The Principal Leadership Lab

15:10:09 - Calendar your time

15:10:20 - Get out of the office

15:10:29 - Use your admin assistant

15:10:48 - Observe and make changes with people not for people.

15:11:04 - Do lunch supervision because it is fun.

15:13:34 - Don't be an island.  Connect with NASSP and Twitter.

Dr. Matthew Sowcik has been teaching for over 20 years and is currently an assistant professor of Leadership Development at the University of Florida.

Author of “The H-Factor” - Exploring the Intersection of Humility and Leadership to Move from Good to Great

Dr. Matt focuses his research on humility and the creation of organizational leadership programs. He also teaches both undergraduate and graduate-level courses concentrated on interpersonal leadership development, organizational leadership and advanced leadership theory.

Leadership Journey

In the book, talks a lot about being present.

The XFactor example of humility and how the singer’s lack of humility played a role in the discussion with his daughter.

Jim Collins -  humility and determination is what we need to move from good to great.

…companies like the Kellogg Company, Tinder, Kronos, E. & J. Gallo Winery, World Wide Technology, and Teach For America are just a few other successful companies that have committed to “humility” as a core organizational value. (from Matt’s research)

Humility as a mindset

We are incomplete until we take our last breath

…and where is it “taught” in the curriculum?

Humility allows you to take risks.

Why isn’t humility at the front and center?  Possible western culture of winning versus introspection.

What top two skills do you recommend that new educational leaders need to have at the ready?

Questions and action in the book will provide guidance.

Go back to humbling yourself.  Our perspective is just one POV.

Grow from your mistakes.  We need each other.

The Undercover Boss is a great example to observe without limits.  Ask, How do they need me?

Collective humility as an organization.

HOPEFUL

My own kids - my two boys, that they grow up and be wonderful humans.

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Assistant Principal and new author Dan Wolfe!

Dan Wolfe has been an educator for almost 25 years; everything from being a classroom teacher, instructional coach, District Curriculum Specialist and an administrator.

Recently wrote first book called “Becoming the Change: Five Essential Elements that Guide Each of Us Towards Becoming Our Best Selves” it focuses on the five elements of Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision Making. This book allows readers to take a self-assessment on each of these five areas and throughout the book learn strategies to help guide them towards growing in certain aspects within each area. The unique feature of this book is the reader will be able to pick and choose their own pathway in how they use this book as they have the ability to decide at the end of each chapter whether to reread that same section or choose a different chapter to read based on what area they feel they need to work on next. This part of the book is based on the similar style seen in the Choose Your Own Adventure series from the mid 1970’s through the late 1990’s.

Leadership Journey

Got the education bug in HS.

Working with new leaders; principal prep program.

Principal Project using PBIS principles in order to become a principal.

“Never forget where you come from” - important to stay connected to the classroom

“Having a Servant Leadership mindset”

Pre-Show: mentioned that his Supt. wanted him to move schools ½ through the year because of his experience in SEL… how do you prepare for this upheaval/change?

Moving into the AP role - what can new APs do to prepare for the upcoming year?

Self Awareness & Social Awareness - look at these two aspects of SEL and reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses

Do a lot of observing those first two weeks

What top two skills do you recommend that new educational leaders need to have at the ready?

Remember where you came from and keep a servant leader mindset.

How do you help a new employee understand the culture of your organization/ How do you hire teachers?

Do they have a growth or fixed mindset?  Balance is key.

HOPEFUL

Hopeful for a better tomorrow. “Be the Change”

Socially Aware

Empathy, not Sympathy

CONNECT WITH DAN!

Join Adam and Jeff as we speak with Michael Bennett, principal of Kewaunee High School, located just outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

Leadership Journey

Born in Beloit and started teaching outside Houston, TX.

3rd year in current position

Came in Fall of ‘19, before the Pandemic

We have learned from pandemic life; live streaming is real

As new principals enter our profession, what leadership advice will you offer them?

Roll your sleeves up and get at it.

Problem solving at it’s best

Need to be able to multi-task

Conversation around valedictorian & the value of taking AP classes

Why is there so much turnover in our education?  Is there anything principals can do to improve that?

The title is just a title, I don’t want to see myself as a harsh disciplinarian. I need to have relationships with kids AND teachers

What brings you HOPE?

I CAN TURN OUT STUDENTS who are productive members of society.

GUEST CONTACT INFO: 

Crissy is a special education teacher in Ashwaubenon and serves on the Oconto Unified School District Board of Education and is currently the president.  She is lifetime Oconto Blue Devil and currently has two children in the district.

LEADERSHIP JOURNEY

Born and raised in Oconto, WI

Cared for a Downs Syndrome child, led her to want to work with kids with special needs

Good leaders need to listen - "Don’t always try to fix it."

Listening from the board is difficult due to the appropriateness of the timing.

“That’s why we trust you”

What keeps the trust strong from the board level? Every other month we hold board workshops.  The opposite month is a listening session.

Boards do not need to agree.  Discourse is welcomed.

Bring it back to the data, bring it back to the kids

HOPEFUL

Have an open mindset in the classroom and stop thinking about what can go wrong?

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff as they chat with Canadian "Wellness Potential" Teacher A. Grace Martin! 

The Journey

It all started with a book about how "You can heal your life” her Aunt gave her.

90+ hours per week spurred her and husband onward to find balance.

“Soul-Based Purpose” - called to help

TIP for Ed Leaders - self-care is becoming negative, people are feeling gaslit. Work with people on setting BOUNDARIES.

Reassign Priorities to increase student engagement. 

“The intention is coming from a really great place”

When you take care of yourself, you will be better

SYSTEM of time management - BELIEVE it is possible - Start here.

Everyone’s emotional skill level is different

What do you best need to change in order to serve?

Progress, NOT perfection - “people pleasing is a form of perfectionism”

Comes back to individual self-worth… this is where standing up for the boundaries you’ve set comes into play.

How can leaders take this pressure off of classroom teachers?

ASK: When was the last time you validated a certain staff member?

VALIDATE, RECOGNIZE

WHERE DO YOU START:

Time block your schedule

Practice what you preach in your schedule

Go into DEEP WORK… don’t get pulled in different directions

“You care more by doing less.”

“Clear is Kind”

“Over-Communicating is Overwhelming”

Our flaws are important

Be proud of “good is good enough”

HOPEFUL
Spiritual Fire - To help the most students, I help teachers.

Reconnect that fire inside

GUEST CONTACT INFO: 

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with Coach Jim Johnson! 

Coach Johnson has developed winning high-school basketball teams for 30 years, taking over three losing varsity programs and turning them into winners in short periods of time. Of his 428 career victories, one in particular will surely never be duplicated.

On Feb. 15, 2006, Coach Johnson made the kindhearted gesture of inserting his autistic manager, Jason McElwain, now known to the world as J-Mac, into Greece Athena High School’s final home game, which the Trojans won 79-43. J-Mac scored 20 points in just over four minutes, including six three-point baskets, to become an instant national celebrity. Coach Johnson, also, was featured in major news outlets around the country.

To make the Hollywood ending complete, Greece Athena captured the first Section V title of Coach Johnson’s career a few weeks later.

LEADERSHIP/COACHING JOURNEY

Family tradition centered around basketball, first love.

Was cut from his college basketball team.

Head coach for 30 years

Currently speaking- Keynoting

Success came from studying leadership and building successful teams; not studying basketball.

Can have a different reaction virtually vs. in-person, which we can glean from

Catch players doing the right thing and build on that.

The J-MAC Story

Autistic boy, heart for basketball

Sat on bench JV & Varsity until Senior year

Had never won Section 5 championship

Came to everything, always stayed positive, persevered

Tried out 3 straight years, didn’t make it

Senior Night - gave him a uniform, told him he would play

Lesson: be open, keep listening with your team (when the team was down)

Lesson: embrace the moment, move on, don’t let it get you down

Beat Kobe Bryant out for the ESPY

Book: A Coach and a Miracle (based on the real-life story)

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY

How do you get to the top and how do you stay there?  Build systems that you believe in.

Listen to players (students/teachers/etc.)

Get the best answer, not necessarily “my answer”

Focus on growth

HOPEFUL

Respect all people and all things.

Greatest hope is that we can disagree, it is ok. Just don’t be disrespectful.

CONNECT w/ Coach! 

Join Jeff & Adam as they chat with Dr. Salome Thomas-El, or "Principal EL!"

Leadership Journey

“I choose to stay” defines his trajectory

HS teachers told him forget about the NBA, began working in TV and Production

Started talking to kids about his work in TV and basketball stars, talking to him about teachers and the difference they made in his life

Quit TV job and went back to school to achieve his Master’s and went into education

“HS reform does not begin in high school”

Started a chess program

2003 - I Choose To Stay was released - Disney optioned the rights; his autobiography about his life and playing chess

Penn State, not the State Pen

Schools are one piece, with so much on their plates; we need the community to do their part as well!

I know you’re tired, but you may also be uninspired - message to his staff

“These children will keep us on our toes and on our knees”

“An administrator adds to the MINISTRY!”

I am who I am because of the relationship I’ve had with…Thoughts of students.

If we treat every person with compassion, we never have to say we’re sorry - Principal DeWitt

You are empowering others to deliver love, passion and grace when you do the same

What is our capacity to learn? We learn from one another. This is the question moving forward.

