A Decade in the Making w/Principal Karla Fought

In this episode of Leadership Laps, we sit down with Karla Fought, Principal of Lansing Elementary in her fourth year as principal and 27th year with Aurora Public Schools. Last semester brought historic news: Lansing achieved Performance rating for the first time in 10 years! For Karla, after nearly three decades in APS, it's the first time in her entire career that she's worked in a Performance-rated school. She shares her remarkable journey through 27 years in APS, the strategies that moved Lansing to Performance rating in just three years of her leadership, and her deep belief in what students and educators are capable of achieving. Karla's story demonstrates that transformation is possible at any point in the journey and that sustained improvement requires both strategic action and unwavering commitment to the long game.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

There's something powerful about the journey of leadership, the daily steps, the long-term vision, and everything we learn along the way. Welcome to Leadership Labs, where we explore these journeys with the incredible leaders of Aurora Public Schools. In each episode, we hear from those who are helping guide our district toward destination APS, sharing their stories, their challenges, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Today I'm joined by Carla Bott, principal of Lansing Elementary in her fourth year of principalship at Lansing, but 27th year in APS. And last semester, uh, brought historic news for the Lansing community. They achieved a performance rating for the first time in 10 years. And for Carla, it's the first time in her nearly three-decade career that she's worked in a performance-rated school. So we're gonna explore uh what it took to reach this milestone and what it means for Lansing's future. Carla, welcome to Leadership Labs.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Tell us a little bit about who you are, and then also what makes the Lansing community so special.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Um, uh, one of the questions that was asked at the beginning was what was my very first job? I started babysitting when I was like 11. Um, so who I am is a servant leader, and that developed from a very early age. I knew that I was going to be an educator. Um, I stayed in the classroom for 18 years because that was my passion, um, continues to be my passion. I think that's what helps guide my leadership, is my experience within the classroom. Um I am a mother, I am a wife, I am an educator. Um, sometimes the balance between those things are really hard. And so I continue to figure out how do I best serve my family and my family at school, um, which goes into the question of what makes Lansing so special. It is my second family. Um, it is filled with educators who come to school every day because they believe in kids. They believe that we make differences for them every day. Um, and so I think what really sticks out for me for Lansing is when you walk through the hallways, people are happy to be there. And kids feel that they're happy because they have the resources, they have the time and opportunity to provide education that matters.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Yes. Uh last semester we celebrated with your community, uh, of course, Lansing achieving their first performance rating in 10 years. What did that moment feel like for you?

SPEAKER_00 2:44

Surreal. Um, I have to say, every time somebody asks me about it, it's easy to go, not easy, but my first instinct is to say that's not about me. Yes. Um, it really is about the work that happens every day. And when I reflect on that, it makes me proud to own what has happened so that teachers can do their very best for kids. Um, so what did it, what did it feel like? Oh, I can't even put into words. Um, it was one of those like, am I excited or scared? Um, but it really was an opportunity to say what we're doing is making a difference. Yeah. Um, the focus for Lansing has really been around growth, um, moving the needle on proficiency is where we're headed. And so it also is uh a great thing for staff to be able to say, we we got the momentum, let's keep it going.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

Yes, absolutely. Uh I had I had the the good fortune of being able to join y'all when uh the announcement was made for staff. And I agree with you, it's it's very hard to capture what that like energy felt like in the room, the moment you you said the words, and you know, staff uh I think we're really excited and proud of the work that they've you know been engaged in for for many years to get to this point. So yeah, it was uh it was really nice, and I feel really lucky that I was able to just see it uh um and how exciting that is for educators.

SPEAKER_00 4:18

We had we just got the banner put up about a month ago.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

And yours was a little delayed, but no, it's totally fine.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

I bring that up because families now. We shared it with our Lansing Leopard of the Month assembly. Um we had our family meeting today, and so every month we bring families in, and just having that out brings a sense of pride for them as well to enjoy that. Totally feels really good.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Yes, and the first of many will line up the those exterior walls, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

