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

Helen Kelly is an author, speaker, consultant, coach and researcher in the field of school wellbeing and culture. She was a principal in international schools in Asia and Europe for 15 years and has been conducting research in the field of principal and teacher wellbeing for almost a decade. Prior to becoming a teacher, she spent ten years as a lawyer in the field of workplace health and safety. From this diverse experience, Helen brings a unique and valuable perspective to her writing, workshops and consulting. She works with schools around the world, in both the public and private sectors, to help them to maximize staff wellbeing and improve workplace culture. She also works with leadership teams and individual leaders to help them to make their leadership more sustainable. She is the author of the new book School Leaders Matter: Preventing Burnout, Managing Stress and Improving Wellbeing, published by Routledge. Helen is from the UK but is in the process of moving to the west coast of Ireland.  Can you fill in the blanks on that introduction and tell listeners something else they may be surprised to know about you?  I experienced a burnout in 2019 and had to cut my career in education short.  You spent a career practicing law before becoming an educator, and you’ve served in international settings. How has your time in different career paths provided you a perspective that may be helpful for school leaders to consider in their own practice? Having worked as a lawyer in the field of workplace health and safety, I have an understanding of how we should be treating stress as a health and safety risk in the same way as other risks. Working in international schools really helped me to understand the emotional demands of the principal’s role. You are responsible for all these people, staff, students and parents who are living away from their support networks. The emotional demands are huge. We talk so much about workload in relation to the amount of work we  have to do as leaders but if governments, schools and leaders are to support leader wellbeing effectively, they need to acknowledge, understand and take steps to support emotional and psychological health.  Your new book focuses on several areas concerning the stress and workloads of school leaders. What causes burnout, how can people recognize it and how can it be prevented? Understand burnout as a continuum. 3 dimensions  6 areas of worklife Book contains details on signs and symptoms of each of the 3 dimensions What advice do you have for educators for providing a framework to support thriving and resilience? For individual educators it is about understanding 2 things, your work demands and your work recovery.  Identify areas of mismatch in 6 areas of worklife and take steps to address the imbalance Understand their work recovery – 4 areas and 4 periods when we can be experiencing this What practical coping strategies do you use or suggest for leaders who are feeling overwhelmed? Get your work recovery in place. Sleep. Look for social support – coaching, supervision, networking, mentoring.  What parting words or advice would you have for leaders and how can they stay connected with your work? Your wellbeing matters to the whole community. Schools and leaders need to start taking strategic approaches to improve working conditions for leaders but we also need to start seeing self-care as a core leadership attribute – an investment in the whole school community, rather than being embarrassed about it.  You can connect with Dr. Helen Kelly at Dr.HelenKelly.com The post PMP337: Helping Leaders Improve Wellbeing with Dr. Helen Kelly appeared first on Principal Matters.

Pete Dunlap lives in beautiful Dayton, Ohio. His 15 years in education includes being a junior high teacher, Principal and CEO of Catholic Central School, in Springfield, Ohio, and High School Assistant Principal at Lehman Catholic School in Sydney, Ohio.  It was as an assistant principal that Pete began developing his ideas for better ways to publish learning materials. He retired from school administration to start Better Learning Education, a publishing company based in Dayton, Ohio. Now, three years later, BLE’s workbooks are used by thousands of students all across the country, and Pete splits his time as Head of Research and Development and Director of School Accounts for Better Learning Education. Pete describes himself as a family man and an education nerd. Pete and I met through his work with Better Learning Education, specifically his Summer Pops Math Workbooks. In this episode, he tells about his own story of education leadership. As a former principal, he shared lessons he learned in that work that may benefit leaders serving as principals today. He also shares the story of how his work in school leadership led to creating powerful education resources for schools. Listen in for Pete’s feedback on these questions and