Dr. Atiya Perkins says her “Good Lesson” emerged out of her journey from “frosty to connected” during her first three years as superintendent of the district from which she graduated, Linden Public Schools in New Jersey.

Accountability transformed her communications philosophy when unfounded safety concerns and a swirl of misinformation at one of her schools caused anxiety among families. Despite a district statement meant to clarify the situation, the fears surfaced at a school board meeting, Perkins tells host Amy Dujon on the latest episode of District Administration’s “A Good Lesson” podcast.

“As a superintendent, you have to take ownership,” Perkins says. “It wasn’t about me explaining the details of the communications gap; it was about being an active listener. I had to validate what they were feeling and then support what they were feeling.”