Troy Armstrong - Superintendent, Wauseon Schools

As he closes-out a memorable career in education, Troy Armstrong shares stories and perspectives about leading the school district he attended as a student, his leadership approach, what success looks like, and navigating no-win situations. As he heads-off into the sunset, Troy will most likely be riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle. 

Host/Executive Producer; Brad Rieger, Audio Engineer/Production Coordinator; Kerry Schwable, Social Coordinator; Tim McCarthy, Graphic Designers: Stephen Shankster/Jeremy Thomas. Content made possible by Cooper-Smith Advertising LLC 2023

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

What makes leaders different? In the arena podcast dealt with the working personal dynamics, what kind of wide down needs to lecturing experiences and perspective of leaders who have to navigate it the first time to move the organizations and themselves for defining moments, lessons learned points of inspiration by the work with these conversations to collect. Well, hello everyone, and uh welcome to Indie Arena. And joining us today, we've got another great guest, uh Troy Armstrong. Troy is the superintendent of Wassion Exemptive Village Schools, a role he has held since 2019. And for those of you who don't know, the city of Wasseon is located in Fulton County in northwest Ohio, about 40-ish miles west of Toledo. Uh Troy is retiring from the superintendent position in a couple of weeks. So we are catching him at the twilight of his uh educational leadership journey. Uh prior to the superintendency, uh, Troy held a variety of roles, including elementary teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum and technology, and assistant superintendent. Troy received his superintendent credentials from the University of Finley, master's degree in educational administration from University of Toledo, and bachelor's degree in education from Bowling Green State University. And Troy, it's great to be here with you. Thanks, Brad. I'm really looking forward to it and appreciate the fact that you reached out. Hey, and we're you're you're hosting us here at the Wasseon uh Board of Education. It was a nice drive out here and just uh great to be with you. And Troy, you and I have known each other for a long time. We had the privilege of, I had the privilege of working with you four years uh in Springfield Local Schools, and uh it's over the last what 23 years now just watching your career grow and blossom and the and the great things you're doing. It's it's been great. But we really haven't had a chance to catch up, so we're gonna catch up now after 23 years. What do you think? I'm looking forward to it. It's great. All right, so you have a couple weeks left as a superintendent. Um, the end of the school year is always very packed with stuff. So as you're doing these um end of the year activities and wrap-ups, what's what's going through your mind and how you're feeling as you go finish up here as a as a superintendent of Wassion Schools?

SPEAKER_02 2:40

Yeah, well, there's certainly a level of excitement um anticipating August 1st coming. And uh one of the one of my former kindergarten teachers uh made a paper chain for me uh at the start of the year. So as I tear a chain off every day and it gets shorter, there's also some anxiety coming along with that. Um and like on August 1st, what's that's gonna be like to wake up and not have a calendar full of events or look out the window to see what weather's like? Uh and then just here on here on campus, as as things are are going 100 miles an hour right now, uh towards the end of the end of the year and commencement on Sunday, um it's it's kind of surreal because trying to do business for things you won't necessarily be here for next year. So trying to to blend in allowing the incoming superintendent to make some decisions, but also making those decisions because um although he's ready for the job, he's never made those decisions. So just trying to make that blend. That's a little hard because because I, as you know, like you as a leader, I'm a go-getter, so I have to put the brakes on a little bit and say, hey, you're things that are happening next year, you need to get some input on that.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

So you're in some transition mode, also. Yes, yeah. Troy, when did you know you were gonna be an educator?

SPEAKER_02 4:07

So it's it's a really vivid memory for me. Um, I was in sixth grade, and homework at my house was done at the dinner table prior to dinner. Um, and if it was, if we had if as we got older practices, it was after dinner, but it was it. My parents were you're at the table, and my mom was guiding that. Um, and my mom said to me, You're gonna be a teacher someday. And you know, you're in sixth grade. I I I wanted to drive a truck like my dad drove. Um, and uh so Why do you think she said that? Why did she cheat it? She said that because I had a younger sister, and uh what I would help her with her homework. Um I had a special needs cousin um that was my age, and and so I would always step out of whatever we were doing to involve her. Um, and so those were the those were the examples my mom gave to gave to me. Uh, but but so through from there on, um my mom was just constantly saying, someday you're gonna be a teacher. I didn't believe it, and I didn't that wasn't my um thought about about the future, wasn't sure what I wanted it wanted to do. Um and we'll get into some of that later about things I did after high school that that before I went to college. But uh that's that's when I knew as I look back now, mom had the the foresight, um, and that's what parents are about.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

When you went to BGSU, you were ready. You you went right into education. Yes. Yeah, yes, yep. All right. So you were a teacher for what, five years, six years? I was a teacher actually for three and a half. Three and a half, and then you pivoted pretty early into administration. So, what was the catalyst for that switch?

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Yeah, so um the principal, I was a pr I was a teacher at Spring Elementary with Toledo Public Schools, and and my principal Robert Williams, uh early on in my first year there, he said, You have some leadership skills. Um, let's get you involved in things. So uh he he allowed me to uh hit strong union sense in in Toledo. So as a teacher, he allowed me to do some um leadership pieces within the building uh and just kind of guided me through, hey, maybe you ought to try or maybe you ought to think about. Um so one of the things I did was let a professional development where we had Dr. Howard Knopf come in from the University of Florida and and do some PDE, and and I was able to guide that work. Um, and and so that's when he just he just said, Hey, I'm gonna take you over to the board office and introduce you to some people. And he introduced me to some of at that time there was secondary education and elementary education leadership. Introduced me to some people, and and then the first time there was a dean of students job open, he brought it to my room and said, apply. I said, All right, here we go. So so it was that that was um that was my second year teaching that he that that happened.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Um dean at Leverett.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

I was a dean at Leverett Junior High, yes. So uh I applied, you know, for four different dean positions, and then finally was offered uh I didn't have I was working on my master's at the time, but didn't have uh an administrative degree that they wanted an administrative degree, but it wasn't necessary.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

So right. So you said uh right be previously, you said you envisioned yourself, you at least in sixth grade, driving a truck. But if you weren't an educator, what what do you think you would have gravitated to?

