Dr. Tricia Patterson, Principal of Marietta Center for Advanced Academics, Marietta, Georgia

I recently conducted an interview with the Principal of Marietta Center for Advanced Academics in Marietta, Georgia. The school is located in the Marietta City School District and is ranked among the highest performing schools in the state. It takes a strong and compassionate leader to run any school, let alone a 3rd-5th grade magnet program. I wanted to learn more about the leader of the first certified STEM elementary school in Georgia. 

With great curiosity, I reached out to Dr. Tricia Patterson to get to know her and her style of leadership. She happily obliged!

Dr. Tricia Patterson...

• What prompted you to be a principal? Did you always want to be a principal, or was there a point of inflection (the light bulb went off)?

I decided to go into administration when one of my Principals told me I was a “natural” leader. After about two months in leadership courses, I fell in love with the work and never looked back!

• How long have you been a principal?

7 years (4 years as an assistant principal)

Please help us understand leadership: 

• I don’t think there is a difference between a CEO and a Principal. Similar responsibilities, different title names. Your opinion?

I agree to some extent – however – CEO’s are mostly concerned about the success of their business in a monetary fashion while Principals are more concerned about the emotional and social growth of their staff and students.
 

• Were you a born leader? Or someone taught you leadership? Or did you inquisitively learn the best from others and assimilate them into your style of leadership?

To some extent I believe I was a born leader (always held those types of roles and positions in school as a child/young adult); but my course work and experience added tools to my tool box.

• When do you think the idea of being a leader starts to formulate in a person’s mind?

When given the chance to lead others.

• I think leaders lead themselves. What did you learn about yourself as you were coming up through your career that helped you become better?

To always put people first – their feelings, their concerns, their point of views.

• What is your leadership style, or leadership way?

Transformational Leadership – making change alongside my staff

• Have you ever failed? If yes, how did the failure set you up for later success? 

Every. Single. Day.  Without failure, you don’t learn.

• What beliefs and behaviors of yours most contributed to your success?

Hard work and constant growth/educating myself. 

• Have you added any new beliefs and behaviors to your character in the last 5 years? 

Yes – I have grown tremendously over the past 5 years. I have become more accepting and understanding of different types of people – in all aspects of diversity.

• Looking back, I see how my parents’ influences shaped me. Can you share a couple of characters you inherited from your parents that contribute to your success now? 

My parents taught me my work ethic and to never give up on chasing my dreams. They also taught me to never accept success, but rather continue to work on “what is next”.
 
Time for some principal questions:

• How do you measure the value of a school?  

The happiness of the teachers and students – positive culture.

• What is the primary challenge in managing a great school? What is the primary challenge transforming underperforming school to a great school?

Keeping the school great :) I’ve never had that experience.

• At my previous work, they had established a company culture. The culture guided us, from work ethics to innovations. How important is a school culture? What ground work did you lay in your current school culture?

School culture is the key to success. Making sure I am always part of the learning and growing – and that students and staff know that I care.

• How many degrees separate a principal from a teacher? …from a student?

We are ALL part of the same team. 

• In education, the trend seems to be emphasis on STEM – (for my readers -Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Is that because we are trying to be or compete with countries such as India, Japan, Korea? Or because STEM helps teach to be problem-solvers?  

Both. It started to keep up with countries as mentioned, but has grown to be popular because educators recognize and see their students become problem solvers.
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• I just started reading the book, “The Growth Mindset Playbook Promotes Growth Mindset Concept. I don’t think that is a concept, but a reality and a fact. “Coaching a student to think to understand that they have the power to achieve anything as long as they are willing to work for it”. How do you get a student to that point of realization, to change his or her mind to Growth Mindset? false cheering doesn’t work, right? And also 6 hours at school and each hour is spent on a text book subject.  

Teachers are trained in children psychology, so it is a learned skill :))

• How do you convince a young child that the small choices they are making today will have long-term implications on their future success? As a child I was more interested in Cricket, Chicken Curry and playing with friends.  

Give examples, find role models, explain, and teach them :))


OK, time to wind down.

• What is the best investment you have ever made? (Time, effort, books, people, money…) 

Graduate School.

• Any good book recommendations? 

“Let that Sh%$ Go”  

• What is an unusual habit you have? N/A

• My son has completed the first half of his very first year at College. What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the real world in a few years? 

Talk 1:1 and don’t text.

• What advice should he ignore? 

You have to get straight A’s. 

• Did you have any mentors? 

Three – principals I worked under.

• Do you mentor anyone now? Teachers, Students, non-teachers…

Yes, teachers in leadership programs and other Principals. 

• A reliable source of mine has advised me that you exercise quite a bit. What type and routine? 

Walk the dogs and weight training.

• Where are the best places you’ve ever visited? 

Disney :))

• Let’s end this with a serious answer. What has been a defining moment in your life? 

Moving to Marietta and changing the course of my family’s path to something that is more diverse.