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

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What advice do you have for maintaining a healthy marriage while being an educator? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Matthew McDaniel: Matthew McDaniel, PhD, is an assistant professor and director of The College of Idaho’s M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program, a master’s degree program for aspiring school principals.  With well over a decade of school leadership experience in both the traditional public and charter school sectors, he now engages preservice leaders in the process of honing their knowledge and skills to prepare them for the challenges of school administration.  Prior to his school leadership experience, Dr. McDaniel was a secondary music and Spanish teacher, as well as a district ENL coordinator. Besides his work at The College of Idaho, Matthew is the founder and CEO of Cresvia Education Consulting, a firm that focuses on offering high-quality leadership coaching and professional development for educators.  He holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from The University of Idaho, as well as a BA in Secondary Vocal Music Education from The College of Idaho.  Dr. McDaniel lives in Caldwell, ID with his wife and three children. Now, Let’s Get into the Episode: This episode of Principal Matters dives into a topic that is at the heart of school leadership: How do we, as leaders, shift our school’s culture from a collection of individual classrooms—a culture of ‘I’ and ‘my students’—to a truly collaborative community built on ‘we’ and ‘our students’? How do we build collective efficacy and de-privatize our practice in a way that feels supportive, not evaluative? To help us explore this, Dr. Matthew McDaniel joined Jen for a great discussion. Dr. McDaniel is the director of the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership program at The College of Idaho, where he is actively shaping the next generation of school principals. But he’s not just coming from the world of academia. Matt has over a decade of experience as a principal in both traditional public and charter schools. And his journey began in the classroom as a secondary music and Spanish teacher and as a district ENL coordinator. He’s seen school culture from multiple, unique angles. He likens leadership to the manager of a baseball team. It’s the person who is in the dugout, wearing the uniform, but not actually swinging a bat. Instead, the leader helps others learn to be part of the team by collaboration and upskilling. Staying Connected: You can stay connected with Dr. McDaniel via the following channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mcdaniel-ph-d-9655a819a/ Edutopia Article: https://www.edutopia.org/article/promoting-teachers-collective-efficacy The College of Idaho: www.collegeofidaho.edu/medu Email: cresviaconsulting@gmail.com The post PMP492: Culture of Collaboration with Dr. Matthew McDaniel appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s episode of Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss a post from Jen’s newsletter entitled “Trust at the Crux”. Inspired by Jen’s experience in middle school, she describes trust not as an emotion and a judgement. Their conversation then moves on to building and maintaining trust as a principal. Principals always want to be trusted thoroughly by parents, teachers, and students. Unfortunately, trust is always being tested for principals. They are always trying to meet the conflicting expectations of many different people.  The decision-making process is typically where trust in principals is tested. Usually, a good decision pleases some and upsets others. Understanding that there is always going to be pushback is an important step. The next steps leaders should take are ones that minimize fallout from their decisions. It is important for leaders to take steps to minimize fallout from their decisions. Jen clarifies that trust isn’t about the content of a decision, but rather the process of making it and how clearly it is communicated. To hear more of Will and Jen’s thoughts on trust and decision-making, listen in to the full conversation! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trust at the Crux appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Notes to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How do I manage parents (without losing my patience) who come to conversations with the assumption that educators cannot be trusted? Listen in to hear their response! Meet John Spencer: Dr. John Spencer is a former middle school teacher and current college professor who is passionate about seeing students reach their creative potential. He is the author of the bestselling books Launch, Empower, and Vintage Innovation, and The A.I. Roadmap. In 2013, he spoke at the White House, sharing a vision for how to empower students to be future-ready through deeper learning and creativity. In this episode of Principal Matters, Dr. Jen Schwanke and Dr. John Spencer engage in a fascinating, wide-ranging conversation that touches on nearly every critical aspect of modern education. While anchored in the core practices of effective teaching and leadership, their discussion also dives deep into a rich array of interconnected topics. They explore the nuances of AI in schools—from its impact on academic integrity and educational technology to its potential to unlock student agency and creativity. The conversation also weaves in the essential human elements of education, examining the roles of emotional intelligence, practical teacher training, and meaningful professional development. This episode is guaranteed to be entertaining and insightful, but more than anything, it will be inspiring. To begin, Dr. Spencer details his compelling professional journey, tracing his path from a dedicated middle school teacher to his current multifaceted roles as an educational consultant, keynote speaker, accomplished author, and university professor. Drawing from his extensive experience teaching and supporting preservice teachers, John discusses the critical skills that new