more! Topics we discussed: The power of mentorship in your own work and working with others The smartest person in the room is the room Leadership can be lonely; we need others Shout out to Pete’s former leaders Mike, Jim and Denise who encouraged Pete to go into leadership What is moving up? And wanting to do more How can I have a bigger influence? Focus on impact of work, not job title Keeping family a priority over work The search for differentiation, good customer service, and retention of learning Collaborating with others to build Summer Pops Math Workbooks Ask yourself: who can help you do this work? Never solve problems alone Check out the Summer Pops Workbooks for your teachers and students. Here’s a message directly from Pete: A message from our friend Pete over at Summer Pops Math Workbook: Demand is high this year. And if you want to order Summer Pops for your students, you need to place your order soon! If you have not contacted Summer Pops, you should do it this week. Principal Matters listeners can work with Pete directly, his email is Pete@BetterLearningEducation.com or visit their website, SummerPopsWorkbooks.com to learn more. Summer Pops are designed for your students to practice math over the summer. They are engaging, easy-to-use, and content rich. Summer is almost here, visit SummerPopsWorkbooks.com to learn more. Stay connected with Pete Dunlap: Pete@BetterLearningEducation.com   Go to SummerPopsWorkbooks.com to request free samples. Listen to previous episodes on transitions in education: PMP319: Tips for Seeking a New Education Positition with Jen Schwanke PMP320: Tips for Seeking a New Education Position with Jen Schwanke (part 2) The post PMP336: Lessons in Influencing Change with Pete Dunlap appeared first on Principal Matters.

Tyler Vawser is the Vice President of Marketing at Apptegy. Tyler leads Apptegy’s Marketing & Media teams, which offer a number of resources to school leaders including guides to school marketing and SchoolCEO suite including a print magazine, website, and podcast, SchoolCEO Conversations . Tyler was the VP of People and focused on recruiting, onboarding, and culture for 3.5 years at Apptegy. Prior to Apptegy, Tyler worked in NYC in higher education and for startups including Museum Hack and Sticker Mule. Brittany Keil is a writer, and researcher 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.  Here are a few questions we explore: What are your respective journeys into education and what led you to your work with Apptegy? Both Tyler and Brittany’s families have worked in the fields that they are currently working in. Tyler’s grandparents had a long history of education leadership in rural Colorado, while Brittany’s family has a history of working in media development. Brittany’s side job as a copywriter while teaching led her to the work she does today. Tyler’s work with startups in NYC led to him working with Apptegy in Arkansas. Since beginning to work there, Apptegy has grown from a small company to one with 400 employees. Can you explain what topics SchoolCEO covers and what guidance you provide school leaders on school marketing? Apptegy has created tools to help leaders navigate easier ways to communicate their values. Marketing is every experience others are having in our school. Principals are often the most trusted persons in a community. You must know your core identity and communicate those values to your community. These impressions of your school also influence how others feel about public education in particular. How is a school like a brand? How can principals play an important role in that? Schools are a brand; the question is are they being intentional about shaping that brand or is it being shaped for them? Brands are very much fueled by the community that a school serves and how that community feels about the school. School leaders can help play a role in shaping the brand of schools by highlighting the positive stories that happen in their school.  What lessons have you learned in your own education/leadership experiences and transitions in work that may benefit other leaders? What are some of your favorite takeaways from leaders influencing education today? Most education leaders love their work and are dedicated to the best for all students they serve. The difficulties of the work should not overshadow the good outcomes happening in your schools. The power of curiosity is what leads to learning – especially when people are given permission to fail while trying new ideas or learning experiences. Any parting words of advice for listeners, and how can they stay connected with you and your resources? Stay connected through their website: https://www.schoolceo.com/ for podcasts, a newsletter for leaders and more! Here’s a free resource from Tyler and Brittany: The Principal’s Guide to School Marketing. The post PMP335: Branding & Marketing Your Schools with Tyler Vawser and Britanny Keil appeared first on Principal Matters.