“I want more for you so that our community will have more” - Salome’s mother

“If you’re out there making those cuts, sit on your butts” - regarding budget cuts of programs and after-school activities

Diamonds in the Rough - the new name…  LOL

BOOKS

Passionate Leadership

Building a Winning Team

The Immortality of Influence (foreword by Will Smith)

I Choose To Stay (Movie Rights Optioned by Disney)

Retention for Change

CHESS

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

Never talking to his teachers about the plan to create a K-8;

Had a great vision, but left teachers out of the initial conversation.

Listen, because it makes you a better person.

No excuses. Apologize and start over.

Shout-Outs to teachers, custodians, bus drivers, social workers, families, instructional assistants, nurses, tech staff, front office staff

Hopeful

2022 hoping to find a way to move through the second half of the school year and that our young educators stay in the profession.

You can be me, because I was once you.

Stop praying for a lighter load; start praying for a stronger back

Be a blesser, not a stressor

GFUES CONTACT INFO

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with our friend and colleague, 2x Principal of the Year in TWO different states - Dr. Jay Dostal, principal of Fayetteville High School. 

Dostal received the 2016 Nebraska State Association of Secondary Principals (NSASSP) Principal of the Year award, as well as the 2013 National Association of Student Councils Principal of the Year award.

Dostal, in his third year as principal at FHS, was presented with the award on Wednesday morning in a surprise ceremony at the school.

“Dr. Dostal has provided incredible leadership to the students and staff at Fayetteville High School.  With the continued pandemic, the 2020-2021 school year presented challenges,” said superintendent Dr. John L Colbert. “Dr. Dostal led his team to meet those challenges, and they have had an extraordinarily successful year of school. This recognition is well deserved for an outstanding job. Dr. Dostal likes to say ‘Own your epic,’ and he is certainly leading by example!”

Join Jeff & Adam as they get back to some interviews with some even greater people!

John VanDusen BIO: 

After returning from my first deployment to Baghdad, I was hired to teach 8th grade in L’Anse, MI, about 90 miles from my hometown. After several years of teaching and coaching, and another deployment, this time to Afghanistan, I was able to move back to my hometown where I teach and coach my beloved Flivvers.

Leadership Journey

8 different schools growing up, dad in Navy

Extrovert, into sports, talking to people

Independent Study as a Senior - began working with a 1st grade teacher

Decided he wanted to go into teaching

Michigan National Guard

Love of coaching came from playing days

Currently MS history teacher, still in Army Reserves, coaches HS football (Flivvers)

Being the “focal point for the community” - football or other family environments created at school

Student more involved typically does better

Win-Win-Win (classroom, field, community)

What is a Flivver?

Kingsford Charcoal (FORD Charcoal Briquette)

Leadership challenge/opportunity

1. Training for Afghanistan

Got a bus of 60 soldiers stuck in a ditch

When something goes wrong, cutting corners is tempting but actually can find you further behind - attention to detail (no good decision comes when heavy emotion is involved)

Vehicle got hit with a roadside bomb - PERSPECTIVE

2. Football getting shut down (coaching)

Needed to handle adversity as it comes rapidly

Don’t freak out, or everyone else will as well.

The Book: Lesson 1 - Leveraging Leadership in Everyday Life

COVID project

Got back from Afghanistan in 2014 - started jotting down notes from his deployments in the Army

Waiting for kids to come on Google Meets, he would have the doc opened, taking notes and thinking about turning it into a book

Saw friends begin to publish books, reached out to COdeBreaker who then referred him to Road to Awesome

Hopeful

Lower the temperature in the country

“It’s a shame, but it’s not new”

Civil conversation and then go about our daily lives

RESOURCES

Join Jeff & Adam for episode 3 of their new season! Diana Parafiniuk is a seasoned and nationally recognized business leader in the tele-therapy market. Her company, E-Therapy, pioneered the tele-therapy industry in education with its innovative practices, services, and solutions and first-to-market approaches to serve PreK-12 schools and students. Diana is an honored recipient of the inaugural Women Achievers of Arizona award in recognition of her leadership in the online therapy field.

Leadership Journey

Started her company over 12 years ago.

The business started due to the lack of remote access to resources.

Obstacles in the way? - Working with schools (grants, related service through IDEA funding, Medicaid, etc.)

Prior to e-therapy, what were you doing...trunk of the car with wagons.

Traveling Clinic

How do we connect one another? - Diana

How do you gain trust and rapport through a digital platform?

We can still connect with kids, build relationships, work on engaging students. It’s a building-block process.

Health & Wellness within the organization (E-Therapy).

Community craved within the organization.

Digital community - key word: COMMUNITY

Hiring Process - ongoing

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

Creating a safety net in as many places as needed and to be able to adjust when challenges arise.

HOPEFUL

I hope we stay awake.

I hope we maintain awareness.

No better return on investment than the success of a child.

Continue to fight the fight.

LINKS

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with veteran educator and building principal at Salinas Elementary in South Texas, Marty Silverman!

Host of The Second Question podcast & The Texan Connection, blogger with The Teach Better Team

Brooklyn transplant

24 years in the same district

38 Years on the job.

The 2nd Question: Who was the best teacher you ever had and why?

Leadership Journey

Hungered for a new adventure

People tend to center their whole world around the place where they live

Grew up in a housing project in Brooklyn

Education was the ticket out

Started teaching in 1st grade

The 2nd Question

Podcast purpose is to imprint the model onto others

Leadership Nugget for Aspiring Leaders

Traditional doesn’t mean it’s not effective

The biggest change over 38 years is there an illusion that kids are expected to do more now than they were then

Don’t innovate yourself out of limits… will have to go back and listen

Doesn’t always equal better

HOPEFUL

Lost 23 years of documents and data through a data breach.

After grief and anger, reframed his mindset.

Every day, look forward to something you didn’t expect.

This job is never the same. And that’s okay.

Critically evaluate that “best new thing”

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Dr. Brandon Beck is the author of Unlocking Unlimited Potential: Understanding the Infinite Power Within to Guide Any Student Toward Success. He is a National Board Certified teacher and also holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. His primary purpose as an educator and teacher leader is a simple one: “To inspire people (adults and children) to have faith in themselves and believe in their inner genius.”

He has been an elementary teacher for 17 years and a dual language teacher (English Zone) for over 10 years.  He is also a college professor, an editor and reviewer for AASA Journal of Scholarship & Practice, a regular speaker at state, regional, and national conferences, and is also an education consultant.

Dr. Beck is also a Mutt-i-grees teacher and National Trainer. Mutt-i-grees is a program designed by Yale University’s 21st Century in partnership with North Shore Animal League. The Mutt-i-grees curriculum is an innovative Pre-K - Grade 12 social emotional learning program that brings adopted shelter dogs into schools.

Dr. Beck is also an entrepreneur and professional soccer coach. He is currently a nationally certified instructor for the United States Soccer Federation. In addition, he has coached teams that have won numerous state, regional, and national championships.

Leadership Journey

One year into his journey with CodeBreaker - Author

Teacher in NY for 17 years

Outdoor Adventures for 3 years

Started in NYC public schools

Monolingual/Bilingual educator

College professor - teaching ESL

Soccer player & coach

Runs a small business - soccer programs

Holds a Doctorate & is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher (NBCT)

Always felt there was something holding him back - "turns out it was myself"

You do what you love and it doesn’t feel like work

TWITTER - “Big large chain of connections”

“UUPotential” Stories - vodcast to connect people and record the conversation

Goal - to unlock the unlimited potential in every student

Being able to hear people’s real stories has been real powerful

Professional Learning has been flattened

UUP Stories - next book?

We rise by listening to others

Dual language teacher - being a monolingual

The last step of the ladder is Unlocking Unlimited Potential

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

I’m a leader in my school.

I’m an entrepreneur; run a soccer company that serves 4,000

During COVID players signed up for soccer, but locked down.

Had to overcome financial challenges as a result

Found alternatives to engagement

Hopeful

School year we had really brought out a lot in people

People are innovative

Don’t forget about the importance of equity and race and SEL

We can’t go back to the way things were

Unlocking Unlimited Potential Book

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff and Adam as they talk across the pond with Jeremy Blain.  Founder and CEO, International GameChanger of the Year

Jeremy Blain is an award-winning Business Leader, Futurist, New Era Learning Professional, Author & Conference Speaker.

AUTHOR: Inner CEO - Unleashing Leaders at all Levels

Jeremy is founder and CEO of PerformanceWorks International (PWI). He has created PWI because he knows that his experience, knowledge and passion can help organisations and individuals face into the changing workplace and help them be fit and ready for the future.

Jeremy is also a newly appointed Advisory Board Member of WDHB; one of the world’s foremost Industry 4.0 immersive learning experiences companies (leadership expeditions, community events and transformational learning interventions for the disruptive era).

Journey

Started in the 1990s and began at Procter and Gamble.

Self leadership was the first stage of his journey.

Leadership is about doing the right thing and management is doing the right work in the right way.

4 Levels of Leadership

Self learning

Learning from others

Learn by doing

Apply - put into practice

How to help people in the modern workplace?

How to help people be “Future Ready?”

5 Forces

Digital

Leadership readiness

Culture is shifting

Workforce is shifting

5th one???

Learning needs a bit of an upgrade in areas

Workplace readiness… can have a business set up in a day… self-driven experience/learning at a much earlier age

Not a career-for-life mentality anymore

Leadership readiness… how to get here.

Start hiring for behaviors not qualifications

70% is ok in the corporate world; speed is key.

Perfection is not the key, but the continued evolution.