SPEAKER_02 7:43

I I would have gravitated to the trades and particularly uh an electrician. Uh my grandfather was an electrician, uh my dad is was truly a jack of all trades. It wasn't anything that man couldn't do. He remodeled our house, he'd he put a new engine in a car for me to take to college. He could just do it, he could just do it all. Um, and so my brother's a a union electrician, been in the trade a long time. So um I s I dabble in a little bit of that at my own house. I don't want to burn anyone's house down, so I do it at my own home. But I think I'd have been an electrician.

SPEAKER_00 8:19

All right. So the let's talk about Wassion. Now you were born and raised in Wassian. Went uh graduated from Wassian High School. Your parents went to Wassion, uh, your wife Jill went to Wassion, she's a teacher um in the Wasion schools, your kids all went through it. And um you uh returned, I think, twice. You came back as an elementary principal here, and then you went to Springfield um as assistant superintendent, that type of role. But then you came back here as uh superintendent. First of all, for people who don't know, do give a little paint a picture of Wasion for us.

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Yeah, so um right now uh Wasion, we're about 8,000 uh people in Wasion, uh a lot of farm land, um small community. Well you know, when I was growing up, there were less than 4,000 people, so you felt like you knew everyone. You also felt like you couldn't go anywhere without your parents finding out what what you did and and and how you did it. Um so the population has doubled. The population has doubled, yes. Yeah, so so we've expanded, uh gone further uh west and further further east um with housing developments. Uh and and but right now we're at the place where we there was a a new subdivision that was just built uh in the community, and that's really the only new housing we've had in years. Um and so when someone's house is for sale, pretty much within days someone buys it and it goes. So but but but the but the community is is nested in strong school district, strong churches, and uh a strong city and and community working together. Uh we have great parks. If you visit Wasse Island, we have great parks, we have great rotary club. Uh but but the heart of it is is that it's a rural community. Um and for the most part everyone cares about each other.

unknown 10:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

Uh Troy growing up, um, what what type of activities, interests, what type of student were you?

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Yeah, yeah. I I'd say I was a I was a pretty good student. Um and uh so we we had I lived in very close to um the we had two elementary schools at the time where actually uh they were K-8 buildings, depending on which side of the tracks you live, north or south, what building you went to. So I can remember walking to school in kindergarten uh with the neighborhood kids and walking home uh half day. Um and and so that that's a fond memory. Then then we transitioned in in the district and had um banded school buildings. Uh and so there was some there was some movement there. But I I was a good student. I participated in athletics. Um where'd you play? So in in high school I played basketball and football. Um I was I was uh I was the come off the bench person for for both for both sports. I have fond, fond memories of of my coaches and and uh of of athletics, but academics at in Wassion uh were were really important. You know, the teachers, most of the teachers lived in Wassion and were either friends of my parents or um were younger uh individuals at at the time, um, but everybody knew each other. Uh so be being at school, you just you had to be on your best. Who are the people that shaped you early in life? Yeah, so um number one, my parents, uh just uh you know, for from having parents that um were married, loved each other, uh, and and both were high school sweethearts. It's it's kind of a cool story. Um, but the the two of two of them, we're in church all the time, so strong, godly uh base for us. Um my parents were super active in church, from leading the youth group to my dad who was the one who would fix the boiler, um mow the lawn, be the head usher, um, be on committees. So so that so first my parents, and then secondly, my high school basketball coach, um, Ken Burgeye, I still communicate with him today. Uh, and and it's an interesting story. He he's just a top quality person. He was my PE teacher and um and coach. And he was the kind of guy who, hey, if you didn't have a ride, jump in his car, he takes you over to whatever school we were practice was at that night because we we would ship wherever the girls were, we'd be opposite, we'd go back for share because there's only one gym at the high school. Uh so Ken Burgeye was fabulous. Um, and he just he just always kept in contact, and I always kept in contact with him. But but the neatest thing was he he I became the principal at the primary school and he was the counselor. So here's the here's a man that I highly respected, and I would call him Mr. Burgeye all the time. It was about six months into my principal ship, and he he said, he took me aside, he said, You know you're my boss. And I said, There's absolutely no way I can think like that. He said, Well, you have to call me Ken. You just have to. At some point in time, you have to call me Ken. So I was able to do that and and kind of get over that, but I never felt like his boss, I always felt like his colleague. Um, but still today I just talked to him the other day, text him. Uh, he and his wife uh they live in Troy, Ohio, and then have a place in in Florida, so I still stay in contact with him. So he really shaped because he was he saw talent in me, and I wasn't always the guy at summer practice. Um, and and he he'd call or or see me say, Where are you? Well, I was either at the pool, riding bike, hoeing beans, or bailing A. That that's that's what I was doing. So uh, but but he saw that in me and and stay in contact. So so those are the two uh people I say um those groups are strongest for me. Did you grow up on a farm? Did not. Uh, but um my uncles had farms, but here in town, there there was a gentleman named Clarence Bruner, owned a lot of land. Um, and I got I got connected to him through friends. Um, and every summer we would hoe beans. We'd get up at six was that an official job. That was an official job because it was the beans grow and there would be weeds in there. We'd we'd get up in the morning, go out there at 6 a.m., 6 30 a.m. with a hoe, and uh we'd you'd walk through the field, just walk between the bean rows and and hoe out the beans or hoe out the weeds, hoping not to get any beans while you hoed.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

So how many years did you how many summers did you have?

SPEAKER_02 15:22

Oh, I probably probably did that probably did that four summers. Um in the baling hay on on and off. Um there's onweller family. We hoed beans for onweller family as well. They're still uh they still have farms. Uh Clarence has since passed away, but uh uh the Onwellers uh are still farming and the Bruners are s are still farming, so that was always interesting.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Well, this is a good setup for uh what I started to ask you is about this idea of coming back home and serving in the main leadership role of the school district. There's a romantic notion to that, right? Yes. Um but there's also because of the difficulty of the job and the decisions you have to make in some of the complex situations that arise. Um what were the great uh what were the pros and cons, I guess, of coming back and leaving the district you grew up in, your parents, your your wife, your kids. Um what what were the great aspects of that? And then if was there anything that was like a downside?

