52 Cups of Coffee: 417 Edition - Cup 31/52 - Dr. Grenita Lathan

Here's the weekly boilerplate intro if you've already read anything from past cups of coffee skip ahead to the cup of coffee below the name!

After hearing about the book 52 Cups of Coffee on a Podcast, I thought it sounded like a great opportunity to connect to people in my community. Initially, my plan was to just have coffee once a week with someone I know. I was thinking of friends, family members, or colleagues with whom I could spend some quality time. But the opportunity to engage with my community is always in the back of my mind. So I thought it might be interesting to ask the same set of questions to a diverse cast of influential and interesting people in the 417 area and share them here on my LinkedIn page. At the end of the year, who knows what we'll have... at the very least it's 52 interesting conversations. It's a loose plan. I don't have any real intentions and I think that's the beauty of it. Curiosity. Community. And a chance to learn a little bit from each person. A big thanks to the folks at Travellers House Coffee & Tea for being willing to provide a place to chat and several cups of coffee throughout the year!

**I don't like taking notes while having coffee and conversation so I've trusted Otter to do the transcribing. Any editing issues are my own. I'm not a professional. :) I've included a list of books we discuss throughout the conversation at the bottom.

Dr. Grenita Lathan - 31/52

If you live in the Springfield area and don't already know Dr. Grenita Lathan you must have your head in the sand, especially if you have kids! She's been the superintendent of Springfield Public Schools since 2021 and has been a spectacular advocate for students and does an amazing job representing the district. She's an active member of our community not only when it comes to Springfield Public Schools events, but in all aspects of Springfield community engagement. My tenure with the board of directors for the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools falls completely within her tenure with SPS so I have had the opportunity be be around Dr. Lathan quite a bit in the last 3 years. It has been an absolute pleasure. I was excited to get to know more about her background and share a cup of coffee. I was glad she managed to fit me into her busy schedule leading up to the first day of school.

We met up at Traveller's House on National and that's where it kicks off. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Rhett Roberson?

What's the Cliff's Notes version of the story of you??

Grenita Lathan?

I'm a traditional educator. I came up through the ranks in education. I was a high school business education teacher, an extracurricular club sponsor for everything, you name it, including the prom! I was an assistant principal then principal. Then moved into central office positions supervising principals as deputy superintendent and then superintendent.?

Rhett Roberson?

Very cool. Where'd you grow up??

Grenita Lathan?

I graduated high school in Asheville, North Carolina, so that's where I consider myself growing up, but home is really Georgia.?

Rhett Roberson?

I knew the answers to those, but I had to get them officially on record.?

Grenita Lathan?

(Laughs)?

Rhett Roberson?

So, when did you take the position here in Springfield??

Grenita Lathan?

2021. I'm starting my fourth year.?

Rhett Roberson?

And you came from...?

Grenita Lathan?

Houston, Texas.?

Rhett Roberson?

How did you make that progression? What is the progression of your moving around the country??

Grenita Lathan?

I started in the South, then I went to the Midwest, then to the West Coast, back to the Midwest, then Southwest, and now Midwest again, I think.?

Rhett Roberson?

I need one of those graphics with the car moving around for this part. (Laughs) What brings you joy??

Grenita Lathan?

Oh, gosh, I was telling someone yesterday, what brings me joy, of course, is designing educational programs for children. The first day of school for me, it's like Christmas. You get so excited, you have the build up to that, but also what brings me joy is graduation day and being able to see that students walk across the stage. They've reached the first part of a successful journey. That, to me, is stage one.?

Rhett Roberson?

What was your school experience like??

Grenita Lathan?

I had a great school experience. I always wanted to be a teacher or a social worker. I played school with my baby dolls and played The Game of Life. We loved The Game of Life and Monopoly. It was a great experience. I had some of the best teachers around, including my Sunday school teachers. Most of our Sunday school teachers, at that time, were also teachers in the public school system. So, it was just a continuation of church and school really wrapped around together. It was a great experience. That's the experience that I had as a child and that is the experience I want all of our students to experience. I want them to experience love, to experience accountability, but someone that also pours into them that they are capable of accomplishing anything that they set their minds to. I feel I'm living out what those educators poured into me.?

