Lead at Mastery: Lauren Carter - Mastery Charter School
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Lead at Mastery: Lauren Carter

Assistant Principal of Instruction
John Wister Elementary

During her ten years at Mastery, Lauren has held positions as both a teacher and an administrator. Now, working as an Assistant Principal of Instruction at John Wister Elementary School, Lauren is reflecting on her journey to leadership and how Mastery has helped her prepare for this role. Learn more about Lauren’s experience at Mastery and why she recommends Mastery to anyone looking to become a school leader.

What do you love most about Mastery and your job?

As I reflect on my ten-year journey in the Mastery network, the [ability to] cultivate strong relationships consistently stands out to me. I have thoroughly enjoyed fostering meaningful relationships, with not only my students, but the families and staff that I serve daily. I learned rather quickly as an educator and now administrator that the little things go a long way. For instance, taking the time to communicate to both the student and parents what a great day a scholar had, lunch bunches, additional instructional support, or supporting scholars in their extracurricular activities. I am a firm believer that cultivating strong partnerships with both students and their families is one of the greatest tools to enhance student learning and foster a positive school experience for our students.

What impact do you make as a leader? 

As a leader, I consistently work to [encourage] both my team and our students to embody a growth mindset.  The ability to assess a challenging situation and approach it [as] an opportunity to grow and learn as a student or an educator can be challenging at first. I hope that by sharing my journey and the message that growth truly flourishes when we are outside of our comfort zone – because that is when our true strength surfaces – that my team and our scholars feel empowered to face any challenging situation with the necessary tools to be successful.

What would you tell a prospective employee at Mastery about the journey to become a leader at Mastery? Why should they join?

The journey to leadership at Mastery is challenging, but the reward is far greater. You should join Mastery because Mastery values the journey to leadership and does whatever is necessary to ensure its leaders feel supported every step of the way. You will experience moments of uncertainty but always remember to utilize your support system who are always more than happy to be a collaborative thought partner. The tiered support that is implemented to ensure that our students are successful is also a reflection of how Mastery supports its leaders. Additionally, the Mastery organization truly embodies the mindset that ALL of the students we serve have what it takes to learn and thrive!