SPEAKER_02 16:28

So the the great things were one was just coming home, so to speak. Um I've always lived in Wassion, and uh so then being able to come back here uh and give back to the school district that gave me so much. Um that that was number one. Um the the the other the other pro is relationships. Um I'm a huge relationship person, I think relationships are really important. You need to you need to really get to know someone before you can lead them. Um, you need to know them personally, and so having relationships that were were were built over 50 years, um that was a pro because whether it was a difficult conversation or a like conversation, uh people knew who I was and who I am, and so that made hard decisions easier, especially when you're presenting new thoughts, new concepts to to the community. Uh so I think relationships uh were were the biggest positive. Negative-wise, you're in a fishbowl. Yeah, that's how I I have always described it. Doesn't matter whether you're at church or or riding your bike, taking a walk at the grocery store, at Walmart, wherever you're at, restaurant, people see you as the superintendent or as the principal. When I was the principal, I was there for 10 years. It got to the place where my kids wouldn't go to the grocery store with me because they're like, and you understand that because you lived in the community, it they're like, Dad, I'm not going with you. We only need milk, but we'll be there for a half hour. So so yeah, I'd say that'd be that that's the biggest negative is just um living in that fishbowl and and having uh the community look at you differently and look at your family differently because of the role you're in.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Yeah. And your kids um when you were a couple of your kids were graduated when you were superintendent, and you had a couple still.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

I had I had one. So I have three kids, two are graduated, and and my youngest son, um, who's truly the only one who could live in the high school and have his dad be the superintendent. He could handle it. He's our third kid, you know, he's go with go with the flow. He was able to uh um handle the well, why didn't your dad cancel school today? I thought it was really foggy. You know, he that stuff just rolls off his back. Uh he and he was a super strong student, a super strong athlete. So he survived uh he survived. Um my oldest uh Jana, she would have uh there there would have there might have been some fights. And my youngest or my middle son, Trent, he's he's he's a middle child. He's he he's he's very similar to me. He he wouldn't have he would have just been in the in the middle taking that on, wearing the burden uh of it, and and probably saying some things, but uh Jude, it just rolled off his back.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Now being the spouse of a superintendent, speaking from experience, uh, can be uh challenging. Uh Jill working in the district, did she ever say, like, hey, um, did she have any reluctance of you coming back to be the superintendent?

SPEAKER_02 19:51

Yeah, so she's my biggest supporter, um, always has been. Uh and and you're right, she was here first uh when it comes to the school district. And uh the only thing she said, she she was 100% behind me. Um she knew that was was a dream of mine to be the superintendent here, but she said, I'm not gonna change who I am. And and I said, I don't want you to, I wouldn't expect you to. And everyone who knows Jill wouldn't want her to change who she was. And and and she never did um through this whole time. Um, she's always been a strong proponent of the school district, and it doesn't matter where you go, whether we're we're at the park or at a ball game, her kids because she travels around and sees all all her kids. Uh she's teaches sixth grade right now, but she watches their events, whether it's basketball, cheer, plays, whatever. She's she's everywhere. But we when we walk into a room, 90% of the time it's Mrs. Armstrong, not Mr. Armstrong.

SPEAKER_00 20:50

Right. Troy, are your parents are they still alive? They're not. They're not. No, no. Um did they were they alive when you started? Yes, they were. Yes. Had to be really proud, I bet.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

They they were. It's um my parents had, you know, I talked about that group of people in Walseyon. My parents were part of a Bible study for 50 years. And that group of that group of people were were the people that were like your second parents to to you as you're growing up. They're the ones helping mom and dad at graduation time, uh, difficult times, fun times. Um, but yeah, that group of people were and my parents were super proud. Um, and it it was just anywhere I went, I would hear, oh yeah, talk to your mom, or I talk to uh the shorts, or I talk to uh the wises, and and they're really happy you're you're here and they're so proud of you. So yeah, it was it was cool to come back come back here and have your parents because you always want to make your parents proud. And when you can do that, um that was pretty important. And they could see your work directly.

SPEAKER_00 21:53

Yes, right, yes, and you can feel it and they can hear about it more than most parents can their children. Correct. Uh Troy, after this is you're finishing up your seventh year. Yes. So what do you see more clearly now after seven years and when you first came in? Another way to ask that it would be what do you underestimate about the job?

SPEAKER_02 22:14

Yeah. So definitely underestimated the buck stops with you as superintendent. You know, it in my in your role as principal, there are things that stop with you. As bro in my role as assistant superintendent, there were things that stop uh with me. But as superintendent, it is it is you are the fun you're the finality of whatever it is. Um and and that was probably something I underestimated.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Um because at the point, a lot of times you get a lot of uh great input and suggestions and advice from people you trust. Yes, but they leave the room and then it's just you. Right, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. In my time in Springfield, um and you had significant responsibilities as assistant. Sure, director of technology, you get you had really good ideas and you offered them to the superintendent. Correct, right.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

And and that that's and then you left the right, right. I remember saying to Matt Giha one time, I'm like, I the whatever the topic was, I'm like, let's it's just this, X. And he said, That's that's great from your seat, Troy, but from my seat, X looks a little bit different. And and uh um then you get into the seat, and yes, it's it's that's probably that was probably the toughest part. That the the best part of of being the superintendent is just watching all of the growth from students and staff, and watching scores grow, watching successes. Um probably one of my favorites is um watching those kids I had in kindergarten graduate and then come back and teach for us. That that's that that part's been really neat. I mean, there's a handful of those cases here in in town.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

You mentioned success, Troy. How has uh your definition of success for the school district and even for yourself as a as a leader? How has that uh changed over the last seven years, or probably even over the your whole entire career?

