Today we’d like to introduce you to Brent Mitchell Ed.s
Hi Brent, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I like saying my teaching career started once my siblings started getting homework. Growing up between my mother’s and my grandmother’s home in Little Rock, Arkansas, I knew I wanted to be a teacher around 5th grade because of this gentleman named Mr. Henry Nesby. He was pretty influential in teaching me being “black” and “smart” was cool. I got that motivation from my family, but coming from this super cool teacher who drove a sports car, it just hit differently. I started my education journey with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Growing up in a family full of teachers, I always had a passion for teaching and molding young minds. After many years in the classroom, I went back to pursue a dual Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees. Currently, I am working on my Ph.D in Educational Leadership. Education prepared me for leadership and to let kids know it is okay to be “black” and “smart.” Now, over two and a half decades later, I realize the secret was in the sauce-developing student success and building healthy school cultures that drove organizational movement and change.
As an Assistant Superintendent of Support Services for the Ferguson-Florissant School District, I meet the needs of over 9,500 students while aligning our work to meet the district’s mission and vision.
Equally, serving in the community through various civic organizations, including my fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, has helped in my journey, balancing my family life, a wife and three children. Because of this balance between personal and professional development, including academic success, I can encourage education improvements and motivate others to improve their craft.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. My grandma used to say, “Every time we make plans, God starts laughing.” He must enjoy getting a chuckle out of me, lol.
It’s been a sometimes challenging road, but the difficulties have molded me into the leader I am today. Probably the most significant struggle I’ve faced is navigating all the complexities of leadership within low socio-economic schools. Not everyone believes that ALL kids can do it, so I enjoy proving them wrong. Working in such an environment requires much more resilience, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the social issues that affect the students and staff.
Then, there has been the challenge of balancing career growth with further education. We had to relocate a few times when opportunities came that were too good to pass up, and that’s always hard on the kids. Especially being away from the family and friends they’ve always known.
This is my second time pursuing my doctorate. The school I initially attended lost accreditation, and between COVID and my career, I lost track of time. Specializing with a Doctorate and high-demand jobs in leadership demands great time management and discipline. Sometimes, I wondered how much longer I could keep doing both, but I keep focusing on my long-term goals.
Despite all of this, every struggle has grown me in leadership, innovation, and changing things that created some difference. Maybe the road is bumpy, but the inroads toward learning are great.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a winner who specializes in winning! I’m blessed to get up every single day and change the lives of others. It doesn’t get better than that.
What probably sets me apart is my deep commitment to building strong, positive school cultures and my relational approach to developing meaningful relationships with staff, students, and the community. I am known for fostering collaborative environments where everyone’s voice is valued and heard. Equally significant are innovative educational practices that support teacher development and student achievement, with attention paid to meeting the unique needs created by every school community.
I also just launched an Educational Consulting Firm (The Sonny Walker Group) named after my grandfather. It’s designed to help schools engage kids from all communities.
I feel proud of many things; probably the most important is that I led some initiatives that helped raise morale and retention among teachers working in challenging school conditions. By bringing in trust and transparency and offering appropriate support, I created spaces where educators feel empowered, ultimately benefiting students. I am proud of my work on developing strategies to align school district performance goals with state standards while maintaining a clear vision of student success.
But the fact that defines me is in finding that balance between leadership and compassion. I lead with my head and my heart, and that combination helped me connect with others to bring about lasting change in the schools and communities I serve.
What are your plans for the future?
Right now, I’m laser-focused on becoming Dr. Mitchell. This degree will further prepare me for more significant roles in education leadership. In the long term, I aspire to be a superintendent to make an even broader difference in school districts and communities. Another exciting area for me is in aspiring educator and leader development. I would like to invest in a future generation of school leaders by sharing my experiences and helping them understand the complexity of educational leadership.
In the very near future, I plan to continue working in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, particularly in building stronger relationships between schools and the community.
Whatever the future holds, I am committed to continuing my work so students and educators have what they need to succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.TheSonnyWalkerGroup.com
- Twitter: @SonnyWalkerGRP
