Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

Dr. Todd Dain has significantly shaped education over a 30-year career, currently leading Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas, since 2015. With a foundation in education from Emporia State and Baker University, he’s held roles as a teacher, coach, and administrator. His leadership is acknowledged beyond the school through his involvement in educational organizations and as a former associate principal and activities director at Blue Valley Southwest High School. Dain’s excellence in coaching led to multiple sports victories and district championships. Honored as the 2023 Kansas Principal of the Year, his impact on Kansas education is inspiring. Additionally, Dr. Dain contributes as an adjunct professor at Baker University and, together with his wife, Dr. Jessica Dain, Superintendent of Piper School District, they are raising three children. In this episode, Todd Dain and Will Parker talk about important takeaways for school leaders, including: Todd’s background growing up on a dairy farm and the lessons it taught him that he’s used in education leadership. The history of Shawnee Mission South High School, and his school’s achievements, including being named an Apple Distinguished School. The commitment to school culture even with a diverse student population and diverse economic experiences of his community members. Todd’s commitment to exercise, family, and delegation. Being “trust-willing” in order to build the capacity in others to avoid micromanaging outcomes. Why education is a people business and how leaders must leverage that trust. Culture trumps strategy. Why leading begins with knowing your why. “Success is not defined today,” Todd says. “Today is defined ten years from now.” Why not sweating the small stuff, and being mindful of the investment your making in others are two-sides of the same coin of leadership. How Todd plans his entire year out during the summer months, planning for duties and responsibilities of his associate principals, and being clear on the details and follow-through necessary for them to complete their responsibilities. Todd ends with parting words of wisdom, including to remember relationships come first, learn to listen with empathy, and focus on celebrating the good.  Also, a shout-out to USAKansas, where Todd has served as President for the association this year!  Listen to the entire episode for more takeaways! You can connect with Dr. Todd Dain via email: ToddDain@smsd.org or on social media’s X or Instagram via @SMSouthTDain. The post PMP402: Building Trust with Dr. Todd Dain appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode, I talk to Lewis Bradford and three of his administrative team members, Jessica Hodges, Benny Bullock, and David Jones at Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood, Mississippi. On October 23, 2023, I was privileged to visit Northwest Rankin High School. Afterward, I invited Lewis to record a podcast episode together, and Lewis included Jessica, Benny, and David.  Lewis Bradford started his career at Northwest Rankin High School in 2006, teaching science to 9th-12th graders. In 2014, he became Assistant Principal at Pelahatchie High and returned to NWRHS in 2019 as Assistant Principal. By 2022, he was the Lead Principal at NWRHS. He was MASSP Assistant Principal of the Year for 2021/2022 and three times named Administrator of the Month in Rankin County School District. Recently, he was named the 2023 Secondary Administrator of the Year in Rankin County. An accomplished presenter, Mr. Bradford spoke at various educational conferences, including the 2023 NASSP in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Bradford is married to Alyssa Doner, an Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. They have two daughters, Lilly Claire, 9, and Madilyn, 6. The 2023-24 Northwest Rankin High School Administrative Team also includes five assistant principals: Will and the Northwest Rankin High School Administrative Team. Left to right, the picture includes Jessica Hodges, Dr. Terrance McEwan, Angela Reynolds, Benny Bullock, Will Parker, Lewis Bradford, and David Jones. In this episode, we discuss the strategies and methods Northwest Rankin High School has implemented to simplify processes and build capacity in their staff, which have contributed to the remarkable growth in their accountability scores. As Lewis explains, “Two years ago, we met with our staff and had crucial conversations about student data. We analyzed what is the role each of us plays in student outcomes.” Student Support and Literacy: In terms of student support and literacy, his team also discusses the non-negotiables they believe have had the most significant impact on their school’s improved performance. As Jessica Hodges describes, “From shared planning periods to professional learning communities, we believe every staff member must be a team player.” They also share ways they have been able to enhance student support, including a compelling story of one student from their school. Benny Bullock says, “Our teachers are committed to ongoing student learning, which means we provide opportunities for re-teaching, re-doing, and re-testing. Cooper Johnson, one of our former students, is a good example of a student we intentionally built a strong relationship. His success as a graduate of the high school is a testament to how we strive to reach every student.” Staying Connected As a Team: