with William D. Parker and Friends
: Play in new window | DownloadTrevor Goertzen was recognized in 2020 as a National Digital Principal of the Year. He currently serves as the Principal of Spring Hill Middle School in Spring Hill, Kansas, and is an adjunct professor…
: Play in new window | DownloadOne year ago, June 4, 2020, D.J. Klein was a guest on the Principal Matters podcast when we shared advice for his first year as a school administrator. You can hear the 10 Tips…
: Play in new window | DownloadLeadership requires relationships, understanding others, and negotiating through conflicts. This week I am privileged to share a conversation from Chris Zervas about his book, Bomb-Proof Constructive Feedback. Chris Zervas helps busy leaders improve their…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week marks the end of June 2021, and just today I heard from a principal friend, Andrew O’Farrell, West Islip Unified School District in Massapequa, New York, who is enjoying his first week…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn this episode, Jen Schwanke, principal of Indian Run Elementary in Dublin, Ohio, and author of two books on school leadership, joined me for a conversation with two principals from the Principal Matters Mastermind…
: Play in new window | DownloadOn May 27, 2021, Jen Schwanke, principal of Indian Run Elementary in Dublin, Ohio, and author of two books on school leadership, joined me for a conversation with two principals from the Principal Matters…
: Play in new window | DownloadLatrese D. Younger is an instructional lead learner in Virginia. Her passion is English language arts and she believes that she will always be a teacher at heart. Latrese has a servant mindset, spirit,…
: Play in new window | DownloadDr. Kimberly Miles is the Principal of East Gresham Elementary in Gresham, Oregon. A former elementary teacher and reading coach, she transitioned into a district instructional coach before becoming a principal. She has eleven…
: Play in new window | DownloadDuring the fall semester, I invited listeners to some virtual meetings to share protocols for re-opening their schools. We formed a free Re-opening Mastermind and met once a week for six weeks to brainstorm…
: Play in new window | DownloadJoy Kelly is the co-author of the new book, Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect, co-authored with Jimmy Casas. Joy has more than twenty-five years of educational experience…
: Play in new window | DownloadJessica Wee is the Principal of Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School in Singapore. She has previously served in the school as Vice Principal before taking over principalship six years ago. Rainbow Centre School serves…
: Play in new window | DownloadBrittainy Harris has been working at Xi’an International School, located in China, since 2010. With her undergraduate degree in education, she landed at this American-based international school (that was founded in 1996 with the…
: Play in new window | DownloadLoredana Borello is the Principal of Brescia House Secondary School in Johannesburg, South Africa. Brescia House School is a Catholic Ursuline All Girls Independent School from K-12. As a principal, she is passionate about…
: Play in new window | DownloadSeán Óg Ó Duinnín is Principal of Scoil Mhuire, a small Irish language medium school in Ballingeary, Co. Cork, Ireland since 2006. In his time there, he has seen many developments of physical facilities…
: Play in new window | Download“Students are at the heart of all we do,” says Principal Anne-Marie Maw. “If you’re ever struggling with what to do, put the students at the heart of your decision, and it will always…
: Play in new window | DownloadAs co-host and Principal Jen Schwanke explains, the system we live in requires us to make some of the biggest decisions of life with our gut feelings. The good news is that you do…
: Play in new window | DownloadSpring time brings new opportunities. For some educators, it is a time of year when you may start feeling a little restless. Perhaps you will be considering new candidates for openings at your school.…
: Play in new window | DownloadAndrew O’Farrell has been the Principal of Beach Street Middle School in West Islip, New York since 2009. Prior to becoming a principal, Andrew was an assistant principal of Lindenhurst Middle School. Andrew began…
: Play in new window | DownloadWinter is a time of year for frigid temperatures across much of the U.S. It is also a time of year when principals look ahead. Many education leaders may also be considering new positions…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was a little boy, I remember sitting in a small theater with my family where we watched the 1977 release of the first Star Wars movie. It was a pivotal moment. The visual…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhat do you do when every decision is a new one? How do you keep perspective amidst decision-fatigue? This week, Jen Schwanke, Principal of Indian Run Elementary in Dublin, Ohio, joins me for a…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn the book David and Goliath (Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants) by Malcolm Gladwell, the author presents two ideas in the introduction of his book. First, he says that much of…
: Play in new window | DownloadYears ago, when I was transitioning from assistant principal to high school principal, my superintendent gave me an assignment to map out goals for the next three years of my school. What was helpful…
: Play in new window | DownloadHave you ever had a dream you’ve been unable to fulfill? Phil Vischer was born in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1967. He grew up mesmerized by Disney films, Star Wars, and later by MTV. Phil…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis past semester, Dr. Jeff Springer has helped me facilitate the weekly book study portion of our Principal Matters Mastermind. In this week’s podcast episode, we share Part 2 of a conversation about the…