Rhett Roberson?

Yeah, yeah. I love that you said love AND accountability. I'm not here to blow smoke and just hit you with compliments, (laughs) but I've always been a fan of your style. I love when I'm at an event and you're speaking because I feel like you exude that love, but I feel like you also have a side that wants people to have their feet held to the fire. But I think that's important. I think it's important to exemplify both and I've just always appreciated that about you, and how you bring yourself across, and how you speak. You certainly don't have the easiest job in the world.?

Grenita Lathan?

(Laughs) That's what they tell me.?

Rhett Roberson?

But even at the last Foundation for Springfield Public Schools event, Celebrate SPS, my wife was with me. Since I'm on the board with the foundation I get to be around these types of events more frequently. I grew up in Springfield Public Schools, my wife did not, but even she commented last time when you spoke that she really loved hearing you speak. I said, "Yeah, she's awesome every time."

Grenita Lathan?

Well thank you!?

Rhett Roberson?

That's just another reason I was excited to get to sit down and have coffee with you. So, like I said, it's not the easiest job in the world, there's a lot coming at you from all sides and I'm sure that that can weigh on you. What do you do when you need to recharge??

Grenita Lathan?

To recharge... cucumbers with vinegar, I will tell you the truth! It is my go-to. With a little salt that I don't need. I have a circle of friends and family, I have prayer partners that pray with me, and I have people that can reach out to get reenergized. And then, for me, it's a good book. I know that sounds so boring, but as long as I have a good book, a good mystery novel, where I'm trying to solve it and tell them how to solve it and rewrite the story. That's what energizes me.?

Rhett Roberson?

What does the superintendent vacation package look like? Do you actually ever get to get away??

Grenita Lathan?

I do! Every now and then I do get to get away, but my getaway probably is different from other people. It is so funny with everyone talking about all their summer plans, they're going here, they're going there. Mine is a little bit different, I spent it socially with friends, members of my sorority, and other civic groups. We have big conventions and part of those conventions are galas and spa time. Also, there's family time. So, I have a combination. I do both. I do a little mix of what I want to do, and then at times, what my family wants to do. (Laughs)?

Rhett Roberson?

(Laughs) Well, unfortunately, somebody else gets to make a decision every once in a while. I'm sure I'm pretty guilty of doing too much of what I want to do and not enough of what my family wants. Given the nature of your position, this could be an interesting question. How would your colleagues describe you??

Grenita Lathan?

Once again, someone that cares about people, invests in people, but holds people accountable. Someone that is okay with taking risks and understands that, and I shared with one of my prayer partners Sunday, because one of our friends and colleagues was dismissed as a superintendent just last week, I'm okay with whatever happens. Definitely that I'm somebody that leads with passion, cares about people, but believes in holding people accountable. Because I believe that children and their parents are counting on me as a leader, also all the people that have been called to serve, I want to do what's right by them.?

Rhett Roberson?

Yeah, I think that's fair!?

(An SPS parent stops by our table to discuss her child’s progress with Dr. Lathan. Dr. Lathan is encouraging and supportive in a classic Dr. Lathan way, she wants the best for this child and promises to follow up so they can talk more about next steps. It’s a perfect, on the spot display of her work in the community with parents.)?

Grenita Lathan?

Okay, see, we will also hold parents accountable too. (Laughs)?

Rhett Roberson?

(Laughs) Absolutely! I'm going to turn us back to the next question. Can you describe the work that you do??

Grenita Lathan?

Well, let's see here. It's interesting, it depends on the day of the week. My work is to take the vision and mission that the board has outlined and to work with my immediate team, which would be my cabinet and my executive leadership team, to implement that mission and vision. And how it plays out is through our strategic plan. Part of my work, of course, is a lot of community engagement. Engagement with community leaders, engagement with parents, also engagement with staff. It's also designing an educational program for all children to be successful. Not only while they're in Springfield Public Schools but preparing them for the future.?

Rhett Roberson?

How did you get into this line of work??

Grenita Lathan?

