Andrew Dolloff Turned Mascot Mayhem into a Culture of Courage

An Imperfect Leader

Hello Imperfect Leaders!

 It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind.

As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because  Jamie Almanzán from The Equity Collaborative will be joining me as a cohost and commentator. It's going to be great! So, sit back and enjoy this encore presentation of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast.

INTRO: Choosing a name for a public building is a challenging process. With schools, a new name often includes the choosing of a mascot as well. Renaming a school or changing a mascot is often even more difficult. Community members will allege you're erasing history. I was a superintendent presiding over the renaming of Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Missouri! Most recently, I served on a renaming committee in the Seattle area. The committee process was well conceived and thoughtfully carried out by the district's current Superintendent, Amii Thompson. She made sure to make decisions with those most impacted, in this case, the Suquamish Tribe.

Now, imagine if you were the principal and your school board decided on a Thursday night to remove an offensive mascot effective immediately. My guest is Dr. Andrew Dolloff, superintendent of Yarmouth Schools in Yarmouth, Maine. His After Action Review is about exactly that! Thanks for tuning in.

Bio: Dr. Andrew Dolloff has been the superintendent of schools in Yarmouth, Maine since 2014. He is a 35-year veteran of Maine public schools, having begun his career as a chemistry teacher and basketball coach in central Maine before moving into school administration in Greater Portland in 1996. Andrew has served as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, high school principal, high school assistant principal, and athletic administrator. For nearly 10 years, he has served a community that is deeply personal to him as his grandfather graduated from Yarmouth High School. I have no doubt that leading in a hometown district must have made it even more meaningful when he was named Maine’s Superintendent of the Year in 2021.

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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at www.human-centeredleaders.com.

Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.

Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.