Dr. Carmen Kennedy-Rogers, Senior Program Officer of K-12 Education for the Skillman Foundation, hopes that school leaders embrace this statement, “Let’s not be content with returning back to normal. Normal was not equitable and excellent; it was just familiar. Let’s strive towards transforming mindsets, instructional practices, leadership practices, expectations and systems.” Dr. Kennedy-Rogers challenges educational leaders to ask, What would it take for a school system to provide equitable opportunities for all students?
Dr. Bob Maxfield and Dr. Suzanne Klein welcomed Dr. Carmen Kennedy-Rogers, Senior Program Officer of K-12 Education for the Skillman Foundation. https://www.skillman.org
Dr. Kennedy-Rogers reflected on her leadership journey, the challenges facing school leaders during the pandemic, and vision for the post-pandemic reset. Dr. Kennedy-Rogers’ leadership experiences and expertise, her identity as a fierce champion of Detroit children embracing the values of the Skillman Foundation, and her mission to support systems change converge in asking educational leaders, What would it take to transform a school community to a place where wellness and academic achievement are always used in the same sentence? When re-imagining a school system that provides equitable opportunities for all students, what would it take?
Dr. Carmen Kennedy-Rogers’s expertise reflects a rich and impactful leadership journey: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Avondale Schools, principal at South Lake High School, high school assistant principal and athletic director at Grosse Pointe North High School, physical education teacher and girls’ basketball coach in the Troy School District. She began her career in the Detroit Public Schools at Oakman Elementary utilizing her minor in adaptive physical education. Dr. Kennedy-Rogers has also served as an adjunct assistant professor at Madonna University and adjunct faculty at Wayne State University.
Dr. Kennedy-Rogers proudly spoke of the long-standing work of the Skillman Foundation as a Fierce Champion of Detroit Children and saw this role as an opportunity to “assign herself to working for the children and the families and educators in Detroit right now”. As we look at a "reset", her hope is that educators will “not be content with returning back to normal. Normal was not equitable and excellent; it was just familiar. Let’s strive towards transforming mindsets, instructional practices, leadership practices, expectations and systems,” Taking her inspiration from Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem, The Hills We Climb, Dr. Rogers-Kennedy urged leaders to recognize this as an opportunity to dismantle the inequities that permeate our educational systems.
Dr. Kennedy-Rogers credited Dr. Andrea Anderson, Director of Evaluation, Learning and Impact, at Skillman with introducing her to the critical question, What would it take? What would it take to return back face-to-face with minimum stress, in optimum collaborative planning, implementation, monitoring and adjusting along the way to be responsive to so many competing demands? What would it take to transform a school community to a place where wellness and academic achievement are always used in the same sentence? What would it take to ensure wellness is at the center of learning, teaching, serving, and leading?
To keep moving forward, Dr. Kennedy-Rogers encouraged leaders to practice radical self-care and love, curate and cultivate space for wellness for all staff. Focus on the wellness of self, staff, students and families, recognize the signs of stress and trauma and be willing to press pause. “Leaders should think about ‘walking with’ in their decision making to explain the rationale, and make your thinking visible to those who you lead and who you have the opportunity to serve.”
Another powerful point Dr. Kennedy-Rogers spoke to was respecting student voice in terms of how they are experiencing this pandemic as it is important to acknowledge, adjust, change, transform and dismantle it for them. The pandemic has created the opportunity to amplify student voice as well as how they are experiencing their learning and engagement.
Dr. Kennedy-Rogers discussed The Water of Systems Change model used by Foundation Strategy Group https://www.fsg.org as a framework. Using the six conditions: policies, practices, resource flows, relationships and connections, power dynamics, and mental models is “when systemic change can come about.” She shared a favorite quote from The Water of Systems Change, "Real and equitable progress requires exceptional attention to the detailed and often mundane work of noticing what is invisible to many."