: Play in new window | DownloadAs you are wrapping up the semester, I wanted to send this note of encouragement. This semester you have managed school in ways you never have before. Some of you have served students who…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis past semester, I had the honor of leading a Mastermind with principals from across the U.S. Like eating a meal with family members each week, a Mastermind is a way for consistent growth…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn last week’s episode, Colonel Brad Ruttman shared lessons from his military experience that may also apply to education leaders. This week, he unpacks more of his “Pocket-List for Leading a New Command” as…
: Play in new window | DownloadLeadership is tactical, operational and strategic. These are three words Colonel Brad Ruttman has learned as the framework for understanding how to help others accomplish their goals. In this week’s episode, I had the…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I’m honored to talk to Jethro Jones about his new book, SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves. Five years ago, I had the…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I had the privilege of being interviewed by Joshua Stamper for his podcast, Aspire: The Leadership Development Podcast. When our mutual friend, Jimmy Casas, from ConnectEdd.org, encouraged us to talk about my…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis year’s pandemic has made it difficult to see my parents as they live a long distance and are both in a vulnerable age group. Instead of posting about education this week, I want…
: Play in new window | DownloadAlthough it is so important to understand your “why” in leadership, it is also imperative to understand “how” to effectively do your work. This week’s guest, Dr. Justin Thomas, provides practical feedback from his…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I was interviewed again by Dr. Jeff A. Springer, Ed.D., Educational Leadership Coach – Spring Strategies, LLC, and 2013 TASSP Texas State Principal of the Year, as we explored the final chapters…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I talk with Jeff A. Springer, Ed.D., Educational Leadership Coach from Spring Strategies, LLC, and 2013 TASSP Texas State Principal of the Year. In this episode, Dr. Springer turns the table and…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen this pandemic began, many of us were asking what lessons we may learn from something none of us ever experienced before. Dr. Tim Elmore began asking similar questions to survivors of the Great…
: Play in new window | DownloadAs you are re-engaging with your school community, what lessons are you learning as you walk through this new journey with your staff, students, parents and community? This week, Jen Schwanke joins me again…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I reconnected with Principal Jen Schwanke, Principal of Indian Run Elementary, author and education consultant, for reflections on what re-opening has looked like for her school in Dublin, Ohio. Together we explored…
: Play in new window | DownloadLast week I was in a conversation with a principal from South Carolina, a member of a Mastermind for Reopening Schools that I have been leading. Each week more than a dozen principals join…
: Play in new window | DownloadJenny is a returning student at her high school. She has a part-time job which keeps her up late most nights. When her school opens this fall, she knows remote-learning is the option until…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I did my first in-person meeting with a group of fellow-school leaders as they plan for the beginning of a new school year. The team of administrators sat in a room with…
: Play in new window | DownloadOne of the biggest challenges for the a new school year is deciding how to mitigate concerns for safety while ensuring ways to still actively engage, support, and reach students. In this week’s podcast…
: Play in new window | DownloadAs you think about your own leadership, I’m curious if you give yourself the kind of scrutiny you may give your own team members? In other words, are you allowing the kind of self-reflection…
: Play in new window | DownloadLast week, my guests William Stubbs, Marlena Gross-Taylor, and Don Parker shared feedback on their personal and professional reflections around equity, racism, and inequalities. They each gave suggestions to help you decide how to…
: Play in new window | DownloadNo community has been immune to conversations surrounding equity, racism, and inequalities. As Marlena Gross-Taylor, one of the guests on this week’s podcast episode explains, these conversations have been going on for at least…
: Play in new window | DownloadStarting a new school year is like preparing for a marathon. The journey begins with training long before the race begins. And once the race starts, you need a lot of endurance for the…
: Play in new window | DownloadDuring school closures and remote learning, maintaining connection with students has been an enormous puzzle to solve. When 8th grade teacher Jena Nelson, from Deer Creek Middle School in Edmond, Oklahoma, switched to online…
: Play in new window | DownloadSchool leaders share a common bond – whether you lead in an urban, suburban or rural setting. During the last two months, I’ve also been thinking a lot about another common bond all school…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen storms roll across my home state of Oklahoma, residents here have a few common reactions. First, we listen to the weather station. Oklahoma has the best storm-tracking radar systems in the world. Second,…
: Play in new window | DownloadIf you’re like me, you’re probably still adjusting to a new normal. Each morning I still wake up, walk the dog, or go for a run around the neighborhood. I login to my email…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis morning I was running a three-mile track around my neighborhood. As I passed the houses and occasional drivers, I felt a sudden kinship to my neighbors I’m not sure I’ve felt before. We…
: Play in new window | DownloadWhen Don Parker was a Dean of Students, he knew his students were struggling – especially those with high risk factors. Don’s passion became simple and challenging: Find the best ways to help students…