A listener who is an administrator on the middle and high school level who has the opportunity to become a Vice Principal wrote to Will and Jen: “As a classroom teacher this year has been quite challenging because there are some students who resist learning and either not coming to class prepared or asking to go to the bathroom repeatedly during the lesson, distracting or socializing during instruction, regardless how many times I go over expectations with them. What are some policies I can incorporate or I can tell teachers to incorporate as a future Vice Principal so that teachers would get support with similar types of issues? There’s two questions being asked by this listener: Question 1: What do you do about student discipline? As a teacher managing a classroom, acknowledge that with every student comes a new adventure and a new journey, so there is no one size fits all when it comes to student discipline. However there are practices that will help provide consistency, predictability, and help provide students with an environment that they feel is stable and safe for learning. Give yourself the grace to realize that even when you’re doing things right, there will still be challenges.  As an administrator, it is important to understand trauma informed discipline (see resources below for a great book about this subject). Having a lack of understanding of what’s going on behind a student’s behavior can sometimes make it difficult to know what to do about the behavior. As a school, ask yourself about discipline, “What are our common definitions and what do we mean by them?” Question 2: What should you say in an interview?  There is no one right answer to this question in an interview setting. The answer is to be truthful and authentic. What do you believe? How can you be confident and vulnerable? Being yourself and answering the question truthfully are what will show interviewers that you are the right candidate for the position. Even though there is not going to be a right answer, there are principles that can be practiced that can create a better environment for student learning. As an interviewee, it can be helpful to focus on those principles instead of trying to find the right answer to the discipline question. Resources for classroom management and student behavior: Harry Wong, author of The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher, reminds us of seven questions every student asks about his or her teachers: 1. Am I in the right room? 2. Where am I supposed to sit? 3. Who is the teacher as a person? 4. Will the teacher treat me as a human being? 5. What are the rules in this classroom? 6. What will I be doing this year? 7. How will I be graded? Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma by Dr. Barb Sorrels Connect with Jen Schwanke Twitter: @JenSchwanke Email: schwanke_jennifer@dublinschools.net The post PMP334: Questions on Student Behavior with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters.

Naheed Bardai is the Principal of UWC Atlantic and arrived in south Wales in August 2021 from Upper Canada College in Toronto, where he was head of upper school for six years. Before that, he served as dean of students and senior school principal during his 10 years at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya. For Naheed, education is a deeply moral endeavor and the exercise of leadership demands a thoughtful, ethical foundation. His own rests on the tenets of pluralism, integrity, generosity and trust. He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from the Western University, Canada; a Bachelor degree in Education from the University of British Columbia, Canada; Masters of Arts from the Institute of Education, University College London, UK; Masters of Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University, USA. I invited you on the show after a listener benefited from a webinar on understanding ChatGPT. Before we go there, can you give a brief summary of your work at UWC Atlantic and some examples of unique offerings there for listeners to know more about the school community? UWC Atlantic is a college that serves students from ages 16-19 that creates intentional diversity among students. They are serving 360 students from 80 countries. There are 18 UWC schools at the moment. They focus on creating a better and more diverse world with a focus on sustainably.  Like many school leaders, ChatGPT has become the latest AI software to assist or disrupt the way we interact with information, content-creation and potential learning. For those who are new to the technology, can you give an overview for school leaders on ChatGPT and its effects or potential effects on schools? ChatGPT is an AI that interacts in a conversational way with the user. Many educators are facing fear-based responses. How do we build trust and determine what to embrace, integrate or restrict? What obstacles and advantages do you see or anticipate as students and teachers use ChatGPT? Some of the challenges really sit around deciding the ways in which we embrace, integrate, or reject AI such as ChatGPT. Another challenge is the ways in which students may use ChatGPT to produce inauthentic work. It also presents a potential opportunity for students to learn how to ask questions and become fact checkers for work produced by an AI. There’s opportunities for a different kind of learning to happen when using ChatGPT and other AI software.  What advice would you have for leaders navigating these pros and cons? Pros with ChatCPT involve assistance for language learners, synthesizing information, use of lesson planning, writing report card comments, university reference letters, fundraiser campaigns, interview guides with rubrics. Principal Naheed Bardai has encouraged his campus by starting a dialogue with a committee of teachers and students. The explore: How will we guide our community? How will we allow these principles to guide our actions? What advice should we give in light of these principles? Be flexible: the technology is going to change very quickly and you must be adaptable. As we wrap up, I’d also like to talk about your own leadership journey. You’ve been a school leader with an international perspective. What lessons or ideas in leadership may be helpful for others (experienced or beginning) to keep in mind in the places where they serve? When I have energy from students, I know I am in the right place. I firmly believe that leading a school is a deeply moral endeavor. Schools are complex systems and we have a responsibility to design them with equity in mind. Compassion is the core. Leading is a deeply human endeavor and requires us to create safe spaces for student learning. Any parting words or thoughts you’d like to share with other school leaders? How can listeners stay connected with you? You can reach Naheed Bardai via email: naheed.bardai@uwcatlantic.org UWC Atlantic social accounts are: Instagram: @uwcatlantic  Twitter: @UWCAtlantic  Linkedin: UWC Atlantic College The post PMP333: Understanding ChatGPT with Naheed Bardai appeared first on Principal Matters.