SPEAKER_02 24:23

Yeah, I I'd say for me personally and professionally, success has changed in that success is now what that individual feels is their own success. So, you know, in 2009-ish, ODE wanted everyone going to college, and we we we're on that that bandwagon pushing for that. Um but it but if graduating from high school and going right into the workforce is is is your uh desire, that's success to me. Um if if being a a strong student uh but not participating in any extracurriculars, if that's your success, that's your success. I think that's what this job has opened my eyes up to is that success for every individual isn't what I want for them or what we want for them. It's what what do they want, and then it's our job to guide them towards that. I think that's my idea of success is changed where it's not influenced by the outside, it's influenced by that individual.

unknown 25:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:35

How has the the job of superintendent changed you?

SPEAKER_02 25:41

There honestly, one of the things is made me a little more callous. Um I don't want to say that, but but but it has. I've I've always been someone who can make the tough decisions um and and do that with with respect to whether it's a termination of someone or a tough decision. I've always been able to do that, but it's made me a little callous because you're because you you're your the school district is constantly attacked. Um in Ohio, I'm not gonna get on a legislative soapbox by any means. You can, you're leaving. Exactly right. I can say whatever I'm gonna say it now. Say it. So so I've I I I've said it many times. I it doesn't feel like our legislature or our governor or our government um supports public education. And that's the hardest part is to watch your teachers and your students and your food service, transportation, operations, secretaries, the the whole realm, every everybody involved in the school district, watch how hard they work every day, and then have an outside source say you're not working hard enough and you need to do better. Um, well, our community is satisfied with how well we do. Uh I'm satisfied with how well we do. If you look at our grade card, do we have some areas we need to improve? Yes, but so does everyone else in Ohio. Um and and so I think make being callous um probably is is the thing that that has changed the most.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:21

I saw where you were involved, there was a a year ago or two years ago, a consolidation push, right? And I saw you and other superintendents in the in the more of the rural district say, hey, that's probably not the greatest idea.

SPEAKER_02 27:34

Yeah, yeah, that that that did that conversation did did happen. And um as Fulton County superintendents, we got we got together and just the community of of of Wasion is is Wasseon's community. Yeah, it it can't be a consolidated group of of school districts. In this case of Fulton County, seven. Don't see how seven school districts could come together and and one save in any money. Might people might think, oh well, you're only gonna have one superintendent instead of seven superintendents. But Fayette on the west side of town and evergreen on the on the east side are pretty far apart um for for one person to to lead all that. And then and then how do you get a bus? Where do kids go? What buildings do you use? What buildings do you not use? But yeah, but consolidation just is not um, in my opinion, uh an economical or a wise uh thing for any school district, but especially out here in the rural school district, there's a lot of pride in in being a Wassiana Indian.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

What do you see, Troy, that public education in general is getting right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

The the workforce development piece, um, that is something that is right for our student for our students. Um at our high school, uh, through our ag program, we have workforce development. We have kids going out and working apprenticeship type situations, um, but we don't have as much of that as we used to have. And so um I think that's an important push, and we're looking to expand our programming at the high school. Um, so I so I I think that's an been an important change.

SPEAKER_00 29:24

Um yeah, I think I think that's that that's probably the biggest one. Is there anything that doesn't make sense anymore for public schools to be doing?

SPEAKER_02 29:35

I thought long and hard about that question, and and um the thing that came to to the top of my mind was the school calendar. That the school calendar that was developed however many years ago, um, so families could farm in the summer. Um and and the the concept of year-round school with with breaks throughout the year makes a lot of sense to me. A student taught in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and and they had that concept. And and and it was neat to be there. Uh, I was there for three months, but it was neat to see that because there were there were multiple two-week breaks or one-week breaks, and and there was, in my opinion, some um push into the economy instead of just everything happening during the summer throughout if there was a year-round school, uh, you know, there might be a break in in in in winter time or or springtime where maybe people would travel and we'd we'd see some economy growth.

SPEAKER_00 30:38

Right. Rio de Janeiro, I did not know you did that too. That's through BGSU. Yes. So you had a uh a foreign exchange opportunity. How did that work?

SPEAKER_02 30:47

So um at the time, the dean of the College of Secondary Education uh was in the Peace Corps with um Dr. Lindaker, who uh uh got his degree at BGSU um and was the headmaster at the school in Rio. It was an American Catholic school. And so the two of them set up an exchange where teachers from um Our Lady of Mercy and Rio would come to BGSU to either master's or doctorate degree programs, and then students would go um to uh Rio and and student teach. The the students at the school, most of their families were either in the military or IBM. And so these kids, the kids I taught third grade, and uh they uh they all spoke three languages. That's so I I felt like this very inept person speaking one one one language. But but the kind the idea was bringing United States um education to Rio for so those students could have uh an education based um from the United States. Wow, what a great experience! Yeah, it was phenomenal.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

All right, back to the state of Ohio, our our country. Um what gives you hope about schools and education in general?

SPEAKER_02 32:11

Schools are getting it right. Public schools are getting it right. We're we're we we always have, we always will, and you know the numbers somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of the of Ohio students go to public school. So that we've got to be doing something right. Um and uh we will continue to do it do it right. Our our what we're getting right is is caring for kids because every single solitary student, no matter what their background, when they walk in our doors, they're ours. Uh here in Wassion, we say ours with capital O, capital U, capital R. They're our kids. Um so it doesn't matter what classroom in or what space they're in, they're ours. Uh and so that's what's happening in public education is we're we're getting it right. We're taking every student where they come to us from and we're growing them. Um and our all look at the public school data, it shows we're we're we're growing kids. Um so so that's that's one of the strongest things I see. Will you repeat that question? Yeah, what gives you hope about yeah. The the yeah, the the hope piece is watching our graduates graduate and and be top quality individuals and going right into the workforce, going to the military, going to college or a degree program, and and and being successful. Every generation says that the other generation didn't work as hard as they worked. I heard it from the previous generation. I've said it. Um, but I but I don't believe it. Um I I look at my three kids, I look at the graduates from Wall Street and schools, and and kids this generation, they're they're they're working hard. It just looks different than the the work that we did and the work the generation before us did. So that I have hope in the success of the world in that our future is is strong in our students.

unknown 34:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

Troy, it's uh let's look at your leadership approach. And you've mentioned relationships being key. But is there a uh habit or a mindset for you that has been really important to your overall effectiveness as a school leader?

