Category Principal

And All That Without A Gun

I was talking to an assistant principal friend from a neighboring district who was telling me some funny stories from her middle school experience. She said her own mom and dad like to ask her to tell stories from school.…

Dealing With Media Pressure During A Crisis

We recently mourned the heartbreaking death of a second student this school year. She was murdered in an evening domestic dispute that resulted in a double-homicide. Her great-grandmother was also a victim. The day after her death, we had counselors…

5 Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Acceptance

The other day, I sat in a conversation with a student and a DHS worker who had come to take her into custody. She was no longer able to stay at her host home and would be moving back to…

5 Ways To Respond To Resistance

One of my favorite college education professors would often start class with a provoking question. As we would grapple with how to answer and/or support our positions, he would stand there with his large hands lifted in the air, his…

7 Mid-School Year Reminders on Finishing Strong

Recently, I was inspired by the story of Diana Nyad, who made it a personal goal to swim from Cuba to Florida and did so at the age of 64. Her 100-mile feat came with many unsuccessful previous attempts, the…

Interview with Steven Parker

The following is a Q & A between Steven Parker and me. Steven Parker is the principal of Cedar Lee Middle School in Bealton, Virginia. He was also named the 2013 Virginia Middle School Principal of the Year. My goal…

One Day in the Life of a Principal

Sometimes people ask me what a “typical day” looks like for me. Instead of creating a list of my responsibilities, perhaps an example of one day from last semester may serve as a better illustration:

7 Hats Principals Must Be Prepared To Wear

Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of teachers who are interested in becoming school principals. My task was to summarize some of the principal’s roles and responsibilities. If you are a principal, I am sure you could…

Interview with Doug Stafford

The following is a Q & A between Doug Stafford and me. Doug Stafford is principal of Emerson Middle School in Enid, Oklahoma. He was named 2013 Oklahoma Middle School Principal of the Year. My goal in posting interviews with…

4 Lessons in Teamwork from my Son’s Hospital Stay

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about my son’s battle and recovery from an infectious disease known as Kawasaki. I am happy to report he is back in school and is happy and energetic. He has made a great…

Interview with James Johnston

The following is a Q & A between James Johnston and me. James Johnston is the Principal of Alice Ott Middle School and the 2013 Oregon Middle School Principal of the Year. My goal in posting interviews with successful leaders…

10 Ways to Communicate About Your School

Recently, on a Twitter feed, I saw the quote: Communication is 100% of what a principal does. Although this may seem like an exaggeration, I believe it is true of almost all educators, especially school leaders. This past weekend, I…

Planting, Growing, and Flourishing

I heard a great interview with motivational speaker/author Jon Gordon recently where he was asked: What should you do if you find yourself unmotivated to face a day’s work? He responded by saying: You should plant yourself right where you…

Interview with James Holifield

The following is a Q & A exchange between James Holifield and me. James “Jim” Holifield is the principal at New Prairie Middle School in New Carlisle, Indiana. As the Indiana Middle School Principal of the Year, he represented his…

Using “KRA’s” To Increase Effectiveness

Whether for you are leading a team of individuals, or you are a team member who wants to more effective, it is important for everyone to know his or her role. Sometimes our greatest loss of time happens when we…

4 Ways to Learn From Other People’s Expertise

A few months ago I was planning to attend a principal’s meeting near the state capital. Since I was going alone, I asked a principal friend from a neighboring district if we could ride together. Little did I know how…

5 Ways To Maintain Sanity During Stressful Times

This past spring, as I transitioned from assistant principal to principal, I began to wonder if I had made the right decision. As the school year closed, and my former principal departed, I found myself wrapping up many of my…

And Then I Met A Teacher

He met a teacher, and it changed everything. Jim Wingo was fresh out of high school when he started working at the local butcher shop. But his high school agriculture teacher, John Krivokapish, had other plans for him. When he…

8 Ways to Discipline with Dignity

School discipline is often a hotly debated topic of discussion. If viewed simply as punishment, it is often ineffective in changing behavior. But if viewed as a way to measure, check, and coach, the results are often more positive. Toward…

Interview with Ruby Payne

The following is a Q & A between Ruby Payne and me. Ruby Payne is the best-selling author of A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Her book and other resources have significantly affected the way teachers reach at-risk students. Her work…

7 Ways to Show Appreciation for Teachers

A friend once told me, “One good deed is worth more than a thousand good intentions.” Sometimes I am guilty of good intentions without good actions. But when it comes to appreciating others, my good intentions won’t ever let others…

Interview with Tim Elmore

The following is a Q & A exchange between Dr. Tim Elmore and me. I had the privilege of connecting with Tim when a mutual friend introduced us after seeing I had recommended his book, Generation iY, and I am…

Tips for Dealing with Difficult People

If you are like me, you want school leadership to be about inspiring or encouraging others to reach shared goals. So often, motivational leadership also requires managing complicated situations or people. Over the years, I have begun to learn practical…

Interview with Jon Gordon

The following is a Q & A exchange between Jon Gordon and me. The first time I heard Jon Gordon speak was at a principal’s conference in Oklahoma City. A year later, he came and addressed our school district’s opening…

Interview with Mona Smith

The following is a Q & A exchange between Mona Smith and me. Mona Smith is the 2013 Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year. When I first met her, I was struck by her insight into school improvement and her…

Interview with Mark Scharenbroich

The following is a Q & A exchange between Mark Scharenbroich and me. Mark Scharenbroich is a fabulous resource of ideas for educators, leaders, and anyone interested in personal growth. I first heard Mark speak when he was a keynote…

3 Tips for Making Each Day Count

Recently I heard a great interview with Robert D. Smith, author of 20,000 Days and Counting. He explained the epiphany he had at 55 years of age when he calculated his years and realized he had lived 20,000 days. In…

Motivation by Wonder and Purpose

A good friend and fellow principal, Lydia Wilson, from Bixby Central Elementary, wrote me recently after reading my last blog post. Her response is a good reminder of the deep satisfaction that comes when we have the right motives for…

Staying Focused During Difficult Times

The other day, I had someone tell me, “I would never want your job.” On the one hand, that may be true. Sometimes the negatives can be overwhelming. When it comes to the part of my job involving student discipline,…

4 Caution Lights On Your Leadership Journey

Zig Ziglar’s “wheel of life” is often referred to by leadership coaches, like Chris Locurto, because it represents a good visual of the competing interests in each of our lives. The thought goes, when the areas of life are held…

Purpose Motivated Leadership

Recently, I was listening to an EntreLeadership Podcast interview of Lisa Earle McLeod discussing her book Selling With Noble Purpose. The premise of the conversation was that in corporations, the sales reps who make up the top 2% of highest…

Tips on Better Managing Requests

My first year as a school administrator, I was convinced I would not repeat some of the frustrating habits of my former leaders. Specifically, I wanted to be a leader who consistently followed through on requests from teachers. What I…

Welcome to Principal Matters

Thanks for taking time to visit Principal Matters, where you can find resources, insights, and inspiration for school leadership! William D. Parker Bio Will is currently the principal of Skiatook High School, near Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. He grew up a…