In this episode, you’ll get to hear from Dr. John Lowry, the former principal of a National School of Character, Shades Cahaba Elementary in Homewood, Alabama. He’s currently in his first year as the director of Academic Programs & Services at the central office. When I asked Dr. Lowry about his passions and mission, he said, “Really just being a good human, loving others, doing my best to be a helper, and trying to be an example to those I’m around.” 

The focus of the episode is Principle 2 of the 11 Principles from Character.org, which has to do with defining character to include thinking, feeling, and doing. Dr. Lowry will share how his school provided these opportunities for students.

In this episode you'll learn:

-  Dr. Lowry's favorite activity in your school where your students were able to practice their core values

- The adjustments have schools in his district have had to make during this time of the pandemic and the guidelines and changes that have come with it, in terms of character development

- Advice to schools who had just gotten clear on their core values as they look for ways to have students understand their core values in terms of thinking, feeling, and doing

- A misstep that was made in implementing his school's character initiative and what he learned from it 

- Lessons that Dr. Lowry learned about character initiatives in his previous school that he's taken to his new district role

Resources from the episode:

- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John Maxwell

- Leading with Soul, by Lee G. Bolman & Terrence E. Deal

To contact Dr. John Lowry, email him via the Homewood City Schools website: https://www.homewood.k12.al.us/domain/79