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

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, join Will Parker and Jen Schwanke for the final discussion about Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. Chapter 7 is about self-trust for principals. The work of a principal is inherently very self critical. When a principal spends their time dealing with self-doubt, they are breaking their own self-trust. Jen outlines several key insights for school leaders to hold onto when they examine their own relationship with self-trust, by acknowledging that you are hardest on yourself. Next, Jen tells listeners some ways to build your self-trust. The first is by doing your best and accepting that. The second way to build self-trust is through confidence and humility. Then, Jen tells listeners to practice managing their emotions. Knowing that you are in control of your emotions is a good way to build self-trust. To hear the rest of Jen’s solutions to building self-trust, listen to the episode. For a more in-depth look into this topic, check out Jen’s book Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools.  The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Self-Trust and Beyond appeared first on Principal Matters.

LaDonna Chancellor is the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning for Bartlesville Public Schools in Oklahoma. With over 25 years in education, she began as a special education teacher, later serving as assistant principal and principal at Central Middle School and Bartlesville High School. As a high school principal, she led major transitions, expanded STEM programs, and earned national recognition for diversity in computer science. In her current role, she oversees curriculum, supports principals, and champions student well-being through initiatives like unplugged school days. A graduate of Northeastern State University and Southern Nazarene University, LaDonna continues to drive academic excellence and student success across the district. Before becoming an educator, LaDonna worked in an abstract office. After becoming a single mother, she decided she needed to go to college, and thus began her education career.  Career Highlights:  Over the course of her career, LaDonna has served in many different roles at many different schools. Currently, she serves at Bartlesville Public Schools. When asked what she is proudest of at her school district, her answer is Bartlesville’s teacher recruitment and retention. When she first stepped into the role of Executive Director of Teaching and Learning at Bartlesville, she started a new teacher academy. Since the implementation of that program, Bartlesville Public Schools has seen a 90% retention rate of the new teachers hired.  Transition from Teaching to Leadership: LaDonna tells Principal Matters listeners that the motivation to become a school leader came from being a teacher. Once she started teaching, she began to look around and saw needs for all students that could be met through being a school administrator. After becoming an administrator, LaDonna worked hard to create a school environment where teachers wanted to come to school everyday. She explains that if teachers want to come to school, their classroom will be a more enjoyable place. Therefore, LaDonna spends a lot of time focused on school culture. Advice for New Leaders: When asked what advice she would give a new leader, LaDonna says to maintain a positive attitude, always. Additionally, she states that positive relationships are the key to success as a leader. It is imperative for school leaders to build, maintain, and repair relationships with staff, students, and parents. Doing so will build the foundation needed for a school leader to be successful. Furthermore, when leaders are stepping into a new role, LaDonna suggests that they spend time watching, listening, and learning before making any changes to the way the school operates.  Advice for Veteran Leaders: Next, LaDonna shares some advice with veteran school leaders. In order to avoid burn out, she tells leaders that it is important to focus on work/life balance, especially during busy seasons. For example, each week LaDonna schedules family time with all of her kids and grandkids, and time with her husband. She also emphasizes the importance of school leaders prioritizing their health, both physical and mental. The Importance of Collaboration: Throughout her tenure at Bartlesville Public Schools, collaboration has played a key role in the ways LaDonna supports schools and school leaders. Recently, two high schools in her district transitioned into one building, combining two different staffs in the process. Understanding how to bring all those people together to work as a team took some time. LaDonna says that she met with each staff member individually in the year leading up to the merging of the two schools to understand each of their needs. Through collaboration, the two schools successfully merged, with the staff as committed as ever.  Staying Connected: You can stay connected with LaDonna Chancellor via email at chancellorlm@bps-ok.org, or Linkedin. The post PMP466: Leading Collaboratively with LaDonna Chancellor appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker are talking about building trust with students. Their conversation is a follow-up to last week’s episode, where they talk about what kills trust with students. If you haven’t already listened to that episode, go back and give it a listen! Building trust with students is the key to successful schools. When students trust their teachers and principals, behavior referrals are lowered, there are fewer interruptions during instruction, and overall student engagement increases. There are several ways that teachers and principals can build up the pillars of trust, and Jen Schwanke outlines them for listeners. The first is showing commitment to your students; being passionate about the things they are passionate about and staying present for the students who need it most. The second pillar of trust is authenticity. Rather than trying to fit into the mold of what you think a teacher or principal should be, focus on being yourself and bringing your skills and personality to the table. Students are much quicker to trust an authority figure who is authentically themself, rather than trying to be someone they are not. The third pillar of trust is engaging completely and sincerely. Immerse yourself in whatever you are engaging in, whether that is in classrooms, sporting events, or the lunch room.  The fourth pillar of trust is clear and honest communication. Students appreciate it when adults or authority figures engage in direct communication with them. The fifth pillar Jen talks about is being consistent with student discipline and policy enforcement. The final pillar mentioned by Jen is handling crisis with calm. If you would like to learn more about how to build trust with students, check out Jen Schwanke’s new book: Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Building Trust with Students appeared first on Principal Matters.

