How Nicki McCann Created Community-Wide Impact with The Changemaker Program
A small community with a big heart
Caldwell Parish School District in Louisiana has 350 employees and is led by Nicki McCann. Nicki McCann grew up in Caldwell Parish, left for college, and later returned to begin her career in education.
Nicki rose through the ranks in the parish’s school district as a teacher, principal, secondary school director, and career education supervisor to ultimately take the lead as superintendent.
“I loved my experience growing up here and I want that same experience for our children,” she says. “My goal is to make people proud of our school system.”
Find out how Nicki leveraged what she learned working with Rayne Martin in The Changemaker program to make an impact in her community.
“Since working with Rayne, I’ve shifted my thought process. She helps you look at the facts of a situation in a way no one else can. I now know that I’m a changemaker.”
Nicki McCann, Superintendent, Caldwell Parish School District
Relationship and time management challenges:
Several years ago, the team at Caldwell Parish School District was experiencing some tension in their relationships with one another.
“In a small town, people can have preconceived notions, and this was causing animosity,” Nicki says.
Time management was also a problem. Some of Nicki’s staff who had been promoted to new roles were having trouble letting go of their previous responsibilities to focus on higher level priorities.
“They were getting caught up putting out fires,” Nicki says. “It’s hard to stay energized and grow when all you do is react.”
At the time, Nicki was also struggling with an absence of support at her level of leadership. While she could lean on other superintendents for answers and advice, she needed someone in her life who she could talk to about more sensitive issues like insecurities and negative thoughts.
“You can’t do that with your team because you’re the leader and if you have doubt, they have doubt,” she says.
Nicki needed guidance to build leadership capacity, and help her team improve relationships, set priorities, and shift away from reactivity.
Seeking strategic guidance:
In summer 2021, Nicki had been in her role as superintendent for a year and a half. As life began to get back to normal at that stage in the pandemic, the district started a new strategic planning process initiated by the state.
“Caldwell Parish and 10 other districts were chosen to pilot the process of building a five-year strategic plan. In 2022, they offered The Changemaker program to all of the districts participating,” Nicki says. “As a small, rural district, we wouldn’t have otherwise had this opportunity, and it was money well spent.”
As soon as she began The Changemaker, Nicki decided to take what she was learning and use it to develop her team into better leaders, too. This is when the magic started to happen.
Building a stronger school district:
Uncovering and mastering strengths
Rayne worked with Nicki and the rest of the participants in The Changemaker to discover their strengths and learn how to leverage them. This opened Nicki’s eyes to her abilities as a leader.
She brought the tools back to her team so they could better understand their own strengths and those of their colleagues. Learning what made one another tick opened the doors for communication and helped build bridges.
“Getting people to understand that no one’s right or wrong, but this is just how we work, was revolutionary,” Nicki says. “When everyone could see their strengths, relationships were mended. Now, everyone is rowing in the same direction.”
Prioritizing legacy work
Time management also improved thanks to insights from The Changemaker. Nicki used the learnings to help her school district’s leaders hone in on the legacy they each want to leave and how they were spending their time. They looked critically at whether their focus was on the important work or just the busywork.
“We separated all of their tasks into what was growing the school and what could be delegated. My staff are no longer in a rut dealing with the day-to-day. We’ve built leadership capacity and they’re clear on their priorities,” Nicki says.
Making space for vulnerability and problem solving
During Nicki’s one-on-one sessions with Rayne in The Changemaker, she appreciated the opportunity to be completely honest and vulnerable without judgement. She learned to step into her leadership and not let negativity pull her down.
“Rayne would always ask me whether something was fact or feeling,” Nicki says. “She helped me process and problem solve.”
Unlocking clarity, confidence, and impact:
95% of district leaders agree that they are more effective due to a better understanding and use of their strengths
94% of district leaders agree that they now have the tools to spend more time on important work and less on busywork
1 major school board vote passed, creating positive change for 3 schools
Nicki says the biggest benefit she gained from her experience in The Changemaker is that Rayne shifted her way of thinking—first in viewing certain characteristics she possessed as strengths, then in helping her teach her team to do the same.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever been as candid with anyone,” Nicki says. “When I tend to get down and negative, I now have tools to turn around and move in the right direction.”
As a former teacher, it was second nature to Nicki when she internalized the learnings from The Changemaker to pass them on to her team.
“The impact just multiplies, and they’ll grow their teams in the same way,” she says. “That will trickle down to teachers and students.”
Additionally, in the midst of Nicki’s time in The Changemaker, her school district was working on a restructuring plan for three schools to address issues of overcrowding among other concerns. She found Rayne’s support invaluable through this process.
“We passed the proposal, and that was huge for this community. Now, it doesn’t matter where a child’s address is—they can have the same opportunities as anyone else in the district,” Nicki says. “However, the restructuring was an emotional and divisive topic. It was a 4:3 vote. I don’t think I could have pushed through without Rayne.”
Rayne helped Nicki navigate the restructuring with the school board and community, coaching her to keep the lines of communication open and lead her team through the shift.
“Being a changemaker is not easy, but if you have the right heart, reasons, and strategies, you can push through and help your team push through,” Nicki says.
Practical leadership strategies:
Nicki’s experience in The Changemaker program has strengthened both her leadership and her team through the tools she shared with them. She was able to safely discuss difficult topics in a transparent, candid way that built her confidence. And with Rayne’s support and constructive feedback, Nicki now has a set of strategies to create positive change that she can lean on for life as she continues working to make a difference in her community.