educators must possess to be successful. He offers invaluable, practical insights specifically tailored for principals and school leaders who are responsible for mentoring and guiding these new members of the profession. From there, Jen and John dive deep into the prevalent misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence in education. They specifically address the inherent risks and flawed logic that come with an over-emphasis on trying to “catch” students who might be “cheating” with AI tools. Instead of a punitive approach, John stresses the fundamental importance of fostering creativity and enhancing student agency. He persuasively argues that AI should be viewed as a powerful tool that can assist with, and even amplify, both of these critical educational goals. To that end, he emphasizes the urgent need for educators to proactively adapt to new and emerging technologies. However, he cautions that this adaptation must be balanced with a steadfast commitment to maintaining emotional intelligence and intentionally fostering genuine joy within the classroom environment. The wide-ranging conversation also touches on the broader challenges that modern educators face today, while concluding on a hopeful note about the profound promise of innovation in the teaching profession. Staying Connected: You can stay connected with John Spencer via the following channels: LinkedIn:  John Spencer Instagram: @johntspencer  Website:  https://spencereducation.com/ The post PMP491: Navigating the Future of Education with Dr. John Spencer appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are taking some time to reflect on lessons they have learned through coaching school leaders. Listen in to hear the full conversation! This week’s episode was inspired by a post written by Will. You can read it below: Lessons learned in coaching leaders by William D. Parker Over the past several years of working with school leaders across the country, a few lessons have become increasingly clear. In 2017, when I transitioned from principal to executive director of my state principal association, I put more than 30,000 miles on my car in my first year in that role. My goal was to connect across the state with as many leaders one-on-one or in groups in order to secure stronger relationships, as well as get a better feel for the variety of schools represented. I have visited schools in almost every demographic imaginable — urban settings where hundred-year-old buildings house generations of learning, suburban schools supporting college towns, and rural schools where principals may also drive buses and coach teams. One school I visited in the Panhandle of Oklahoma was a district where half the schools served Oklahoma residents, and half of the district was across the border of West Texas. Since those days, I’ve also criss-crossed the U.S. and spoken in states from coast to coast, at schools, conferences, retreats, and workshops with an emphasis on training or equipping school leaders. I’ve walked the halls of a demonstration academy in Washington, D.C., observed a program for raising laying hens at a middle school near Oklahoma City, walked the shop floors of welding and robotics programs near Houston, Texas, and spent the day with principals in locations near beaches, mountains, skyscrapers, and cattle lots. In addition to walking in these various settings, I’ve probably spent even more time in one-on-one conversations with education leaders through virtual or phone calls. Many of these have been coaching or reflection sessions. Some of them have been one-time complimentary times, and many of them have been with leaders who meet with me regularly on a formal basis for coaching and feedback. Along the way, I have gathered a few lessons in coaching leaders that may be insightful as you think about your own development or the opportunities you may have to coach or mentor others. Lesson 1 Most people already have the answers for their next steps. They just need someone to listen and provide them clarity on what they already know they want. That may not seem like an interesting point, but it still surprises me (and the leaders whom I coach) that when we go deep on a challenge they’re currently facing, they often already know what they want. The challenge is talking through the pros and cons, the risks and benefits, thoroughly enough to recognize the importance and value of what they want to do next. A lot of times, I’ll use what I call the magic wand question with leaders and ask something like, “If you could wave a magic wand, what is the outcome you really want to see happen?” Simply saying this out loud can often provide the clarity and motivation needed to move forward. Lesson 2 Leaders hold roles that isolate them, and they deserve the confidence of someone they can trust. This may be obvious to you if you are a leader, but it may also be a good reminder that the more responsibility you take on in any school or organization, the less others can really understand the weight of concern you carry for those under your care. Many times, school leaders, in particular, manage people or systems where they are being pressured by people from every part of the organization. Board members, teachers, parents, students, and community members all see priorities that are important to them. You must weigh those concerns in light of information none of those other groups is really studying or considering. Yes, it’s important to be transparent with the budgets, data, feedback, progress, or lack of progress you are aware of when making hard decisions. But leaders often see the wider lens of all these inputs where their staff or community only see the part most important to their group. When weighing tough decisions about personnel, student discipline, budgets, or curriculum, the leader often is the final decision maker. This position of isolation means they benefit from a third party whose perspective can be objective without being prescriptive. One benefit of working with a coach is avoiding the pitfalls of isolation. We think better with others. Sometimes those others can be the people on your teams or in your communities. At