Finally, they discuss how their team stays connected and unified even with such a large student population of 1,800+ students. As David Jones illustrates, “Joining a team this big requires a commitment to conversation. It also means being willing to question one another and to reach consensus.” Lewis also adds, “Leaders need a 360-degree perspective on decision-making. We make the best decisions with the information we know, but we are also willing to talk it out – like sisters and brothers – and be real with one another while demonstrating unity school-wide.” Jessica also gives a shout-out to Angela Reynolds, one of their assistant principals, who has been instrumental in increasing engagement with their business community. Just as college or military recruiters seek access to our students, they are inviting businesses and employers to do the same. Now it’s Your Turn: Listen to the entire episode for even more great takeaways, or reach out to this week’s guests at their email addresses or visit https://nrh.rcsd.ms/. Lewis: lewis.bradford@rcsd.ms Benny: benny.bullock@rcsd.ms David: david.jones@rcsd.ms Jessica: jhodges@rcsd.ms The post PMP401: Inspiring and Developing Others with Northwest Rankin High School Admin Team appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Jen Schwanke and I celebrate 400 episodes of the Principal Matters Podcast. We stroll down memory lane, reminiscing about 10-plus years of producing Principal Matters content.  This podcast was created as an outlet for lessons I learned as an assistant principal and principal. Over the years, it has become a treasure trove of practices from education leaders across the U.S. as well as worldwide. I am so grateful to have reached this milestone and invite you to go back into the archives of the show to discover years of helpful lessons! Here’s a short timeline as Jen and I look back at the history of reaching 400 episodes: 2013 The journey began with my first blog post on February 9th, 2013, as I launched my website. 2015 By December 23rd, 2015, I decided to transform the blog into a podcast. 2018 On January 31st, 2018, we celebrated the 100th episode of the Principal Matters Podcast. 2020 Jen joined the show in Episode 146, and fast forward to June 25th, 2020, when together we marked the 200th episode, reflecting on a year of distance learning. 2022 By June 29th, 2022, special guest Dr. Jeff Springer hosted the show, interviewing me for episode 300. We could not have produced 400 episodes without the many talented and inspiring guests who have made this show valuable for listeners worldwide! Find all the Principal Matters archived episodes here. 2024 – Let’s Celebrate! For this milestone episode, number 400, Jen and I decided to have some fun. Playing around with AI, we generated 10 lighthearted questions for educators and took turns answering them, which led to engaging conversations for nearly 20 minutes.  Light-hearted Questions for Educators What would be the theme song of your classroom? If you could take your class on a field trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? What’s the most unexpected thing that has happened during your teaching career? If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be doing? What’s your secret talent that your students don’t know about? If you could have a mascot for your classroom, what would it be? What fictional character would you pick as a co-teacher? What’s your favorite educational meme? If you could invent a new school subject, what would it be? What’s the most bizarre question a student has ever asked you? Listen in to the entire show for some goofy responses to these questions and hopefully some good laughs as you learn something new about Jen and me. A Few Serious Questions Jen followed up with a couple of more serious questions on building parent support for schools and instilling ethical behavior in students. Jen’s Writing Process Then Will asked Jen for feedback on the process she uses for writing content and books. Listeners might find it interesting that Jen has been featured in content for at least 114 posts since joining the show in 2017, with her first interview being in episode 146, “Balancing Priorities with Jen Schwanke.” Find our first recording together here. Let’s Wrap It Up To wrap it up, Jen asked for insights into my process of reaching 400 episodes and the lessons we’ve learned about consistency, grit, momentum, and teamwork along the way.  Also, we give shout-outs to Emily Parker-Eaton for content and marketing editing, Aaron Fulbright for technical and website moderator, and Samuel Isaac Parker for composing and performing podcast music. Shout-outs from Listeners We could not do this podcast without wonderful listeners like you. Throughout the show, we include some audio recordings sent by listeners with shout-outs for the 400th episode, including Shenita Perry, Lisa Parry, Brent Kline, Tomas Macalusco, Russell Tillery, Josh Fine, and Eddie Payne. Thank you for taking the time to share your encouraging feedback! As we step into the next season of the podcast, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for future topics or questions. Reach out to either of us through our email addresses: will@williamparker.com or jen@jennyschwanke.com. Thank you for listening to this episode, and we hope you’re enjoying your summer.  Thank you for doing what matters! ~ Will Parker The post PMP400: Celebrating 10+ Years of Principal Matters appeared first on Principal Matters.