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with CEO, Founder, Podcast Host of Genius Leadership: Overcoming Everything, Anna Liebel!

Believes that each of us has a zone of genius -  unique to us.

As a Mindshifter, I help male leaders in tech get out of the firefighter mode, become the proactive Leaders they want to be, and enjoy the ride as they go.

The research is showing how beneficial empathy and vulnerability are in workplaces. Which are the traits normally nurtured in young women. Yet, how are our men brought up? "Be strong", "man up", etc. I see many male leaders who are great humans willing to be better at leading others, yet they were never taught to open up, show their emotions, and own their weaknesses. Given that most of the power positions are occupied by men, no wonder employee engagement is so low and mental health issues cost companies billions each year.

Journey:

Raised in Ukraine, moved to Sweden, ended up in Iceland

Studied computer science and was often the only female

Helps male leaders in tech, more sustainable leaders, without burning themselves or their employees out.

Lack of empathy in men

Struggle to reach true equality

So many men are unhappy, unhealthy.

We are sentient beings - don’t need to necessarily teach directly.

Creating a safe place for my clients so they can explore these things

People do as we do, not as we say (much like our kids)

Practice what you preach

“Not everyone is ready for that”

For School Leaders:

Be patient

Get crystal clear on your “Why” - why do you WANT to transform?

What is your vision for your future self?

“Don’t let your legacy be seen only once you’re gone” - What is your Living Legacy?

Where are you going too far in your work? - When is “good” good enough?

It’s different, but it’s not wrong

Leadership Challenge

New country, young daughter, and new business.

This is re-learning journey

Need people to be able to call you out and bring you back

“I’m worthy just because I am”

Hopeful

Society that is empowered and to explore who we are.

1

LINKS

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Special Education elementary teacher at the Ohio State School for the Blind, & Nominee for Ohio State Teacher of the Year... Marie McCumber! 

Education Journey

Started from high school and learning about the deaf and hard of hearing.

Paying for college was devastating.

Worked in Germany as a classroom assistant.

Wishes her story was a “more exciting story” - how she got into special education

Took the right opportunities to discover what she really loves.

2 years at the Ohio School for the Blind Prek-12

70% of their students are unemployed due to their visual impairment

Teach Better Ambassador

Her best friend encouraged her to get more involved.

Nominee for Ohio Teacher of the Year

Hopeful 

The COVID challenges existing systems in education to be used as an opportunity for growth; to become better.

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Dr. Sam Fecich, a professor of education, author of EduMagic: A Guide for Preservice Teachers, and pumpkin spice latte fan.

Currently an associate professor at Grove City College in Grove City, PA, Sam helps future educators become educators of excellence during their college career, by preparing them to work with all students and educational technology in meaningful and authentic ways.

Education Journey

Unexpected surprises.

Dad knows best; you can add special education to your license

1st job was in a classroom with multiple disability students.

Not afraid to take an abandoned SMART Board.

Make your Google Search a professional one.

Prep for Future Teachers - EduMagic (book, podcast, classes, etc.)

Nothing out there for new teachers beyond their UnderGrad at the time

Talking about those things they don’t teach you in the college classroom

What can you do to be an “Educator of Excellence?”

Go in with a “teacher mindset” - you don’t necessarily need to be an expert in that content area

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Beach-loving, Florida transplant who loves ALL things outdoors... Jillian DuBois! Water, waves, salty air, and warm breezes is where she finds the most joy. While she admits her loyalty to this wonderful state, she will forever claim status as a native Texan, born and raised in Dallas with deep southern roots that are still lovingly planted.

PROFESSIONALLY, SHE IS A PASSIONATE EDUCATOR WHO CALLS ALL STUDENTS HER OWN. SHE IS A RECENTLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR, BLOGGER, PODCASTER, AND TECH TOOL FANATIC.

Educator’s Journey

Didn’t start out teaching

Started volunteering in a classroom

Transition to teaching program in FL

Decided to homeschool her son in 8th grade, quit her job.

Great experience homeschooling

Best 5 years of her life - homeschooling

Put her homeschool experience into practice back in the classroom, loves every minute of it

Author:

Liv’s Seashell’s

Road to Awesome

UPCOMING… Look at You, Piper Lou

LLC: ImpartedJoy

Internal, cultivated, passionate joy - how are we going to get it to come out?

Leadership/Career Challenge

This has been the hardest year, but hasn’t been the worst.

HOPEFUL

Professionally, educators can stay on the track of encouraging one another; lean in.

Personally, this summer is one of rest.

GUEST CONTACT INFO

Join Jeff & Adam as we come off of our short hiatus and have a WONDERFUL conversation with Forbes "30 Under 30 Alum for Marketing and Advertising," co-founder of the award-winning community design agency, Catalyst Creativ (W/Tony Hsieh) and Bestselling author of The Seventh Level, Amanda Slavin!

Amanda’s Leadership Journey

Good with kids, coaching, camp counselor for 10 years

Kids are like sponges.

“Kids who aren’t seen” - a large part of her journey, who she is all about

The Secretary of education attended school there.

Doing community event planning on the side

Two weeks before graduation, she was offered a job doing event planning for a restaurant group

Master’s Thesis became her book

Feedback & Responses - given to disgruntled customers - engaging with people

“I loved working with kids” - so much of what teachers have to do is systemic; “I didn’t ever want to resent the children”

“Engagement is the bedrock of human connection”

Asking questions to be able figure out how to align and make connections

One question could unlock...

The awkward Uncle story

Catalyst Creativ

Summit Series - produced this series - felt that this was what she should be doing - Gary V

Met her business partner - Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos.

Created experiences in downtown Vegas

BOOK - The Seventh Level (2019)

It is a relationship book.

No more important relationship than the teacher to child.

We are comparing each other to the highlight reels of other people’s lives

Hopeful

A world that my son is bullied for being compassionate and allow others to truly be themselves.

GUEST CONTACT INFO: 

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Primary Principal Dan Edwards!

Dan’s Leadership Journey

Hailing from Leicester, England, Dan originally trained to be a teacher in HS and MS

Disenfranchised teaching HS

Took some time off

Spent some time working in primary schools (nursery age)

Learned about the importance of play

Teacher’s Assistant he worked with was there when he was toddler; she helped him learn to tie his laces

Best job in the world - what he’s doing now

Weight of the responsibility to teach primary students

What can we learn from the primary school to keep the love of learning alive?

Self-selection of activities, what they want to do, want to learn, having their own agency.

“Sense of independence gets lost” - this is backwards! How do we let this happen? When we take away their agency and self-selection, we start to tell them that “adults know best,” and that they are not mature enough to make their own choices.

Historical view of classrooms were setup to replicate the Victorian Mill houses.  The teacher was the most knowledgeable person in the room.

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

Well being is the challenge; we tell others, but we don’t....

Reflect on the things that matter

Meet on things that move the school forward

Hopeful

Normality

Assemblies, whole school celebrations, community

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

According to Karen, “Education should nurture our most vital community asset – our children.” As the Founding Director of Voyagers’ Community School, Karen is shifting and disrupting the education paradigm. Each day she tells and shows children and adults that anything is possible, that dreams motivate, curiosity inspires, and they have the power to change the world.

A respected industry thought leader and speaker, Karen is an active member of a number of boards, committees, and progressive organizations where she shares her expertise in non-profit operations, curriculum development, and educational revolution as a global undertaking, with children’s interests at the fore. Karen helps schools integrate progressive approaches in classrooms and across all schools and school systems — whether public, charter, or private. She also advised start-up school efforts.

Karen’s Leadership Journey

Voyagers’ Community School - Founding Director - Infancy-12

Natural Educator - Loved Dance, so became a dance teacher..

Worked in Harvard, Mass at a public school - project-based

Wrote curriculum for PE teachers, training trainers.

Eldest son struggled in school, began thinking about education and what was possible

Needed to be a school that was different - founded Voyagers’ in 2004

Voyager - how it was developed - took years to come to the name

Exploration, Journey - wanted kids to grow their intellectual muscle/strength; seating arrangements, multi-age, independent work

Teachers as researchers

Children as critical thinkers,kids who hold on to their imaginations, civic-minded

Curriculum Continuum is not predetermined

Recruiting Teachers - maybe 5 have potential out of 100 - coming from traditional school settings

The longer they have been traditional settings, the longer it takes for them to unlearn

Sandpaper Concept - show me a different way, challenge me to see something different

“Thriving on the rub” - thrive on the back and forth, the challenge

How do you keep the “sandpaper” fresh - people who are willing to be challenged, rubbed in a different way - have to be willing to change and to grow

Students - it does take a unique student - kids late in their ed. Careers have to Opt-In. They have to want something different, they have to know what they want.

Capstone projects in place of final exams

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

If I knew ahead of time, I probably wouldn’t have done it...

Disrupt education.

How to take this to the public - humbly, but confidently

At the heart and mind of every school leader - how do we make this experience equitable

Hopeful

Children as powerful, resourceful, competent - kids have to be stakeholders

The magic of childhood - keeping that alive

Something different for children - have things panned out how you would have expected? Anything you would change? What is next to improve V?

“What would it take for you to want to come to school?”

"Project Weeks"

GUEST CONTACT INFO

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Dr. Chad Dumas, an educational consultant, international presenter and award-winning researcher whose primary focus is collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. Having been a successful teacher, principal, central office administrator, professional developer and consultant in a variety of school districts, he brings his passion, knowledge, and skills to his writing and speaking as he engages participants in meaningful and practical learning. By seamlessly weaving engaging stories with education research and offering hands-on tools with clear processes, Chad offers readers and audiences useful knowledge and skills they can implement immediately.