Derek is the principal of Alleghany High School in Covington, Virginia, where he led the merger of two rival schools into a unified school community. Instead of allowing division to define the transition, he focused on building culture first, ensuring students, staff, and the community had a voice in shaping a new identity under a Better Together philosophy. Beyond fostering a strong school culture, Derek is also known for leveraging AI to enhance leadership and instruction. He has developed AI-driven tools to streamline administrative workflows and support teachers, including using Julius AI to help analyze state testing data to drive student achievement. By blending relationship-centered leadership with innovation, Derek is proving that schools can honor their past while embracing the future. Unifying School Communities: Merging rival school districts is no easy task. Having successfully done so, Derek Cantrell shares his experience with Will Parker, and talks about some of the outcomes he is the most proud of at his school. One of the outcomes Derek is the most proud of is his school’s undefeated football team, and the culture around sports in general at his school. Anyone who has worked at a school that has a sports rival knows how impressive it is that the students from both schools were able to come together and unite behind their schools sports teams. Part of what led to this success at Alleghany High School is the way that Derek Cantrell and other members of the AHS leadership team worked hard to incorporate community feedback when merging the two schools. Their hard work paid off, turning AHS into a school that students are excited to attend and that teachers are excited to work at.  Utilizing AI:  In his work as a principal, Derek Cantrell has learned how to utilize AI in a way that enhances his work in both administrative responsibilities and school operations. Each year, Derek attends the VSTE annual conference to stay updated on technology. He often uses ChatGPT to streamline day to day tasks, and to create practice problems for teachers to give to students. Similarly, Derek shares that he uses a program called Julius to analyze data from end of year testing.  Advice for Veteran Leaders: At the end of their conversation, Will asks Derek to share some advice that he has for veteran leaders who want to stay inspired in their work. Cantrell reminds leaders that they should avoid getting caught up in the grind of the day to day tasks of a principal, and to stay focused on their why. He highly recommends going to conferences, as finding ways to learn more and doing things outside of the day to day grind are excellent ways to stay inspired. Finally, he reminds principals to celebrate the small things throughout the school year.  Staying Connected: You can stay connected with Derek Cantrell via LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. The post PMP465: Better Together with Derek Cantrell appeared first on Principal Matters.