Hello, Friends! It’s Will Parker here from Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. We’re excited to announce that we’re approaching our 400th episode! Can you believe it? To make this milestone even more special, we’d love to hear from you. If this podcast has inspired, helped, or encouraged you, would you consider sharing your thoughts with us? It’s easy: find a quiet spot, record a 60-second voice memo on your phone, and email it to will@williamdparker.com. We’re eager to hear why the show resonates with you, your favorite moments, or anything you find particularly thought-provoking or funny. Thanks in advance for your contributions, and thank you for doing what matters! In this week’s episode, William D. Parker and Dr. Jen Schwanke talk about how Assistant Principals moving up to Principal positions can set good boundaries at work. They respond to the following listener question: What strategies can be employed to set clear boundaries in a professional setting, both as a new leader and in interactions with others, to ensure respect and equity without escalating tensions? Jen’s points: Question what we mean by “boundaries” – are they like walls? Suggests using words like “norms” or “protocols” to sound less divisive. Boundaries teach others how we want to be treated. Advises thinking about what you need and want from others. Warns against making yourself seem unapproachable or disconnected. Will’s ideas: Think about setting boundaries with the help of students and teachers. Keep it simple: Listen, join in, and respect each other. Respect has to be shown and earned. Acknowledge that trying to be fair might sometimes lead to tension, but it’s important to distinguish between helpful tension and harmful environments. They both agree that it’s important for leaders to be approachable and to communicate openly with their teams, making sure everyone feels included and respected. Throughout their conversation, Will and Jen underscore the significance of leaders being approachable and connected with their school communities. They agree that setting boundaries—or norms—is crucial, but it should be done in a way that promotes inclusivity, respect, and open dialogue. Listen to the entire episode for a discussion that sheds light on the delicate balance between demonstrating confidence and fostering a supportive, equitable environment in schools.  Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP399: Boundary Setting for Leaders and Educators with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

Hello, Friends! It’s Will Parker here from Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. We’re excited to announce that we’re approaching our 400th episode! Can you believe it? To make this milestone even more special, we’d love to hear from you. If this podcast has inspired, helped, or encouraged you, would you consider sharing your thoughts with us? It’s easy: find a quiet spot, record a 60-second voice memo on your phone, and email it to will@williamdparker.com. We’re eager to hear why the show resonates with you, your favorite moments, or anything you find particularly thought-provoking or funny. Thanks in advance for your contributions, and thank you for doing what matters! Brittany Keil is the Research and External Relations Manager with SchoolCEO, a research and perspectives magazine for school superintendents and other K12 leaders published by Apptegy. Prior to working as a writer full-time, Brittany taught English and Special Education for eight years in Arkansas and in Washington, D.C. Brittany is an alumna of Johns Hopkins University, the University of Central Arkansas, and is a former Fulbright Scholar.  Brittany was a previous guest along with Tyler Vawser in episode 335 in a discussion on branding and marketing your schools. On October 9, 2023, SchoolCEO, published the article, Layers of Leadership Leveraging Executive Internal Communication for Stronger Brands, authored by Brittany Keil. In today’s episode, she talks about what prompted her to write this article, and the scope of the work involved in interviewing principals and superintendents for its findings, and the implications of those findings. Using a qualitative research model, Brittany conducted 15 interviews with superintendents and principals from across the country, representing all sizes of districts. Listen-in to the entire conversation for more takeaways. Here’s a summary of our talking points: With declining trust in institutions, research shows principals often play a pivotal role in why parents say they trust their child’s school. With that thought in mind, Brittany was curious about the shared values as well as differences in the ways superintendents and principals are approaching school marketing and branding. Brittany Keil explains the five observations included in her