Dr. Kennedy-Rogers explained Skillman's Opportunity Agenda for the next three years which has four primary cross cutting themes: mitigate learning loss and disconnection due to the impact of Covid on kids and systems; leverage disruption to re-imagine how schools and supports are provided; amplify and strengthen Collective Impact efforts, specifically to build community, student, and parent power to shape systems; and build awareness, connection, advocacy for the Opportunity Agenda. Dr. Kennedy-Rogers leads the K-12 strategy of mitigating learning loss and accelerating advocacy efforts and funding centered on literacy loss, specifically third grade reading.
“We are working with schools across Detroit, not just one particular system, on culturally responsive education. We are using this time, the racial reckoning that is happening, to really think about what is culturally responsive education, what does it look like, and wall-to-wall transformation.” Dr. Kennedy-Rogers announced Skillman is creating and launching a principal wellness professional learning community, working with educational experts and organizations that have expertise in principal leadership, culturally responsive leadership, and wellness.
In closing, Dr. Kennedy-Rogers summarized the work of the Skillman Foundation: kids first, equity focused, trusted partner, greater than grants, world wise, Detroit smart. “We have granted nearly $670 million and have assets of approximately $500 million, allowing us to serve children, kids first. We remain focused on equity. We learn from so many different places and people across the world, so we can show up big for Detroit, world wise, Detroit smart. As grant makers and change makers we hold an ambition for children that outweighs what our dollars alone can accomplish, so we're greater than grants. We utilize our change making skills. We are change agents, we assign ourselves. We strive to be a trusted partner in service to the children of Detroit. So, we're always looking to be in good company in developing relationships and keeping the interest of Detroit children first.”
Bob Maxfield:
Welcome to Podcast for Leaderful Schools coming to you almost live from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. This is Bob Maxfield and I am joined by my ever wonderful co-host Dr Suzanne Klein, and I always forget to say this but I'll say it right now. We'll be introducing our guest in a few moments but our guest has willingly agreed to be interviewed and to have us record this. That's a legal responsibility we have, so before we introduce you Carmen, thanks for that. So Sue it’s a wonderful snowy day in southeast Michigan. We were just talking earlier about the fact that it's worse some places, but it's pretty chilly here, so we hope our listeners are some place warmer than we are.
[0:53.700]
Suzanne Klein:
Absolutely it's a Christmas card or calendar photo looking out the window today, but you certainly need to be bundled up if you're going outside.
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Bob Maxfield:
We have a really special guest today. Suzanne I know you know Carmen better than anybody, well obviously her husband probably knows her a little better. Why don't we begin by having you do an introduction and then we'll get on with the interview.
[01:17.490]
Suzanne Klein:
Our guest today is Dr. Carmen Kennedy-Rogers, who is now at the Skillman Foundation, but she's had a very impactful career in K-12. Carmen, can you give our listeners a quick sketch of the pathway that got you to where you are today, because you've done some interesting things?
[01:34.560]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and thank you both so much for this opportunity; so it's my pleasure to be here. So I came to the Skillman Foundation July of 2019, and previous to that I was the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Avondale Schools, right there in Auburn Hills next door to Oakland University. Previous to that I was the high school principal at South Lake High School. Prior to that, I was the high school assistant principal and athletic director at Grosse Pointe North High School where I know Dr. Klein from. Before that I was a physical education teacher and girls basketball coach in Troy School District, and I actually started my teaching career in Detroit Public Schools. I was a physical education teacher at Oakman Elementary, which was a school specifically for children with a variety of physical, mental, and behavioral needs.And I have a minor in adaptive PE, which is PE for people with a variety of abilities.
And I just want to share since I'm here with Oakland University; I also have served as an adjunct assistant professor at Madonna University and adjunct faculty at Wayne State University.
[02:53.160]
Bob Maxfield:
And you haven't really mentioned but you're a relatively newly minted Ph.D. as well.
[02:58.680]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Yes, I am. Yes, so I'm actually graduated, whatever graduation looks like in this virtual world, December of 2020, so very happy.
[03:10.740]
Bob Maxfield and Suzanne Klein:
Congratulations.
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Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Thank you, thank you.
