Interview - David Guzmán
David Guzmán, Principal of the Cherry Hill Elementary and Middle school in Baltimore City Public Schools, has served and led as an administrator at three turnaround schools in Baltimore City. Under his leadership, two schools have exited turnaround status, and his current school is on track to exit comprehensive school improvement as well.
In this conversation with RBT Founder Jon Saphier, Mr. Guzmán touches on many of the elements of what we at RBT have found to be paramount in improving results for students including
- 01:45 - Forming a common language and shared expectations -
- 04:29 - Developing a culture of trust
- 26:40 - Believing in all students and being intentional and proactive about meeting their needs
- 41:34 - Building capacity from within - support with accountability.
Note: This interview was recorded in July 2023.
About David Guzmán:
David Guzmán completed his undergraduate degree from Hunter College and received a Master's of Science in Special Education from The City College of New York. David Guzmán started his career as a teacher in New York City Public Schools. Later, he moved into roles to support family and community engagement efforts. For the past fourteen years, Mr. Guzmán has served and led as an administrator at three turnaround schools in Baltimore City. Under his leadership, two schools have exited turnaround status, and his current school is on track to exit comprehensive school improvement as well.
In 2018, David Guzmán was honored with the distinction of Transformational Principal with Baltimore City Public Schools, and in 2020 he was given the Heart of the School award for exemplary school leadership. Mr. Guzmán is an alumnus of the New Leaders Aspiring Principal Fellowship, where he was introduced to RBT. More recently, Mr. Guzmán participated in and completed the AASA Urban Superintendents Academy with the University of California Rossier School of Education.
In this series:
1. David Guzmán Interview
Principal Guzmán, a turnaround leader for the last fourteen years, has led his schools to success by making sure he helps to create a school culture where everyone - students and adults - feel supported, inspired, and capable of excellence. Here he shares his insights with RBT Founder Jon Saphier.
Read Interview Excerpts
We invite you to read the highlights where we make connections to RBT’s work here. Use these ideas to deepen your own thinking about the characteristics and actions of successful leaders who create workplace cultures that feature trust, foster courage, and focus on the professional growth of the adults who work there.