Joshua Spikes is Assistant Principal at Richwood High School, in the Ouachita Parish School Board, in Monroe, Louisiana.                                              … After graduating from DeRidder High School, he attended Grambling State University and was a member of the GSU World Famed Tiger Marching Band. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Grambling State University and his plus 30 from Louisiana Tech and The University of Louisiana Monroe. After his undergrad degree, he became the youngest band director in the school’s history at Richwood High School – at the same High School where he completed his student teaching. He held that position for ten years and made another historic move when he became the youngest Assistant Principal of the same high school.  He currently holds that position – with pride – in his seventh year. Mr. Spikes is known throughout the state of Louisiana as a man that loves children, a servant leader, a school operations guru,  transformational leader, and an outstanding disciplinarian. In addition, Mr. Spikes is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Kappa Delta Pi, Grambling State University Monroe/West Monroe Alumni Chapter. He is active in his church community and serves as Minister of Music at Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church, in West Monroe, LA. He is a native of DeRidder, LA, the son of a former principal and school teacher and married to the love of his life. Together they have two children.  Can you please fill in the gaps on that intro, and tell listeners something else they may be surprised to know about you? Joshua and Will both love visiting other schools; Joshua is a self-described school and educational nerd. Can you tell listeners more about Richwood High School and some of the great outcomes happening in your school community? Richwood High School has approximately 500 students, with a predominantly African American student population. It was consolidated in the late 1980’s and reopened in the 2001-’02 school year with career technology options in welding, dental assistant, and cosmetology.  As you know, a lot of Principal Matters listeners are current leaders or aspiring ones. As an experienced Assistant Principal, what are some lessons in leadership you’ve learned that may help others thinking about becoming an AP? What takeaways or lessons would you have for others who may be stepping into leadership as the ‘youngest’ or ‘first’ in their own settings? As a former band director, Mr. Spikes is committed to leading as an admin with structure and order so that he is supporting student learning. He lives by his 5 P’s: pray, plan, prioritize, participate, and problem-solve. Joshua states that tackling problems when they start instead of when they become a bigger problem helps new leaders learn what to prioritize. He also believes in the importance of participating in school events, whether that be sports events, drama, choir, etc. This will foster a sense of community between the students and the administrators.  You have been described as a transformational leader with strengths in operations and managing student behavior. Can you share some of the practical ways you have established helpful procedures, policies or practices in these areas? Joshua is very serious about structure and order in his schools, making sure that there are no distractions from student learning. He believes that you have to build a relationship with students and with their parents in disciplinary situations. Honesty and transparency are what make a great and fair disciplinarian in an administration role. He also believes leaders need to distinguish among minor, middle and major challenges when problem-solving. How can listeners stay connected to you? What parting words or ideas would you like to leave with Principal Matters listeners?  As a leader, be strong and courageous. You have to pause, you have to breathe, and if you do those things, you will start to see yourself flourish. These principles also apply to life and family.  Email:  jspikes@opsb.net Instagram: @phrozenapbd Listen-in for even more takeaways! The post Transformational Leadership with Joshua Spikes – PMP332 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Dr. Mary Beth was named Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville on July 1, 2021 after serving as Assistant Superintendent for seven years. Dr. Bowling has served in the Archdiocese of Louisville her entire career, serving in the role of elementary principal for 25 years.  Amy Nall serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville. She has been a Catholic school educator and administrator for 35 years. She began her career as a high school English teacher in 1987 and moved into administration in 2004 when she became an assistant principal at Sacred Heart Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in Louisville. She served in that role until 2020 when she transitioned to Interim Principal during the year of the pandemic. She moved into her current role in 2021.  