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Bob Maxfield:
Go ahead Sue.
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Suzanne Klein:
You've had an interesting path leading learning Carmen, and leading learning whether it's with students with unique learning needs and needing special support; whether it was in your classroom as you're teaching PE; as you moved into leadership positions, you had a variety of different roles that you played.
And again having watched your work in the school district where we both were at the same time and where I was lucky enough to get to know you after hiring you, your focus on what matters most for students and their families has always been right at the top of the list, and you live into those expectations and hopes and dreams. What attracted you as you were sitting in K-12? What attracted you to think about how your work might benefit the Skillman Foundation?
[04:04.020]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
So because of who I am, I am authentic to who I am; I was seeking out my next life stretch opportunity, my next challenge. So there is a restlessness that I pay attention to and usually it's telling me it is time for a new stretch opportunity; it could be a personal pursuit, it could be my education career, or it can just be my career. And so because I'm a lifelong learner I am always looking for opportunities to evolve.
And so I wanted to learn about and experience other entities that supported and lifted up the education system that were not necessarily K-12. And because I am from Detroit I was aware of the long standing work of the Skillman Foundation and the very bold leadership of Tanya Allen.
And so, when the opportunity was shared with me for the Senior Program Officer at the Skillman Foundation, the restlessness inside of me kind of tuned in. So on the front page of our website, regardless of the latest news and updates, you will always find these words: Fierce Champion of Detroit Children.
And that title, that label, that is what I wanted to be part of. So the Skillman Foundation Philanthropy specifically a focus on education in Detroit is my stretch opportunity. I wanted to utilize my leadership skills and experience as an educator to pursue my passion for children and learning in a new way and Skillman has definitely offered the opportunity for me to assign myself in working for the children and the families and educators in Detroit right now.
[05:51.390]
Suzanne Klein:
Thank you.
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Bob Maxfield:
We're having this conversation almost a year into the pandemic and all of the changes that have been necessary because of it. The theme of our podcast series is resetting education post pandemic and sooner or later we're going to be back to normal, but the real question is what's normal going to look like.So we want to really push this with you personally and then we'll talk about what the Skillman Foundation's priorities are as well.
What many have said is that the pandemic has revealed problems that were heretofore sort of hidden in public education and so maybe we've learned something. Maybe we've learned something about teaching and learning, particularly in urban areas. And we've learned things that will tell us we need to do it differently moving forward. So Carmen, that's a long kind of convoluted question, but what are your thoughts about that? What have we learned during the pandemic and what do you hope we do differently coming out of it?
[06:51.960]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
So, Dr. Maxfield when I hope we embrace this statement:Let's not be content with returning back to normal, normal was not equitable and excellent, it was just familiar. Let's strive towards transforming mindsets, instructional practices, leadership practices, expectations, and systems. So like right now is this opportunity to dismantle the inequities that permeate our educational systems and to liberate education.
And so in response to your question, I will respond in the asset main framework. We know as leaders there will be plenty of unforeseen challenges and barriers, and one of the key phrases I've learned while working at Skillman; we work on systems and complex change, we use the phrase, what would it take. And so a great example that I will lift up specifically for educator leaders right now, who are in the midst, in the storm of making some very important decisions actually comes from the words of Amanda Gorman.
And she was the poet that shared her brilliance at President Biden's and Vice President Harris's Inauguration on January 20. So in her poem, The Hill We Climb, she shared these words and I'll read them:
We've braved the belly of the beast. We've learned that quiet isn't always peace and the norms and notions of what just is, isn’t always justice. And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow we do it. Somehow we've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished.
So as we think about returning face-to-face we: our students, our educators, our schools, are not broken. We have plenty of opportunities to carry on with lots of unfinished business; the business of providing educational opportunities that are accessible and equitable for each child. So when our students return back to face, whenever that is, we must not be okay with carrying on like normal. We must acknowledge that this whole experience, from the health pandemic to the racial reckoning that has happening, has been filled with stress, trauma and sadness.
