Podcast: Play in new window | Download
A Quick Note to Listeners:
—- 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 Summer Pops Workbooks.com. —-
Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer a listener question with a five minute response.
The question is: How do we manage difficult conversations with parents while maintaining positive relationships with them?
Listen in to hear their response and thank you for doing what matters!
Dr. Nason Lollar has more than 24 years of experience in the field of education. Nason has served as a high school math and social studies teacher, baseball coach, an assistant principal and currently as a lead principal at the Madison Career & Technical Center in Madison, MS. He holds a doctorate iIn education from William Carey University, and in 2023, he was honored by the Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals as a State Assistant Principal of the Year. He is the author of the book 5 Principles of Educator Professionalism: Rebuilding Trust in Schools.
Dr. Lollar is a Mississippi educator who has spent 14 years in the classroom and has coached several different sports. Something listeners may be surprised to learn about him is that he is a second generation educator. He went to school and was educated by both his parents. Nason also states that he always thought he never wanted to be a school administrator.
School Success Outcomes:
One of the outcomes that Dr. Lollar is most proud of at Madison Career and Technical Center is the way the center has been able to implement different interview and career readiness programs for his students. Dr. Lollar emphasizes that workforce development is where his school makes an impact; students are ablt to jump into careers at a young age. He looks beyond just college readiness for his students and loves being able to set up opportunities for students who want to start out their careers early.
TRUST:
In his book, Dr. Lollar lays out 5 principals covered with the acronym TRUST:
- Teaching and learning always come first.
- Remain vigilant to safety concerns.
- Understand the power of communication.
- Seek balance.
- Take ownership of our morale.
He discusses this acronym in depth for anyone who chooses to listen in to this week’s podcast of Principal Matters Podcast.
Leadership takeaways:
Dr. Lollar talks about his experience in schools, in hopes that listeners can apply his experience to their leadership. He talks about how in his first year of teaching in 2000, there was not one single device in his classroom. The next year there was one device in the classroom. Nason brings up this point to show listeners how learning has expanded quite a bit over the last 24 years, and the amount of technology in classrooms is one example of how learning has expanded. Dr. Lollar goes on to discuss how he tries to think about the things that are most important for a school community, and how he sticks to tried and true methods in his leadership. He emphasizes the need to really get to the heart of the need for students in order for leaders to be successful. Nason also urges leaders to examinine the five core principles of TRUST to help them get a mindset that will keep them from having tough conversations later on.
Advice for New Leaders:
When asked what advice he would give to new or aspiring leaders, Dr. Lollar brings up two points:
- Professional conduct is an educator’s daily contribution to school culture. Our focus at work should be a daily focus on the question: Did I build culture today through my speech and actions? Hopefully we answer that question affirmatively most days.
- Don’t think about professional conduct of your colleagues in terms of documentation, but instead through a lens of support. Structure the year-long professional development plan in terms of an answer to this question: “How can I support the growth of my staff in a way that allows them to build our culture, strengthen relationships, and focus on what matters most to our school community?”
Advice for Veteran Leaders:
Dr. Lollar states that in order for veteran leaders to stay motivated, they need to forge strong connections with other experienced leaders. He says, “Connection through our purpose is talked about so much because it is a fundamental requirement. There is no greater source of motivation. But a step further would be basing our relationships with colleagues and students on that purpose to center us on the work we are called to do.”
Parting Words and Staying Connected:
Dr Lollar’s parting words of advice to listeners are: “If we can consume ourselves with the most important and urgent aspects of our work, we can minimize the lapses that can damage our school community and build efficacy within our students and colleagues.”
You can find Dr. Nason Lollar on X: @nasonlollar
