Tag Principal Matters

PMP193: Taking a Music Break from COVID-19

: Play in new window | DownloadI don’t know about you, but it seems like every waking hour has been spent adjusting to a new normal, and the idea of relaxing almost seems unkind when you think of all the…

PMP191: Reflections on Leading from a Distance

: 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…

PMP190: 5 Tips for Running the Uncertain Leadership Roads Ahead

: 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…

PMP189: Building Bridges to Reach Students with Dr. Don Parker

: 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…

PMP188: COVID-19 Update, Principal Reboot, Finding Balance Continued

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I had the privilege of capturing a few minutes with Chris Legleiter, Principal of Leawood Middle School, Blue Valley Schools, just outside Kansas City, Missouri. The state of Kansas has closed buildings…

PMP187: Reboot for Principals, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadAs schools across the nation continue closures because of the Coronavirus pandemic, this week’s episode includes an update from listener, Terrence Simmons, Assistant Principal at Floyd Elementary, in Nye County, Nevada. Their team has…

PMP185: The Power of Sharing Your Own Story

: Play in new window | DownloadWhat stories have shaped your own leadership journey? I recently finished reading, Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, Tara Westover grew up in a rural Idaho with parents…

PMPEncore151: Hiring High Quality Educators, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhy is hiring such an important part of your responsibility as a principal? First and foremost, because the students, teachers, and community members deserve high quality education experiences. And secondly, because the people in…

PMP184: 5 Voices for Leading Teams with Jeremie Kubicek

: Play in new window | DownloadIt goes without saying that in order to lead you must have followers. But taking others to a destination doesn’t just mean accomplishing all the to-do’s on your checklist. Leadership requires relationships. And meaningful…

PMP183: Gen Z Unfiltered, Part 2 with Andrew McPeak

: Play in new window | Download“When is a time you have used grit, and what lesson did you learn?” This is just one of 100 questions you find included in the Table Talk Cards that come as a bonus…

PMP182: Generation Z Unfiltered with Andrew McPeak

: Play in new window | DownloadStudents today face newer and different challenges than students of the past. Although many of the skills or values they need to be successful remain the same regardless of time and place, they also…

PMP181: Finding Your Swing – How Leadership & Teamwork Go Hand-in-Hand

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I had the privilege of spending an afternoon with a team of new assistant principals. As we talked about their first semester, they shared the lessons they’ve learned in time management, communication,…

PMP180: Tipping Points and Why Small Things Matter

: Play in new window | DownloadWhat does it take for small actions to produce big results? Over Christmas break, I listened to the audio-version of Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference and learned…

PMP179: Special Edition – Principal Matters 2019 Year In Review

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week my family and I traveled back to Tennessee to see my parents and extended family. My parents both turned 79 this past year. Life has slowed down a lot for them now.…

PMP178: 10 Positive Takeaways from the Past Decade

: Play in new window | DownloadJust like you, I can think of many reasons to worry about the future or raise concerns about trends that have developed over the past decade. Whether that includes increases in school shootings, soaring…

PMP176: Leading Through Equity with William Stubbs

: Play in new window | DownloadIn October 2018, William Stubbs, an instructional leadership director at Oklahoma City Public Schools at the time, entered and won the Teach for America’s Shark Tank OKC as a contestant in the city’s Shark…

PMP172: Learning and Leading with John Wink

Thank you @johnwink90 for sharing these great takeaways for teachers and school leaders! #principalmatters @SolutionTree

PMP:170 Four Lessons in Teamwork from my Son’s Hospital Stay

: Play in new window | DownloadSix years ago, on October 31, 2013, my son Jack was eight years old. We had just finished an amazing day of trick-or-treating, and he asked if he could change back into his normal…

PMP169: Leading into the Wind – Lessons from Dave Sandowich

: Play in new window | DownloadA few weeks ago, I had the privilege to spend a few hours sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with Dave Sandowich. He commanded his 42-foot sailboat, Charis, with the skill of a man who…

PMP168: Managing Your Day with Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang

: Play in new window | DownloadIf you are like most school leaders, time management can be one of the most difficult parts of your work. Most new school leaders I meet explain how overwhelming the list of to-do’s can…

PMP167: Keeping Your Leadership Focused on Service, Not Self

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week was the first time (except for a rare Christmas holiday) that I have not shared a blog post or podcast episode update in almost five years. At first, I thought it was…

PMP166: Unique Challenges of Rural Principals and Why Your Story Matters

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I’m sharing another episode from the road as I have been traveling across my state, Oklahoma, visiting principals at schools or in regional meetings. Recently, I visited Texhoma, Oklahoma, with High School…

PMP165: Three Lessons in Decision Making from Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink

: Play in new window | DownloadSeveral years ago, I was standing in our school lunchroom watching hundreds of students eat breakfast. I was positioned in the middle section of the room, and the front doors of the school were…

PMP163: Encouraging an Environment of Growth – Questions and Answers with Jethro Jones

Thank you @jethrojones for collaborating together to answer principal questions! #education #leadership #principalmatters #transformativeprincipals