In this episode, Mary Beth and Amy continue to share ways they have engaged their teachers and leaders with ongoing learning, including with Principal Matters and Will’s offerings.  Can you provide feedback from some of our training together (keynote presentations, Grow Academy, Executive Coaching) and why other Principal Matters listeners might benefit from participating?  Our training together has benefited teachers and leaders on all levels of the school system from elementary and secondary school principals to superintendents and assistant superintendents. In particular, we have used Will’s book Pause, Breathe, Flourish as a part of a book study for elementary assistant principals. Many of those who have participated in your training have stated that they feel empowered by the resources that Will provides. It was simple and easy to connect with Will and set up training with him. What are your hopes and dreams for the rest of the school year and as you look toward 2023-2024? We are just beginning to realize the potential for our students and our schools, so some of the excitement for us is the follow through. Seeing how our plans come to fruition is another thing that is very exciting for us. We try to always be in a state of continuous improvement to better our schools and our systems. We also explore: The importance of empowering leaders The loneliness of leadership Why we must build relationships Innovative programs among the schools in the Archdiocese How Principal Matters has supported growth through Will’s keynote for opening events for Schools Teachers, End of Year teacher PD, Executive Coaching, Book studies for ongoing enrichment, and Elem/Sec Assistant Principal meetings The Archdiocese of Louisville has also done superb work in facilitating community/board relations, promoting your schools through media, and supporting the professional growth of your educators. These are helpful ideas to keep in mind as Principal Matters leaders support their own educators and school communities.  Contact info: Amy Nall: anall@archlou.org Dr. Mary Beth Bowling: mbowling@archlou.org Archdiocese of Louisville website: https://louisvillecatholicschools.com/ The post How to Help Others Grow with Mary Beth Bowling and Amy Nall, Part 2 – PMP331 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Dr. Mary Beth was named Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville on July 1, 2021 after serving as Assistant Superintendent for seven years. Dr. Bowling has served in the Archdiocese of Louisville her entire career, serving in the role of elementary principal for 25 years. She attended college at the University of Louisville where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in early childhood and her administrative endorsement.  She completed her Doctorate in Leadership Education at Spalding University in 2004.  She was honored as the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Principal of the Year for Region 12 in 2005.  In 2020, she received the NCEA 2020 Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award which recognizes leadership and excellence in Catholic education. She currently serves on the Board of the Catholic Education Foundation and Spalding University Board of Trustees. Amy Nall serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville. She has been a Catholic school educator and administrator for 35 years. She began her career as a high school English teacher in 1987 and moved into administration in 2004 when she became an assistant principal at Sacred Heart Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in Louisville. She served in that role until 2020 when she transitioned to Interim Principal during the year of the pandemic. She moved into her current role in 2021. She has an undergraduate degree in English education and Journalism from Ball State University, a Masters in English and Teaching from the University of Louisville and an Educational Specialist Degree from the University of Louisville. Amy has been married for 35 years, and she and her husband live in Louisville and have three adult children and one grandchild.   She is grateful for the sacrifices her parents made to ensure she received a Catholic education, and she believes wholeheartedly in the value of community, particularly the importance of the Catholic school community where the partnership between parents, children and school support the holistic development of the individual. Discussion Questions: 1. Can you give a brief summary of the work of the Archdiocese of Louisville schools and accomplishments you’re proud of happening in your schools? 2. What ways you are encouraging ongoing professional growth among your educators, including your leadership? 3. How has been the relationship with Principal Matters benefited you and your school leaders?  