School culture collapses the minute leaders choose policy over genuine personal trust. Oakdale Middle School Principal and UCA alumnus Martin Resendiz joins Paul Gatling to break down how to connect with students and build accountability in high-need public schools.
Resendiz shares how his staff maintained a 96 percent attendance rate during three years of disruptive campus construction. He outlines the shift from transactional discipline to earned student buy-in, pairing clear incentives with steady accountability to help kids succeed.
For school administrators fighting chronic absenteeism, this conversation offers a field-tested blueprint to raise engagement without lowering standards. Hit subscribe and share this episode with an educator working in the trenches. What incentive has made the biggest difference in keeping your students showing up every day?
