How Student Leadership & Community Engagement Are Transformative for Schools with Michelle Caulfield

An Imperfect Leader

In this episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Michelle Caulfield, Superintendent of the Corning-Painted Post Area School District in Corning, New York. Michelle shares how her district is expanding access to opportunities by centering student voice, investing in innovative programs, and building a culture of connection and belonging.

We discuss how inclusive, student-led clubs are transforming school culture, how unique programs like drone soccer and unified sports are engaging students in new ways, and how Michelle is leading with empathy while navigating challenges like recruitment and budget constraints. She also shares lessons learned about listening, showing up, and what it means to be an imperfect leader.

If you're a school leader, educator, or someone interested in shaping the future of education, don't miss this thoughtful conversation with Michelle Caulfield.

Key Takeaways from the Episode:

• Michelle explains how Corning’s schools are expanding student voices by encouraging students to lead initiatives, shape clubs, and participate in district planning.

• She shares how innovative programming like drone soccer and unified sports helps meet diverse student needs and creates new opportunities for connection and engagement.

• Michelle discusses what she learned about community communication after a failed budget vote, and how she rebuilt trust through personal outreach and deeper listening.

• She describes how the district is improving hiring by holding on-the-spot job fairs, training interviewers on bias awareness, and building relationships with teacher preparation programs.

• Michelle reflects on the challenges of perfectionism in leadership and the importance of slowing down, listening to understand, and showing up with consistency and care.

Tune in to hear how Michelle Caulfield is leading with empathy, courage, and a commitment to growing opportunities for all students.

Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26Y4nEEwL9mLzrxUh17NWf Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/an-imperfect-leader-the-superintendents/id1644897856 Podcast Site: https://imperfectleader.com/podcasts/

Follow Our Guest Michelle Caulfield on:

District Website: https://www.corningareaschools.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPPSchools/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cppschools/

Follow the Host Peter Stiepleman on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/ Website: https://imperfectleader.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/animperfectleader/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@animperfectleader

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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at https://imperfectleader.com/