The results of Chad's work speak for themselves. One district was identified as "Persistently Lowest Achieving" upon his arrival, and within a few years -- by applying the principles of this book -- multiple schools were recognized as National PLC Models for improving student learning. Chad has served on and led accreditation visits for Cognia around the United States and world, presented nationally and internationally, collaborated with school boards, intermediate service agencies, state departments of education, and professional associations, and trained as an agency trainer for Adaptive Schools.

Chad’s Leadership Journey

Started august of 1999, MS vocal educator, Lincoln, Nebraska

Signed up for the school improvement committee, but it wasn’t gardening.

However, environment does matter

Dick Spearman - NE principal, sent him to a training - only teacher in the room - 8 days of training around Classroom Instruction That Works

Implemented strategies like an experiment/lab

Next Learning Solutions, LLC

Son came up with the name for the company

The book came from his dissertation - What principals need to know to improve collaboration

Join Adam and Jeff as we speak with Debbie Tannenbaum, a School Based Technology Specialist in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is in her third year in this position and her twenty-first year in education. 

Education Journey

Always wanted to be a teacher

Found technology

Master’s in Tech in 2002

2017 - principal introduced her to Twitter - started to blog, listen to podcasts, connect with people

At first was resistant, thought Twitter was for famous people

“Tannenbaum Tech”

Currently works with kids and teachers in her role as Tech Specialist

Working with Jeff Gargas from TB Team to develop her website and bring value to people

Connections with people helped her do things she wouldn’t normally have done

The Book

“Transform: Techy Notes to Make Learning Sticky”

What value do you hope the book will provide to people?

Who is the book written for? (Audience)

Three parts:  get your feet wet, next steps and nurturing student agency, take the transformation to the next level.

Narrative & Tech-Based writing style

Challenge or Opportunity

She was de-staffed and have to share two buildings

An open mind led to extensive learning

Made the situation positive and looked for learning opps

A catalyst for making her stronger

Hopeful

Take this past years lessons and making them common

Don’t make lifelong learning cost prohibitive

Don’t put learning in boxes

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with Education Researcher, Design Thinker, and Podcaster - Dr. Sabba Quidwai

Sabba believes that cultures of innovation begin with a culture of empathy. She works with leaders to integrate design thinking practices that encourage creativity, recognize accomplishments, build trust and inspire a collective vision. In 2018 the World Economic Forum identified Leadership and Social Influence as a trending skill. Sabba shares how building social influence across social media platforms can empower leaders as role models for the beliefs and values they want to see others adopt as they believe that their audience is able to rise to the occasion.

As a graduate of the Global Executive EdD program at the University of Southern California, Sabba’s research focus is how design thinking can prepare individuals with the mindset and skillset to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Her work is driven by a quote from William Gibson, "The future is here. It just isn't evenly distributed."

Sabba hosts a podcast, “Sprint to Success with Design Thinking,” where she interviews researchers and practitioners about their stories and strategies for navigating change with design thinking and thriving in today’s world.

Sabba’s Leadership Journey

Went to USC

Serendipity

Former HS teacher

Watching her sister work with tech…

Created a role allied “Director of Tech & Innovation”

Empathy lens - listen and learn - cultures of innovation begin with cultures of empathy

Unlearn everything we know about collaboration

Adam Grant: A field guide to think again

The Story of Design39Campus

Trust happened organically.

Psychological safety

Teachers are inherently design thinkers

EdCamp while at USC - met two KDG teachers

We don’t usually see them “sustain & scale”

Challenge traditional measures

Found a travel EdD program

“What are you energized by?”

How to think about Design Thinking for Educators

Find the right problems to solve

Join Jeff & Adam for the 50th EPISODE OF THE PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP LAB! On this special episode, we talk with Central Office Admin, Virtual Principal, Doctoral Student, Wife, Mother, Blogger and Friend, Sari Goldberg McKeown! 

Sari’s Leadership Journey

NYU student, planning to go to law school

Missed the kids (was a gymnastics coach)

Was excessed from her teaching position despite being tenured

“From paralegal to teacher”

All about the journey

Virtual School (created out of the pandemic)

Lots of creative ideas to bring kids together

We are Better Together

Focus Groups to think about and reflect on the year and continue to learn

Communication - big takeaway from this year

Use multiple platforms to communicate

Doctoral Student

Topic: “Empathy in Leadership”

Applies to everyone and to find the hidden stories

“Why” is the essential question

Sometimes people who are empathic might think they are broken

Not been explored i ed leadership to the extent that it has in healthcare

Being more empathetic can be healing

Helen Reiss -Empathy of Fact

Leadership struggle/opportunity

Checking things off the list

Grateful attitude of reflection

Hopeful

Better tomorrow

All the ways we have grown

All we have to celebrate

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff & Adam as we talk to Educator (7th grade teacher at a middle school in Wyoming)  Father of 4, Tech trainer, & Fly Fisherman, James Kapptie!

James’s Leadership Journey

Coaching brought him into education

Has taught a little bit of everything

Tech director for awhile, but far away from kids, found an opportunity to get back into the classroom

Teaching in WY with COVID - personalization already in place due to technology, pretty open all year (with masks & hybrid).

“We’ve adapted”

Fail Fast & Fail Forward

Help kids get excited about learning

A.R. (augmented reality) - did a training at ISTE

“Is it a gadget or is it a tool?”

Don’t say you can’t, when there are so many ways you can

Tech Training

SAMR model and spawned organically

Training others with Code.org

Specific tools for specific classes and applications.

Leadership struggle/opportunity

You can either complain about it or be part of the solution

Hopeful

Hopeful that kids will talk about education before and after COVID. Don’t forget, make the distinction. Hopefully there is a defining difference.

GUEST CONTACT INFO

Balance Boundaries Breaks with Evan Whitehead.

Evan Whitehead has been in the field of education for more than 20 years spanning three decades and is currently the director of special services for a PK–8 school district in Illinois. In his current role, Evan oversees all federal programs (special education, McKinney-Vento, English learners, and Title I); early childhood education; multi-tiered system of support (MTSS); social emotional learning, family and community engagement; health services; continuous improvement; and equity, diversity, and cultural competency.

Evan’s Leadership Journey

Started education later, but 33 years are in the bag.

Didn’t start out seeking this profession.

Career started with a nudge from mom working in a special education cooperative.

Worked in Therapeutic Day setting

Intro to education, has had to restrain students.

“If you’re not invited to the dinner, you’re probably on the menu”

Making sure we’re at the table for students - how to encourage young educators to speak up and be heard

2% Club - number of black males in education

We are at a crossroads in education. - how do we reimagine education?

It isn’t about seat time.

What does 8 -  3:30 mean for most students?

Snow days, discipline, homebound

Whole child instruction.

We have to take care of our educators like we do our students.

Adult care:  Before school hours and connecting.  Alphabet survival guide.

These care activities have to come from the “top”.

Placed a pause on “curriculum maps” for this time period.

Leadership struggle/opportunity

Had to understand self care and what he needed.

Understands Imposter Syndrome, has lived it.

Was not adhering to his own boundaries

First time is a favor, 2nd time it’s expected

Hopeful

Opportunity for change

Time for family.

Seeing and value what we have.

Recognize how quickly life can change.

Use this past year for growth going forward.

GUEST CONTACT INFO

Join Adam and Jeff as we chat with "The Magician!" In addition to teaching at the high school and university levels, Dr. Frank Rudnesky was the principal of Belhaven Middle School in Linwood, New Jersey for a span of two decades.  During that time, the school was recognized with numerous local, state, and national awards for leadership, technology influence, excellence in performance, and a positive culture. The school was often used as a visitation site for other educators from as far away as Japan.

Frank has developed, implemented, and studied leadership processes to enhance organizational culture.  He has authored numerous books and articles published in the areas of leadership and technology influence. Dr. R. resides in the Jostens Renaissance Educator Hall of Fame and sits on several non-profit boards including the New Jersey Schools to Watch core team.

Frank’s Education Journey

No straight arrow to his path into education

U of San Fran

Started in Magic Shop on Fisherman’s Wharf

Opened up a magic shop in New Jersey,

Got bored and started substitute teaching

Magic was a connector - “what is YOUR connector?”

30 years public educator

“Leadership isn't just for those at the top”

Got connected with others after “retirement”

Started writing down ideas

LEGACY surfboard - given to him by students his last year

Find out what your student’s passions are

Never surfed in his life before 50 years old

“Core Boards” - Leadership Exchanges with other middle schools

Core Boards were an instigation led by students

Wear them and when someone inspires or moves you, write that person’s name on the back and give it to them.

Amazing what happens when you inspire and empower kids

Empower Half Hour

Desire to stay connected in education and leadership

Twitter chat inspired to fit a tighter timeline

Let’s take what we can control, and control.

TWO BOOKS

FIRED UP Leadership

50 Great things leaders do?

Leadership struggle

Teacher at a high school

Always thought he would be a great difference-maker

Was asked to homebound tutor a student who had cancer

Learned another way of looking at things

Hopeful

Use the optimism of those we serve.

Students engage when we provide choice, love, kindness, etc...

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff for this very special episode as we chat with young entrepreneur and former student of Jeff's (from his first principalship!) 

Join Jeff & Adam as they chat with High School assistant principal and Host of the Big ED Idea podcast -from Dixon, Kentucky - Ryan Scott!

