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

Melissa Barlow is in her eleventh year as Principal of Yukon High School in Yukon, Oklahoma.  In her past two decades as an educator, she has taught both middle-level and high school science and math, as well as serving in the role of assistant principal.  Barlow obtained her bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. As a former alumnus of Yukon High School, Barlow is honored to serve her hometown community with a focus on individual student success through educator collaboration.  Her focus on building relationships has established a rich culture and climate that values the success of all students.  In 2021, Barlow was named the Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year and has presented on such topics as developing school culture, individualized intervention, and post-secondary preparation. Listen to the entire conversation for amazing takeaways. Here is a quick summary of this week’s episode: During the interview, Barlow also mentioned her connection to Yukon, Oklahoma, and the interesting fact that she and famous musician Garth Brooks both grew up there. She recalled buying Garth Brooks’ first single on a cassette tape. Barlow introduced the innovative S.O.S. (Save Our Students) program that Yukon High School has been implementing for the past seven years. Inspired by the story of Josh Shipp, a former student turned inspirational speaker, the program aims to identify adults who have relationships with the school’s nearly 3,000 students. The program has evolved from paper documents to a digital format, categorizing teachers into three tiers based on their knowledge of students.  Tier 1 teachers know students by name. Tier 2 teachers are familiar with students’ interests and activities. Tier 3 teachers have deep connections with students, serving as a safe place and understanding their triggers and motivations.  Barlow also emphasized the importance of documenting positive interactions with teachers, aiming for at least four such interactions with each of the school’s 186 certified staff members. For aspiring school leaders, Barlow advised aligning their schedules with their priorities and defining collective commitments to distinguish emergencies from non-negotiables. She encouraged listeners to engage with the full interview for more insights. Listeners interested in staying updated with Yukon High School’s progress and achievements, as well as reaching out to Melissa Barlow, can do so via email or by visiting the school’s website! The post PMP386: Connecting Every Student to Caring Adults with Melissa Barlow appeared first on Principal Matters.

Flip Flippen is a New York Times best-selling author, social entrepreneur, psychotherapist, and the founder and chairman of Capturing Kids’ Hearts, one of the largest educator training and team development companies in North America. Flip and his wife Susan were named Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year, making them the first couple to ever receive this prestigious award. Their company was chosen by Texas Monthly magazine as #2 Best Companies to Work For in Texas. Flip and his team are passionate about bringing out the best in people.  In this episode, Flip shares great takeaways on how to connect with learners, what the Capturing Kids’ Hearts process looks like in schools, and words of wisdom for leaders wanting to increase their impacts.  Listen-in to the entire episode, here are a few highlights of what we discuss: Raising Children – Influences of Teachers Flip shares how he and his wife Susan have raised 20 kids together over the years. He didn’t learn his real name until 1st grade, and in 2nd grade, when his teacher announced she was assigning him to a leadership role the following year, he did not realize he was being held back as a struggling reader. Instead, he fell in love with helping younger students, and that passion has stayed with him his whole life. A Child’s Heart Although Flip was not emotionally close to his parents, his teachers played an enormous role in helping him believe in himself and achieve success in school and life. After graduating with his doctorate from Texas A&M, Flip began working with young men in gangs. Eventually, he began a non-profit reaching out to troubled youth, working in prisons, and helping others learn that if you have a child’s heart, you have his head. Impacting Outcomes Young people need skills, and they need to understand the skills involved in the subculture of jobs and professions. Eventually, Fip began teaching methods in an afterschool program. This led to the development of Caputring Kids’ Hearts which has served millions of students and thousands of campuses across the U.S. The CKH model reduces discipline referrals, establishes social contracts for classrooms, provides stronger self-governance for students, and increases academic performance.  