity and community, we're better reflecting the fact that early childhood and early adolescence aren't just stepping stones to high school. They're rich critical stages of development and their own right.

This model allows us to center students more fully by ensuring continuity, collaboration, and care across the K-8 years. And it reflects a deeper commitment to creating learning environments where every child can be known, supported, and challenged at each stage of their journey. So I don't normally have this much of a smoky voice, but allergy season is among us and Northern California. So with that and mind, Dr. Shavon, let's talk about your own journey and what...

brought you to Head-Royce and what excites you most about this new

Dr. Shavon Davis (02:04)
Well, thank you for having me today. And I love this first question because I was drawn to Head-Royce because of its longstanding commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community. Your reputation for being student-centered very much aligns closely with my instructional leadership vision and what I believe are my own values as an educator and as a leader. Throughout my career, I've sought out environments where I can make meaningful impact.

on both student achievement and student culture. And Head-Royce is the perfect place to continue what I think is my calling, what's my passion and life. What excites me the most about this new role is the opportunity to help shape the unification of this K-8 experience that you just described. That's something that I've been passionate about since I became an educator, because I believe that it's an experience that honors each child's journey while building on.

strong foundation for lifelong learning. If we get K-8 right, I think we've set students up for success to be and to do whatever they want to be. And so the chance to collaborate with passionate colleagues, with bright students at Head-Royce, and with the families and a forward-thinking community, it's just energizing to think about what's to come. And so that's what I'm excited about, and that's what brought me.

Rachel Skiffer (03:29)
Now what are some of the opportunities and along with that some of challenges you see and helping students move from early childhood through early adolescence?

Dr. Shavon Davis (03:40)
There are tremendous opportunities to build on the natural curiosity and resilience of young children as we nurture them through this growth process into becoming independent critical thinkers as they approach adolescence. And that's an exciting opportunity. I think if there is a challenge, the challenge lies and recognizing and responding to their rapid developmental changes. There's so much happening.

during this time academically, socially, emotionally, their bodies, their minds. Science has told us so much about what's happening and their brain. And it's so essential for us to provide consistent support while also encouraging their autonomy or teaching them how to have true agency. And this will only ensure that our students develop and learn their unique strengths. And we also get to help them address whatever needs or gaps they might have.

And so my experience and both elementary and Middle school leadership has taught me the value of strong communication, clear expectations, and to make sure that we have a whole child approach when we think about this pivotal transition period from early childhood to adolescence.

Rachel Skiffer (04:59)
How do you envision fostering continuity across the lower and Middle school years while still honoring the distinct needs of each age group?

Dr. Shavon Davis (05:07)
think fostering continuity starts with intentional curriculum design or curricular mapping. And then I think we have to make sure that we have collaborative professional development, collaborative vision setting, and that there is regular communication between all faculty members across all grade levels. At the same time, it's important to honor our developmental milestones at each of these unique age groups. What a kindergartner needs is definitely very different from what a seventh grader needs.

And so I believe that if we collaborate and if we partner together and creating shared values, shared practices, such as restorative approaches, such as our social emotional learning approaches, we can have continuity across those things, but we can allow for differentiation and instruction and an approach based on the experiences and what the needs are for each age group. I think this brings balance and this also ensures that our students feel a sense of belonging. They feel a sense of consistency.

but they also feel excited about whatever that new developmental stage, that new milestone that they're gonna hit. So that's how I think that we will approach making sure that we honor the distinct needs at each age group.

Rachel Skiffer (06:26)
One of the core values when we updated our mission statement was students first. you know, there's a lot of jargon and education and Schools talk about centering students. But for you, what does that look like and daily practice, particularly for lower school students and Middle school students who may not have as much agency around what classes they get to take as opposed to students who are and upper school?

Dr. Shavon Davis (06:55)
When we put students first, we're making sure that their voices, their identities, and their needs are at the center or the foundation of every decision that we make. Whether it's and the classroom, whether we're thinking about policy, whether we're thinking about updating programming, we need to be thinking about our students.

voices, identity, their agency, and what that feels like. In daily practice, that probably looks like differentiating classroom, culturally responsive teaching. But I also think that's regular opportunities for students to reflect, to share, and to lead. Even though they are lower school students and Middle school students, they still have opinions, they still have voices, they still have visions that they want to share. So it means listening to them and hearing from them and taking their feedback. It also means using data.

to continuously learn and to grow and to improve our approaches. And their voices are a part of that data. Putting them at the center of that is huge. And this is how we're gonna ensure that every kid and lower school and Middle school, that they feel seen, that they feel heard, that they feel valued. And I think that is the epitome of being student-centered or putting students first.