findings: Everyone knows school marketing is vital. Principals struggle to incorporate school communication into their day-to-day work. Principals are reluctant to initiate conversations about school marketing with their superintendents. Getting everyone on the same page is a challenge—but having a communications team generally helps. Clear lines of communication are critical. She also discusses applications school leaders are to keep in mind as they work together for stronger shared branding and communication: Make sure principals are part of the district-level cabinet, and therefore aware of district-level priorities. Build intentional relationships between principals and school communications staff (if your district has them). Emphasize communication and branding as part of regular discussions, as well as your principals’ annual evaluations. Place administrators such as deans and assistant principals around your principals to alleviate some responsibilities and allow for more focus on communication. In addition, she discusses four recommendations for districts supporting principals in branding and marketing: Train principals early and often. Emphasize a principal’s role as an experiential marketer. Invest in communications professionals, if possible. Make your mission and vision come alive. Brittany also references my book, Messaging Matters. How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities. You can find it here. Finally, Brittany mentions the dynamics superintendents and principals share and where that work overlaps with reference to this image: Now It’s Your Turn: What is one action you are taking to showcase the experiences happening in your school community that demonstrate the overall vision and mission of your school community? What’s one step you can take today to prioritize or create structures that promote your school’s brand?  Article source: https://www.schoolceo.com/a/layers-of-leadership/ Brittany Keil is a writer and researcher at SchoolCEO and can be reached at brittany@schoolceo.com.  The post PMP398: Leveraging Executive Internal Communication for Stronger Brands with Brittany Keil appeared first on Principal Matters.

Hello, Friends! It’s Will Parker here from Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. We’re excited to announce that we’re approaching our 400th episode! Can you believe it? To make this milestone even more special, we’d love to hear from you. If this podcast has inspired, helped, or encouraged you, would you consider sharing your thoughts with us? It’s easy: find a quiet spot, record a 60-second voice memo on your phone, and email it to will@williamdparker.com. We’re eager to hear why the show resonates with you, your favorite moments, or anything you find particularly thought-provoking or funny. Thanks in advance for your contributions, and thank you for doing what matters! This week Will Parker is joined by three guests whose expertise includes areas of teacher coaching and feedback. digiCOACH is a longtime sponsor of Principal Matters and provides resources to inspire educators with ideas and tools that may improve your work. This week we have the opportunity to meet some of the people behind the product – with a collective wisdom on ways principals can maximize feedback with teachers.  Here are bios for our guests and a few questions we explore: Molly Dexter is an experienced educator, having worked in various educational settings from preschool to high school. She holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Education. Passionate about improving education, Molly joined digiCOACH over a year ago to enhance the experiences of educators and students. She believes in the power of positive coaching for effective learning environments. Brandon Mawhorter is a self-taught tech enthusiast who started as IT support in Southern California schools. With a background deeply rooted in education, he has been a key member of digiCOACH since 2011. Brandon’s expertise has been instrumental in the platform’s development, focusing on client satisfaction and ongoing improvements. He plays a vital role in expanding digiCOACH’s coaching system and ensuring comprehensive client support. Kathleen Beckham has over 50 years in education, spanning kindergarten to community college. Kathleen is a dedicated advocate for students and curriculum development. She holds a Bachelor’s in Education and two Master’s degrees in Reading, and Curriculum and Technology. Post-retirement, Kathleen joined digiCOACH, where for nearly 10 years, she has contributed to research, webinars, trainings, and company publications. Listen to the entire episode for great takeaways! Here are some highlights from the questions and responses in this episode: Molly: Begin with understanding your ‘why’. Your purpose for being teacher and education. We all want to