So to keep moving forward, I encourage leaders to listen, to observe, to listen and to observe. As a leader we know you always have to think 100 steps ahead and plan that way. However, we are so far out in front, we are not pausing and we are not listening to the now. So walking slow and walking with, we have to remember that all of our babies, regardless how old they are from three years old to 18 years old, are returning back face-to-face with a whole lot of things that they are carrying and their reality is different now. So we have to be willing to press pause. So are our educators, our teachers, who are living their own personal lives that have their own personal complications, so all of us have to be willing to pause.
And so here's the question to turn a challenge into an opportunity. What would it take to return back face to face with minimum stress, in optimum collaborative planning, implementation, monitoring and adjusting along the way to be responsive to so many competing demands? So we know that each school district and school is very different, but I offer the challenge to all of us to think about what would it take to overcome the complications.
The other piece that I do want to lift up which I, just from my own personal walk in building level administration and central office administration, I really encourage our leaders to focus on radical self-care and love and they must model that for everybody else.
They must focus on curating and cultivating a space for wellness to focus on the staff. And when I say staff, I mean everyone: from the custodians, the secretaries, the paraprofessionals, the bus drivers, the teachers, the building leaders. So what would it take to transform a school community to a place where wellness and academic achievement are always used in the same sentence?
What would it take to ensure wellness is at the center of learning, teaching, serving, and leading? So as we return face-to-face, take a pause, walk slow, walk with folks, walk with partners, and to really practice radical self-care as a model to create and cultivate a community of wellness within a school.
[12:09.780]
Bob Maxfield:
It's not often during one of these conversations that I find myself taking notes, but I just did. Well done! Let me push you a little bit on this because our listeners, who aren't as close to it as we are, those who are part of this conversation might say, ‘Well okay well, so what are the inequities that became really obvious during this past year?’ Give us some examples.
[12:32.910]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
So the digital divide; and so multiple levels to that. Not just having you know a device but having a device that is reliable, that has all the features and functions that it needs; but then you also need access to the Internet. So if that's a hot spot, if that is with your local cable company to get Internet, that's a whole nother layer. Then in a family you may have three or four kids who all need to be online at the same time. And maybe there's only one device or two devices and so how do families work that out?
The other piece, I think, which has been highlighted is digital literacy. We probably all know how to text and make phone calls but digital literacy is a whole level of learning that I'm not sure that we have been attentive to in our educational walk; but not just of our children, but for teachers have to make the adjustments from teaching in person, being able to like kneel down next to a kid, touch their shoulder and give them encouragement as they're walking them through a lesson. And then all the sudden you are required to flip your classroom around and find ways to connect to kids in their hearts in a virtual space. So I think just overall the inequities of access and assessment, or access and accessibility and the instructional tool boxes that we have as well.
The other inequity I think that has been called out is that parents and guardians, parents and caretakers: if its grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, a next door neighbor, whoever it is, they are now the teacher. And they are having to walk this journey with their children while they're still working, while they're taking care of loved ones. So that inequity has been called out in terms of what do families need, in order to be the best teacher and to be the best parent, and the best human being to themselves through this time as well.
[14:54.480]
Bob Maxfield:
So what I've heard you say so far I've noted three things: one is that we've learned how important self -care is. The distress that teachers have experienced online isn't a lot different than what they were experiencing earlier, so that's certainly there. The digital divide and access issues and then the role of parents and caregivers, and what I love about as you frame this kind of thing Carmen, is each of these inequities is followed by that logical question, so what would it take.
[15:23.790]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
What would it take?
[15:24.540]
Bob Maxfield:
It's not just enough to say, “Yeah it's a problem,” well what would it take to solve it? What would it take to make parents better able to support their kids? What would it take to put Internet access in the hands of every child, and what would it take to make teachers feel safe and healthy?
Is there any... What else comes to mind? I mean we've been hearing a lot of things from the superintendents and principals we deal with. One of the issues that often is cited is the need to provide more opportunities for collaboration. You alluded to that earlier, but the need to trust our people to make decisions that are right for kids.
