Kip is an educator and coach who is driven to lead and love staff and students to believe and discover that they are the greatest miracle in the world. Having almost thirty years’ experience in education, Kip is sharing that secret sauce as an educator, coach, author, speaker, and as a podcast host of The Secret Sauce with Kip Shubert. Kip recently moved from Oklahoma to the mountains of Colorado where he now teaches and coaches for the Woodland Park School District.

Kip has climbed mountains that once seemed impossible to him. He uses his experiences of being homeless, an alcoholic, losing custody of his daughter, and his wife’s diagnosis with an incurable blood cancer to share how he used adversity to find his advantage, his secret sauce. His WHY is to use those powerful stories, combined with building real, authentic relationships to reach back over the mountains he has climbed so that he can be that sherpa to guide and empower others.

Kip is fierce in his belief that our school’s culture and success depends on us being all in and all together in cultivating connections that ensures all stakeholders are seen, heard and valued.

Kip is a proud father of four great kids, three amazing grandchildren and blessed husband to his wife Cindy. He loves to be outdoors, hiking, and especially college football season and Italian food. He is excited to be joining the Road To Awesome family and is grateful that each day he “gets to” share that secret sauce and make a difference in the lives of staff and students. His newly released book is titled: “Struggle to Strength: Finding the Ingredients to Your Secret Sauce”.

Trenches story: Missed 7 days of school yr before he went into rehab. Principal was a good friend. Started teaching career in ‘91 with that principal. Kip was drinking 7 days/wk. Barely parenting. Didn’t share his alcohol problems with others. Leaned on oldest son to pick him up. Kipp threatened to shoot himself. Didn’t pull trigger. God had something bigger planned. Went into rehab 1 week later. Still didn’t think he had a problem. Counselor told him he’d lost all parental rights of then 5 year old. Felt compelled to go into chapel. Began to cry. Had nothing left except teaching. Certificate & job @ MS. A voice said, “It’s not about you anymore”. It flipped like a switch to work on self, get daughter back. Before, it was always about what he could get not give. Took 3.5 years to get daughter back.

Move to CO from OK a few years ago: went from an urban district (TPS). The biggest district from TPS to WPSD is diversity. In his classes in WP, there is an absence of diversity. Kids are open-minded & resilient. They moved because of Covid. Had vacationed a lot in WP. Now feels more a part of the entire district.

Wife’s cancer and what that taught you?  Wife’s cancer- 5 yrs. ago-he was back on his feet in Tulsa Public Schools, Cindy’s blood proteins were increasingly higher. She said “I’ll live, I will not die”. They live big. She helps him create an impact. Does a gratitude journal, focuses on the good. He thought “rock bottom” recovery slangs are for other ppl.

What you teach and coach? He teaches 6th grade social studies. Wants studens to experience more diversity first hand. He learned a lot in TPS, still in contact with those kids. He coaches soccer, started coaching before he got out of college. Retired from coaching in 2008. Was OK W side coach of the year (to drink more). In 2016 a friend who was a friend thru recovery asked him to coach in Sapulpa. Was asked to be asst. coach. Then was offered the head coach job. Wife said “if you’re not uncomfortable you can’t grow”. Turned the program around. Allowed him to get in & give.

Why you call it the “secret sauce”? Book- title is “Struggle to Strength: Finding the Ingredients to Your Secret Sauce”: He shares his story more in depth. He breaks down in chapt. perseverance, grace, understanding “We before me” mindset. We all have the “secret sauce”, he has learned things through his story that others haven’t. Struggles that become our strength. Peeling back onion layers. Use natural gifts to impact others. Kids related to demons he held. They were keeping him alive. Your position drives what you do. He spent 3-4 years starting the book. Wrote about heavy recovery period.

Out of everything: whether you’re in education or not, you’re there to create an impact. we have big ability to change trajectory of ppl’s life. Relays stories to kids he teaches about not giving up. If you can make yourself authentic & real, kids will learn what you teach. Be vulnerable & raw with your stories.

Where can ppl find you online? Twitter: The Secret Sauce with Kip Shubert (@SecretSauceEDU) / Twitter  On FB the most-podcast episodes are on podbean.

https://www.facebook.com/secretsaucewithkip/  https://www.instagram.com/secretsauceedu/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kip-shubert-8215a7174/   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiSiHiVSKcquwS4MlXBp2fg

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VMHGspvzcIE