SPEAKER_02 34:31

Yeah, two things come to mind. One is yes, there are times you need to make immediate decisions, but for the most part, you can take some time and and and think, sleep, pray, and get some input from the people who the the decision's going to impact. I've always felt strong in that if I make a decision and I have all those pieces, I I can firmly stand behind whether it's will make it will definitely make some people happy and it'll make some people not happy. Sharking. Yeah, right. But but knowing that you've done your due diligence and you just didn't make the decision whimsically, um, I think that for my for me, that's the leadership that I'm most proud of in myself is that I I have listened. Um I don't always side with with what I hear, but at least I took the information in, processed it, and came up with a decision.

SPEAKER_00 35:32

Um what what's the since we're in the decision discussion point here, what's the most challenging decision you've had to make or situation you've had to navigate?

SPEAKER_02 35:48

So our earned selling an earned income tax to the community, what what was probably the the most difficult piece to navigate? One, it was new to the community, and two, you're asking for people to give more money. Um and and but it but explaining that um to the community, um you know, you look at your personal finances. We we took the route that with your own personal finance, you try to diversify as well as revenue, you try to diversify that. So that's what the school district's doing. We're trying to be the best stewards of of the revenue that does come in, but we're also trying to make sure the revenue comes from multiple sources so we can continue to do all the great things that we do. That's that was probably the most difficult situation uh to navigate in in my career. Um and and then just the tough decisions you make with personnel, uh, you know, those those wear on you because those are human beings, uh and whatever the decision is with that with that person, you know, it's going to impact them. But it but for me, I've always on the backside of that said what's best for kids when I'm making that decision. Um, and then you you you makes your rest a little bit easier, but the human side of it's always difficult.

SPEAKER_00 37:13

Uh what about a time you felt over your head?

SPEAKER_02 37:18

Yeah. As as I was pondering this question, um I'm not sure I ever felt completely over my head. But and and I'm gonna go back to this levy campaign. I felt like I was just barely keeping my head above water. We had we had the divisiveness in the community um for the income tax levy, but we are also in fiscal precaution. So we were working with that's what when I came into the district, I knew we were in fiscal precaution, and one of my tasks was to get us out of that. Uh, and with the help of our labor unions and all the staff here in our board, we were able to do that. But so working with ODEW or ODE at the time on our fiscal precaution, not being able to afford to do anything. Um we just we had just tightened the straps to the place where we weren't buying construction paper, uh, those types of things. Um and and that that's when I felt like I was drowning, but uh I felt like God kept my head just above water enough to to to make it to the next day. And I'm sorry, but but with that was at that same time that was going on. My my father-in-law passed away in June. My mother-in-law's husband of 20 years passed away in October, my dad died in December, my mom died in May. My mom died the day the levee passed the second time. Um, so I did feel like I did feel like I was drowning. I never never felt like it was over my head, but pretty darn close. Pretty close. Uh, what's your favorite mistake? I thought long and hard about my favorite mistake, and I just I know I've had a I've know I've had a million mistakes, but I was trying, but I've tried I tried to put my finger on like what was my favorite mistake. Um and and I don't know that this is a amus. It was not a mistake, but it kind of felt like it to me when I decided to come to Wasion the first time as the principal. Um there money's not everything, but there's a $20,000 pay decrease. I had three kids. We wanted all our kids to go to college. Um and and I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do to do. Um and a neighbor of mine said, What's your motive in coming back? I said I want to be around my kids. And he said, Well, there's no so so it wasn't, you know, it might have felt like a mistake to me changing and trying to be the the leader of the family and and the breadwinner. Um, but it it wasn't because it gave me 10 years here that I I was able to be, uh you know, as a principal, you got a little bit of flexibility. I could go run to the building to to see this program or that program. Um, so I I would say that.

SPEAKER_00 40:27

Yeah. Uh you you mentioned kind of the maybe the callous, you got thicker skin now. Um and when you're making those hard decisions and uh you're taking some of those body blows, uh what did you rely on or how did you get through those tough moments?

SPEAKER_02 40:47

Yeah, so uh number one for me, Brad, is is is just God. Um I've I've got a strong Christian faith. Um praying. So oftentimes I'll forget to pray in those difficult times, but but every every time I gave it to God, there was a solution and and and a little bit of less stress. Um God answers it at his pace, not mine. Uh so sometimes that that's tough for the human side. So there's always there's always there's always that. Are you a morning prayer? I'm a I'm a morning, yes. Yeah, I've always gotten up, you know, 5 30, and and that's that's when I spend my time working out and um getting with God, whatever that looks like. Might just be music, it might be uh a daily bread scripture, it might be something I listen to, it might be reading the Bible, but yeah, I'm I'm a morning guy for that. Uh but then then also, but then my wife, Jill, she just she's a rock. Um so just always kind of because she's also not afraid to say, hey, that's the dumbest idea you ever had in your life. Maybe not to that extreme, but but she's not afraid to say, hey, you know, especially from a teacher standpoint, because because when you live with a teacher, you you you you see what teachers do every day, and uh making tough decisions, um, she would she was never afraid to say, hey, that that was a good one, or hey, uh, you didn't you didn't meet the mark on that one.

SPEAKER_00 42:23

Uh Troy, the best advice uh you ever received?