other times, you need to be alone with your thoughts long enough to have clarity, and a good coach will help you navigate your thoughts toward reaching that kind of clarity. Lesson 3 Leaders deserve to be challenged in their thinking and maintain their own growth professionally. Whenever I meet with leaders, I usually include some discussion around content on leadership or education practice. These discussions allow us to talk about writings, research, and practice from other practitioners who inform us of trends, takeaways, or insights into what is working best in improving outcomes. I not only use my own books for these discussions, but I also pull in books from leadership and education authors to guide conversations with school leaders and ask them how this looks in their practice (good or bad), and what they may want to do next to adjust, monitor, or change their own practice. As a result, I’m asking leaders to stretch themselves in their own learning. If we are going to lead learning communities, we must also remain learners. As we wrap up these three lessons, I want to add an additional self-reflection practice I like to do with leaders. If you have ever attended my trainings or listened to my podcast before, you’ve probably heard me share these. When I meet with leaders, I like to ask them to do a quick self-inventory based on the following statements, ranking their agreement with each statement from 1–5 (1 = little time, 5 = much time). I have been visible and present with every student, every teacher, every day this week. I have been reading, meditating, or reflecting on helpful books or lessons (and our time together also counts). I have made healthy choices in my sleep, nutrition, and exercise. I have been faithful to those I love with my time and attention. You may want to pause a moment and do some math for yourself. The goal is growth, not perfection. Coaching leaders has given me the opportunity to spend time with leaders in places I never imagined visiting before. It has also given me treasured moments of providing feedback, asking hard questions, and protecting confidences. We know in other industries like business and professional athletics that those at the top of their games receive coaching. If that is the case for men and women managing multibillion-dollar companies or competing at the highest levels, why would we not want to provide coaching for those responsible for the learning outcomes of hundreds, if not thousands, of students? Providing helpful feedback to a fellow leader — or inviting someone to sit across from you in coaching — can help you see answers that were already in front of you, protect you from isolation, and stretch your thinking. Just like we want students and teachers to have the best environments for learning, leaders deserve the best environments for their own learning as well. Coaching is one way to help leaders enjoy the very outcomes they are seeking to provide others. Whether you’re seeking clarity for your next step, encouragement not to lead in isolation, or growth in your own learning, coaching can be a powerful way to move the needle toward your goals. If you or someone on your team would like to explore one-on-one coaching opportunities, I’d be glad to connect and talk further. Will’s email: will@williamdparker.com The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Lessons from Coaching Leaders appeared first on Principal Matters.

Some people have begun to refer to Dr. Eric Nicols as “The Rural School Leader,” and no wonder. Dr. Nichols has dedicated his career to championing the students and communities of rural Eastern Oregon. Serving as both Principal and Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Crane Union High School, one of the nation’s last public boarding schools, he has embraced the multifaceted leadership required in isolated educational environments. Driven by his own small-town upbringing, Dr. Nichols has not only led his basketball team to four consecutive state championships, forging deep community bonds, but has also significantly enhanced academic offerings through expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. A passionate advocate who understands that rural schools are the “hubs” of their communities, he co-founded “Wide Open Spaces,” a professional network to combat the isolation of rural educators, embodying his mission to ensure these vital institutions receive the recognition and resources necessary to thrive. This episode of Principal Matters Podcast features Dr. Jen Schwanke in conversation with Dr. Eric Nichols, who is celebrated as a champion for students and educators in rural communities. Jen met when Dr. Nichols invited her to present at a 2-day rural conference in beautiful Bend, Oregon, an event he co-founded to connect educators across the state.  Dr. Nichols currently serves as the principal and head boys basketball coach at Crane Union High School, where he advocates for the belief that the school is the primary hub of its small town community. During their discussion, Dr. Nichols recounts his path to rural leadership, the unique structure of his public boarding school, the origin of his networking initiative for isolated educators, and the importance of fostering deep community connections. He emphasizes that moving to rural life was a choice he made, noting that “rural isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you get to be a part of.” You can find Dr. Nichols on X and Instagram at @iamericnichols. You can also find him on LinkedIn. Learn a bit more about Dr. Nichols in this feature article.  The post PMP490: Rural School Leadership with Eric Nichols appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about interview tips for educators. We share practical interview tips and tell some stories about times that interviews did not go well for us. Today’s topic was inspired by one of Jen’s recent newsletters, you can read it here. You can also read some of my older posts on interviewing here and here. Listen in to hear the full conversation! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Tips for Interviewing appeared first on Principal Matters.