Rachel Skiffer (08:03)
you ⁓

So you had talked about student voice, which I like and your last answer. What about the voices of families? What about the voices of educators? What are some ways you hope to partner with families and with members of our professional community and the lower and Middle Schools to support student growth?

Dr. Shavon Davis (08:24)
Partnering with families and teachers is foundational to student success. Yes, educators are the quote unquote experts and families know their kids. They know them inside and out. Teachers are also on the front lines with them each and every day. And so their voices are just as critical as the student voices and helping us think about programming. And I plan to establish regular open lines of communication through things like parent education sessions or parent events. Feedback opportunities are

a couple of the ways to make sure that that open line of communication is there for families. But partnership and collaboration with teachers is also central. I believe that we have to provide teachers with ongoing professional development, with collaborative planning, and also the opportunity to share what they're seeing. I think that feedback from families and teachers is another important piece of information and data that just equips us to support our students and to meet our students' needs exactly where they are.

Teachers are on the front lines and we are partnering with families to help make sure that their kids are provided for and taken care of. So it is essential that we build trust and that we have a shared vision, a shared purpose so that we can create a community where everyone feels invested and student achievement and wellbeing. Partnership and collaboration are the words that come to mind when I think about including family voices and teacher voices and the decision-making process and the vision process.

Rachel Skiffer (09:55)
So as the head of lower and Middle Schools, somewhat similar to other Schools that have a K-8, have a lower school, Middle school, we'll have a lower school director, we'll have a Middle school director, but we have two new roles as part of that administrative leadership team. We have a new K-8 director of teaching and learning and a K-8 director of equity and community. So how do you hope to work with those new roles and particular and what makes that kind of collaboration?

incredibly powerful for the experience of our students.

Dr. Shavon Davis (10:26)
I am so looking forward to working with Kayla and Kristen. I believe that both of these roles are just going to create a holistic, rigorous, and inclusive educational experience for our students at Head-Royce. Collaboration across these roles are just going to allow for us to integrate academic excellence with equity and belonging. We're going to ensure that every student has access to high quality learning.

and fills a sense of community. These things are already happening at Head-Royce. I have no doubt. With this team, we're just gonna take it to the next level. We're gonna build on this amazing foundation that we have. And what makes it powerful is that when leaders model partnership with a team like this that's been built, and when we have a shared vision, it just creates a ripple effect. And I think that we empower teachers, we're supporting families, and those things just ultimately benefit students. And if you can't tell, I am so...

eager and excited to see the potential and the full benefit that it brings for the students at Head-Royce.

Rachel Skiffer (11:26)
That's great, and then I can actually ask you the same question for our lower school director, Leslie Powell, and our Middle school director who's coming and, Jessica Osorio. Tell us a little bit about that collaboration and what you are looking forward to.

Dr. Shavon Davis (11:41)
I have this term that I like to call the instructional leadership team. So often you hear phrases like administrators or leaders. When I think about all of us together, along with so many other people at Head-Royce, other positions at Head-Royce, but particularly the five of us, we're going to be this strong partnership and we're going to be the leaders of instruction. Everything is going to be student centered and everything that we think about, it's going to be focused on how do we create the

best and most exciting program for our K-8 learners. Yes, K-8 is not just getting students ready for high school, but we're going to be strong partners with our high school partners as well.

And so as an instructional leadership team, we're gonna be like the Avengers, like superheroes. We're gonna do so much great work. I've enjoyed meeting each of them and getting to know them a little bit more through the interview process. And my excitement, if it's not showing or if you can't hear it, I am bubbling over with the potential that we have to do great things at Head-Royce and to just continue to take it to the next level. So this collaborative team that you've established, Rachel, is probably what I am most excited about and that I cannot wait.

can't wait to get to Oakland and get to work and roll up and work with these talented ladies.