Mr. Scott served as Morganfield Elementary Principal in Union County. He has also served as an elementary teacher at East Heights and South Heights Elementary Schools in Henderson County.

Mr. Scott earned his Masters of P-12 Learning Behavior Disorders and his Educational Specialist Principal from the University of the Cumberlands. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Murray State University.

Ryan’s Leadership Story:

Non-traditional route to the principalship.

Oldest daughter was the best mistake he ever made.

16-22 he was a "lost child"

Held lots of jobs going through school, raising a daughter on his own

"Don’t be afraid of bodily fluids" - Kindergarten teaching

Overarching desire to make the world a better place as an educator.

New Podcast - Big ED Idea

Firm believer in “God winks.”

Encouraged/Inspired by the Men in Ed FB group.

When something tugs on your heart, you need to act

Visions of one with the passion of another.

Passions and purpose -  Simon Sinek (sometimes it just takes other people’s passions to discover your purpose)

Leadership Struggle

Failing Forward - Spring of 2019

Dealing with depression

9 principals in 15 years

Contingency of “we’ve always done it this way”

Spring of 2019 - resigned: thought he should be able to fix everything, didn’t like to fail

Landed in a HS setting, and realized this was where he was supposed to be

Hopeful

Amazing changes in education (let’s not fall back to the assembly line).

Computers can be the platform to deliver content, but we are finding that teachers are more than deliverers of content.

We are STILL talking about “Future-Ready” when Future-Ready is HERE and NOW!

Anything that can be Googled should not be taught

Look at the 5 C’s and see how we can fit the standards into them

#EvolveOrDie

“Give them the leeway to do that!”

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with our friend and colleague, Darrin Peppard!  Dr. Darrin Peppard, a self-proclaimed recovering high school principal, is a school district superintendent, speaker, author, and consultant. Darrin’s expertise in school culture and climate, along with coaching and growing emerging leaders has made him a leading voice in school leadership on an international level. Living life on the “Road To Awesome”, Darrin leads through relationships, compassion, and a human-being first focus. Peppard has served kids and adults as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, teacher, and coach. Darrin was recognized as the Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year in 2015, Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP in 2016, and in 2019, he was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame. Darrin and his wife live in Grand County, Colorado spending as much time off the road in their Jeep and hiking with their daughter and their dogs.

Leadership Journey

When I speak, I mention being a “recovering HS principal”

HS principal job is the hardest job in the district

The first time someone mentioned to him the term “leadership,” he almost fell out of his chair

Two most critical questions: hats & cell phones

Let’s actually challenge the status quo - this is actually the moment “Road to Awesome” started

Punishment to gain Compliance - the worst strategy in the world

Getting our kids into relevant learning experiences

Our students are ready to LEAD NOW!

Growing Emerging Leaders

Focusing an a wider audience of people, working with them to find out where they want to grow

Road to Awesome & Relationship with Code Breaker

Good things happen slowly over time

Great things happen rapidly

“Just tell your stories”

Had a book contract overnight

Brian Aspinall - CodeBreaker

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity

Misconception of what it means to be a principal - 1st Year principal

Not leading, being a firefighter

Didn’t delegate well

A leadership coach saved his career

Didn’t feel like he had time for anything other than his “pushpin” tasks set out on his bulletin board

“You need to learn to help other people learn how to solve their problems”

Get out of your own way

Put “school culture” on your calendar

Hopeful

Growing other leaders.  LIft up the voices of teachers everywhere.  Empowering others in education.

Leadership Matters

GUEST HOST INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with educational leader, blogger, and FIRST-TIME PODCAST GUEST, Bobbie French!

Bobbie is an Educational Leader who has been inspired by others to share with you celebrations, challenges, and thoughts along her journey.

Bobbie’s Leadership Journey:

Started as an elementary counselor

Taught 2nd & 3rd grade

Recruited to be a principal

Private - Catholic - school principal for 5 years

Current Education Coordinator in Massachusetts

Past Elementary Principal and Special Education Coordinator

Set a schedule for shared locations.

Daily morning email

Be clear in your communication

What to do when opportunities arise

“The Connected Educator”

Just Start advice: Podcast - “The Busy Principal”

Too many people don’t “just start”

The Ripple Effect has been amazing

Leadership Challenge:

You’re Not Perfect.

Allowing yourself grace to make a mistake

Becoming a New Principal - wanting to help, do things “for the better,” but haven’t developed trust yet.

Listen more, talk less

Taking feedback from staff

Figuring out “the long game”

In it for “The Infinite Game” - Simon Sinek

What are you HOPEFUL for?

One Word - BELIEVE

What can we do to recreate education?

When you know better, you do better

What schools are going to create Virtual Academies? - If they are not thinking about it, they should be

GUEST CONTACT INFO: 

Join Adam & Jeff for episode #42, where we chat with three phenomenal educators who are also recent authors - Rachael George, Kate Barker and Kourtney Ferrua!  

EDUCATOR/AUTHOR BIOS:

Rachael George - Elementary Principal

PreK-5 Principal of ‘19 ICLE Model School. Past MS Principal of a 2x Model School. Author #PrincipalED leaders Speaker. ASCD Emerging Leader, NAESP Fellow

Kate Barker - Elementary Principal

Mom~Wife~ Principal~Author of PrincipalED~Professor~Mentor~Speaker~Food Rescuer. . . Committed to high expectations infused with love.

Kourtney Ferrua - Director of Curriculum K-12

National Distinguished Principal. Relentless believer in children. Growth mindset champion. Social Justice warrior. Educator. Author. Mom. Wife.

Tell us about your leadership journey?

Rachael:  Goldilocks effect, from forest service to the classroom, to a principal role.

Kate:  30 years in the same district, Portland, OR, and includes many experiences in between.

Kourtney:  Studying in San Fran, started in prison teaching, developed a lifelong passion for social justice, high school teacher, then kindergarten, principal.  The transition: moved out of the focus, loves curriculum and the processes.

How are each of your schools navigating the different instructional models during this pandemic?  Have there been any innovations or aha moments?

You don’t have to choose - you have to have both

“Our goal as educators is to lift up other educators”~Kate

Move away from academic and focused on social-emotional

“A humanity every single day”

Causing more problems with these interventions; Get all the grownups on the same page

The Book Story

From a conference and talking about how their fall was going.  Many visitors attending their schools due to growth. Aligned their work for the book. Chat with Dave and Shelly Burgess, and it took off from there

How do you write a book with 3 different people?

Trial and error. Wrote chap. 1 in hopes of merging all three, didn’t work. Chapter leads took over as the model.

Leadership Struggle/Opportunity

Kate - Staff didn’t feel like they had a voice; if you want to have that dialogue, you have to create the systems and protocols for that discussion; transparency

Rachael - Communication.  Learning how communication is received at high school vs. elementary.  Flex & Shift depending on who you’re working with

Hopeful

Kourtney - Relentless capacity for students to learn.

HOST CONTACT INFO:

INSTAGRAM

Join Adam & Jeff as we speak with Daphne McMenemy!  Living in Oakville, which is 45 minutes outside of Toronto, Canadian, Daphne is an educator, author, speaker and the Managing Director of Code Breaker, Inc. Learn more about Daphne here: 

Daphne’s Educator Journey

15 years ago, teaching primary - K-3;

3,1, & finally KDG

Looping - teaching kids two years in a row

Learned this was exactly where she was supposed to be - KDG

½ day vs. full-day

Back teaching 1,2 grades now

Books:

Gracie, What Happens When I Learn to Code, Grace: The Maker

Who is Gracie based on? 

CodeBreaker, Inc

Leadership doesn’t mean administrator

Kid first, not content.

Foster risk taking

Educational/Leadership Challenge

8 years in, needed a change, discovered EdTech

Lone Wolf at her school at the time (with EdTech)

Plowed ahead, didn’t pay attention to her colleague’s pushback

Even if you are right, to keep thinking that you are and saying that you are can hinder your progress and burn bridges

What I learned is that I had isolated myself

As soon as I became a listener, I became a learner

Hopeful….that a result of the massive changes that educators are seeing in education in another way for the betterment of our children.

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with 1st year principal Trelane Clark!

Trelane’s Leader Journey

14 years old - knew she wanted to be an educator

Amazing educators as a student

Wanted to have her own school

Simmons College - Boston, MA

Taught 17 years

Public & Private schools

24th year in education

Lack of resources is biggest difference in sectors she has worked

Has worked as an assistant principal for 9 years

“The Pandemic Principal” - 1st year principal

Challenge along Your Journey

Likes to look at the positive side of a challenge - more of an opportunity

Has been, at times, the only black woman at schools where she has worked

Has felt she needed to downplay who she is to be able to work, bring her “full self” to work.

Has begun doing more equity work in the past couple of years

Equity Conversation

Culturally responsive teaching - adults should be doing the exact same thing

HEART work

If it’s not in you, it can’t come out of you

First job is as a mother

Affirm your kids as who they are, give them models

We can’t be “Box-Checkers” in this work

Hopeful

My own children. Hopeful for equity advocates who are deep in this work.

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with our friend and principal colleague, Santiago Meza!

Santiago’s Edu Journey:

Not born in USA - Mexico

Born in a marketplace

Came to US at 10 months

First born: college, BA, MA, Educator

Great foundation in being Re-Born

Parents: 6th grade education

EL learner

Wanted to be a pro football player; hurt in HS

Prom date turned into much more…

Dream Circle: people of support

Path to Overcome - failed his admin

How’s your day: “I got to take a breath today”

#RootedInStrengthCA

Didn’t know where to turn, gave his life to God. Col. 2:7

Rooted In Strength was born.

