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A quick note to listeners:
Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response.
—- The Question of the Week is supported by Summer Pops Math Workbooks. Principals, when students practice math over the summer, math scores go up. What’s your summer math plan this year? A great way to start is by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/ —-
The question is: How do you effectively manage constant student-related issues while staying focused on broader school goals?
Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters!
Meet Ross Romano:
Ross Romano is a consultant, advisor, performance coach, and podcast host who helps organizations and individuals define and communicate their unique vision, connecting it with strategic decisions that lead to meaningful impact. He is the founder and CEO of September Strategies, an award-winning consulting firm supporting businesses and nonprofits in the K-12 space, and co-founder of the BE Podcast Network, with 40+ shows focused on transformative change in formal and informal learning environments. He is also the founding chair of the Excellence in Equity Awards, strategic advisor to the American Consortium for Equity in Education, and contributing editor of Educate AI.
From Dr. Jen Scwanke:
I met Ross Romano almost eight years ago after the publication of my first book. He was part of a team responsible for marketing and promoting the work of authors and educational leaders. In the intervening years, he has been quite busy, applying his many skills to educational consulting and performance coaching. He sees his work as being “a journey from vision to decision,” which entails planning “the right actions, making the right decisions, and investing in the right areas.”
But that’s not all. Ross is also deeply committed to connecting leaders together through shared experiences. His Be Podcast Network is a group of more than 40 podcasts, and all are connected to the area of education. Most podcasts on his network focus on K-12 leadership, but there are also topics including corporate learning, development, parenting, and more. Within his network, his own podcast, “The Authority,” focuses on authors and thought leaders in education.
With such an unconventional career in the education field, and with having so many conversations with people deeply embedded in school leadership, I asked Ross for a throughline— some things that stand out to him that might help Principal Matters listeners and provide some specific learning takeaways. Here are a few of his thoughts:
- Educators, parents, and teachers should always be working on the same team. This is a complicated goal, though, and one that causes a great deal of discord if not done with thought and care.
- Culture is something we all say is a priority, but many of us actually don’t focus on it— or, worse, we focus on the wrong things in an attempt to improve culture.
- When things are messy and complicated, it is helpful to revisit what things we can control as educators and the things we really can’t control.
- There is a sense of urgency now in education because making innovative change is an opportunity now. We need to become literate in what technologies are available, how to address equity gaps, what access gaps exist, and what potential tools we have to help us.
On that last point, Ross notes that we have to be careful we don’t exacerbate gaps by refusing to embrace current tools— AI is an excellent example of this— and it’s important to embrace and use the tools rather than be fearful of what they might mean for us. It is an exciting time in education, with ample opportunity for teachers, principals, classrooms, and schools to rethink our instruction and our assignments and how it might look different for a student today than it did even ten years ago.
As we wrapped up our interview, I asked Ross if he has any final thoughts for principals on how to lead toward the future in a positive and effective way. He pointed out that leaders often get stuck in thought patterns that lead to fear or lack of energy. To overcome those patterns, Ross says, it’s important to take the time to recharge yourself and make the choices that’s best for you as a leader. “Choose calm over chaos, ” he says. “Look for your helpers, even in a culture that seems antagonistic,” Ross says. “There are a lot of people out there who want you to succeed. Look for those people.”
Connect with Ross:
- Social Media: LinkedIn and Twitter
- Website: https://www.septemberstrat.com
- Podcasts: The Authority and Sideline Sessions
