Covenant One Takes – Julia and Erin

When Erin Barksdale took over as principal at Highland, she introduced a series of "family values" to strengthen the culture and build trust with teachers. A commitment to clear communication ranks near the top. The uncertainty around COVID-19 has posed the ultimate test, Erin says.

In today's edition of One Takes, the principal shares what it's like to lead a school through a shutdown and a shift to remote learning. At Highland, our congregation lifts up teachers and students by providing school supplies, monthly brunches, a reading buddy program and other forms of support.

"Delegating was always kind of hard for me," Erin said. "In this pandemic, the information literally changes every six to 12 hours. I've been focused on my staff's needs and trying to be really intentional and thoughtful about their questions."

Click here for an extended version of the interview to hear Erin talk about racial justice and how it influences her decision-making at Highland. She also describes how Covenant volunteers can get involved this fall.