Can’t find my buddy, joined Twitter.

Power of the PLN

It is like family.

Get back to others and let them know you have their back.

Leadership Challenge:

People take generosity and kindness as weakness

Don’t get a 2nd chance at a word that you spoke

I can be kind in hard situations

This is who I am. I’m not going to be a yeller.

Hopeful:

We can all serve, support and love each other.

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with Adam D. Drummond, who has served as a consultant, manager, director, and keynoter for the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Adam’s servant leadership and passion for making a change in the world has offered him the opportunity to work with students, teachers, and leaders across the country and internationally. Adam’s mantra – 100% of the students, 100% of the time – offers the opportunity to engage teachers and leaders in supporting them in building their own leadership capacity and skill set to ensure that all students receive the very best education possible every single day. Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders and Adam believes that we must create the conditions for students and adults to be lifelong learners.

Adam has served as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, K-12 technology integration specialist, elementary and secondary professional development coordinator, assistant principal and principal. Additionally, he has served as an adjunct professor in education and educational leadership at various universities in Indiana. Adam holds a doctorate in educational administration, specialist degree in education with a K-12 school superintendent license, master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education, and a bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in mathematics.

Adam has served on the National Association of Elementary School Principals Board of Directors and was a regional winner and finalist for Indiana Principal of the Year. Adam was also recognized for his school leadership by Fort Wayne (Indiana) Business Weekly as “40 Under 40” award recipient and was honored by Ball State University Teachers College as an Outstanding Alumni. In February 2016, Adam was recognized by the Indiana General Assembly with a House Resolution recognizing his leadership as a school principal. Adam, and his wife Tiffanney, a high school CTE administrator, reside in Indiana with their sons Chase and Carson and daughter Carter.

Adam’s Edu Journey:

Teacher - elem/ms

K-12 tech specialist

Started doing district PD

Elementary principal

Opportunity came up to work with ICLE

Foundational Frameworks of the ICLE:

Rigor/Relevance Framework

Relationships Framework

Daggett System

Collaborative Instructional Review

Personalized Learning - Eric Sheninger - common connection, also partner at ICLE

Personalized, Blended Learning and the ICLE

Are we asking kids to think deeply?

What are the resources we have to support?

Where are the equity gaps?

Rigor/Relevance framework is timeless.

Book: The Instructional Change Agent

Most of the book written on the road

Deadlines

Turn off Netflix

Idea started in 2010

Podcast:

“Lead Change in Education”

Leadership Challenge:

First 30 minutes of the conversation with a parent, tried to defend… until she stopped him and said, “You’re not listening to me.”

“What role do you want me to play here?” Starting with this question before a conversation, meeting, committee, etc.

Hopeful:

Kids are more resilient; kids are still learning, despite a global pandemic; teachers - you have a lot to celebrate

“Pandemic or not, it’s gotta be fantastic”

CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff for this Friday edition as we speak with Craig Randall. Craig has worked as an elementary and middle school counselor, including one intense year in the classroom with students with severe behavior issues. In addition he has served as an academic advisor at the college level. He has worked as a collegiate basketball coach. He has worked as a teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels as well as in college.

And, of course, Craig has worked in the job of his passion and calling: assistant principal and principal. Craig has done his work at schools both in the US and overseas. Now, as the author of the book and founder of the business with the same name: Trust-Based Observations, Craig’s goal is to transform the world of teacher observation and evaluation. He is dedicated to training and consulting school leaders on the use of Trust-Based Observations, empowering them to build supportive relationships with their teachers, relationships which foster risk-taking, which in turn, dramatically improve teaching and learning.

Craig’s Story:

Classroom teacher had to restrain kids, at one point, for 180 straight days!

Has coached in his career

Work international - Warsaw, Poland

Principal endorsement - became AP in Korea

Differences in countries - kids are kids wherever you go

Focus on global citizenship

“Week without Walls”

Service trips, internships

Transition from “School Person” to business owner/author

Anything more than 10 indicators, and we start to lose the forest for the trees…

While in Brazil, a principal said he wanted him to teach other people

Teachers responded well to it. - what part(s) of it did they respond well to?

What were you doing to help students learn vs. what were you teaching

Left principal prep program ready to observe & evaluate....

Felt like it was arrogant of him to tell a teacher what she was doing wrong, give pointers…

TBO Model - what are the steps?

We don’t rate the pedagogy - teachers stop taking risks, start playing it safe

Teachers select action research projects

Prioritizing Time - what can you hand off?

Leadership Struggle

Made a mistake as a principal. Needed to have a challenging conversation.  Plan out the approach and prepare for what you may encounter.

Hopeful

WE can create trusting relationships and safe spaces.

Creating comfortable environments to be able to deal with uncomfortable situations

CONNECT

Join Adam & Jeff as we have a very special conversation with Lindsay Titus! 

Lindsay is a K-12 behavior specialist, Ambassador w/ Teach Better Team, Educational Coach & Presenter, and Podcast host

Learn more about Lindsay:  A passionate, influential educator specializing in the field of behavior analysis. She is driven every single day to teach other educators how to redefine what success looks like for the more challenging students we work with every day. Her ultimate goal as a behavior specialist is to inspire other educators to recognize that all students have a story to share.

Lindsay has worked as a classroom teacher and behavior specialist in public school, residential, and private settings, and shares her passion for her profession through her own experiences to help guide, motivate, and encourage other educators to use their own personal stories to create connections and relationships with others.

Story behind “DEFINE YOUNIVERSITY” Podcast & Coaching Side

WISDOM NUGGETS

Unpack what’s holding you back

Do the inner work first

Living into your purpose and your passion

Don’t quit after tough days; quit after good days

Don’t leave because of a challenge

Be open to those moments

If you have a goal… Change your language and make it happen - NAME it, SAY it. Then make it happen.

Balancing district work & Define YOUniversity

Blend, NOT Balance

Balancing implies EQUAL and EVEN, and if doesn’t balance you feel terrible

Wake up with GRATITUDE every morning

Two hearts on weekend days (on her calendar) -

“those days are for me”

I redefine time...time is abundant…

The podcast started with a goal of making it a year.

Work with the Teach Better Team - Ambassador; Teach Better Podcast Network;

Leadership struggle

I had a fixed mindset, not confident, I’m not a leader…

Expanding comes from listening and learning.

Feel better - do better

Hopeful

Hope is not a strategy

Hearing Other People’s Experience - learn from them, make a change

Shining a light as a behavior specialist

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with former Principal of Gatewood Elem. in Hopkins School District, MN - Mark French! 

Mark is also an author, having written the book, "Principals in Action" w/ Jay Posick & Ryan Sheehy.

What’s your leadership story?

Started in Houston, TX

First taught in 1984

Tells principals or teachers now - contact a former principal or teacher to tell them how much they mean to you

38.5 years in education

Transition to Retirement

I’m sure you aren’t retiring,  - will you be repurposing?  What will you do first?

Will be moving to Vancouver, Washington

Pre-Retirement

What advice do you have for principals that are within 10yrs of retirement?  How do you plan and prepare for retirement?

“Principals in Action” story

Started with Adam Welcome, setting out challenges to principals to “Get Out of the Office”

Principals in Action Voxer group is ongoing

#piachat on Twitter; Tuesday nights

Leadership struggle

We have to be able to share our vulnerabilities.

Received all UNSAT is an evaluation

Others have shared similar struggles

Willing to remove blindspots

Reach out to others

Advice for New Principals

Find things that will bring you joy and hopeful

Share those passions!

Don’t let this be an isolating position - find people

Don’t compare yourself with others

Hopeful:

“I am hopeful because of what teachers are doing now”

Passion & Empathy & Compassion I am seeing from everyone in the field right now, and that they will carry

RESOURCES

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Jim Lynch! Jim has continued to grow the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators through dedication and a focus on serving others.  His leadership has provided building-level administration a voice at the state level.  He will also be the first to tell you that it isn't a solo act, but one of a dedicated group of people that serve within the walls of AWSA.  Jim's effort may be focused on supporting principals, but his ultimate goal is to grow WI's students through AWSA's partnership.

Takeaways: 

Jim’s Leadership Journey:

27 years w/ Organization; entire career; public policy degree; 13th year as ED; never taught or been principal. 

Why choose AWSA, this path?

Always interested in public service; wanted to be closer to the action; life plans never lead where you think they will take you; 

What is AWSA and why is it important?

Important aspects of life begin with education.

What are the top three services that AWSA provides?

Capacity Building

Academy

Coaching

Looking at the profession; complexity of the job; is the job becoming too complex?; digging into that complexity and figuring out what supports we can put in place; Advocating 

Has your approach to service-providing changed during the Pandemic?

Coaching - no additional cost

Additional services

How does Wisco compare to other states?

We will rise to the challenge.

Leadership Challenge/Opportunity:

Coming up with Creative ideas to support principals and leaders

“Mastering Education Leadership” - cohorts of leaders 

HOPEFUL:

The country will come out of this challenge with different perspectives, but our country has a history of coming together. Let’s just make this country better, and be the light of the world.