That's the plan.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

Yeah, good, good, good, good. Uh well, like I mentioned, you've been with APS 27, right? Yep. Um 27, which is an incredible commitment to to one school district. Curious, uh, you talked a little bit about even just the babysitting, but what drew you to education initially, and then also specifically APS?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Well, I'm born and raised Iowa, and so I grew up in Des Moines, and when my grandparents lived out here, and so when I was looking for my next move, I knew I wanted to live in Colorado. Um, APS was vastly different than the school district that I did my student teaching in. So I student taught in Iowa City, and so I had professors, doctors, kids. Um, and so it was one of the decisions that I made to step outside of my comfort zone, and it was the best decision I've made. Um, not only have I only been an APS, but I've only been in the Northwest Quadrant because that's my heart, that's my home. Um, it is really powerful for me to think about the voice that I have that can make change and support people who um want to also come along for that ride.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Absolutely. Um talk to us a little bit about your journey across those 27 years. So you talked about 18 years as a teacher, and then you know what happened between that year 18 and you uh becoming principal of Lansing.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Good question. Um, I have a master's in early childhood and I was going to be a preschool teacher. Um, and then I realized that I needed a second and a third job to be a preschool teacher, and we can talk a long time about that. But um, so my journey brought me into elementary school, and I taught a one-two split, and then I taught kindergarten, and I I taught K-5. And so the journey was not being afraid again to step into something uncomfortable and knowing that what I knew about good instruction transferred. And so then I became a teacher leader within I think it was a year six or seven. Um, so I spent the majority of my career halftime in the classroom, halftime supporting teachers. And then I decided I wanted to go back into the classroom because as new curriculum, as practices develop, I wanted to make sure that I had the opportunity to put those in place. And then I came back out and was a teacher leader. And then um I became the assistant principal at Peoria for five years.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Awesome. Um was there a moment for you when you realized you wanted to, you know, become a principal?

SPEAKER_00 7:34

I think there's been moments throughout my career. I know there has been two specific. Yeah. And one of both of them were around my former leaders and who I've had the opportunity to learn under. One mentor, um, still call her every day. Um it's about what I want to do. One learned a lot, and there are things that I decided that's not the way in which I wanted to lead. So I think both experiences are really important. Absolutely. Um, the reason that was why I wanted to be a leader is because leadership matters. Yes. Um you can be a leader in your classroom, you can be a leader as a building coach, and as a principal, it's about creating the spaces for people to do their job and to do it well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

I love that so much. I it reminds me when I student taught, I student taught one semester um in kindergarten and one in third grade. And the the teacher who I got to learn from in third grade, his name's Jose Perez. And it was like my first, the first time I met him, and we had been partnered for for the mentee mentor experience. And he said something to me along the lines of, you know, you're gonna learn a lot here. You're gonna learn some things that you'll want to replicate, and there's definitely some things that you are not going to want to replicate. Absolutely. And and and learn from it all. And it was super helpful because it it turned out to be true, right? That throughout that experience, there were things where I thought, oh, that's good. I'm gonna steal that, or I'm gonna adopt that, or I'm gonna try that on. And there were some things where I thought, like, probably not probably not for me.

SPEAKER_00 9:19

Yes, those moments that made me really dig into what do I believe? Why do I why do I want to continue the way that I think is right, but for me.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Absolutely. Um, let's see here. You talked a little bit about one of your leaders, would love to hear, you know, more about any key mentors who maybe helped to, you know, positively shape your leadership approach.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

Yeah. I always say I grew up in APS.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Um as a teacher, as a leader. Um, and so I had countless teacher leaders and coaches. That's what has kept me in APS, is the professional learning that is awarded to everyone here. Um, I think it's really about where do you see your space in learning? And so when I walk into a situation, my goal is always to take away something. Um, and so that was instilled from to me a long time ago. Um, Jean Dawn was one of my very first coaches. Um, she used to be an instructional um coordinator here in Aurora Public Schools. Um, what she taught me was that it's not about being perfect, it's not about knowing the answers, it's about giving it a go and learning from it. Yeah. And so she was a master at helping to develop the reflective nature of learning.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Okay, now let's talk a little bit about Lansing specifically. So four years ago, your you made a decision to throw your name in the in the hat for Lansing. What is it that uh drew you specifically to Lansing or or brought you there?

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Yeah, so um I had to make a decision because um Peoria was moving uh-huh into Charles Burrell. And so I originally applied for the assistant principal job and was awarded the assistant principal job. And then two weeks after I got that job, um the previous principal, Jin Mirtha, let me know that she had taken the job at Delmar. Oh wow. And so it was, I often say it was the kick I needed of okay, it's time. Um, so what originally brought me to Lansing was the community feel, they had for five years the um strongest retention rate in APS. And so I knew it was a community that was dedicated to the work. Um, we've had some turnover, um, but right now we're back to 90% of retention rate. So it's it's a great space.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Awesome. Um, and when you arrived at Lansing, what what did you find or how did you approach the the work ahead?

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Great question. Um, there was there was so much in place.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:01

Um, and so it was my job to sit and listen and to learn alongside. Um, I really truly believe it's about refinement, it's not about starting over. And so that's been the work of the last four years. I cannot take credit and I would never for the work that was already there, but I can take credit for the refinement that we've done.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Yep. Well, uh, we talked about this a little bit at the the start of our conversation, but you know, you you you had mentioned to me uh uh when we uh had the honor of surprising the Lansing staff that this is the first time in 27 years that you worked in a performance school. Um and so I'm curious just what does that mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_00 12:50

It's a level of validation that I would have said before I don't need um that our community doesn't need. But I would take that back now.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Yeah. Um I just gotta chill. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:05

Um I don't think the work has changed for me and it never will, but knowing that we are making a difference for kids.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

Yes, yes, absolutely. Yeah, what would you say were some of the like key refinement, you know, strategies that help to propel you all to this stage in the glancing journey?

