S.4 | Ep. 5: Principal Gideon’s Path to Leading DFW’s Favorite Elementary at School

In today's episode, "Unlock 360 with Charles Gideon," host Wendy York Davoud sits down with Principal Charles Gideon of Castleberry Elementary in Castleberry ISD. Principal Gideon shares the journey that led him from the classroom to school leadership and his pride in building a culture of excellence and fun at "DFW's favorite elementary school."From winning community awards and championing the school's spirited traditions to tackling the real challenges of literacy and mathematics instruction, Principal Gideon opens up about the strategies that drive student and teacher success. You'll hear about intentional PLC time, staff retention secrets, and how his team thrives on both high expectations and a healthy dose of friendly competition. Plus, the conversation touches on supporting teachers, fostering leadership among staff, and the importance of nurturing opportunities for every student.Key Moments03:53 Winning Streak for Our School08:29 Early Literacy Initiative Success10:54 AI Tools Enhancing Classroom Performance14:19 Answering Prompts for Higher Scores20:23 Collaboration, Efficacy, Retention Focus21:20 Teacher Retention Boosts Student Success26:49 Building Classroom Leadership Culture28:34 Honoring Tony Eugene YorkIn MemoriamTony Eugene YorkJune 27, 1948 – October 21, 2023Tony attended Castleberry Elementary and Irma Marsh before graduating from Castleberry High School.For more information about Tony’s life, service, and loved ones, please visit:https://www.biggersfh.com/obituaries/Tony-Eugene-York?obId=29667255Why You’ll Love This EpisodePrincipal Gideon opens the curtain on how Castleberry Elementary became “DFW’s favorite” while doing the hard work that moves learning: revamping early literacy with a structured block, using PLCs four days a week to plan tightly and act on data, and building a culture where high expectations and teacher retention go hand in hand. He shares concrete, classroom-ready moves like teaching students to restate prompts and use text evidence and how thoughtful use of AI feedback tools can sharpen writing instruction without replacing teacher judgment. It’s fun (spirit sticks and pep rallies!) and deeply practical (growth tracking, vertical alignment, and leadership pipelines). If you care about turning vision into daily habits that lift every student, this conversation will hit home.Connect with Charles GideonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-gideon-46506a18a Website: https://www.castleberryisd.net/ Follow Us:Wendy York Davoud LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyryork Lead Teach Learn 360 Website: https://leadteachlearn360.comLead Teach Learn 360 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lead-teach-learn-360%C2%B0/ About Unlock 360°Unlock 360° is the podcast where school leaders and instructional trailblazers reveal how they’re turning bold vision into sustainable action. Powered by Lead Teach Learn 360, each episode brings you inside the systems, strategies, and human stories that drive school improvement—one leader, one learner, one breakthrough at a time.Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Unlock 360° for more conversations.