An Idea Is Not Implementation: Andrea Dixon-Hundredmark on Safety, Systems, and Student Success

Great leadership isn’t just about implementing new ideas. It’s about building systems that work—and having the courage to recognize when they don’t.

In this episode of A Matter of Principals, AWSP Deputy Director Jack Arend sits down with Andrea Dixon-Hundredmark, principal of the Weston campus and Director of Student Safety for Arlington Public Schools.

Andrea shares how her team at Weston is rethinking traditional approaches to education to better serve students whose needs and experiences don’t always fit conventional school structures. From innovative credit-recovery opportunities to removing everyday barriers to learning, the campus is creating meaningful opportunities for students to experience success.

The conversation also explores ANCHOR (Assessment, Needs, Collaboration, Help, and Ongoing Review), a developing district-level initiative designed to strengthen behavioral threat assessment practices. Working alongside Northwest ESD 189, Andrea and her colleagues are identifying gaps, building staff capacity, and creating more consistent systems that support students and school leaders.

Throughout the conversation, Andrea emphasizes the importance of relationships, collaborative problem-solving, and the difference between having a good idea and implementing it effectively.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How the Weston campus is reimagining student success through flexible, responsive systems.
• Why relationships and trust are foundational to effective school leadership.
• How ANCHOR supports building-level behavioral threat assessment teams.
• The importance of moving beyond training to coaching, implementation, and ongoing support.
• Why identifying gaps in existing systems is an opportunity for growth.
• How school leaders can approach challenging situations with curiosity rather than immediately turning to correction.

Andrea leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: Get curious before you get corrective.

Listen in for an inspiring conversation about leadership, innovation, school safety, and creating opportunities for every student to succeed.