For the final Friday of Black History Month, the exceptional educator highlighted this week is Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket. She is a wife, mother, principal, public speaker, and author, and has decades of experience in public education. During her educational career, she has proudly served as a classroom teacher, instructional team leader, mentor teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal.  In this interview, she talks with me about her book  The Principal’s Journey: Navigating the Path to School Leadership. Visit her website here. Listen in to hear the full conversation! You can visit the original blog post to learn even more about Dr. Edoho-Eket. The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP412: The Principal’s Journey with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is particularly loaded, so it will be answered in two parts, with part two coming out next week. The question is: I’m a longtime listener and am reaching out because I’m struggling with burnout.  I’d love to hear how you’ve navigated the most difficult stretches of your career. What helped you persevere? Are there particular podcast episodes or conversations you’d recommend for someone trying to regain perspective and resilience? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Blaine Wise: Blaine Wise is a passionate and dedicated educational leader with 17 years of experience in Oklahoma public schools. Since 2021, he’s served as principal of Glenpool Middle School, where he’s led with purpose, building a high-performing, positive school culture that’s earned statewide recognition. In 2025, he was named the OASSP/OMLEA Middle Level Principal of the Year. Blaine began his career as a classroom teacher at Glenpool High School, later serving as a teacher and assistant principal at Charles Page High School and Charles Page Freshman Academy. With a strong foundation in instruction and leadership, he leads with both heart and strategy. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Haskell Indian Nations University and a master’s from Southern Nazarene University. Known for his collaborative, student-centered approach, Blaine serves in multiple leadership roles through CCOSA, OMLEA, and NASSP—including as OASSP President-Elect. In 2025, he launched his website to share actionable leadership strategies that ignite purpose in educators and inspire excellence in students. Blaine Wise leads with gratitude, models excellence, and is committed to supporting students, staff, and the broader school community. Interview takeaways: Blaine Wise’s journey into the profession began unexpectedly after a closed door to a job opportunity opened the door to teaching. A proud member of the Seminole Nation, Blaine holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies. He initially explored career paths with that degree outside of education. However, once he began teaching, he found his calling and has never looked back. Blaine believes that effective leadership requires a strong commitment to building and sustaining school culture. He emphasizes that culture does not happen by accident—it must be intentional and consistently cultivated through daily interactions and leadership practices. Culture is intentional. It is shaped through the way leaders conduct meetings, interact with staff, and communicate one-on-one. Leadership interactions matter. “We can’t control how people feel, but we’re responsible for how we interact with them,” he explains. A guiding principle: Support in public and correct in private. When offering advice to new leaders, Blaine highlights the importance of humility, action, and collective wisdom: Build a trusted network of mentors for guidance and support. Remember, “It’s not your school—it’s our school.” Take action on good ideas; leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility. “The smartest person in the room is the room”—use collective knowledge to guide decisions. Learn through trial and error, and commit to intentional reflection. Share school-wide plans and maps in advance to foster clarity and trust. For veteran leaders, Blaine encourages replacing the word motivated with inspired or committed. He believes staying inspired comes from returning to cycles of reflection and remembering why you lead in the first place. Take time to pause before making major decisions. Revisit your “why” by being the kind of teacher and principal you once needed. Protect your time for thoughtful decision-making by sometimes closing the door or asking for a moment to think. Blaine draws inspiration from other educational leaders, including Baruti Kafele, and continually asks himself, “Is my school better because I lead it?” He even wears a whistle daily to remind himself that, at his core, he is the coach of his school. In addition to his work as a principal, Blaine shares leadership insights through his website. He also loves to speak to schools and welcomes opportunities to collaborate with other leaders. The post PMP489: Leading with Heart and Strategy with Blaine Wise appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week’s Monday Matters episode is a longer response to a listener question covered in the Q&A portion of Principal Matters Podcast. The question is: “As a system leader, how do you