About NSPRA
The Superintendents to Watch award recognizes school district leaders who have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and who demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core.
Since becoming superintendent of Broken Arrow Public Schools in December 2021, Chuck Perry has rebuilt stability and trust across a large suburban district by making communication a core leadership practice. A graduate of Broken Arrow schools and a longtime educator in the district, Perry leads with visibility, consistency, and a commitment to ensuring every voice is heard.
“Superintendent Perry’s use of both traditional and innovative communication strategies and his forward-thinking approach to addressing challenges has created a culture of transparency and strengthened engagement between the district and the community.” — Tara Thompson, Chief Communications Officer, Broken Arrow Public Schools
Leading Through Connection and Transparency
Perry’s leadership is grounded in listening. He visits every school site each year without a scripted agenda, meeting with teachers, support staff, and administrators to hear directly what is working and what needs attention. Those conversations shape district priorities and reinforce that communication is not a broadcast, but a dialogue.
To expand that two-way approach beyond in-person meetings, Perry also uses digital engagement tools to gather community input on issues such as long-range planning, calendars and policy decisions. Responses are shared publicly, giving families and staff confidence that their feedback matters and is acted upon.
“His commitment to collaboration and open communication inside and outside BAPS proves how much he believes in the vitality of Broken Arrow and the impact it has on the quality of life of his students, teachers, and staff.” — Michael Spurgeon, City Manager, City of Broken Arrow
Communication Embedded in District Leadership
Under Perry’s leadership, communication is not handled after decisions are made. It is built into how the district operates, plans and responds. Some of the more traditional mechanisms Perry uses to communicate with audiences are in-person site visits, student and staff advisory councils, and regular email or video messages from his office. Perry implemented a Student Advisory Council consisting of students in grades 9-12 so that student voice is reflected in district initiatives, and maintains regular meetings with a Teacher Advisory Council which is made up of the site teachers of the year. He works closely with the communication team to create bi-weekly videos, and engages in a quarterly radio interview with a local station using the time to address current topics.
All of these tactics remain an important part of the communication toolkit, but Perry is also willing to engage in innovative new approaches to communication with students, staff and the community. He is co-host on a monthly podcast, "Core Values," in which various guests are invited to discuss timely topics. Never losing his focus on students, Perry has been instrumental in the creation and growth of a student leadership program at the high school that now boasts more than 500 students creating a culture of positivity and connection within the state’s largest high school. This program provides regular opportunities for businesses and community members to engage with students through activities such as mock interviews and a “Shark Tank” activity where students pitch ideas for community improvement projects to potential sponsors.
Key elements of Perry's communication approach include:
This structure helps ensure that families, staff, and community members understand not only what the district is doing, but why.
A Trusted Voice Beyond the District
Perry’s commitment to communication also extends to civic and legislative relationships. He regularly engages with elected officials to ensure education policy discussions are informed by the needs of students and schools.
“Superintendent Perry's intentional efforts to communicate with elected officials are an imperative part of our working relationship.” — Sen. John Haste, Oklahoma State Senate
Through steady, respectful dialogue Perry has built productive partnerships that support Broken Arrow Public Schools and elevate the district’s voice at the state level.
A Superintendent Who Builds Confidence
Whether he is walking a school hallway, meeting with community leaders or speaking with lawmakers, Perry brings the same calm, transparent and people-centered approach. His leadership has helped stabilize the district and strengthen relationships across the community, positioning Broken Arrow Public Schools for continued progress grounded in trust and shared purpose.
Perry's involvement in face-to-face engagement activities is well-known, as he actively seeks opportunities to connect with both internal and external audiences. Whether at school board meetings, community forums, informal campus visits or site tours for the community, Perry prioritizes direct interaction and building relationships. He attends as many new employee orientation meetings as possible, and meets annually with all new employees that work in the central administration office to emphasize his vision of “service” in the Education Service Center. His in-person approach fosters trust with stakeholders and reaffirms his authentic style of leadership.