[16:05.790]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
As I think about that and I didn't emphasize it as strong earlier but "walking with". I think there are probably a lot of superintendents and district level administrators who are probably in their offices right now, as their students and their teachers are virtual, and it is a lonely space to be in. You're there; you are tasked with the opportunity to make some really key decisions, but I think it's also important that leaders think about "walking with" and the decisions that they're making, although they are the key decision maker, it is so important to reach out to parents, and to teachers, and to students.
So the other point I want to lift up, especially during this time an inequity is, that students' voice in how they're experiencing this pandemic is so important in terms of how we adjust and change it, and transform it, and dismantle it for them. So this pandemic I think, has also offered the opportunity for us to amplify student voice, and how they're experiencing their learning and their engagement.
And so I encourage leaders, as they think about walking with, that they really consider walking with their students to make some really key decisions about their time. It could be as simple as, let's say that a school decides to go hybrid; sometimes in person, sometimes virtual. Some students have an issue with turning on their cameras, not because they don't want to, because they may not feel comfortable showing the background of their house. They may not feel that they... That's a whole lot of vulnerability, you know when we walk into school we walk with our backpacks, our coats, and whatever we're wearing that day. But now we're exposing people's homes, and houses, and lives, and so even having a conversation about what's the policy for cameras on or off during learning is bringing student voice into the conversation. So I just really encourage for leaders to walk with, in their decision making, yet they are the decision maker. And I believe that as a decision maker, you have to be able to make decisions but you should always be able to explain the why and the rationale, and making your thinking visible to those who you lead and who you have the opportunity to serve.
[18:41.250]
Bob Maxfield:
You know, as you list these several areas of inequity I just, I'm haunted by this refrain of, what would it take, because it is, you know editorialists have been writing about all these problems for the last year but the, what would it take is really a key issue.
[18:58.650]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
What would it take? Isn't that amazing how it just shifts your mindset to find and sometimes what I've learned is not necessarily am I trying to find the solution, I'm trying to find a contribution to the problem.
[19:14.970]
Suzanne Klein:
That makes me ask the next question, which is how might we? What would it take and then how might we, which is crossing the bridge of let's think about what would it take, but then, how are we going to get there.
[19:32.400]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
And it's a journey, right. It is long and it is full of persistence and resilience. And that was that focus on the wellness piece, that radical self-care and self-love that leaders and educators must have because it is a long journey.
[19:50.310]
Suzanne Klein:
The other thing I'm thinking Carmen, as you were making those very important observations; it's not choosing one and saying, What would it take?. You're basically suggesting it's a wraparound of all of those things that are needed, and then, whatever else you discover as you're asking the question, What would it take and then, How might we?, because then it's as you were describing, it’s leading from every chair.
You made a wonderful point about the student being another place from which leadership can be found, or from which leadership can surface and be found to help guide the decisions. The other thing that occurs to me as you are talking with us, is the whole notion that it's not going to be a singular event where those questions are asked and perhaps answered, it's going to be unfolding as the organization in our communities move forward.
So that leads me to the question about the Skillman Foundation. As you think about the role Skillman has played so wonderfully to support the children of the city of Detroit and their families, where do you see those post pandemic priorities aligning with some of the points you made, or highlighting others?
[21:13.590]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
So what's really interesting is that during what were some of the pandemic, but from I don't know early spring of 2020 until about early fall of 2020, we started and walked through the second iteration of our strategic direction, which is called the Opportunity Agenda. And so again, it was just this opportunity, in the middle of chaos, to really ground ourselves and to think about what are we doing, and how do we want to continue to move forward.
And so at the Skillman Foundation our Director of Evaluation and Learning, her name is Dr Andrea Anderson, she's the person who actually posed that question, what would it take. She introduced to us even before the pandemic, but we worked through this framework and Dr. Anderson shared this with us about the six conditions of systems change and so as Skillman we're focused on systemic changes.