Happy Monday Principal Matters listeners! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are discussing a topic from Jen Schwanke’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. Today’s conversation is part one of a two part conversation about building trust with students. Building trust with students is an essential skill for school leaders and teachers, but before talking about how to build trust, Jen is going to share with the audience some factors that kill trust between students and administrators. Trust killers are never done to intentionally destroy trust, but school leaders need to stay mindful of what behaviors can kill trust nonetheless. One trust breaker is public shaming, or calling someone out publicly for their misbehavior. Embarrassment is a huge driver for student behavior, so trying to find ways to address student behavior without embarrassing them is important for maintaining trust. Another trust breaker for students is favoritism. Students can always tell whenever a teacher or a principal have favorites; they will not trust individuals who have favorites. The third trust breaker that Jen lists is a lack of due process. It is so important for school leaders to allow students to feel like they are heard, even when they are in trouble. Another trust killer that Jen lists is ambiguous or arbitrary decisions. Students need to know why things happen, especially when it comes to policies and procedures. Exclusivity is another trust killer that Jen adds to the list. Sometimes, the idea of rewarding the exact same profile of a student tends to award the same type of student. The final two trust killers that Jen shares are disrespect and overstepping boundaries. Listen in to the full conversation and tune in next week to learn about things that build trust with students! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trust Killers with Students appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Principal Matters Podcast! This week’s episode is a little different than our regularly scheduled content. A few months ago, Will Parker joined Dr. Jen Schwanke’s class on human capital management at Ohio State University to answer their questions about school leadership. This class is made up of students who are working towards getting their principal license. Below is a list of the questions asked, listen in to hear Will’s response! Leadership Evolution:  How did your leadership style evolve over the course of your principalship, and how did it impact the way you managed human capital? Hiring for Fit vs. Skill:  When building a school team, how do you balance hiring for specific skills versus hiring for cultural fit? Retention Strategies:  What are the most effective strategies you’ve used or seen for retaining high-quality teachers, especially in challenging school environments? Difficult Conversations:  As a principal, how did you approach difficult conversations with underperforming staff while maintaining dignity and fostering growth? Coaching and Development:  What role did coaching and ongoing professional development play in improving staff performance and morale at your school? Workforce Trends:  In your work as an educational consultant, what current trends in human capital management do you believe future principals need to be aware of? Staff Morale and Burnout:  What practical strategies did you use to boost staff morale and prevent burnout, especially during times of high stress or change? Equity in Staffing:  How did you ensure equity and fairness in staff evaluations, promotions, and leadership opportunities? Lessons from Consulting:  Through your consulting work, what common human capital challenges do you see schools facing, and how can principals proactively address them? Podcaster Insights:  From your experience as a podcaster, what are the most compelling or surprising insights you’ve gained from other educational leaders regarding human capital management? Now it’s your turn: Did you agree or disagree with any of Will’s responses? Send him an email at will@williamdparker.com or leave a comment below to let him know your thoughts! Thanks for doing what matters and we’ll talk to you next week.  The post PMP464: Human Capital Management with OSU Graduate Students appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk more about a concept from Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. The topic of conversation this week is building trust with parents. Jen shares several components that are key to schools building a trusting relationship with parents. The first is strong communication; parents need to know who to contact. The second is fostering a sense of belonging for students and parents alike. Another component is competency. Parents need to feel that their children will be well served by teachers and staff. Finally, building connections among families so that they feel that they are a part of what the school does leads to a trusting relationship between parents and school leaders. To learn more about how schools can build a trusting relationship with parents, listen to the episode and make sure to check out Jen’s book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Building Trust with Parents appeared first on Principal Matters.

A quick note to listeners:  Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to discuss the following question: What feedback do you have for an AP who feels like they are carrying all the weight of the Principal? Listen in to hear their response! Leaning into Leadership with Darrin Peppard: Hi, Principal Matters listeners! This week’s episode is something a little different from our usual content. Rather than our regularly scheduled episode of Principal Matters Podcast, we are sharing an interview from Darrin Peppard’s podcast, Leaning into Leadership. Listen in to hear him interview me about Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love. Below are Darrin’s show notes: In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with the brilliant William D. Parker—an award-winning former principal, author, speaker, and executive coach. Will is the founder of Principal Matters, LLC and the host of Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast, with over 1.5 million downloads. Through his coaching, books, and virtual leadership academies, Will empowers school leaders to improve culture, communication, and student outcomes. Together, Darrin and Will dive deep into the real and raw experiences of school leadership. Will shares his journey from teacher to principal, including the moment he almost walked away from education—and the letter of resignation that changed his life. They explore the importance of reflection, well-being, and why leaders must pour into themselves before they can lead others. They also discuss Will’s latest book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love, and how leaders can take back their autonomy by acting with clarity, curiosity, and intention. Key Takeaways: Leadership begins with personal wellness: Will’s turning point came through a wake-up call at home, leading him to redefine how he approached leadership. The question every educator should ask: Whose permission are you waiting for? Leading with curiosity can unlock clarity and drive real school improvement. Scaling your influence is not about doing more—it’s about sharing your expertise and elevating others. Reflection and coaching provide the safe space leaders need to grow. You can find the original interview via Darrin’s website, or on YouTube. Check out his website to learn more about the amazing work he does! The post PMP463: Leaning into Leadership with Darrin Peppard appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are talking about building trust with teachers. Competency, openness, and honesty are three key building blocks to building trust with teachers. Teachers feeling that their principal is competent is key to having a trusting relationship between teachers and principals. Staying open to feedback from teachers and staff members will make them feel listened to and appreciated. Being honest is an essential skill, but principals should be mindful of being tactfully honest with their teachers to keep their trust alive. Listen in to the full conversation to hear all of the advice Will and Jen have to offer for principals trying to build or rebuild trust. If you would like to learn more about this topic, check out Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools!   The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trust with Teachers appeared first on Principal Matters.