I always wanted to be a teacher and I started out as a high school teacher. I can remember writing in my high school memory book--that Joston's book we get for graduation--that I wanted to be a principal. It said, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?", and I wanted to be a principal. I actually had no desires beyond being a principal. My mentors, people I really respect and value, were teachers and principals in my community. Then one of my superintendents said, "Hey, I think you could have a greater impact if you decided to move into a central office position." I always tell people who are ready to move that that's probably the most unstable position. Being in a building is the most stable position. People have these visions of what it means to move to central office positions. But that's how it was for me. I thought, "Okay, I think I can do this."?

Rhett Roberson?

In all of that progression, through the ranks as a teacher to a principal, now into an administrative central office position, who was the best boss or leader that you have the opportunity to work with and what made them so good??

Grenita Lathan?

When I was an alternative principal in Illinois, it would have been my superintendent, Nancy. She was the best at demonstrating leadership, my initial learnings of how to lead, how to rally staff, how to care about people came from her example. I definitely knew how to care about people before then, but it was just the way that she led. Then my longest running superintendent mentor was the superintendent that hired me as a principal back in North Carolina and then hired me for two central office positions, one in California and one in Texas. We laugh, still weekly, he showed me what to do and what not to do. He had high expectations not only for those members that were on his team, but for the work that we needed to get done on behalf of children, especially children of poverty and children who have parents who were not as in tune to understanding how to navigate the educational landscape.?

Rhett Roberson?

You talked about it a little bit earlier, but the next question is as a child, what did you want to be when you grew up??

Grenita Lathan?

A teacher or social worker. Always. I mean, I always wanted to be a teacher. You know what it's so interesting, especially when I graduated college, there were issues with the economy and there were freezes on teaching positions. I had friends that were graduating and going into engineering and were going to work for Eli Lilly, they were going to work for Abbott, they were going to work for all these big companies, 3M, and it was like, "Oh my gosh, they're going to be making millions and I'm going to be making $20,000." (Laughs) But I still wanted to do it and I waited it out. Right after college, I started working for the Postal Service and I was working in an administrative position. Once again, I'm still waiting on that teaching position to open. I had people say, "But you know, you can make a career out of work in the Postal Service, there are all these different positions. This is a government job." I was like, "That's not the government job I want. I want the state job of being a teacher!"?

Rhett Roberson?

Can you point to a catalyst or an experience as a young child that made you think "teaching is what I want to do"??

Grenita Lathan?

I just loved school. I loved school, I loved my teachers, I loved going to school. I did not miss school. My first missed day was in fifth grade, I got sick, and I was out one day. And then in high school, I did miss again and that was because my uncle passed away and we lived in another state. So, we had to travel for the funeral. But I just love going to school. I love the social aspect of it and the academic. Social probably more than the academic. (Laughs) What is it called these days?... FOMO!

I just had great teachers. I had some tough teachers, now, but I had great teachers. Some of the teachers that I did not think cared about me actually, now years later looking back, they cared more than I realized. They just showed it in a different way. I think about Miss Baldwin. I struggled with math in high school. I struggled so much that my parents made me retake algebra. I took algebra one as a ninth grader, took geometry and barely made it out of geometry as a 10th grader. So, I should have been moving into algebra two, but my parents made me retake algebra one. As a junior, I'm sitting in there, and I think I'm the belle of the ball, right? I was on the track team, and I tore all the ligaments in my hand and had a cast and I can remember Miss Baldwin saying, "No, you will learn to write with your left hand. When you're in my math class, you're going to do math. I don't care if you can write or not. if you have to do it with your toes, you're going to do it." She was really trying to say, "Try something!" Although you might have a limitation or temporary disability, you still have to figure out how to make this work. So, I look back on that in different situations, when things get tough, there's always a way out or an option.

Rhett Roberson?

Yeah, absolutely. You're certainly the right person to be behind the attendance campaigns right now. At least you can practice what you preach.?

Grenita Lathan?

(Laughs) Oh, yes!?

Rhett Roberson?

I know about all that from time with the foundation. We've been trying to get behind those efforts on attendance. So, we've been talking a lot about that recently! What book has had the most significant impact on your life??

Grenita Lathan?

I would say the Bible, honestly speaking. When things get tough, I still go to the Bible. It speaks to you about different challenges that you're going through. I would say, that's the one that I can rely on and count on, in good and bad.