And so I'm just going to give this context in terms of how we make our decisions. So there are six conditions, and if you can imagine an inverted triangle, so at the top of the triangle there are three conditions: policies, practices, and resource flows. And so, these are structural changes; they're explicit, they're clear: policies, practices, and resource flows. Then the next layer is in the middle and that's relational change and that's semi-explicit, and so those two conditions are relationships and connections, and power dynamics.
And then at the tip, just like an iceberg we know an iceberg there's so many things underneath, is mental models. That's transformative change. That's the implicit work. That's the hard work that is what, the mental models and the narrative that we have, and once those change and flip and "What would it take?", that's when systemic change can come about.
And I'll share this quote actually from the organization that created this inverted triangle. The name of the organization's called FSG. (FSG.org) and the quote they have to talk about the six conditions of system change; "Real and equitable progress requires exceptional attention to the detailed and often mundane work of noticing what is invisible to many." And so in that inverted triangle that mental model, that's what’s invisible to so many folks. So when we think about our strategy, when we think about how we're showing up right now for kids in this pandemic and post pandemic, we are developing our strategy to encompass systems change. So we have three bodies of work.
I lead the K-12 education work; my colleague, Terry Whitfield leads Afterschool, and my other colleague, Kumar Raj leads the College and Career Pathways. And so, as we move into the second iteration of the Opportunity Agenda, which is for the next three years, there are four primary cross cutting themes of our strategy work. The first one is no surprise; mitigate learning loss and disconnection due to Covid impacts on kids and systems. So in all of our strategies we are thinking about, we are working towards, we are grant making, we are change making towards mitigating learning loss and disconnection due to Covid.
The second theme is leverage disruption to re-imagine how schools and supports are provided, leverage the disruption to re-imagine, so in all of our work we are helping schools and partners re-imagine what it looks like. Again normal wasn't good it was just acceptable.
The third theme that we have across our work is amplify and strengthen collective impact efforts, specifically to build community, student, and parent power to shape systems. So many times in systems the people's voices that are silenced are the community members, the community partners, the students, and the parents, so we are working to empower these groups.
And fourth, which I'm proud of all this but I am proud of this one in particular, is to build awareness, connection, advocacy for the Opportunity Agenda. That means that even though the Opportunity is from our thinking, we believe that all of Detroit and beyond, all own the Opportunity Agenda because it has to do with children. So we seek out partnerships, thought partners, and like-minded agitators and disruptors, to dismantle the inequities in order to build and liberate an equitable system for children.
Now the dig even more specifically in the work that I lead in the K-12 strategy, so when I talked about mitigating learning loss, so I work on accelerating our advocacy and funding that is centered on literacy loss, specifically third grade reading. We use M-step as our bellwether indicator; the third grade outcomes to determine how we're doing in meeting the needs of kids in terms of early literacy. So we have in-school literacy interventions that happen during the school day within the school even within virtual classrooms, and we have Community based literacy partners.
I talked about earlier the power of parents and the inequities about learning right now, that parents don't have what they need to be the best that they can be for their students. So we have partners who actually, their programming is focused on working with parents to educate them, to inform them and teach them how to work with their students at home in their academic learning.
I also want to point out that in Detroit there's Detroit Public Schools Community District, and there are charter schools. We are equity focused; we focus on all the schools across Detroit, we don't have a favorite should I say.
The other piece, the Collective Impact work, so we have partners that focus on literacy. The specific partner, and their literacy is part of the third grade reading, excuse me, the grade level reading campaign, the national campaign and so our local partner is 313Reads. And we have another partner that we work with Every School Day Counts. These are partners we work with to work on literacy and also the wraparound services that address chronic absenteeism because, if our students don't show up to learn, then they don't learn, so we're thinking about what are those barriers.
The second part that I really want to identify which is a part of the re-imagining of schools, we are working with schools across Detroit, not just one particular system, on culturally responsive education. Again, using this time, the racial reckoning that is happening, to really think about what is culturally responsive education, what does it look like, wall-to-wall transformation.