Facing Today’s Issues As we talked about current issues in education, Flip asserted that learning loss is not the biggest issue we face, discipline is the challenge. Culture is the “ground” of our schools, and curriculum and standards are the “seeds.” If we dont’ first instill the right conditions, learning will not take place. Final Words of Wisdom As we wrapped up the conversation, Flip shared that people only change when they have an emotionally compelling reason to change. This also applies to leaders.  What are you truly about as it relates to your role in school? How can you communicate that passion to your people? As Flip puts it, “People are drawn to purpose.” Listen to the entire episode for even more great takeaways. You can learn more about Flip Flippen at the Flippen Group website and explore Capturing Kids’ Hearts at https://www.capturingkidshearts.org/ Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP385: Capturing Kids Hearts with Flip Flippen appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss more about Dr. Schwanke’s new book, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management. Jen asked leaders to consider a circle to anticipate, analyze and act as an ongoing movement – a way to visualize how approaching conflict.  Anticipate Anticipate the adult, student, parent and self conflict that comes at different seasons, times, or throughout the processes of a school day. What did you not see coming? How can this experience prepare for anticipating when something similar may happen again because it likely will. Analyze Analyze behavior to understand the why behind conflict. Leaders exist because conflicts exist. What ways can you rely on others to help move through conflict? Everyone deserves due process, and how we manage behavior must be based in fact, not just feeling. Act Act and make a decision since atrophy is not optional. This means understanding the various options that exist in responding, mediating, waiting, embracing, or enforcing. Conflict resolution requires intentionality. Will wraps up the conversation with an analogy about “the other side of the moon.” No matter where you are on planet Earth, you can only see one side of the moon as it orbits our planet. Sometimes people become upset with a person, decision or rule because people may only be seeing “one side of the moon” in their experiences. In a way, leadership allows you to see more of the moon than others in your community. How are you leveraging this responsibility and privilege to allow others to know as much information as you can share while also protecting confidentiality? You’ll never perfectly resolve conflict, but when you’ve taken time to give others as much feedback as possible, then move forward and accept that not everyone will understand or agree. If you’re interested in exploring a possible Mastermind Study Group over Jen’s book The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, email will@williamdparker.com to learn more. The post PMP384: Anticipate, Analyze, and Act with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

Conflicts are inevitable. The question is how do you manage them in healthy ways with the appropriate mindset, anticipation, analysis, and action? This week, Dr. Jen Schwanke shares takeaways with William D. Parker from Jen’s new book, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management. Listen-in as Jen explains how to approach conflict with courage. Learn the importance of managing specific conflicts with teachers, students, parents, and with yourself. Embracing problems, not eliminating them, is an important part of the mindset for managing conflicts. Jen recommends cultivating these qualities like patience, poise, eloquence, curiosity, confidence, empathy, trust, attentiveness, clarity, equanimity, character, and acceptance. Also, Dr. Schwanke reminds leaders not to forget the teacher experience.  While empathizing with the persons we are guiding, consider the model of motivation tree: Roots = purpose (internal motivation) Trunk = priorities (targets, goals, schedules, etc.) Branches = patterns (habits) Finally, Jen shares about the 4 10’s rule. Will the situation you’re addressing be important in 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years? Will wraps up the conversation with a reference to the book The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. He connects the themes in Jen’s book to the lessons in the new movie of Boys in the Boat with a reminder that we are in “the same boat” – working toward the collective achievement of every member of the school community. Listen to the entire episode for even more takeaways! If you’re interested in exploring a possible Mastermind Study Group over Jen’s book The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, email will@williamdparker.com to learn more. The post PMP383: The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management – Jen’s new book! appeared first on Principal Matters.