Contact:

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Andy Jacks! Dr. Andy Jacks is an elementary school principal, and national speaker. For a decade, Andy and his team have led a transformation at Ashland Elementary to improve culture, student performance, and school discipline. They have sky-rocketed student achievement becoming one of the top-performers in the state all while implementing innovative student-led programs. Andy and Ashland Elementary have  received recognition including the VAESP School Bell Award, VAESP Virginia Principal of the Year Award, NAESP National Distinguished Principal Award, VDOE Excellence & Distinguished Achievement Awards, VDOE Distinguished Purple Star School Award, and a visit from the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Andy is currently contracted by Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. for an upcoming book on school discipline and special education. Andy lives in Northern Virginia with his wonderful wife and three amazing kids.

More from the Andy Jacks Episode: 

Never would have guessed that he would have grown into his current profession.

Consistency of 10 years

School has changed because of the interests of staff - way more in tune to what staff and parents want

Principals impact school change more than other positions

Fellow for NAESP -

What’s your leadership story?

Aligned set of core beliefs - align your beliefs to your budget!

Previewing the new DBC book - Discipline and Leadership

You are defined by how you teach ALL of your kids

Leadership struggle

Clear belief systems and obvious with the beliefs, but avoid being hard headed.

“You can go fast alone, but further together.”  ~African Proverb

The Trust Cycle - get back to people, get things done for them quickly, otherwise they won’t ask for help again, or give you feedback again.

Hopeful For

The rate of change that our teachers have encountered.

You could be a rock climber.  Virtual options are showing us what school can be. 

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Adam and Jeff as we chat with our good friend and principal of WESCOSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Tara Desiderio!

Tara’s Leader Journey

KDG Teacher at a KDG center, then became the principal

Last 11 years at her current K-5

Leadership from every season

Boss - the “B” word and why she doesn''t use it

Embracing the journey around you

Every teacher should have some time in KDG

Either love it or you don’t - KDG

You find your niche and run with it

“Do I feel like I’m done?”

Willing to Take the risk, because they know I’ll take the risk with them

Importance of “Falling Up”

**My plate is very full, but I’ve put everything there**

#ChooseYourLens - one of the greatest gifts we are given

Listening is a lost art.

Make emotional deposits and they will trust you more

Choose the space for doing that - talking

Co-Host of #CultureEd and #EducationNeverDies Twitter Chats

Power of the PLN

Challenge along Your Journey

Rephrase the message to “Opportunity”

We are living and teaching two different groups of kids

How do we embrace what’s been put before us - We signed up for kids.  This is very unpredictable.

How can I help my teachers to feel supported?

How can we work smarter in our grades?

Open it up to our team and share

No faculty meetings - “Empower Hour”

Very much like EdCamp - they facilitate

What opportunities we are facing right now

Hopeful

All embrace more of an equity lens

Every child feels we appreciate them

We all have something different we bring to the table

Embrace the elementary school model

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Adam and Jeff as we chat with Peter DeWitt (Ed.D), former K-5 teacher (11 years) and principal (8 years). He is an independent consultant who runs competency-based workshops and provides keynotes nationally and internationally focusing on school leadership (collaborative cultures and instructional leadership), as well as fostering inclusive school climates. His work has been adopted at the state level, university level, and he works with numerous school districts, school boards, regional networks, ministries of education around North America, Australia, Europe and the U.K.

DeWitt works as a school leadership coach in North America. Additionally, Peter is a Visible Learning Trainer working with John Hattie. He partners with Hattie on many workshops, keynotes and writing projects.

Educator, Speaker, Writer, fellow Teach Better Team Podcaster

Hans Appel is an educator, speaker, and writer deeply committed to inspiring the whole child. He’s the author of, Award Winning Culture: Building School-Wide Intentionality and Action Through Character, Excellence, and Community. Additionally, he’s the Director of Culture for the Teach Better Team, Co-host of the Award Winning Culture podcast, and the Co-Creator of Award Winning Culture.

He’s worked as a counselor in the Richland School District for the past 19 years and at Enterprise Middle School since it opened. He’s passionate about school culture, servant leadership, and kindness. In 2018, EMS was awarded the ASCD Whole Child Award for the State of Washington and the Global “Class Act Award” for creating a culture of excellence through kindness, service, and empathy. Additionally, they were selected as a finalist in the 2019 PBIS Film Festival and took top prize in the Community, Parents, and Staff category.

In 2018, Hans launched his own blog about School Culture and rolled out a student-led leadership podcast called Award Winning Culture: Hosted by Wildcat Nation, which can be subscribed, listened or reviewed on iTunes Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, PodBean, and Libsyn.

Hans’ blogs have appeared on DisruptED TV magazine, CharacterStrong, Teach Better, AIMS Network, and PBIS Rewards. He’s written social-emotional lessons for CharacterStrong. Furthermore, he has been featured on numerous educational podcasts speaking his brand of school culture into existence.

He’s been a contributor on three educational books: Define Your WHY, Teachers’ Reflective Impact Journal and ALL IN: Taking a Gamble in Education.

Hans believes that education at its highest level is about inspiring others to discover and develop their JOY.

Hans’ Story - Educator by Day

Join Adam and Jeff as we have an incredible chat with Benjamin Koenig, who is in his 8th year as a KDG-6 Music Teacher at Delaware Elementary School in Evansville, Indiana!

More about Benjamin: I am the current music teacher at Delaware Elementary School, in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation. This is year 8 for me, and I am teaching from a cart due to COVID-19, but loving it! I'm all about the innovation of everything, which has led to our music program making national news, celebrity performance opportunities for our students, receiving a $10k grant to fund our music program, and me wearing a Batman mask and zooming around on roller blades! I wish to lead like I want to be led and hope to move into a principal or assistant principal role when my time has come!!

“Teaching is a performance opportunity!”

Has his administrative license… down the road

“Lead like you want to be led”

3 leaders he would like to have dinner with - Luke Skywalker, Miss Frizzle,

National Recognition - made it to USA Today!

Started a Steel Drum Band at the elementary level

His Batman Impressions are the real thing!

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Kids

Positive Diary on Facebook - toddler daughter

Educator Journey, always wanted to be a music teacher?

The Dark Knight of Social Distancing

Challenges in the classroom

Inner City schools

Hopeful

Deeper Connections

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

FACEBOOK

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with Lindsay Nickels, an intuitive mindset and business coach on a mission to help those know they’re meant for more... "drop the excuses & discover your purpose!"

More from Lindsey:

5th grade student of Adam’s (first positive role model) - "It was a connection I remembered forever"

Imposter Syndrome - she didn’t think she was worth remembering, or that he would remember her

Our words are powerful and Can carry so much meaning

How did school play a role in your life?

School was an escape and validation for her, but hard.

Home was hard, not school.

Lindsey was forced to face issues outside of school that made it difficult

Wanted something at home, had to buy it for herself

Social anxiety

No money for college

Kicked out of school due to absences

“Never graduated and that’s okay” - That’s not everyone’s definition of success

Service work defines success.

Using gifts of service and to live life on my terms.

What is behind your coaching business?

Doubt stops some from being weird.

Says it on her IG page - “Stay Weird”

Nobody cares about what you’re doing - the good news and the bad news

“Mindset Coach”

Empower women to get clear on what their best life looks like

Leadership struggle?

Struggled with feeling worthy enough

Imposter Syndrome

Lead by Example

Don’t be afraid to go first

Leadership is Action

Hopeful:

You can come from nothing

Keep getting up

Keep Trying

Put in hard work

Be uncomfortable

You can struggle and still overcome

Practice Gratitude

GUEST CONTACT INFO

Join Adam & Jeff as we talk to Josh Stamper! Joshua is a middle school administrator in North Texas. Joshua graduated college with a Fine Arts degree and initially worked in the graphic design field for a number of years. He was always passionate about encouraging students to achieve their goals, initially coaching traveling soccer teams when he wasn’t working. Desiring to further his impact on students, Joshua returned to school to attain his teaching certificate, then worked as an Art teacher and coach at the middle school level for 6 years. Inspired to affect change at the campus level, Joshua completed his Masters in Educational Administration and has spent the past 6 years as a Middle School Administrator.

Joshua is married to Leslie and the father of five. Joshua and Leslie became foster parents in 2011, and had the privilege of adopting three of their children from foster care.

Listen in to learn more about Josh, including: 

Josh's leadership story

Story behind “Aspire - The Leadership Development” Podcast

“Podcast Network Manager” with Teach Better Team

EduMatch - new book coming out!

New podcast series - “Aspire to RISE”

Leadership struggle - Getting people to take care of their mental health

Being Hopeful - silver linings found due to COVID - "what should we keep doing?"

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with our good friend Dr. Jeff Springer! 

Jeff, a former Texas High School Head Football Coach and eleven-year veteran of the classroom, is also formerly the Principal at Magnolia High School (2002-2016). In 2013, Jeff was selected as the State of Texas TASSP State Principal of the year.

Besides founding Spring Strategies LLC, Jeff currently serves part time as the Minister of Men at Wildwood UMC, and is also the founder of Suit Up Ministries, a nonprofit men’s ministry.

More from Jeff: 

Learn why he prefers to consider himself "RE-PURPOSED" as opposed to "Retired"

P.L.A.Y. acronym

Leadership struggle

We need to reinvent a new theme and build on the former.  Let’s work on that.

The weather we carry with us vs. the weather outside

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff & Adam as we have a GREAT chat with professional author and speaker, Dave Rendall!  

From Dave's website: During the last fifteen years, our guest tonight has spoken to audiences on every inhabited continent. His clients include the US Air Force, Australian Government, and Fortune 50 companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, United Health Group, Fannie Mae, and State Farm.