grow. Framing your feedback to teachers from that perspective is more helpful because it is a partnership, not a criticism. Kathleen: So many admins have not been taught the methods they are trying to improve. You are not alone. Learning to ask questions is the first step in discovering strengths and weaknesses. Collaborating together is the most productive way to benefit in coaching feedback. Brandon: Feedback must be viewed as a partnership or it is not effective. We must move beyond ‘I think and feel’ to data that drives meaningful feedback – and this must be separate from evaluations. Kathleen: Collaboration works from everyone, and it begins at the top. Think about a sports team. Good teams observe one another, provide supportive feedback, praise good work, and make suggestions for improvement. The same works for teachers. Encourage a culture of collaboration helps leaders have the right atmosphere for providing feedback. Molly: Teachers want advice, feedback and resources. Put yourself back in the shoes of your teachers. Then frame your conversations with that perspective in mind. Brandon: First we need a big picture approach. How do you schedule and prioritize walk throughs, observations and feedback. What practices are you wanting to see? Are these essentials understood as a part of your learning community – from and with your teachers? What strategies and feedback can you provide in a way that actually provides help?  These important questions help you narrow down your practices. digiCOACH provides you with the tools to do implement these practices. With ready-to-use feedback prompts, a digital platform for communicating with teachers, and a system for analyzing your schoolwide data, you can accomplish your goals, be in more classrooms,  and save time in the process. As we wrap up, Brandon shares a “See it, Share it, Claim it” strategy. Molly reminds us to lead from our ‘why’, and Kathleen encourages leaders to “Choose one thing, and do that.”  Listen to the entire episode for more takeaways! You can stay connected with Molly, Brandon and Kathleen, and find out more about their resources for maximizing feedback to teachers at digicoach.com. Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP397: Maximizing Feedback to Teachers with Molly Dexter, Brandon Mawhorter, and Kathleen Beckham appeared first on Principal Matters.

Will You Help Us Celebrate?? Hello, Friends! It’s Will Parker here from Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. We’re excited to announce that we’re approaching our 400th episode! Can you believe it? To make this milestone even more special, we’d love to hear from you. If this podcast has inspired, helped, or encouraged you, would you consider sharing your thoughts with us? It’s easy: find a quiet spot, record a 60-second voice memo on your phone, and email it to will@williamdparker.com. We’re eager to hear why the show resonates with you, your favorite moments, or anything you find particularly thought-provoking or funny. Thanks in advance for your contributions, and thank you for doing what matters! In this week’s podcast episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk about how school leaders can handle conflicts without causing more trouble through their input. They use questions from Assistant Principals who want to become Principals to guide their discussion. The topics include building good relationships, setting boundaries, and becoming stronger organizational leaders. In their typical fashion, Will and Jen fashion, they only had time to tackle one question. Here’s the question we tackle:  How can leaders effectively guide and protect their teams without appearing confrontational, especially in sensitive situations like managing resistance from individuals loyal to previous administrations or calming angry parents? Jen’s advice: Use the Conflict Resolution Cycle: Anticipate, Analyze, Act. Tell the difference between someone being unsure and someone resisting. Don’t be defensive or confrontational. Taking a moment to pause can help build trust. Approach conflicts without getting too emotional; think of it more like solving a problem. If you’ve made a mistake, say sorry, and then focus on resolving the issue. Will’s thoughts: Good relationships are key to solving conflicts. Being clear in your communication is a way to be kind. Trying to make everyone happy won’t work. Aim to help everyone involved instead. Building trust is more important than winning an argument. Jen also mentioned that there’s often a lot of competition in education. Leaders should be open to hearing what they might be wrong and listen to understand others.  Please listen to the entire episode for more tips for school leaders on dealing with conflicts in ways that do not escalate unwanted behaviors in others. Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP396: Leadership Approaches to Conflict Resolution with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