Daniel Kelley is an Associate Teaching Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Rhode Island. He previously served as the principal of Smithfield High School in Smithfield, RI. During his tenure, he successfully implemented sustainable change initiatives that profoundly impacted the school’s learning culture. Dan’s contributions to education extend to national leadership roles as well. He served as the president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) during the 2017-2018 school year and was a member of the NASSP Board of Directors for five years. His broad experience in education includes positions as a high school assistant principal, a high school and middle school special education teacher, and a middle school math and science teacher. In recognition of his outstanding leadership, he was named the Rhode Island Secondary Principal of the Year in 2012. Fun Fact: Dan played rugby in college! Listen into the entire episode to engage in a thoughtful conversation with Dan, as we explore the myriad of lessons in leadership and personal practices Dan instituted in leading a learning culture during his tenure at Smithfield High School. Dan’s broad spectrum of experiences, coupled with his passion for education, makes this episode a treasure trove of insights for school leaders at every stage of their careers. Dan Kelley Topics of Discussion: University Role: Building a master’s degree program in leadership and education policy at the University of Rhode Island. Teaching “Intro to American Education” to undergraduate students. Consulting/Coaching Work: Developments in training for aspiring leaders post his year as NASSP President. Facilitation of leadership training programs in multiple states. Advice for Aspiring Leaders: Impactful leadership starts from where you are. The importance of networking and continuous learning through various mediums. The significance of shadowing seasoned leaders and building foundational strength in current roles. Guidance for New Leaders: The indispensability of networking and self-care. Managing leadership challenges with external perspectives through therapy. Insights for Veteran Leaders: The importance of acknowledging daily achievements and maintaining student connections. Leadership isn’t always easy, as illustrated by Dan’s inspiring and poignant stories from his own experiences. Connect with Daniel Kelley: Website: danielpkelley.net Twitter: @danielpkelley Email: danielpkelleyed@gmail.com Call to Action: Reach out to Dan if you’re keen on presenting to any of his university program classes, or if you’re just looking to connect and learn more about educational leadership. Remember to keep learning, growing, and making a profound impact in the lives of your schools. Thank you for being the beacon of transformative leadership in education. Keep tuning in for more enlightening conversations on Principal Matters, and thank you for doing what matters! The post PMP382: Profoundly Impacting Learning Culture with Dan Kelley appeared first on Principal Matters.

Jim Wichman is the founder of Inspired Edification, LLC, a seasoned educational administrator with over 25 years of experience. Jim has a rich history of service in both urban and rural public school settings. Coming from a background of poverty and even experiencing homelessness, Jim is a strong advocate for centered, respectful, and value-driven education. Not just an experienced educator, Jim is also a multi-talented individual who can play the accordion, a talent that saw him travel and compete in his youth. Additionally, he is a foster parent who adopted a 3-month-old child, who is now 21. Jim’s keynote speeches have reached audiences ranging from 50 to 1,700 people across multiple states. Listen-in to the entire conversation for inspiration and takeaways. Here’s a summary of the show notes: Lessons in Leadership: Be True to Your Core Values: Authenticity is essential. Flashy Fades: Stick to what’s important, not just what’s eye-catching. 5-2-1 Method: Jim’s unique approach to decision-making and leadership. Be Vulnerable: Authenticity can be a strength. Discovering “Superpowers”: Jim strongly believes that each of us has a unique talent or “superpower.” However, life events can often cloud these innate abilities.  Jim also demonstrates the power of storytelling by sharing his own journey and the ways his hometown community served and inspired him throughout life. Topics Jim Loves: Celebrations: Jim stresses the importance of celebrating successes and telling our own stories. Middle School: A formative stage that he describes as “simply the best.” Perspective: Keeping the big picture in mind. Motivational Takeaways: Listening to teachers can yield valuable insights. Every interaction matters in education, encapsulated in his hashtag: #iBelieve. How to Connect: Listen to the entire episode for amazing takeaways! To stay connected with Jim, you can follow him on social media via @JimWichman or visit his website, Inspired Edification, LLC. For parting words of advice, Jim emphasizes, “People Matter, You Matter, It Matters.” We hope you find inspiration and practical takeaways in today’s episode. Thank you for doing what matters! The post PMP381: Maximizing the Superpowers of each Individual with Jim Wichman appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss the dynamics involved in building leadership vs district leadership. Although still a principal at heart, Jen has served in the role of Deputy Superintendent now for three years. Will asked her