And the other piece that I'm excited to share because I've talked about the wellness, we are creating and launching a principal wellness professional learning community that is focused on championing principals so they can carry on their courageous walks. We're working with educational experts and organizations that have expertise in principal leadership, culturally responsive leadership, and wellness.
And along with that wellness piece we also have support, social emotional support. We support programs that provide social emotional supports for children inside of schools, so that's just a little bit of what we're up to at the Skillman Foundation and this pandemic piece. And again, all this came with a focus on leveraging this chaos and this havoc, and finding these opportunities, What would it take?
[30:05.640]
Bob Maxfield:
Well it's been a remarkable, remarkable agenda, I mean we've been having this ongoing conversation of what the great reset's going to look like coming out of the pandemic but you've articulated it better than any of the rest of us can, so thank you for that. So Carmen before we run out of time, is there anything else you want our listeners to know about you, or about the Skillman Foundation that we haven't already talked about?
[30:31.530]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
So I'll wrap this up as quick in a snapshot as I can. So there are five values that we have at the Skillman Foundation: kids first, equity focused, trusted partner, greater than grants, world wise Detroit smart. So Rose Skillman who started the Skillman Foundation, with just $60,000 in December of 1960. She started the Foundation with $60,000 in December of 1960 , now 60 years later, we just celebrated our 60th anniversary. We have granted nearly $670 million and have assets of approximately $500 million, allowing us to serve children, kids first. We remain focused on equity. We learn from so many different places and people across the world, so we can show up big for Detroit, world wise Detroit smart. As grant makers and change makers we hold an ambition for children that outweighs what our dollars alone can accomplish, so we're greater than grants. We utilize our change making skills, we are change agents, we assign ourselves. So we strive to be a trusted partner in service to the children of Detroit. So we're always looking to be in good company in developing relationships and keeping the interest of Detroit children first.
So many will say that we do punch above our weight class and that's because of our deep love and passion for Detroit. And even personally those five values that I spoke of I hold those deep: kids first, equity focused, trusted. Money is not everything, but love will make this world go around faster and quicker and better. And I am a lifelong learner so I believe in seeking wisdom and doing my best to show up for the people who I lead and serve.
[32:39.810]
Bob Maxfield:
What a wonderful way to wrap that up. Suzanne asked you earlier what drew you to the Skillman Foundation. Well, I think the answer is pretty obvious as we listen to you talk about this, this has really been able to harness your passion, your intellect, your spirituality ,and your just genuine commitment to doing what's right. So congratulations for that.
[33:03.120]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Thank you.
[33:04.810]
Bob Maxfield:
Before we do our closing, Sue is there anything that you want to mention?
[33:11.160]
Suzanne Klein:
Carmen, the Skillman Foundation has such amazing not only principles, but actions behind those principles. What a fabulous opportunity for this region, our state, and our country, to think about that question, what will it take, because it says it all.
It's wonderful to see your leadership shining through and those that have come before you. It's going to be exciting to watch where these principles take Skillman forward and then how you can inform the work of other districts in the region, the state and across the world, because your aspirations certainly are not only noble, but they're achievable because of the quality that you're working with. So thank you so much for sharing your time, your passion, your expertise, but most of all, thank you for the work you do for children.
[34:01.380]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Thank you so much, gratitude to everyone Thank you so much, I appreciate it.
[34:05.490]
Bob Maxfield:
Anyone listening, people listening to this will say how do I get more information about this. We'll post some key items on our website and of course Carmen, people can feel free I'm sure, to contact you at the Skillman Foundation.
[34:19.410]
Bob Maxfield:
We'll have that contact information as well. So to our listeners, thank you for being part of this very extraordinary installment of Podcast for Leaderful Schools coming to you, almost live for Oakland University. Thanks again to Dr. Carmen Kennedy-Rogers for being our guest and for sharing a wonderful view of what education can be coming out of the pandemic. So again, thank you for joining us and stay tuned for further conversations as we move ahead envisioning what schooling after the pandemic will look like.
[34:54.270]
Suzanne Klein:
That's a wrap.
[34:56.850]
Carmen Kennedy-Rogers:
Thank you so much.