In this episode we also explore: Collaborative visions for providing the best education possible for students How to support a large school community, including 48 schools and 20,000+ students Partnerships, engagement, building trust Michael Fullan’s work on coherence in leadership If you know what your vision is and where you are going, you then focus on professional learning and growth. Developing school leadership teams Merten Leadership Initiative resources New Principals support Grow Leadership Academy offerings with Principal Matters Contact info: Amy Nall: anall@archlou.org Mary Bowling: mbowling@archlou.org Louisville Catholic Schools The post How to Help Others Grow with Mary Beth Bowling and Amy Nall – PMP330 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Setting goals is a practice that I’ve used to help me grow in my own work. Not only is goal setting important in your professional life, but in your personal life as well. It helps you visualize where you want to be at the end of each year and gives you something to work towards throughout the year. In this week’s episode, co-host Jen Schwanke and I discuss how we each set and achieve our goals in our personal and professional lives.  Here are few takeaways: Jen’s feedback: I see many people asking what else can I do… What are the outcomes you want?  Fulfillment, balance, money? Education as a path?  Establishing goals and writing them down… Knowing your professional appreciation language… Gary Chapman and Paul White 5 Love Languages at Work: Acts of Service, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Tangible Gifts and Appropriate Physical Touch  What are you looking for? Is it a genuine need, a hole that hasn’t been filled? The value of goals that match your values… Will’s feedback: Free LifeScore Assessment Benefits of setting goals in ten areas and reviewing monthly and annually… Examples in my reading, hobbies, content growth… Examples of failure in reaching goals and lessons learned… Sample categories for quick annual assessment: Major milestones… Positive outcomes… Most difficult challenges… Major lessons learned… What are your goals for this year? Personal Family Social Physical Vocational Want to make them SMART goals? S – Specific M – Measurable A – Achievable R – Realistic T – Timely More Resources: 4 Stages of the Reflective Cycles: Teach, Reflect, Learn: Building Your Capacity for Success in the Classroom by Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral  Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans The post How do you set and reach goals? with Jen Schwanke – PMP329 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Michael Alpert is a Crystal Apple Award Winning educator, and has worked in both small, rural districts and large, suburban districts in the Portland metro area, even serving overseas as a teacher and Central Administrator in Prague, Czech Republic. Mike is also a founding board member of Ex Novo Brewing Co, a benefit corporation donating all net proceeds to charitable organizations. Mike founded Peer Driven PD in 2019 with the goal of bringing streamlined, private sector solutions to public education. Mike’s corporate experience as a project analyst for an international renewable energy firm (Iberdrola Renewables) and as a financial services specialist (employee credit union of Intel and Microsoft) led him to realize the importance of education across all fields. Mike earned his MBA at Portland State University, with focused coursework in finance and innovation management, and took his expertise to the classroom and school office, where he worked over the next decade as a middle school humanities teacher before becoming a building administrator and later founding Peer Driven PD. On his “off days” (a little educator joke) you can find him training for his next half-marathon or at home with his wife and their growing family. In this episode, Will and Mike discuss the following: Recognize that each of us is a specialist in our craft. Learn to embrace the change instead of push against it. Mike has learned the importance that you compensation (tangibly but also in other ways) should be relative to your ability to help others solve problems. Teachers are looking for themselves to be represented in the PD we provide for them. We must present high quality professional development from teachers TO teachers. Teachers are world-class specialists! How are we utilizing their expertise? Strong classroom management requires both structure and relationships. Admins must learn to listen more to teachers. If you have a struggling teacher, to to them and ask them to help you find solutions. Then take their advice and let them know you value how they help you solve problems. Tap into the incredible ideas of those on your staff. Peer Driven PD resources can be found at peerdrivenpd.com/resources. Reach Mike Alpert at mike@peerdrivenpd.com Listen-in to the entire conversation for even more takeaways! The post Peer Driven PD with Michael Alpert – PMP328 appeared first on Principal Matters.