Perry serves as a regent for the Regional University System of Oklahoma, a board member of the Southern Regional Educational Board and is a member of the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce, the Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation and the Broken Arrow Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2020. In 2015, Perry helped bring the JROTC program to Broken Arrow High School, and in 2023 he helped lead the district in passing a $52 million bond issue with an approval rate of more than 80%.
Perry’s mother and father graduated from Broken Arrow in 1950, his brother in 1970 and his sister in 1975. As a 1987 Broken Arrow graduate along with his wife Monaca, they were the first class to attend the new high school for both their junior and senior years. Other than when he was obtaining his undergraduate degree from the University of Tulsa, he has lived his entire life in Broken Arrow. Perry has two daughters, and his granddaughter Opal now carries on the family tradition as a Broken Arrow Tiger.
B.A. - Mississippi State University; MPA - University of Georgia
I believe school PR/communications is what I was born to do! One of the biggest decisions a parent can make is where to send their child to school, and it’s an honor to share with our parents the engaging work that their children are doing under the guidance of world-class teachers and leaders. On any given day, in any given school, there are many stories to be told and I take that charge seriously. As school communicators played a key role in COVID-19 communications, storytelling was more important than ever – not only did I share information with parents about our protocols, but I also made over 80 visits to schools last year and told a variety of stories about how students were thriving with both in-person and distance learning options. I also worked with principals to determine best mitigation practices and helped make those pervasive, because positive action must be the foundation of what we are ultimately communicating. School public relations is incredibly complex and I love that each day brings a new challenge.
My greatest school PR success was completing 11 nationally-innovative school communication audits using a process of research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. I am now in phase two of this project and am attending school council meetings to garner feedback from parents about school-level communication and how I can better support the work of their schools. One of the most significant findings is that as students take more ownership of their learning, they also take more ownership in parent communication. Therefore, next steps are to better prepare parents for this transition and to also determine best practices from exemplar teachers and coaches at the secondary level so we can strike the right balance with parents feeling informed and fostering student independence.
My greatest school PR challenge is overcoming rigidity. Like many PR professionals, I am detail-oriented and a self-described perfectionist. It’s a blessing and a curse to see when something is one pixel off, but the greatest challenge I have faced in my 13 years in this field is to learn to be more flexible. I might have an aversion to Comic Sans or Curlz, but it’s not the end of the world if those are a font favorite elsewhere. What’s more important is the bigger picture – staff and parents feeling well-informed and students growing and learning in positive school cultures. Instead of telling someone their website isn’t formatted properly, I now make a 2-3 minute screencast if I think there’s a quick tutorial I can offer to provide ongoing professional learning. By being much more flexible, I have deepened relationships and become better at supporting the most important job that occurs in our school system: teaching.
My favorite part of my job is the relationships. I often say that there is no substitute for showing up, and that’s why I make so many school visits each year. From getting to hold a gorgeous monarch butterfly to watching a vibrant student musical to seeing 3-D printing in action from engineering students, I have witnessed countless unique opportunities, and these experiences are just a small piece of what our students get to take part in each and every day. If I didn’t take the time to form relationships, I wouldn’t know that what students value is knowing that the photos I take may show up in their yearbooks. I wouldn’t know the myriad of annual activities that teachers do across our schools because I wouldn’t have witnessed them firsthand. I wouldn’t know about the families of our principals or what they believe makes their school unique. All of that is invaluable because at the end of the day and at the end of this career, relationships are what will remain – both professionally and personally.
The communication tool I use the most is Canva! I would be a brand ambassador if they asked! I am not very mathematically-minded and it can be challenging for someone with an eye for good design – but not an eye for rulers and gridlines – to be a graphic designer. However, Canva has made it possible and I am able to create aesthetically-pleasing graphics with short turn-around times. I have trained communication ambassadors at our schools how to use it as well. Right after Canva, the tool I most use is iMovie. I am completely self-taught in videography and using iMovie and Canva together has made me someone who can add “videographer” to their list of expertise.