A quick note to listeners:  Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take a few minutes to share some feedback that Will has recently received after a PD session with teachers and staff.  Listen in to hear their conversation! Meet Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang: Kim Marshall is a veteran educator and writer known for his work on teacher development, leadership, and school improvement. After spending 32 years in the Boston Public Schools—as a teacher, principal, and central office leader—he began writing and consulting full-time. He’s best known for The Marshall Memo, a weekly summary of important research and ideas for educators, and for his work on teacher supervision and evaluation. Kim’s mission is to help educators stay informed, inspired, and focused on what matters most for student success. Jenn David-Lang is an experienced educator, writer, and professional learning facilitator known for making education research accessible and actionable. She is the founder of The Main Idea, a service that provides monthly summaries of essential education books for busy school leaders. With a background in teaching, leadership, and coaching, Jenn combines deep knowledge with practical insights to support school improvement. Her mission is to empower educators with the tools and ideas they need to lead with clarity and purpose. They are the authors of two books, The Best of the Marshall Memo: Book One and Book Two: Ideas and Action Steps to Energize Leadership, Teaching, and Learning and they received a grant to upload all of the chapters to a website to offer these materials for FREE (bestofmarshallmemo.org) Identifying and Retaining Good Teachers: Will Parker begins the conversation by asking Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall to share some tips on how school leaders can identify and retain good teachers. For some principals, identifying the best teachers to retain can be difficult, and doing so is crucial to the health of the school. Sometimes identifying these teachers can come down to a simple judgement call; recognizing that there is potential in a teacher can lead to teacher growth. Kim Marshall suggests that classroom visits are what help identify good teachers, while giving them feedback is what will help retain them. Jenn David-Lang reminds listeners to pay attention to how a teacher responds to feedback, as well as the relationships they have formed.  Preventing Teacher Burnout: Next, Kim and Jenn share some insight into preventing teacher burnout. They recommend reading Article #8 of the Best of the Marshall Memo, an article that shares the story of a teacher, Rebecka Peterson, who almost left the profession. The turning point for Rebecka was when she started reminding herself of one good thing that happened each day. Eventually, she had her students start doing the same thing. In 2023, she was named the National Teacher of the Year. Kim and Jenn highlight Rebecka’s story, among others, in the Best of the Marshall Memo to provide principals with a variety of solutions to combating teacher burnout. Teaching is a hard profession, so it is essential for school leaders to provide the necessary coping strategies to struggling teachers. Why Teachers Don’t Ask for Help: Many new teachers often hesitate to ask for help when they need it, which can lead to stress and burnout for these individuals. One reason for this, Jenn and Kim highlight, is that teachers feel that principals are not easily accessible to them. Kim suggests that principals move away from a once a year teacher evaluation system to a frequent, informal system, thereby reducing the stakes of the process so that the administrator is more accessible. Jenn discusses the power of reflection on teacher growth. She says that principals should regularly ask new teachers about one thing that is going well and one thing they need support with. This removes some of the hesitation a new teacher may feel about asking for help by going to them, rather than them coming to you. Resilience Strategies: Building emotional resilience is a hard, but necessary skill that all educators must develop. This is an exceptionally difficult skill for new teachers to develop. Jenn recommends the book Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators to teachers and principals. Kim and Jenn also recommend Article #9 of the Best of Marshall Memo to teachers as a story that provides a realistic solution to managing tough emotions in the classroom. Focusing on what went well in the classroom can help boost teacher morale immensely. Teaching is a hard job, and Jenn and Kim want to help both school leaders and teachers to build emotional resilience and prevent burnout.  Staying Connected:  Jenn and Kim encourage listeners who would like to learn more about their work to visit Bestofmarshallmemo.org. They also encourage listeners to check out the all faculty discussions portion of their website.  The post PMP462: Supporting New Teachers, Part 2, with Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall appeared first on Principal Matters.