Rachel Skiffer (12:54)
An interesting story. So when I was and eighth grade, I think that eighth grade year at my Middle school, we had to write a research paper. And it was, it was long ago. So I had everything on index cards. And then I went to a high school that was very focused on the advanced placement exams. So unlike our students and the upper school, I was asked to write no papers. We were really just preparing short answers for the AP exam. So when I got to college, I remember

bringing my eighth grade index cards to college so I could write my first paper. And so if I hadn't had that foundation and K to eight, who knows where I would be, but I'm incredibly and eternally grateful for that. So my question for you is academic preparation and that arc from K to eight. People use words like challenge or rigor, I think for...

We always want to reiterate that social emotional well-being is incredibly important, but what are you seeing for the academic program and when students are towards the tail end of that arc? Where do you want our kids to be?

Dr. Shavon Davis (14:04)
want our kids to be confident. I want our kids to be self-assured. I want them to know that they were loved, supported, and challenged, and that they are ready. Self-efficacy is very important to me. It's at the heart of leadership. John Hattie has this wonderful book called Visible Learning, and it's all this data that he's compiled and collected, and it talks about what are the power moves that teachers and educators can make to get the biggest bang for their buck and instructional learning.

And one of the things that he talks about and this book is self-efficacy. And so at the end, want our students to know and to believe that they can and that there is power and the word yet. If you can't do it now, you have the skills, you have the foundation, you have everything that you need to do whatever you set your mind to. And that's the end goal for the K-8 experience at Head-Royce under my leadership.

Rachel Skiffer (15:04)
Okay, so Dr. Shavon, what's something you hope students will feel or say about their experience at Head-Royce under this new model?

Dr. Shavon Davis (15:12)
I often talk about programming and anything that I do as a leader. My children are always and the back of my mind. What would I want for them? Middle school is hard. Everyone who's gone through Middle school knows that Middle school is challenging and itself. It's just a weird, awkward time, but it can be a beautiful time. And I think that's why I'm drawn to this K-8 grade level, because ultimately at the end, I hope students will say that they feel seen, supported.

and challenged. That Head-Royce was a place where they could be themselves, they could pursue their passions, but most of all that they could take risks and a safe and caring environment. I want them to look back and to remember not just what they learned because they're going to learn a lot, definitely, but how they grew, how they grew as students and how they became strong community members. And so ultimately I hope that every student feels a deep sense of belonging and pride about being

a Jayhawk and about transitioning to whatever the next step might be. And that's my hope at the end of the Middle school career.

Rachel Skiffer (16:15)
Is

there anything else you would like to share with us?

Dr. Shavon Davis (16:18)
My vision is for every student, teacher and family to feel empowered academically, socially and emotionally. I want us all together as partners to reach our fullest potential and to make sure that this K-8 experience is one that our students and families will never forget.

Rachel Skiffer (16:38)
Or I let you go, some fun questions to help us get to know you a little bit better. So right now you're leading Middle school teachers. I know and your previous principal roles you've led lower school teachers. If we were to ask those teachers to describe you, what do you think they'd say?

Dr. Shavon Davis (16:56)
I

hope that they would say that Dr. Shavon is genuine, that she's supportive, and that she is very caring and intentional. That's what I hope that they would say.

Rachel Skiffer (17:08)
If you could do anything else professionally, what would it be?

Dr. Shavon Davis (17:11)
I love being an educator and this is my dream job. But if I could do anything else, I would be a pastry chef. I love baking pastries and learning and they don't always turn out great, but when they do, I'm very proud of myself and my family enjoys them. So I think that's a fun fact about me.

Rachel Skiffer (17:28)
I think that'll work well with the team because we have some professional pastry eaters amongst us. Thank you so much for your time, Dr. Shavon. We are so excited for you and your family to land and Oakland. So I know you're incredibly excited for Head-Royce, but I also love that you are really excited to join the Oakland community as

Dr. Shavon Davis (17:34)
You

Thank you for asking me to do this. I had fun.

Rachel Skiffer (17:54)
We're leaning into the discomfort and gaining new skills. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time. Best of luck with wrapping up the end of the school year.

Sarah Holliman (18:04)
To stay updated on our journey and learn more about the strategic direction, please visit headroyce.org. And don't forget to subscribe to HeadWay on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Until next time, thanks for listening.