encourage teachers in high-performing schools to go beyond “my students do well on the tests” or even other administrators, “have you seen our test scores?” and aim for instruction that really stretches students’ thinking, agency, and intellectual rigor? I’m especially curious how you do this when current success metrics and evaluations tend to reinforce the status quo.” – Cat Stathulis, Westerville, Ohio In response to Cat’s question about how to push high-performing schools beyond strong test scores toward deeper intellectual rigor, Will and Jen’s conversation is centered on redefining what “rigor” really means. First, leaders must remember the realities of the teenage brain. Students have limited cognitive and emotional stamina. A student can perform well on a test yet still need structured opportunities to build endurance for extended thinking. High scores do not automatically equal deep learning. Second, rigor does not require more assignments or heavier workloads. It often happens through better conversation. Simple questions like “What are you thinking?”, “Tell me more,” and “Why?” can stretch thinking far more effectively than additional worksheets. Dialogue itself can deepen learning. The discussion also emphasized being intentional about levels of questions on tests. Teachers should plan questions at three levels: Level 1: Facts and recall (Do students understand the material?) Level 2: Interpretation and analysis (Can they connect and explain ideas?) Level 3: Application (Can they use and transfer what they know?) Deep learning frequently operates at Levels 2 and 3 — and that depth does not always show up immediately on standardized tests. Another key measure of success is readiness. Beyond scores, leaders should ask: Are students prepared for what comes next — academically, intellectually, and personally? Finally, teachers themselves must stretch. Thoughtful teaching sharpens not only student thinking but also teacher clarity about what students truly understand. Big takeaway: Rigor isn’t about more work or higher test numbers. It’s about intentional questioning, intellectual stretch through conversation, and preparing students for the next stage of life — even when that growth isn’t easily measured. Resources for Further Learning: In addition, Jen and Will discussed two resources from previous podcast guests that unpack practical ways for educators to go deeper in their own teaching practices as well as in student learning. Listen in to the entire podcast conversation for more, and check out these resources and previous guests. PMP177: Cha Cha’s for Making Learning Stick with LeAnn Nickelsen PMP420: Mentoring Mindset with David Yeager The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Stretching Students Beyond the Test appeared first on Principal Matters.

Happy Friday! Our encore episode for the third week of Black History Month is an interview with Enid Lee. She is a front-line educator, an anti-racist professional development specialist, leadership coach, writer and community builder. Originally recorded in 2021, this conversation is as relevant in 2026 as it was then. Listen in to hear the entire conversation, and read the original blog post here to learn more about Enid Lee! You can find more about Enid Lee and her resources for schools at https://www.enidlee.com/resources. The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP268: Equity, Equality, and Systems with Enid Lee appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener’s question. This week’s question is: As a system leader, how do you encourage teachers in high-performing schools to go beyond “my students do well on the tests” or even other administrators, “have you seen our test scores?” and aim for instruction that really stretches students’ thinking, agency, and intellectual rigor? I’m especially curious how you do this when current success metrics and evaluations tend to reinforce the status quo. Listen in to hear their response! Meet the Palo Alto High School Principal Advisory Committee: Brent Kline is the Principal of Palo Alto High School and a student-centered leader known for driving instructional improvement, equity, and strong community engagement. A former Washington State High School Principal of the Year and national finalist, he arrived at Paly in 2020. He has elevated student and staff voice—creating student-driven, student-led advisory meetings that guide his leadership and offer feedback to teachers. He has also supported innovative programs that helped Paly earn recognition as a Top-10 finalist for the World’s Best School Prize in Innovation. Kline holds degrees from CSU Hayward and Western Washington University. In this episode, he is joined by three PAC Executives:   Brian Miller-Junior Sione Fusimalohi-Junior Amalia Tormala-Senior Charlotte Barclay-Senior is also a member of the PAC Executive Committee, but was absent from this interview, getting her wisdom teeth pulled. These student members are part of the Principal Advisory Committee at Palo Alto High School and share what inspired them to apply and why student voice matters so deeply in school leadership.  They explain how underrepresented students benefit when they have a meaningful platform to be heard, and why teachers need insight into how students want to grow—not just for short-term gains, but for long-term success.  