: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters Will Parker and Jen Schwanke share some thoughts on addressing the political landscape that educators face. They discuss how educators, particularly school leaders, are often asked to weigh in…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How can we build and sustain trust with…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to Monday Matters! This week, Will and Jen tackle the topic of understanding your identity outside of your career. They discuss how this can be particularly challenging for mothers, who often carry…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What are the common pitfalls that keep principals…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to talk about the difference between responsive vs. reactive leadership. This conversation was inspired by a thoughtful post written…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’m struggling with a new teacher responding to…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to talk about how curiosity leads to discovery. Sometimes, school leaders can get so caught up in their work that they…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What are some strategies for my own professional…
: Play in new window | DownloadPrincipals often juggle a multitude of tasks and responsibilities, and they are constantly being asked to add more to their plate. Sometimes, you have to say “no” to say “yes” to something else. This…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How do we balance the expectations and challenges…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to have a conversation about the use of AI in public schools. They talk about how…
: Play in new window | DownloadMeet Darrin Peppard: Dr. Darrin Peppard is a dynamic keynote speaker, leadership expert, and consultant with a passion for transforming organizational culture and developing the next generation of leaders. A former award-winning principal, Darrin…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn this week’s episode of Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to highlight the extraordinary skills of school leaders. Using the image of a Swiss Army Knife, Will and Jen…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will and Jen take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How do I face a team of teachers who resist…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn this week’s episode of Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss the challenges that school leaders face as they navigate both the mundane and complex aspects of their job. They offer advice…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: Do I HAVE to appease parents? How can…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about a post Jen wrote for her newsletter about staff meetings. Running a staff meeting can be a…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What tips do you have for someone transitioning to…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss the article below written by Will about left brain and right brain leadership. Listen in to hear their conversation! Left Brain and Right…
: Play in new window | DownloadMeet Crystal Williams: Crystal Williams is a dedicated instructional leader with 20 years of experience, currently serving as a District Literacy Coach in Houston, Texas. Originally from Albuquerque, NM, she holds a BA in…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss a post written by Will. Check out the post below and listen in to hear their thoughts on it! Random Moments, Major Outcomes…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will and Jen take some time to answer the following listener question: Is achievement only dependent on the perfect leader happening along at the perfect…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and I discuss happiness among educators. We cover an article by Elizabeth Dampf, The Cost of Happiness, and Jen talks about some articles she has written about…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following question: What is missing that keeps every school from moving forward at…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, join Will Parker and Jen Schwanke for the final discussion about Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful…
: Play in new window | DownloadLaDonna Chancellor is the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning for Bartlesville Public Schools in Oklahoma. With over 25 years in education, she began as a special education teacher, later serving as assistant principal…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker are talking about building trust with students. Their conversation is a follow-up to last week’s episode, where they talk about what kills trust with…
: Play in new window | DownloadDerek is the principal of Alleghany High School in Covington, Virginia, where he led the merger of two rival schools into a unified school community. Instead of allowing division to define the transition, he…
: Play in new window | DownloadHappy Monday Principal Matters listeners! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are discussing a topic from Jen Schwanke’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. Today’s conversation…
: Play in new window | DownloadThis week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk more about a concept from Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. The topic of conversation…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following question: What feedback do you have for an AP who feels like…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are talking about building trust with teachers. Competency, openness, and honesty are three key building blocks to building trust…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to share some feedback that Will has recently received after a PD session with teachers and…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back, Principal Matters listeners! This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are talking about trust pillars and trust killers, a concept covered in Jen’s new book. When it comes to…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following question: What would a spouse tell a principal stepping into their first…
: Play in new window | DownloadHello, Principal Matters Listeners! Welcome back to another conversation about Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, available August 17th. Pre-order your copy now! Today, Jen Schwanke…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following listener question: What other practical ways (like your student handbook) can you…
: Play in new window | DownloadHi, friends. Jen Schwanke is excited to announce that her new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, will be released on the 17th of this month! Over the…
: Play in new window | DownloadA quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following listener question: As I step into a new role at a new…
: Play in new window | DownloadLessons from Climbing Mt. Massive On June 26, 2025, my son Jack and I summited Mt Massive, at 14,429 feet, the 2nd tallest peak in Colorado. That one sentence sums up an impossibly difficult-to-describe…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following question: What should I be thinking as I step into the school…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another installment of Monday Matters! This week, Dr. Jen Schwanke and I are discussing chapter 13 from my new book Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing…
: Play in new window | DownloadMeet Karen Borchert: Karen Borchert is the founder and CEO of Alpaca, a company with a mission to make it easier to support teachers. Karen started off in secondary education, but most of her…
: Play in new window | DownloadIn this episode, I wanted to share some feedback from another Mastermind group I’ve met with in 2024-25. These leaders include: Julieta R. Flowers – Principal, Discovery Community School, Toledo, OH Kelly Brodzenski –…
: Play in new window | DownloadHappy Monday, Principal Matters listeners! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about chapter 12 from my new book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love.…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke spend some time talking about Jen’s upcoming book: Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. Listen…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another Monday Matters! I can’t believe it is already summer. This week, our Monday Matters Podcast is going to be a little different than usual. As listeners may already know, the…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker answers a question from a student in Jen Schwanke’s graduate class at OSU. The question is: From your experience as a podcaster, what…
: Play in new window | DownloadWelcome back to another Monday Matters. As school leaders across the country are wrapping up their school years, Jen and I are wishing everyone a happy summer! This week’s episode is a discussion of…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker answers a question from a student in Jen Schwanke’s graduate class at OSU. The question is: Through your consulting work, what common human…
: Play in new window | DownloadHi, Principal Matters listeners! Thank you for tuning in for another episode of Monday Matters. This week, Jen Schanke and I are talking about chapter 10 from my book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting…
: Play in new window | DownloadA Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker answers a question from a student in Jen Schwanke’s graduate class at OSU. The question is: How did you ensure equity and fairness…