“He will discover your uniqueness by flaunting your weakness”

Prior to becoming a speaker, he was a leadership professor, stand-up comedian, and nonprofit executive.

In between presentations, David competes in ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons.

David has a doctor of management degree in organizational leadership, as well as a graduate degree in psychology. He is the author of four books:

The Four Factors of Effective Leadership

The Freak Factor

The Freak Factor for Kids

Pink Goldfish

More from our conversation with Dave:

Leadership Professor prior to being a professional speaker

Holds a doctor of management degree in organizational leadership, as well as a graduate degree in psychology 

Coaching

Presenting for ASCD

TEDxMarinette & TEDxMcHenry

Story of the Freak Factor

Patches on his pants that his mother would always tell him no one would notice

What is the main thing he talks to teachers about?  - “People don’t change that much”

Took advantage of a strength that everyone thought was a weakness

Every strength has a corresponding weakness

Where do you see others struggling most with leadership? 

Spend your time on things you are devoted to.

Use your gifts

Don’t try to fit in… find another area

Teachers can help kids find their strengths

Maybe we’re making kids think they should WANT to be something they’re not

Discussion on the Power of YET and GRIT

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with Jason Leahy, who is the Executive Director for the Illinois Principals Association.  Learn about Jason and the IPA, as he discusses his role within the Principals organization, including:

Other tidbits from our chat with Jason:

School Leader Paradigm

What’s your leadership story?

COVID - preparing principals, supporting principals - how has this changed?  What have you heard from principals?

Mission & Vision:

Hopeful - our profession

Sometimes we have to have challenges in front of us to recognize...

GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION:

Join Jeff & Adam as we chat with our friend and fellow principal, Jay Posick!

Principal of Merton Intermediate School in Merton, WI, Jas has spent 33 years in education, 30 of them at the middle school level

Other Things we talk with Jay about:

Author of “Principals in Action” - how did that come about?

Strong Twitter participant - don’t feel pressured; you don’t have to have a presence, just form connections

What’s your leadership story?

Avid Runner  - at least two miles a day - over 12K days in a row

Habits - 30 minutes daily reading; turn off computer at 9:00pm; Talk to staff about setting “virtual limits”

COVID - how to still be a “Principal in Action?”

Leadership struggle

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff as we have an incredible chat with Pre-K - 5 Principal Paul Erickson!

Some notes from our chat:

Kansas Elementary School Principal of the Year - 2014

Twitter Chats - co-hosts #leadupchat (all about building leadership skills)

How he uses Twitter (classroom)

Leading through COVID

Collective Efficacy - writes about this a lot

Leadership Challenge:

Hopeful - Keep our identity despite the craziness, how to create joyful memories?

“Competencies through Conversations”

HOST CONTACT INFORMATION:

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with our good friend Raymond Porten!  Ray is currently an elementary principal in Round Lake, IL. Prior to serving in this role, he was a middle school assistant principal as well as elementary teacher.

More from Ray:

Didn’t see himself as principal at first

He is a Golden Apple scholar.

Runs two podcasts - one with his 9 year old son! - Livin’ That Online School Life

“I wanna change the world too” - Leo

The other with his assistant principal - Life’s Exponential Impact

Always wanted to be an educator - taught 5th grade like ADAM

"Our students come first, the academics will be just fine"

Leadership Challenge -

What are you Hopeful for? 

Gotta listen to find out...

Guest Contact Info:

Join Adam & Jeff as we speak with educator and author Jeff Kubiak!

Jeff taught for ten years as an elementary school teacher in grades 4, 5, and 6 and has eight years of administrative experience. Jeff strives to connect with students by bringing real world experiences to them, getting to know their names, engaging in lessons and play, and becoming a part of the learning process with them. He's always looked at education from a different lens: from someone who hated and struggled with school.

Learn more about Jeff...

AUTHOR - One Drop of Kindness

Another book in the works

Transition out of the principalship

Twitter/Online Presence

Speaking & Touring - School visits

COVID and his current role

Leadership Struggle

What gives you hope?

People will figure out how to do the right thing for one another.

Elevator Pitch

I’ve made so many mistakes, but I’ve learned.

CONTACT Jeff Kubiak

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with Charter School Principal & Podcaster David McGuire!

From David's episode: 

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with father, elementary school principal and DBC author of Lead With Culture, Jay Billy!

Jay is an elementary principal in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.  He received his master's degree in educational leadership from The College of New Jersey in 1997. He first served as supervisor of behavior at the high school before moving to the principal of the Joseph Cappello School in 2000.

Other Takeaways from our chat with Jay:

Former Wrestling coach

Heart for Special needs kids

Went from High school to elementary in his professional career

Leading with Culture Podcast

Speaker

Join Adam and Jeff as we chat with Taylor Armstrong this week!  Taylor is the Assistant Director of Technology at Vestavia Hills City Schools in Alabama. He is also a Google Certified Teacher, Army Veteran, Speaker, Member of the Men in Education (FB Group) and Education Never Dies.

He talks with us about the importance of "Being the Compass, and his education background as a teacher, coach and admin.

Hear Taylor talk about:

What’s important as a leader?

Messages of Positivity

Leadership Struggles

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

TWITTER

Join Adam and Jeff as we chat with elementary principal, optimist and recovering perfectionist, Brad Hughes!

We have some incredible conversation around Canadian education, his background in education:

Brad has been a part of the Teach Better Team Admin Mastermind

How to support new teachers?

Leadership Struggles

What gives you hope?

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

TWITTER

Join Jeff & Adam as we sit down to chat with the COO & Co-Founder of the Teach Better Team!

Jeff Gargas and Chad Ostrowski built the Teach Better Team from the ground up on one major premise - to help educators be better today than they were yesterday and be better tomorrow than they were today. It's not about the comparison to the teacher down the hallway or who you may follow on your favorite social networking platform. It's about a pursuit of Better.

Jeff's Background is NOT in education

Listen to Jeff talk about building the Teach Better Team

How do you support new teachers?

Leadership Struggles?

What gives you hope?

What do you want to leave listeners with?

GUEST CONTACT INFO:

Join Adam & Jeff as we chat with former Army Veteran and Middle School Principal, Demetrius Ball.  

**NOTE** There were some connectivity issues throughout the episode; we did our best to edit them out so that you can still get the full podcast experience and understand the main points of our conversation!

Episode Notes:

2nd year MS principal - San Ramon, CA

Spent 3 yrs. as a H.S. Assistant Principal

Went to Military Academy @ West Point, where he played football for ARMY

Lessons converted from the football field in unusual ways.

Demetrius has lived “Coast to Coast” - MD to CA - "The good news is that kids are the same - coast to coast"

Has continued to do Morning Announcements during COVID - keeping the connection alive

How to help staff understand biases - how to do this as the new principal

Check out this episode of The Principal Leadership Lab, where we sit down to talk with Matthew X. Joseph!  Currently serving as the Director of curriculum, instruction and assessment in Leicester, Massachusetts, Matt has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 25 years in the field.

Some takeaways from this episode:

Focusing on the Silver Linings to change his mindset right now during the pandemic

Matt’s path in the education world over his 25 years - what he calls the “Forrest Gump” approach.

Finding balance - always look for efficiency, has allowed him to have time for home and for work

Listen to Adam and Jeff chat with Kevin Curtis, the CEO and Founder of National Educators for Restorative Practices.  Kevin talks about not having a Discipline Plan, but rather a Care Plan; his 3 C's: Confronting, Convicting, and Condemning; and the importance of putting connections before content.  

From Kevin's Bio:

Kevin was the former Restorative Discipline Coordinator and Assistant Principal at Ed White Middle School in the Northeast Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas where he played an instrumental role in the development, implementation, and support of restorative practices as an alternative method to managing student behavior. This innovative, whole school approach model was the first of its kind in the state of Texas, and has been considered the blueprint that many campuses across the state of Texas are following.

Contact Info for Kevin Curtis:

Join Jeff and Adam as we chat with Dr. Erik Youngman, Curriculum Director for Libertyville School District #70 in Libertyville, IL.  Erik talks about his passions in education, which include homework, grading, and the power of having a growth mindset, as well as his hope that we can move people forward by staying focused on relationships! 

Contact Dr. Youngman

Twitter

Join Jeff and Adam as we chat with Adam Welcome, former elementary school teacher, elementary principal, and Director of Innovation for a district with 35,000 students. Adam currently works as a motivational speaker and author.  Adam talks about the power of walking through an open door when you encounter one, and offers advice for staying positive when it would be so easy to quit.

Adam is the author of the books: 

Dr. Quentin J. Lee - the Hope Dealer - talks about life as a high school principal, “Kicking it with Dr. Lee,” growing up in a small, mostly white community, never really having the “full black experience “ until he attended Alabama A & M, Jerome vs. Quentin, and Ms. Edna Ruth.

Contact Information

Join Jeff & Adam as we discuss baseball, back to school, COVID, and our recent Social Justice episode with Basil Marin, Markenya Williams and Marcus Belin!  Also, we chat about our next guest - Hal Bowman - who joins us for the August 10th episode of The Principal Leadership Lab!  

Additional Show Notes:

Using Instagram

Jeff & Adam discuss the COVID pandemic - are there any positive takeaways to be gleaned from this public health crisis, especially for school communities?  And what does going into the 20-21 school year look like?  Check out the latest episode of The Principal Leadership Lab as we discuss, "The COVID Comeback?"