Rhett Roberson

I'm going to give you the Bible caveat, because I've done it to other people. Are there any other books outside of the Bible that come to mind? Fiction, nonfiction? Something that taught you a lesson?

Grenita Lathan

The Red Tent (https://a.co/d/b1633V1 ), but it ties back to Biblical features. That one always sticks with me. Monday Morning Motivation is a different one that is a professional book. Another one was the autobiography of Richard Pryor (https://a.co/d/gjSBP3a ) because I lived in Peoria. What was interesting is when that book was written, we're talking about 30 years ago, when I read it, the things were still occurring in Peoria that he wrote about when he was growing up. It was interesting. That had an impact because it also helped me see, at the time, how people acted or conducted themselves. It always takes me back to people's upbringing. That was his upbringing in his life, but it was life of many children and families in their communities.?

Rhett Roberson?

What's the most important lesson you've learned so far in life??

Grenita Lathan?

That no matter how dark you think things are, or how bad you think things are, there's a new beginning and that things will get better. We all have experienced dark times in our lives, or disappointing times, but just knowing that is the life lesson for me.?

Rhett Roberson?

What advice would you offer to young professionals entering the workforce??

Grenita Lathan?

Definitely connect with a mentor and be willing to be willing to fail. And be willing to understand that things might not come in your own time, but they will come in at the right appointed time.?

Rhett Roberson?

Great advice. Patience! What are you most proud of??

Grenita Lathan?

Oh, my family! I'd say my family and how we work through challenges together. How we support each other. I'm most proud of my family and, of course, most proud of my daughter. She has had to live her life also in the spotlight at times and deal with those challenges. So, I'm very proud of the young woman that she's become, in spite of her dad and me! (laughs)?

Rhett Roberson?

(laughs) I'm hoping that's the same story I get to talk about my daughter. She's turning three next week. I've still got a lot of time to, hopefully, keep her off my path. (Laughs) How old your daughter??

Grenita Lathan?

She's 23!?

Rhett Roberson?

Where is she at??

Grenita Lathan?

Houston.?

Rhett Roberson?

Very cool. Did she go to school there??

Grenita Lathan?

She went to school in Baton Rouge, but Houston is home to her, because that's where she went to high school and everything.?

Rhett Roberson?

Yeah, cool. Final question, my favorite question. How do you hope the world is better for having you? Yeah, that's very good. Is there anything I didn't ask you that I should have or anything that you'd like to have officially on record here??

Grenita Lathan?

How do I hope the world is better for having me? I'd say because of the love that I've shown, the support that I've provided people, and the doors that I have opened for people that probably did not believe or see themselves in leadership positions. So, I hope the world is better that I have been able to afford people opportunities. Especially people who other people probably counted out of that opportunity.? You know what, as I always say, and I think it's good the more times you see it in writing and print, Springfield is one of the most collaborative places, as far as the Springfield community, and Springfield leaders coming together. One of the most collaborative places and that's the spirit of Springfield. That's what makes it really unique and special.?

Rhett Roberson?

What are you most excited about for the coming year for our students?

Grenita Lathan?

I'm excited about, number one, the Alliance for Health Care Education (https://coxcollege.edu/the-alliance-for-health-care-education/ ) that we're starting now. This is kind of our pilot, our first class.?

Rhett Roberson?

I just met with Max Buetow for breakfast and we discussed that!?

Grenita Lathan?

Oh, you did? I'm most excited about the launch of the Alliance for Health Care Education, but also all the different opportunities that we put in place for our students on elementary, middle, or high school. So, really excited that we are going to play our part as Springfield Public Schools in addressing the critical shortage of health care workers.?

Rhett Roberson?

Yeah, that's a really cool program. I'm excited to see that take off as well. It's a good collaboration of schools and the hospitals. Really, very cool. Well, thank you for taking the time to let me bug you this morning with these questions!?

Grenita Lathan?

Thank you, I appreciate the time!?

Books:

The Red Tent (https://a.co/d/b1633V1 )

Pryor Convictions: And Other Life Sentences (https://a.co/d/gjSBP3a )