A few words from William D. Parker Hey everyone, William D. Parker here from Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast. With over 1.4 million downloads and a decade of content for school leaders, our resources are always available for you at williamdparker.com. As we dive into May 2024, I’m reminded of the craziness this time brings. My wife affectionately dubs this time of year May-cember. It’s a whirlwind of activities and planning, so here are some quick survival tips: maintain a sensible schedule, accept what’s out of your control, prioritize tasks, lean on your team, tackle one thing at a time, and don’t forget to celebrate your wins. For more on staying sane this time of year, check out our 2016 archived episode, PMP014. In other exciting news, Principal Matters is set to serve over 100 events next school year. We’re booking fast for professional development sessions, both in-person and virtual, covering a range of leadership growth opportunities. Interested? Let’s chat. Schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call with me to explore how we can collaborate. Reach out at will@williamdparker.com or visit williamdparker.com/services for more details. This week, Jen Schwanke hosts a fantastic interview with Alyssa Gallagher, discussing Alyssa’s insights on coaching leaders and her new book “Embracing MESSY Leadership.” It’s a conversation full of valuable lessons. Thanks for tuning in, and thank you for doing what matters! –WDP Embracing MESSY Leadership with Alyssa Gallagher and Jen Schwanke Alyssa Gallagher started her career following a traditional leadership path. Based in California, she was a teacher, then served as a principal, and then worked as an assistant superintendent. These days, she is the Head of North America Programs at BTS Spark, a company that pairs school leaders with the coaching they need. She has co-authored two books with ASCD about design thinking, and a third book, co-authored with her colleague Rosie Connor, is titled Embracing MESSY Leadership. It will be out in May.   In this episode, Dr. Jen Schwanke sat down with Alyssa to discuss what kind of things she is working on and how her perspective can help school leaders expand their thinking and improve their outcomes. As part of her work with MESSY leadership, she asks principals to consider five mindsets:  Meaning Making Emotional Connection Sensing the Future Seizing Momentum Your Presence These five mindsets are the framework for her book about MESSY leadership. Extending them further, though, Gallagher took time during her conversation with Jen to outline several themes that might help leaders reimagine their schools and support other educators. These themes help Alyssa get to her root purpose—a purpose that was established when she was a school leader herself. That purpose includes staying committed to personalized learning for kids, individualizing the learning experience, and meeting people where they are. The themes also come from trends she has identified at BTS Spark, emerging through working with thousands of school administrators in a coaching environment. A few of these themes include:  Courage Empowering Others Confidence Showing Down Setting Boundaries Seeing the Bigger Picture Alyssa dives deeper into each of these themes during the podcast, and it’s worth listening to understand how we might connect with each of these to shift our mindsets and make our leadership a little less messy. Of course, as Alyssa points out, leadership IS messy. It’s non-perfect. It’s non-linear. Embracing the mess is, after all, part of the journey.  Listen to the entire episode for more takeaways. You can find out more about Alyssa, and her amazing team at BTS Spark here. The post PMP395: Embracing MESSY Leadership with Alyssa Gallagher and Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode, William D. Parker interviews Tomas Macaluso, a dynamic first-year principal who began his journey in Career and Technical Education (CTE), where he served for 10 years as a CTE teacher. In this role, Tomas taught business, graphic design, and IT. His major contribution was helping establish a signature academy, available to students county-wide. Transitioning into administration, Tomas served as a Dean of Students for a year, honing his leadership skills. He then progressed to an Assistant Principal position, a role he held for seven years. Notably, four of these years were at his current school, North Valleys High School, in Reno, Nevada, where he now proudly serves as the principal. He is the Past President of NACTE (Nevada Association of Career and Technical Education). His diverse experience in various educational roles underpins his commitment to student success and educational excellence. An avid fan of Disney, Tomas believes we must build the cultures we want. His office is full of memorabilia from his favorite animation movies.  