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The Effect of North Fulton's Housing Crisis on Education, with Dr. Gonzalo La Cava, Fulton County Schools, and Dr. Steven Palmer, The Cottage School

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The Effect of North Fulton’s Housing Crisis on Education, with Dr. Gonzalo La Cava, Fulton County Schools, and Dr. Steven Palmer, The Cottage School (North Fulton Voices, Episode 5)

In this episode of North Fulton Voices, Jack Murphy and Kathy Swahn from the North Fulton Improvement Network welcome education leaders Dr. Steven Palmer from The Cottage School and Dr. Gonzalo La Cava from the Fulton County School System. The conversation focuses on housing affordability challenges in North Fulton and their effects on education. They explore the rise in homelessness among students, difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers, and innovative housing solutions. The discussion includes strategies such as the “Level Up Fulton” initiative, public-private partnerships, and unique housing solutions successfully utilized elsewhere. Insights on the impacts of demographic changes, enrollment trends, and community engagement are provided, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive planning and involvement from various community members and policymakers to support affordable middle income housing and retain quality educators.

North Fulton Voices is presented by the North Fulton Improvement Network. The show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Dr. Gonzalo La Cava, Fulton County School System

Dr. Gonzalo La Cava is a seasoned education professional currently serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for Fulton County Schools in the Atlanta area, a position he has held since 2022. With over 27 years of experience in education, Gonzalo has built a career focused on driving transformational change in challenging school systems. His professional journey includes roles such as Chief of Human Resources at the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida, and Area Superintendent for Fulton County Schools’ Central Learning Community. He began his career as a special education teacher.

Known for his ability to tackle challenging situations and implement lasting positive changes, Gonzalo describes himself as a “second order change” leader. He is capable of identifying root causes of systemic issues and creating wide-reaching solutions. His approach is characterized by embracing chaos and complexity, data-driven decision making, a focus on employee recognition and appreciation, and creating holistic career pathways for educators. Gonzalo holds an Ed.D. and is an alumnus of the University of Central Florida.

Gonzalo’s personal experiences as an immigrant from Uruguay inform his leadership style. Having arrived in the United States as a young boy, his early experiences as an English as a Second Language student in Miami-Dade County schools have driven his commitment to creating inclusive educational environments. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Gonzalo considers his language skills an asset in his work. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a passion for extending opportunities for excellent education to all students, particularly those from underserved communities.

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Dr. Steven Palmer, The Cottage School

Dr. Steven Palmer is the Head of School for The Cottage School in Roswell, GA.

Steve’s professional experience includes serving at every level: teacher, principal, Executive Director and Superintendent. Prior to joining The Cottage School, Steve was Superintendent in Michigan. Steve led major efforts resulting in increased student achievement and significant improvements in teaching, learning and school status. His central work focused on enhancing the educational culture with “Best Practices” and ensuring that all high school graduates were prepared for college and careers.

Under his leadership, Steve’s high school received national recognition from U.S. News and World Report as one of “America’s Best High Schools.” Steve previously served as CEO and founder of a state-of-the-art aviation high school for the Dick DeVos Foundation. He has also served as Principal of three special education K–8 schools with 600 students with learning differences.

In addition, Steve has been a national presenter on various special education topics and educational “Best Practices”. A member of numerous national, state, and local boards, Steve has participated with national agencies and associations to reform special education.

Steve’s academic background includes a Doctorate in Education, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, a Master of Science in Counseling, a Bachelor of Science in Education, a minor in Business, and Certifications from various states in Special Education and Educational Leadership.

Some of his accolades include: Dr. Landis Special Education Administrator of the Year, S.T.A.R. Administrator of the Year, Tandy Scholars Outstanding Teacher, Teacher of the Year, South Lake High School, 1 of 3 finalists for the Lake County Teacher of the Year, Educator of the Year Finalist Branch County Michigan, Disney’s Teacher of the Year Finalist, South Lake High School Teacher of the Year, Radio Shack Outstanding Teacher, Clermont Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year, presented Key to the city of Orlando Florida, and North Fulton Chamber Non-for-Profit Leader of the Year.