PMP162: Go! Community – How to Harness the Power of the Room with Danny Bauer

: Play in new window | DownloadAuthor David Weinberger once said: “The smartest person in the room is the room itself.” In other words, the collective power of our thinking is always more powerful than working in isolation. By connecting…

PMP161: Answers to Principal Matters Questions, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week Jen Schwanke and I answered questions from podcast listeners. Listen to Part 1 here. This week we take three more questions from principals on parenting, women in leadership, and professional growth. Here’s…

PMP159: Engaging Students in Shaping Their Own Stories with Jesse Haynes

: Play in new window | DownloadJesse Haynes is one of those rare people you meet in life who has dared to make his dreams come true. He is a recent graduate from the University of Tulsa who has reached…

PMP:Encore076 Messaging Matters – How to Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students and Reach Communities

: Play in new window | DownloadIn 2017, Justin Baeder, from Principal Center Radio, invited me as a guest on his show to talk to me about my book Messaging Matters: How to Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities. Justin was…

PMP157: Preparing for the Start-of-School Year

: 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 she arrives late to school, she has already missed breakfast and she’s…

PMP156: 6 Tips for Managing School-Wide Changes

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen my family recently visited the Rocky Mountain National Park, we enjoyed drives through snow-peaked mountains. But my 13-year old son, Jack, was most excited about hiking and climbing. One morning, we gathered the…

PMPEncore077: Four Tips for Parents as Principals

: Play in new window | DownloadTwo years ago, my oldest daughter graduated from the high school where I was principal. When she headed off to college that fall, it was a mix of celebration and grief on my part.…

PMP155: Parenting as Principals – Do’s and Don’ts, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadA few years ago, we had a lockdown drill at the high school where I was principal. Local police had called to say they were aware of a potential threat against our school on…

PMP153: Maintaining Balance and Focusing on What Matters, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen Principal Jen Schwanke was talking to one of her teachers about the importance of balance, her teacher asked an honest question. “Why should I do this when you don’t?” Jen realized then that…

PMP151: Hiring & Retaining High Quality Teachers, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadSeveral weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting Norman High School, in Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Scott Beck was recently named Oklahoma’s High School Principal of the Year, and I wanted to touch-base with…

PMP:150 Hiring High Quality Educators, Part 1

: Play in new window | DownloadRecently, the teachers at Indian Run Elementary, in Dublin, Ohio, organized a “Flash TACO bar” – a spontaneous buffet meal where they shared great food and fun together. As principal of the school, Jen…

PMPEncore109: The Power of One Caring Adult with Josh Shipp

: Play in new window | DownloadA few years ago, I sat across my desk from a student whose father had abandoned him and left the state. A family in our community had taken in the young man, and our…

PMP:149 Managing Adult Conflicts, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadSpring time is here, and the landscape is green with new growth. Ironically, my wife told me that by the spring of each school year, she has decided that our marriage is falling apart,…

PMP:148 The “Why’s” and “How’s” of Managing Adult Conflict

: Play in new window | DownloadOne of the biggest surprises for school new school leaders may be the conflicts that arise with adults. Whether you are encountering conflicts with parents, colleagues or community members, these situations can be difficult…

PMP:147 Providing Focused Professional Development

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen you think about providing professional development, do you feel stressed or excited? For many principals, providing professional development can be a daunting task. The good news is that professional development can become something…

PMP:146 Good Habits for Balancing Priorities

: Play in new window | DownloadHave you ever felt overwhelmed in trying to balance priorities? If you’re like me, you can probably think of more than once where student discipline, parent concerns, and teacher feedback provided you more tasks…

PMP:145 Promoting a Culture of Trust – Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen is the last time you heard the following words? “We do what’s best for kids.” Of course, we want school leaders to do what is best for students. But we also want to…

PMP:143 Learning for ALL with Dr. Garth Larson

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen Garth Larson was asked to move from secondary administration to become an elementary principal, he was curious if he could be an effective leader at that level. But his work in early-education combined…

PMP:Encore027 Ten Tips for Interviewing for an Education Opening

: Play in new window | DownloadIt’s that time of year again for hiring and job searches! Whether you are conducting an interview or being interviewed, I have found some common expectations anyone should have when walking into an education…

PMP:142 Preventing Student Athlete Injury or Sudden Death – Interview with Dr. Douglas Casa

: Play in new window | DownloadDr. Douglas Casa began his study of student athletic safety in 1985 when he suffered an exertional heat stroke while running a 10K race. As he explains, “I was fortunate to receive amazing care…

PMP141: How Culture Drives Successful Learning Communities – Interview with Dr. Kyle Palmer

: Play in new window | DownloadRecently, I had the privilege of talking to Dr. Kyle Palmer about the lessons he has learned in his years as a teacher, principal and district leader. As we talked about the successful professional…

PMP:Encore079 Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?

: Play in new window | DownloadNext week, I have the privilege of gathering together with educators and school leaders for a Leadership & Learning Conference in Norman, Oklahoma. Guest speakers Jeff Zoul, Jack Berckemeyer, and Christine Handy will be…