to reflect on the following: What surprised her more in the transition from building leadership to central office leadership? If she could go back and talk to herself as a principal, what advice might she now give? How do we bridge the gap that often exists between district-level leadership and building leadership? A few highlights include: It can’t be us vs them if we want collective efficacy in reaching goals for all students. Building level leadership involves enormous complexity with direct human elements. This is important for central office leaders to keep in mind as sometimes central office leaders can become more siloed in their assigned tasks. Principals need support if they are to do the long term, sustainable work of school improvement. The tension we feel in accountability and power dynamics, no matter what role we serve. If we feel these gaps and tensions, how might this affect the ways our teachers see us as their leaders? Ways to bridge the inevitable gaps that exist between leadership roles, including talking about and acknowledging the gaps as well as committing time to build relationships across the gaps. We also discuss some takeaways from Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. You can find the book here. Now It’s Your Turn What are the pros and cons you have experienced in the different expectations among building-level and district-level leadership? How do you respond if working with an authority figure who is not connected or even untrustworthy?  Listen-in to the entire conversation for more takeaways. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this topic. Thank you again for doing what matters! The post PMP380: Dynamics of Building Leaders vs District Leaders with Will Parker and Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss the difference between systems leadership and people leadership. Here’s a quick summary: Leaders need to understand both. As one of Jen’s advisors told her, “If there is no route for the bus, it doesn’t really matter what people are on it.” In other words, we often are told in leadership that “it’s all about the people.” This is only true if we support those people with systems, processes, policies and accountability measures that work. A “people only” approach implies a meritocracy– that districts/principals who recruit a certain type of  person will have a better organization. Unfortunately, then we spend too much time addressing how people perform and how they feel rather than addressing the complex system issues that affect their performance and their feelings W. Edwards Deming’s 95/5 rule was an industrial workplace philosophy that taught 95% of our focus should be on systems, and 5% on people. In education, we know we are in the people business so that philosophy is an apples to apples comparison. We all know that people are much more impactful than 5% (take a toxic teacher who leaves, for instance, the positive effect that has on teacher and student morale). However, we need to  pay  attention to systems and not assume the right people would eliminate the problem Systems take time to change—Sometimes years Systems are so interconnected, too So principals: If you have a big problem, look at the system AND the people. Listen to the entire episode for takeaways on how the focus on systems may be applied to drop-offs, medical forms, purchase orders, substitute teachers, tardy/attendance procedures, and first-responder protocols. Other resources mentioned: Department of Defense Schools outcomes compared to public schools, especially for minority students. Although the factors vary in implications, one of the factors appears to be their commitments to stability and process in curriculum implementation as well as strong practices and procedures in school policies. See the following links to learn more: https://wallyboston.com/public-school-learning-outcomes-three-systems-with-different-results/#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20DoD%20schools%20had%20the,whose%20parents%20graduated%20from%20college AND https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105058 Also, we reference research discussed on how one study shows a majority of teacher’s perceive their opinions not being valued by their leaders. You can hear that discussion in a previous episode, PMP372: The Power of Principal Mindfulness with Dr. Rob Russell and Dr. Dustin Miller. Finally, we discuss the difference between strategic, operational, tactical leadership from interview with Colonel Brad Ruttman, episode 222. Please let us know your thoughts, and thank you for doing what matters! The post PMP379: Systems Leader vs People Leader with Will Parker and Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