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Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to North Fulton Voices
00:48 Discussing the Housing Crisis
02:46 Expert Insights on Education and Housing
04:54 Challenges in Teacher Retention
08:17 Innovative Solutions for Teacher Retention
13:26 Exploring Housing Solutions for Teachers
16:17 Supporting First Responders with Housing Supplements
17:48 Analyzing Employee Living Patterns
18:25 Teacher Retention and Compensation
19:40 Strategic Planning for School Expansion
21:36 Addressing Declining Enrollment
25:54 Engaging Teachers in Housing Solutions
30:04 Community Involvement in Housing Plans
31:28 Conclusion and Call to Action

North Fulton Improvement Network

The North Fulton Improvement Network (NFIN) is a think tank made up of community leaders from a variety of sectors, focused on missing middle housing and the livability challenges confronting North Fulton. We come from the six cities making up the northern half of Fulton County, Georgia — Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs — and are working to address the widespread yet little-known financial vulnerability across the region. With stakeholders from sectors including business, nonprofit, faith, government, and citizens, we center our work on five areas of impact, seek to educate the public about these issues, build a network of individuals and organizations with innovative private and public solutions, and connect resources to those in need.

The leadership team of NFIN is Jack Murphy, Nancy Diamond, and Kathy Swahn.

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Jack Murphy

Jack Murphy is a volunteer with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is Chair of the North Fulton Improvement Network. He is also in his 21st year of working for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

He has served on both the National and Georgia Boards of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, responsible for Diversity, Advocacy, & Systemic Change. Jack is currently the national SVDP chair of Systemic Change and Advocacy.

Jack received a BA in psychology from Belmont Abbey College and a M.Ed. from UNC-Greensboro.  Jack and his wife, Nancy, a retired elementary school principal, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. They live in Alpharetta, Georgia.

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Kathy Swahn

Kathy has resided in the North Fulton area for almost 45 years. She has watched the community evolve from what was “unincorporated Fulton County” to a six-city bustling suburban community. Her history has been characterized by a focus on children: she was a stay-at-home mother who raised two daughters, she spent years in leadership roles in school PTAs and Girl Scouts, the National Charity League, the North Fulton Council of PTAs, and she served as chair of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council.

Kathy transitioned back to work by jumping into the non-profit world. She joined the team at North Fulton Community Charities, running their Holiday Program, becoming Development Director and successfully managing the $3 million capital campaign for their Elkins Road location. Along the way, she also served on the DFACS Board and chaired the board of the Fulton County Continuum of Care for four years.

After having the opportunity to join in the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program, Kathy was surrounded with a dynamic group of folks who worked to create The Drake House. Since 2004, she served as board chair for the first four years, executive director for nine years, and is now retired. Over those years, The Drake House served over 500 single mothers with over 1,000 children and grew the assets of the organization to over $4 million.

Kathy continues to serve The Drake House on the Advocacy Committee, along with her work for NFIN.

She spends much of her time traveling to the Washington, D.C., area, where her children and grandchildren reside.

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About North Fulton Voices

While North Fulton County is one of the most desirable places to live in the United States, the region faces a growing crisis: a severe shortage of housing options for middle-income employees, particularly essential workers such as first responders and teachers. North Fulton Voices, presented by the North Fulton Improvement Network, is the go-to source for in-depth analysis and discussion of missing middle housing and the livability challenges confronting North Fulton. Listen as we understand the implications of this problem, explore innovative solutions, and examine why providing these housing options is vital for North Fulton’s future. The show is sponsored and offered as a service to the community by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Sponsor for North Fulton Voices: John Ray and Business RadioX – North Fulton

The North Fulton Voices show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

John Ray is a podcast show host and producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their own podcast using The Generosity Mindset™ Method:  building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John also operates his own business advisory practice, Ray Business Advisors. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the author of the #1 nationally best-selling book, The Generosity Mindset:  A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio and The Price and Value Journey. North Fulton Business Radio, the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton region of Georgia, features a wide range of business and community leaders. The Price and Value Journey is devoted to solo and small firm professional services providers and covers issues such as pricing, value, and business development.

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