Tomas and his staff have adopted four pillars as the foundation for their school practice: Take care of yourself. Set high expectations. Connect students to school. If you’re not growing, you’re not going anywhere. With 2,400 students in the largest geographic area in the district, North Valleys High School represents students from diverse demographic experiences. One of Tomas’s main goals is to create a school where students want to be. This means applying lessons he learned as a teacher who helped students to be successful in all their classes, not just his class. As a principal, this includes being visible. “99% of my day is devoted to doing the ‘other duties as assigned’ part of my contract.” As a former Assistant Principal, he learned that taking five minutes to solve a problem may provide someone with hours of productivity. Tomas finds his energy and joy in serving and helping other solve problems. This is possible because his admin team of four Assistant Principals know their roles and how to execute them well. “This allows me to be the chief culture officer,” he explains. Principal matters provided Tomas perspective into what leaders do and why they do what they do. As a result, Tomas believes, “If I take care of my teachers, they take care of our students.” Tomas recommends the book Creating Magic by Lee Cockrell. He has used it many times to inspire other educators in their journeys. He also believes “Culture is King.” Finally, he advises aspiring leaders to know their closure. Tomas’s closure in any interview is to say, “I want school to be like Disneyland, where students want to be, and they can’t wait to be back.” Connect with Tomas via his school website https://www.washoeschools.net/Page/6360 Or via email: tmacaluso@washoeschools.net The post PMP394: Lessons from a First Year Principal with Tomas Macaluso appeared first on Principal Matters.

Dr. Tameka D. Hyland is a transformative educational leader. As principal of Sherman Avenue Elementary, she and her team raised its grade from D to C and scored the second highest reading scores in Mississippi within two years. As the executive principal at Vicksburg High School, her team not only increased the graduation rate to a historic 91%, but also elevated its grade from D to B. Under her leadership, the school became a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and saw record enrollments in dual courses and advanced placement. Dr. Hyland is also a thought leader in education, authoring The Reality of Teaching and her upcoming book U-Turn: A Recipe for School Reform. She is also the founder of the Teacher Leadership Academy, offering professional development, and the Empowering Future Women Mentoring Program, aiding young ladies in grades 9-12. With degrees spanning from Child Development to Educational Leadership, Dr. Hyland is deeply invested in school reform and strategies to elevate student achievement. In short, she’s an educational powerhouse committed to excellence. Listen to the entire episode for amazing takeaways. Here are a few highlights from the episode: Tameka Hyland’s Leadership Journey: Dr. Hyland was given the task by her superintendent to make her assigned school the best it could be. This inspired her to build the necessary systems, structures, and relationships to achieve excellence. Importance of Vision Vision means buy-in, not necessarily all at once. As a leader, it’s crucial to instill hope, provide the tools needed, and remain unwavering in the commitment to student success. Finding the Right People Clearing up misconceptions, identifying passionate individuals about student success, and discovering hidden talents within your staff is key. Dr. Hyland acknowledges several teachers and staff members who played pivotal roles in her schools’ success. Design Matters If you’re unhappy with your results, introspect and re-design aspects like teaching/learning standards and curriculum. Intentionality in Leadership Be well-versed with your data, promote transparency, and build trust. Facing Challenges Embrace challenges and view them as opportunities to find solutions. Advice for New Leaders: Accept that no one knows everything. Seek help when needed. Utilize the wisdom of those before you. Allow people to truly know you. Highlight the talents of others. Don’t fear resistance. Remember school members are also community members. Value their input. For more in-depth insights and takeaways, tune in to the full episode! You can connect with Tameka via LinkedIn or by email at TeacherLeadershipAcademy601@gmail.com The post PMP393: Turnaround Leadership with Dr. Tameka Hyland appeared first on Principal Matters.