Turner’s leadership proves her commitment to student academic success and well-being, exemplified by the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports into a Multi-tiered System of Supports. Central to this is a framework of schoolwide rules and expectations called Dolphin P.R.O.U.D. — Positive, Respectful, Own your actions, United and Determined to succeed. This is applied in every classroom and campus facility, ensuring all students feel included, empowered and acknowledged.

“My twin 13-year-old boys have been at Oakbrook since kindergarten and have flourished under Ms. Turner’s leadership,” wrote Michele Harris, executive director of First 5 Solano. “They each see themselves in P.R.O.U.D., and use this language when they come home. Each of the kids at Oakbrook, regardless of background, can connect in these ways and therefore connect with each other.”

“Splashtastic” grade-level performances, which integrate academic curriculum and arts, allowed students, staff and families to create, perform, play and celebrate. A WIN (What I Need) block in the instructional schedule established small reading groups across all grades. A focus on data-driven best practices ensures that students with IEPs are supported and their needs met. An ongoing commitment to technology allowed for a rapid shift to virtual instruction during COVID, and continues to be a meaningful strategy in the arts, curriculum and professional development.

As she transitions into retirement, Turner leaves a legacy of student-centered learning and leadership that will continue to have an impact for years to come.

What’s your favorite book on leadership? There are so many fantastic books on leadership — many were pivotal in terms of providing support. “Good to Great” was a big one for framing thoughts, as was the theory of “Servant Leadership,” and work done on “Sustainable Leadership.” The bottom line is that folks will come together when there is relationship to do so, varied skills respected and a common goal.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I was ever given was to be authentic. You can only lead based your own self — anything other than that and students and staff sense it, which causes a separation.

What’s your best strategy for work-life balance? Ummmmm … well, there is a quote: “It is only work if you would rather be doing something else.” (Hence there is no balance and I am OK with that.) I love so much being around the kids every day and in every capacity I can. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am an introvert!

What made you want to become a school administrator? I wanted to become a school administrator to be able to help students better through teaching and teachers. I still think teaching is the best job ever, but I was ready to reach further if I could and make some systematic differences to support students thriving. There is a trade-off between the 180 days of really knowing a kid that feels like you can make a difference, but there is also the way that we can create environments and strategies that make the whole better. I was blessed to work with amazing teachers that made a difference every day with our students.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome to get where you are? I think the biggest challenge is paperwork. It is a necessary evil or pleasure, but on my desk I have “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” For me the joy is being in the classrooms, creating an event for kids, cheering them on, working with a small group, watching them work or do art, coaching and structuring life lessons sometimes, and generally being a part of their learning day in order to support the best work of their teacher. Email and paperwork and balancing that with what I wanted to do when the kids are on campus was a daily challenge.

What are you most proud of accomplishing? I am most proud of creating a warm school where kids are appreciated by everyone. We have done so much from starting out K-6 to then K-8, to being given a theme of creating an arts integration school, then building out that theme in every way we could manage, along with reading, writing and arithmetic. (We won the Golden Bell, the Arts Integration Distinguished Schools award, which was thrilling.) We also integrated a large special education population and celebrate those accomplishments throughout the school in mainstreaming (and I was so honored to get the CAC award) — but fundamentally, the most important thing is that we have created a loving, accepting, joyful environment for our kids to thrive. It is never perfect, ever, but when a staff works together and believes in something together, anything can come true, and when the culture is that, then it becomes a thing.

How has ACSA supported you in your career/current position? ACSA has been pivotal in keeping my view larger. It helped me to connect with colleagues, to meet new people from all over the state, to talk to my own district people in a different way. It helped me in my leadership skills with peers, and literally helped teach me about administration as I attended classes with ACSA. I have been part of the organization even as a student admin, then joined the charter board and moved from member at large to president of the region over a large number of years. It has been a pleasure to be part of such a caring organization — and one that also focuses on admin needs and can get our voices heard in Sacramento. And most importantly, an organization that always has the students first.

How are you prioritizing mental health for yourself, your staff and/or your students? Mental health is definitely an aspect that is critical. We paid attention to that right away as we built out our theme, because so much joy can come out through art, and art (dance, music theater) gives students a place to be themselves or play at being someone else — and gives room for those students that look at math, reading and writing — and social situations — maybe differently. The school day finally had room for all. We based all our PBIS/MTSS work onto the positive and flood them with it. We found ways to play as much as possible through theme days, or challenges or enrichment, and we are blessed to have a team and teachers that watch kids carefully, that students like to talk to and fool around with at recess or whenever. I do the same for my staff — I feed them, play with them and tell them daily/weekly and whenever how important they are. I sub for them so they can get a break, provide activities for kids so they can take five, walk in their rooms and pick out something neat that they are doing or that I see. Teaching is so hard, especially now. They have been champs and need to hear it regularly.