SPEAKER_02 42:29

Um so so the best advice that I've that I ever received um was probably from my mom when she just kept saying go to school, go to college. My dad, as I described, my dad, my dad was what the support he had there was he's like whichever route you take, I'm there. I'm 100% behind you, whatever route you you take. Not not against my mom. That's not what I'm saying. Just mom was always college, college, college. And I would I'd say that was the best advice. Um people in college, you know this. There's still people I uh communicate with today from from my from all levels of education. Uh so I think I think that's the biggest advice because I I think although I support, and even our own kids said whatever it is you want to do, we'll support you in that. But college just really truly does, education truly does just open your horizons. Um and so that that's the best advice. Other side of that coin is uh what advice uh did you get and you chose not to follow Probably uh w with with with that one, um you know, it's as as I look back, um especially Going from a teacher to administrator, slow down. Um and and and I didn't slow down. Um so I love the career path I had, but um sometimes I wish I would have slowed down a little bit and stayed in the classroom a little longer. Um, and and that's advice that I share with some of our our teachers who are are are looking to to get into administration. But yeah, it probably could have slowed down there a little bit, but I also wouldn't have turned around and done it differently.

SPEAKER_00 44:32

Right.

SPEAKER_02 44:33

Uh how about a book that had a lasting impression on you besides the Bible, and and I know I'm I'm hitting Christianity pretty hard, but that's me. Um that that's number one. But number two is is um leadership isn't for cowards by um um oh shoot. I know the answer to that. But that that'll come that'll come to me. Um but but but that but but leadership isn't for cowards because that's exactly that's as accurate as it get as it gets, no matter what you're leading. Um Mike Staver uh is the author. So um and and so in that book, he he he talks about um he always brings uh difficult situations back to many of the things we've talked about already, but just being informed and making sure that everyone knows what the expectation is. My expectation of my high expectation is is is my high expectation. It's not the same for the next person. So if I want the person to have the same level of expectation that I have, I have to tell them what that is. And and and as a leader, I I struggle with that, and then I just think everybody goes gonna go 100 miles an hour. So that's the best book I've ever read. It's actually on my shelf, sits out on my shelf. We did a book study as soon as I got here with the with the suit with the leadership team here in Wasseon with that book. Um, I reference it at all the time, and Mike Staver has a uh a short video podcast every Monday morning that he puts out some topic of leadership where someone sends in a question and then he answers it or gives advice on it.

SPEAKER_00 46:23

So it's great. Yeah. Now, Troy, I know you're a big music fan. How I know that is over the last 23 years, uh most of the texts or conversations you and I have had had to do with music or family. And I've also I've seen you at the Lucas County Fair on uh Sunday night or Monday at one of the rock concerts that are there. And maybe you were just being a superintendent out and about, but I think you also enjoyed the music. Yeah, absolutely. All right, so you're ready for school arrival. I'm ready for school arrival. Let's go. Uh, how about a song that reminds you of high school?

SPEAKER_02 46:57

So um anything A C D C for me in high school, uh my buddies, uh that's that was what was on our car stereos, that was what was in the locker room. Probably loud. Loud, loud. You know, I graduated in 87, so um 76 jailbreak came out my freshman year in 84. And my older brother, who was who was a senior when I was a freshman, he is probably the biggest rocker I know. So, so you know, all kinds of heavy metal um music is what I you heard rocking our house from his from his bedroom or the garage growing up.

SPEAKER_00 47:36

But uh that had to really concern your parents' Bible group.

SPEAKER_02 47:41

Oh, absolutely. Really concerned. Um yeah, yes, it did. That's all I'll say.

SPEAKER_00 47:48

All right, well, how about an uh artist, an album or genre of music that you've played the most so to date?

SPEAKER_02 47:55

Yeah, um, so in third day is is it is a Christian rock band, um, and I just recently went to their that they reunited and came to Toledo. So a lot of third day music uh on on that side. Um but but A C D C White Lion Um Rat Poison, those are all the concerts. Those are all the concerts I I I went to. Um Tesla. Um I'm a huge Tesla fan. Um I have this story about Tesla. So I have um I bought a car my senior year, and my parents helped me out with that. And uh it was a it was a 1976 Monte Carlo. So if you're familiar with that, it's two doors. Every door is about five feet long. It's the car is 17 feet long, heavy, huge car. So I put a stereo system in it, and uh I told you earlier my dad's a jack of all trades, so I I luckily I got some of that. Right. Uh so I so I installed new stereo system speakers and an amplifier. And the amplifier was was mounted in the trunk. Um, and so I needed someone in the trunk to adjust the amplifier because then there's a little screwdriver, so you're adjusting the amplifier. So I asked my dad, hey, will you get in the trunk and adjust the amplifier while I played Fantasy from um Tesla? It's what one of my it's my favorite car stereo song, car stereo song. Um, and because there's a big lead up, kind of slow music into a big lead up. And and dad's back there adjusting as I'm hollering over the loud music to adjust left, right, you know, up, down. Um, and so we we get that done, and dad calls out of the out of the trunk and he said, Wow, that sounds good.

SPEAKER_00 49:51

So he got you got a convert.

SPEAKER_02 49:53

He got yes, yeah. My dad was a uh um he loved country music. He was, I don't know if you're familiar with Freddie Fender, but Freddie Fender, he was a huge Freddie Fender uh fan. Um, Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama. That's all he's my dad had a stereo in the garage where we spent a lot of time woodworking, working on cars, just doing all kinds of things. And then in the house, he built into the wall a stereo that had an eight-track player, a cassette player, an AMF and radio, and then he had speakers throughout the house. So that's legit. Yeah, it was legit at the time. Um, you know, that that when he did that work, it's probably the late 70s. Um, but uh yeah, so so music's huge for for for for me. I think there's a lot of um there's a lot of uh calming feelings in in music, um, whether it's the the rock music or or calm Christian music, um I'm a huge huge K-Love fan, all kinds of um music on on K Love.

SPEAKER_00 50:55

Um but now karaoke, I imagine, probably given your public figure um official role, probably isn't something you seek out, but if you were given the opportunity uh to do a karaoke song among discreet friends, what would what would that say?

