LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Carlotta Brown was nominated by her colleague, LaTracia King.

Proven leader! Astounding educator! A visionary! These are a few characteristics that Ms. Brown has demonstrated. However, being a principal has a few challenges. It is definitely not an easy profession; one would have to be equipped to handle such a job by having their hands in virtually everything relating to students, teachers, parents, and even the community. That's where Ms. Brown comes in.

Ms. Brown is an encourager, a motivator and a supporter of all 600 students at her Title I school. She is a proven leader, an astounding educator, and definitely an innovative visionary. Students are her first priority, and she is determined to make a difference in the lives she touches each and every day.

She tries to live by Nelson Mandela's mantra that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” As a result, no child goes hungry at Peck. No child is without uniforms, supplies, or shoes at Peck. No child is left behind at Peck. Just recently, Ms. Brown made a request on social media for a washer and dryer at the school in order to help her students out. The community heard her request and graciously complied by giving this gift. Her school just installed an industrial washer and dryer so parents can sign up to wash their children’s clothing for free. That way, there are no excuses for why their children couldn't attend school on any given day.

Many times, you may see Principal Brown riding in her car to do a home visit to see why a student has excessive absences. As a result, the school attendance rate has increased tremendously. Her school has also implemented Breakfast in the Classroom to ensure that every student receives breakfast to start their day.

Principal Brown also ensures that all students attend afterschool tutorials. She provides a school bus to take many of them home on days that they have tutorials. She personally speaks to parents on the importance of their child attending tutorials. Her staff even hosts Saturday School with breakfast and lunch to help students achieve at their highest levels. Every student who attends afterschool tutorials also receives dinner through the dinner program. Last Christmas, every student received a new pair of Nike shoes and a brand new coat. No child was left behind.

The students love Principal Brown. Many times, Principal Brown looks for a quick fix to handle every situation, and it is often the right solution. Prior to the start of the school year, Principal Brown facilitates and participates with the entire faculty and staff on a team-building adventure. Together, they take a rail tour to visit the neighborhoods of which most of our students reside.

"It is important to realize where many of our students come from so that we can address their needs," said King. "Student safety, health and academic growth are Principal Brown’s most fundamental priorities. Every decision she makes will make a difference in her students' lives. She is here to nurture, counsel, discipline, and educate each and every student. As a principal, she never loses sight on the focus that students should always be her focal point."

To maintain accessibility, Principal Brown has an open door policy, not only to the teachers and staff, but to all stakeholders, including the students, parents, and community. Ms. Brown is unyielding, but open. There is nothing that you cannot talk to her about. She understands that building and maintaining healthy relationships with everyone is a key component to having a successful school. Lately, she has become in high demand. This shows what she and the school mean to the community in which she serves. Many community organizations hold their meetings at the school, and in return, they give back to the school in many ways that are beneficial to students and the school body as a whole.

In 2008, Peck Elementary was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School. Under Ms. Brown’s leadership, the school has shown significant overall academic progress in closing the achievement gap of student groups. Today, Peck is still excelling academically and receiving Exemplary status in the state of Texas each and every year! To top it off, Principal Brown was awarded the U.S. Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership. She was one of seven administrators across the country to be honored in 2008.

On a daily basis, Principal Brown can be seen popping in and out of classrooms informally and formally. She is often looking for certain professional practices. She listens for whether teachers are asking analytical questions and expects to see teachers interacting with students directly, engaging students and listening to how they answer questions. Several teachers call her a “champion” for education, noting that she inspires them and enables them to take risks and have high expectations.

Principal Brown’s convictions are a filter on the climate in and around Peck. A skilled communicator, she encourages open conversation. She expresses great enthusiasm and greets teachers, students, and parents alike with a broad smile. When expressing a concern, she speaks with parents, teachers, and students in a calm and attentive way. She asks parents to practice this kind of conversation with their children. It’s a style of conversation she learned from other principals. She learned two other things from other principals: that it’s all about people and hard work, and it’s also all about data and accountability.

Early in Principal Brown’s tenure, some parents showed up at school in inappropriate informal dress. She took these parents, explained that they may not appear at school dressed innapropriately, and firmly turned them away. She did the same thing with parents using inappropriate language on school grounds. Principal Brown wants every parent to know their children look to them, and they are their child’s first teacher. She tells them that they are the model for how their child will dress and talk. She also explains to parents that she knows that they want their children to grow up and be successful, and one way they can do that is to model what is appropriate, especially in what to wear and say. Not only do the students have a dress code, but the parents also have a dress code when they visit the school. Many of the parents want to get a better understanding of what is important for their child’s success. They know that success has to start from the top.

Naturally, everyone’s focus at Peck Elementary is on the students. Principal Brown has a mission that every staff member get to know the names of all students, what they like and dislike, as well as something positive they have achieved. Acknowledging their positive achievements has something to do with students’ academic success and progress. Principal Brown knows that many students at Peck only see the world from the perspective of their neighborhood, so after school, they may enjoy pizza parties, train rides, moon walks, and hula hoops, etc.

“You never know what to expect at Peck. We like to surprise the students all the time. It makes school a fun place to be," said Brown.

Teachers and staff believe that it is important to take students out of the neighborhood so they can see other options and possibilities open to them. If a student is going to succeed, they need to see that there is more to life beyond their neighborhood.

Instruction has been central to the success of Peck School. Teachers are given time to meet daily in grade-level teams to work together, discuss what they are teaching, and what lessons or units they need to plan or make adjustments to. When they request something from Principal Brown, they must answer one question: “How will it enhance instruction in the classroom?” For this reason, the entire staff is instructed by Ms. Brown to “Burn the Midnight Oil” to get whatever it takes to ensure the success of the students at Peck. If a teacher expresses a need for something to increase achievement, Principal Brown will find a way for that teacher to have it.

On a personal note, over the past few years, Principal Brown has endured some life-changing events in her life. In 2010, she lost her father to cancer. Being an only child, she was definitely a daddy’s girl. In 2014, her husband was diagnosed with a rare degenerative cancer that he inherited from his father. Ellen DeGeneres found out about Ms. Brown's personal story and what she was doing for the students at Peck, so she featured her on her talk show in 2015, a complete surprise! Ellen awarded the school with $100,000 and gifted Principal Brown with $10,000 to assist her and her husband with medical bills and other costs.

Unfortunately, the following year, Principal Brown lost her husband of 17 years in 2016. To this date, Ellen DeGeneres keeps in touch with Principal Brown for encouragement and even support. Last year, Principal Brown lost her mother to Breast Cancer in December of 2017. The Peck Family has continued to surround her with comfort and care.  http://gloublog.net/?p=16419/

Finally, Ms. Brown has an excellent record of performance and leadership. The school district has acknowledged her success as a school leader. This year, she is the Lead Principal of four schools in the Houston Independent School District. She administratively manages Whidby Elementary, Blackshear Elementary, and Dogan Elementary, working closely with their campus principals to improve overall achievement. In addition, she is still the Head Principal for Peck Elementary, where the students and staff are always “PECKing for Perfection!”

"For these reasons and more, I would graciously like to nominate Principal Carlotta Outley Brown as a Life Changer of the Year. Her notable record speaks for itself," said King.