SPEAKER_00 13:29

Number one, it's about creating a vertical path for kids. Um we focus so much on in our conversations around CMass. Um, it is always about pre-K to fifth grade for us. It is not about three through five. And so if we are going to move the needle on proficiency, it has to start in preschool. Absolutely. And so I think that's one thing that our commitment to creating a through line in math and in literacy, K5. I think also the time teachers need to be able to dig in to understand the content they're teaching. Curriculum is great.

unknown 14:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Um, and it gives us a jumping off point. But in order to utilize the curriculum effectively, we have really created a lot of time. So we have half-day unit planning, we have planning after school, we have planning during our PLCs because it's about doing the work of the educator in order to make it come alive in the classroom.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

Yeah. You you talked a little bit about, you know, sort of, you know, where where you go from here, but you know, now that you all have reached your performance rating, what is it going to take to sustain that uh, you know, this year and in the years to come? Yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Let me be very clear. We are there by this year.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

We're close, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

And so it is um our foot does not come off the pedal. We are working just as hard every single day. Yep. So it's about, you know, it's always that balance of how do we keep strong in what we know to be true and continue to move the needle. And so um one of the things that I really am proud of is the focus that we've had the last two years around tier one math instruction. Yeah. And while our focus has always been about tier one, there are a million things within that that we can focus on. And so it feels like now we have some grounding beliefs about what does tier one math instruction look like that we can move forward with.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

Love that. Um and even uh I think back to the comment you made about the validation that um, you know, what I heard too from you is is like that helps, you know, reinforce what students are capable of, what educators are capable of, that you know, it's validating to we're doing good work and it's a good reason to keep your foot on the pedal, yes, you know, to continue, you know, where where you know where you are.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Appreciate that. Um okay, going to shift a little bit lighter here. Uh, what leadership books or resources have uh influenced or informed uh your approach to leadership or that you might recommend to uh a leader or aspiring leader listening?

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Oh my goodness, that's a really good question. Um I just went back and I'm reading, I'm thinking content-focused books, not so much leadership. Um, but I just went back and we're reading um five practices in practice. And then we're reading, um, I always think about the um, oh, I'm gonna miss the name, principles to action in math instruction. And for me, the reason those are really important as leadership books is because it helps me focus on what are the essentials in planning, what are the essentials in instruction to get results. Yeah, and so sometimes I think leadership books are um can be viewed as like I also have a really great PLC guide that I've used. Um, but I think when I can tie it to content, that's what really sticks to me.

SPEAKER_01 17:21

Amazing. Okay. Uh what songs would we find either on your uh most played list or recently played list?

SPEAKER_00 17:31

That's a great question. So I have a 10-year-old, and so we have a lot of K-pop demon hunters.

SPEAKER_01 17:36

Good.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Same here.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

We actually uh uh it's funny because K-pop demon hunters ended up in my in my like most streamed list for 2025.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

Oh that that's a that's a lot.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

I know it's a lot, it is a lot, it is a lot. Right now we're listening to a lot of uh you were I I didn't even know there were this many songs, but there's a I think 2026 is probably gonna be a lot of Pokemon. Uh no. Oh gosh, if you put in Pokemon, they've got four albums for each season and the movies.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Do you know the song that's meowing? It's just literally cat, like a sound of a human sounding like a cat. There's like five, so that might be the next one.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

It might be the next one. Yeah, I'm with you though. We actually discovered the a couple of the like there's multi-language K-pop demon hunter songs, so like Golden in Spanish, and that's pretty cool. Your idol and Sotopop in Spanish. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

I love it. My daughter went through this, it's not cool anymore, but every time we get in the car, it's still on that playlist.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

So that's funny. Uh cool. Well, uh, we're gonna shift into our our lightning round here. What does destination APS mean to you and the Lansing? Possibility. Yes. What's your vision for Lansing's next chapter?

SPEAKER_00 19:06

Having access to education in order to do whatever you want.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

And lastly, what advice would you give to leaders who are working toward similar improvement goals?

SPEAKER_00 19:23

Stay focused. That's good.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Uh thank you for that. Yeah. So, Carla, uh appreciate you sharing your journey with us today. After 27 years in EPS and uh working in performance rated school for the first time, your story demonstrates that transformation is possible at any point in the journey. Last thing that even after 10 years shows what happens when a leader police and students and educator uh in that building and satisfied.