SPEAKER_02 51:14

So this was an easy one. Um although I like rock music and and classic rock, I also like country music and and Hank Williams Jr. is a fan of mine. Um and so uh Country Boy Can Survive. Um believe it or not, I have karaoked that song. You have I have, yes. What were the reviews? Oh the reviews were equal to my college uh professor when I took a music class who um said I had a very poor voice. Gotcha. So no, but it that would be the song, you know. That's that's just that's just a song that pretty much everybody here in Northwest Ohio knows. Um, and when you jump on behind a microphone, um usually gotta have some other people because my voice is poor. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_00 52:07

How about a really memorable concert experience?

SPEAKER_02 52:13

So the the the most memorable concert experience was I went to country concert four years ago in Fort Laramie with my with my two oldest kids and their significant others. Um and and again, I really like country music. Uh, and that was the first time I had I heard Hardy. Um and so that that that was pretty cool, but it was just cool enjoying music with my kids and now my son-in-law and who will be my daughter-in-law in July. Um that that was that was very memorable. And then all the concerts at the sports arena, you just there's just a million memories. Like what? Which one? So I saw ACDC at the sports arena. I saw Great White White Lion. That's all 80s. Tesla, yes, all in the 80s. Um ACDC is is memorable.

SPEAKER_00 53:09

Um that was um no sports arena, 5,000 people just jump crammed together, small venue, yes, intense, low ceiling, yeah, loud, most likely smoky, very smoky, very smoky.

SPEAKER_02 53:26

It was the first concert I ever took Jill to. So she was she was a senior in high school. I had just graduated and was working, and uh we I I took her with some friends and and we went to that concert, and uh that that was memorable because it was it was her first, but you could just imagine an ACDC concert, all the other memories.

SPEAKER_00 53:49

Once again, I'm I I just I'm concerned about the Bible study. You didn't run anything by him in the 80s, obviously.

SPEAKER_02 53:56

Obviously not. Obviously not. You know, I yeah, I remember my mom definitely having some words uh with my brother as some of the ACDC lyrics um flowed through the house.

SPEAKER_00 54:08

So how about uh a song that's had the greatest influence in your life?

SPEAKER_02 54:22

It kind of it goes along with um kind of the walk-up song I idea.

SPEAKER_00 54:31

Um you combine in the two? Yeah. Are you alright with that? I'm okay.

SPEAKER_02 54:37

Okay. Um and it's and it's recent. It's a Cody Johnson song. Um and it's called Till You Can't. And and it actually came out um pretty close to the time uh the summer before my mom passed away. And it's all about it, and so it was after my dad passed away, before my mom passed away. And and it's the lyrics are about do now what you can because you might not be able to do it later. Um, you know, the car parts are in the car with your grandpa, you know. Don't say, hey, I don't have time, do it now. If your dad wants to go fishing, go fishing. If your mom calls, answer the phone because someday you won't have those experiences. Um and is that song a changer of my life? No, but it's one that just constantly resonates in my mind. Um as advice to other people, uh, to when your mom calls or when your dad calls, uh, make sure you answer. If they want you to do something, make sure you go there and do it. Because, you know, neither of my parents' deaths were were expected. And my dad's was sudden. Um, he he had multiple sclerosis for many years, um, and that's ultimately what what took his life, but it wasn't expected, it was just one day in the hospital gone. And then my mom had a long battle with cancer and and and passed away. Um, so that for me, that that it hasn't changed my life, you know, looking back, but but it has made me think differently about hey, when my kids call now, I'm going. Yeah, I'm answering. Um, now with a grandchild, uh they say, Hey, grandpa, yeah, yes. The answer is just yes. You understand that.

SPEAKER_00 56:33

I understand that. Well, great school of rock. Uh, thanks for being so thoughtful on this. Yeah. Uh last couple questions are kind of big life ones. Uh, Troy, is there a story or an insight that sums up your career and education?

SPEAKER_02 56:52

Yeah. Um I I I'm not sure why, but I vividly remember standing in front of my fifth grade classroom, spring elementary, Toledo Public Schools, um, and standing in front of that group of 35 fifth graders who the year before the teacher who was in that classroom didn't make it through the mentoring program.

SPEAKER_00 57:18

And when I arrived, there was he or she wasn't very good.