Mark Geraets, is an education leader with a career spanning 40 impactful years. Born in New Zealand as the youngest of seven to Dutch immigrant parents, Mark’s university education journey began at 16, as the youngest student at Teacher’s College. By 30, he assumed his first principal role in Whakatane, NZ. Venturing abroad, he taught in Bangladesh, deepening his love for travel and the International Baccalaureate education system. This passion led him to the International School of Basel, where he spent 12 years. Later, Mark revitalized Scots Independent School in Australia, transforming its enrollment and finances. Currently, the Head of Senior and Deputy Principal at Fintona in Melbourne, Mark anticipates a well-deserved retirement soon. Alongside his wife Yvonne, a former teacher, they’ve shared adventures across diverse education systems. As Mark reflects on his vast experiences, he’s especially excited about his newfound role: as a new grandfather. Mark has worked in several careers and countries. Before education, he was a butler and worked at a psychiatric hospital. As a Deputy Principal of an all-girls school, he is inspired by the ways his students and teachers create learning opportunities, especially with engagement from alumni for support. He has the pleasure of bringing his dog, Fabio, to work to help students find joy.  Over the years, he has found some constants in education: Students need to feel they are important, cared for, have opportunities to succeed, and can make a difference. “Finding your spark of genius” is a catchphrase Mark learned while working in South Korea. This idea has served him well as a motivation for student learning. When counseling younger administrators, he cautions them to “make haste slowly.” Talk, talk, talk…to students and the community. Manage by walking around. You will make mistakes.  Don’t allow ego to become your enemy. Book reference: Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent, by Ryan Holiday. Create contacts and build relationships. When asked to share a failure story, Mark related how in his first assignment as an administrator, he tried to implement curriculum changes to include more differentiation. The idea was sound, but the implementation left out the input and buy-in of his teachers. As a result, he apologized and began over.  Other advice he gives includes: Be kind to yourself. Take time for fitness, eat well, and have fun. If it’s not right, move on. Celebrate successes along the way. For new or aspiring leaders, he adds: Be aware of the imposter syndrome, and remember you are ready and can make good things happen. Have a mentor outside the organization you’re in to provide guidance and perspective. You can stay connected with Mark Geraets through his LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-geraets-4b88a923/ or by email at mygeraets@gmail.com The post PMP378: Surfing the Crest of New Waves with Mark Geraets appeared first on Principal Matters.

Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant for public and independent schools, universities, and nonprofits. She trains and coaches teachers, administrators, and others on new teacher/employee support, having hard conversations, collaboration skills, and being your best adult self at work. In her over two decades at Palo Alto Unified School District (Palo Alto, CA, USA), Jennifer was a high school English teacher, new teacher coach, and professional development facilitator. She left PAUSD in 2012 to start her full-time communications consultancy in which she works with schools and organizations across the globe. Her publications include Having Hard Conversations, The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicating, Collaborating & Creating Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked – the Whos, the Whens and the What Ifs, Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives, and her newest book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work. Jennifer has been recognized as one of the “21 Women All K-12 Educators Need to Know” by Education Week’s ‘Finding Common Ground’ blog. She considers herself a “voice coach,” helping others learn how to best use their voices – be it collaborating on a team, presenting in front of a group, coaching a colleague, or supervising an employee.  First, we discuss some topics from Jennifer’s book, Having Hard Conversations: Jennifer has worked for decades of work in classrooms, schools, and with leaders. When facing a difficult conversation, she shares why it is important to understand the motivation for why a conversation should (or should not) happen. She breaks down hard conversations into three areas: Get Clear, Craft, and Communicate. In her lessons on ‘Get Clear”, she explains why it is important to get to a place of feeling ready and comfortable in order to share what needs to be said. In her lessons on “craft,” she explains why we should focus on understanding specific behaviors, understanding our own thoughts, and offering suggestions for fixing problems. Then, she breaks down the practical suggestion of making a plan or creating a script for hard conversations. We also discuss some topics from Jennifer’s book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work: In this book, she probes several important questions. How do we: want to level up and stretch ourselves? want to be more inclusive in our thinking, our communications, and our actions? want to engage more deeply in our conversations around equity, diversity, and belonging? want to commit to changing the system for the ‘betterment of humanity’ through work on developing ourselves? She states, “Through the study of five key facets for individual and collective development we can learn to be bigger and better versions of ourselves as leaders, collaborative team members, and educators.” Throughout our conversation, we quote works from several sources, including authors like Carol Dweck (interviewed recently by Guy Kawasaki on his podcast Remarkable People), Michael Fullan, Timothy Elmore, and the podcast Hidden Brain by Shankar Vadantam.  You can connect with Jennifer Abrams, her resource, and professional learning opportunities through her website: https://jenniferabrams.com/ The post PMP377: Conversations that Matter with Jennifer Abrams appeared first on Principal Matters.