SPEAKER_02 57:22

Correct. So when I arrived at the classroom, there was nothing in the classroom. And the custodian brought me a box of books that he said he picked up outside the window the the the year before. Um, and so back to relationships, I stood, I remember standing in front of that class of 35 and saying, You need me and I need you. And the only way we're gonna conquer fifth grade is together. Um and so I re I remember that that moment in time, uh, and again, not sure why, um, but that that's the heart of education, is is the students are as important to progress as as the classroom teacher or the or the leader. Um and and you but you don't know that until that day when someone tells you that. And so for me, um, there was a young man I had my second year of teaching in fifth grade, and he and I crossed paths two years ago in economic development here in in northwest Ohio. And um I recognize like this person looks familiar. Um, and and so he came up to me, Mr. Armstrong, and and I just I couldn't place it until he said until he said his name. And then it all flooded back. Um, and that that young man had a super successful career, played football uh for Navy, went went, um, went through the Naval Academy, graduated, um, is is very successful right now. But he looked at me and and and he said, Mr. Armstrong, I was with another person, and he said, Um, at that moment, he said to me, he said, You're the reason I am where I am today. Um, and and so when you hear that, you know, it took took 30 years to to hear that, but but that's the essence of education is why why did he say that? He I didn't, I didn't I didn't pry, but the person that I was with said to him, I kind of see this man in the same in the same manner as you see him. What what why do you say that? And and what he said, because he he was one of my only students who had two parents in in the home. Um and and I had a I had a group of gang members for both the blood and the crips in my classroom. Um and fifth grade. It was fifth grade, yes. And he and it but he wasn't involved in all, he's just a different kid. You knew he was gonna go somewhere someday. But he said, you cared about who we were, and it didn't matter where we came from when we all 35 of us showed up in your classroom. He didn't say 35, but I remember that because it was a lot of kids. He said, when we came in your classroom, it was safe. We were all in an environment where it was just about education and how are we going to work together to get to get to the end means, which was graduating for or moving on to sixth grade. So that just kind of culminated for me. That oh, you know, you you don't you may not ever get that experience, or or some people get it all the time. Uh I hadn't had that. And and 30 years later to hear that, it just made me say, that's what education's all about. Is is it's just doing for others what you would have done to yourself. Yeah, very cool. Uh Troy, what are you most proud of? Um I'm I'm most proud of the fact that I have stayed true to Troy Armstrong and my roots and what my parents taught me and and and my and my faith. Um, no matter what environment I've been in. I've been in urban, suburban, rural school districts. Um I think that's what I'm most proud of is if I is I've just I haven't changed who Troy is just because of where I'm at. Um and then just surrounding myself with high quality people. The best leader surrounds themselves with people who are either better than them or or can can make the good keep going. And and I've been able to do that. Um, and not 100% to myself. I gotta give the good Lord his share on that because he's he's just guided my path. I have no idea why I why I worked for a year and a half at Carter Lumber Company right out of out of high school because I didn't know what I wanted to do. But that those that experience there was was was one of the best experiences from being a salesman to loading lumber to driving delivery truck to driving forklift um to understanding different types of shingles to plumbing, electrical, those types of things. Um, but uh it wasn't my choice, it was the path God put me on. Uh, and and then I knew it just hit me like a ton of bricks one day. I'm like, I'm not going to be a laborer in in this environment my whole life. It's that was just for me. It's great for other people. I still have friends who are who are um executives in the cartelumber uh company, but um for me that wasn't for me, and I had it on to school, so yeah. That's great. What are you most grateful for? Uh I'm I'm I'm most grateful for and again this sounds cliche and and redundant, but I'm I'm most grateful for the fact that the good Lord put me with the two parents he put me with. Um, because if it wasn't for them and their guidance, um I wouldn't be where I'm at today. Uh, you know, I I think about how I raised my kids, took a lot of um in influence from from my parents, Jill's parents. Um, I I started hanging out in that family when I was 15. So so there was a lot of influence there. And then you then you pass it on. And then now that I have a granddaughter and I have a daughter and a son-in-law, and I see them parent and and you see some similarities, I I think that's what I'm most grateful for or gracious for.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:44

Troy, um second to last one. How how do you want to be remembered? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:51

I want to be remembered as the person who cared about other people. I I want to be remembered by people saying, you know what? He he treated me just like I was his best friend, or just like, and no matter what the circumstances was. Um I I just want to I want to be remembered for um being that person that was true and 100% Troy Armstrong, no matter what situation I was involved in. Um and and and what is who is Troy Armstrong? I I think Troy Armstrong is a third child in the family that was the mediator and and and the person that just always took care of everything. Um it might sound like I'm too to my horn, but I'm not. Uh it's just my personality. Uh, I want to be remembered as that person that just came to Wasion schools and made it a better place, but also in life made everybody else feel like their number one um in front of me.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:03

That's awesome. And Troy, you uh you still got some fuel in the tank. What do you see for yourself on the horizon besides the being a grandpa, obviously?

SPEAKER_02 1:05:12

Yeah, besides being a grandpa, um, I I'm I'm officially board approved to be an administrative substitute for Springfield schools, kind of go back there, um, my so to speak. Um that that is my second family. Um, Mrs. Kobak um said when when the board approved uh my my contract going back there as a as a sub. She said, Welcome home, um, which was kind of cool because that is my in my opinion, my second home. Um, but I'm I'm gonna do that. Um I'm gonna be available for consulting if anybody's interested in that. But I I really wanna get up or want to get up in the morning, not have anything to do, at least a couple days, and and and I have a 2001 Harley Davis and Fat boy just wants to jump on it and ride. Where are you going with that? Where are you? Yeah. I I don't I I do not like days and days riding. Okay. The furthest I've gone is Cincinnati down 127. Um, but I like day rides. You know, I I I want to just head to southern Ohio, maybe spend the night and come back. Uh Jill likes to ride, but she likes short rides. I've had a bike. I we used to pick her up in high school on my dad's motorcycle and take her to school. Um, not sure how I got her parents to agree to that, but um I've I've just always had a bike. I had a Goldwing at one point in time. My kids, I'd take them for rides, and some people in the community would like that and some wouldn't. Why is a kid on a bike? But hey, it's it's it's safe. But that's those are things I want to do.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:49

So people should look for a guy in a Wassian uh coat heading west on a Harley. Yes, correct.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:57

It's white, so it kind of fits in there. Um but yeah, absolutely. Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:02

Well, Troy, I think um, well, this has been wonderful. Thank you for being your normal, usual, genuine and thoughtful self. I I have to tell you, as uh I remember twenty five years ago when we were colleagues, the same the things that you talked about, your uh the way you treated people and uh the contributions you made to uh Door Elementary at the time, and then to the central office and always levies, and uh you were always willing to step in and say, What can I do to help? And then in during our administrative meetings, because you recall I ran those, uh I was always struck by your insights and it was problem solving, but a lot of times it was more aspirational, like, hey, even though we got problems, we can do this, and we can as a team and we can help each other do this. And I think for me, that was always really inspirational for me. So I just want you to know you have an impact on a lot of people, and I'm just so happy that uh you're finishing up at a place that means so much to you here at Wasseon. Springfield might be happy to get you back. This is number this is number one. This is number one, right? And so I'm so happy for you and Jill and your family, your parents, um, and the 8,000 people here in Wasseon that they had you lead in this great district. So nice job.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:33

Well, thank you, Brad. I've it and in our time together in Springfield is is is very memorable for me, and and there's still uh what there's still things I do today as a leader that I took from you um as a mentor. So I really appreciate the opportunity to sit here with you and just have a great conversation. That's great.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:54

All the best, my friend.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:55

All right, thank you.