The students discuss the value of choice, agency, and project-based learning, including opportunities to select their level of challenge and design their own learning experiences. We also explore the power of relationships, the “why” behind learning, and the importance of school leaders stepping back to let students take an active role in shaping their school community.  What began as a program with 30 applicants has grown significantly—this year, 90 students applied, with 25 selected to serve. Each student leader describes how the committee helps them advocate for all students, represent the diversity of their school, and build a trusting, honest partnership with their principal. Learn more on the Palo Alto High School website or contact Principal Brent Kline at bkline@pausd.org. The post PMP488: Empowering Student Voices with PAHS Principal Advisory Committee appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to Monday Matters! Recently, Will attended his nephew’s naval flight school graduation. While at the graduation, an Admiral gave a speech to the graduates that centered around these three main points: Know your mission, be decisive, and invest in your people. This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to reflect on those three points and talk about how they apply to the role of a principal. Listen in to hear the full conversation! Below is an article written by Will to accompany this week’s episode. Lessons from a Naval Flight School Graduation William D. Parker Stephen and his family, January 30, 2026 Last week, my wife and I met family members in Pensacola, Florida, to celebrate the graduation of my nephew, Stephen, who received his wings as a flight officer. The ceremony was held at the National Naval Aviation Museum, and officers from several command groups were being honored. Among the hanging planes, flying colors, and many command officers on stage, an Admiral visiting from his post in Washington, D.C., addressed everyone with three reminders for the soon-to-be flight officers to keep in mind: Know your mission. Be decisive. Invest in your people. Of course, he applied each of these principles to the leadership required for officers in difficult situations that require clarity, firm responses, and a deep understanding of both practice and combat situations. As I listened, I immediately began thinking about the conversations I have with school leaders. Each day, you have a similar pathway in front of you. People want to know that what they are doing has a purpose and goal in mind beyond the day-to-day operations of “doing school.” I like to call this the “walk to the front door speech.” Each day, when you arrive at school, you have a question to answer: Why are you here? You can either tell yourself the story that your purpose is to put out fires, keep school from descending into chaos, or wish everyone would just get along. Or you can remind yourself that ultimately you want to provide solutions to challenges, help resolve conflicts and restore relationships, and build a community where students and teachers can flourish. One of those statements is rooted in mission, while the other is rooted in fear. Choose the mission. Second, you must be a decisive leader. This does not mean a rash or impulsive leader. Decisiveness means you learn how to analyze the variables in front of you, consider the options available, and then make a choice. Once you make that choice, you move ahead with confidence. I remember one day when we had an alert of a potential threat on campus. I was with one of our security personnel at the time, but the call was mine to make on next steps. Without going into details that would divulge confidentiality, we decided to watch video surveillance to see if the report was reliable, and when it appeared clear that it was, we took action to secure a location and bring a student in for questioning. When I looked back at the situation later, I realized several steps we could have taken instead of the ones we chose. However, in the moment, our decisiveness isolated the situation and brought it to a quick and safe resolution. Of course, not every situation requires that kind of safety decision-making. Whatever decision you are making, you will have time to reflect and reevaluate after implementation, but hesitating on action sends signals to others that school is a place of instability instead of stability. You will also never have 100% buy-in from others when you are a decision-maker. The goal is not agreement, however, but action that is based on your policies, practices, experience, and environment. Even though you never make perfect decisions, you do find over time that some decisions become second nature when you are confronting similar ones moving forward. Finally, I appreciated the reminder that relationships matter. When you are stepping into any kind of environment, people need to know you care about them as much as you care about the outcomes. When we invest in knowing people, spending time with them, learning about their families and their hobbies, and appreciating them as people, they tend to see you not just by your title but also as a person. This works for everyone in your community: bus drivers, office staff, teachers, cafeteria workers, counselors, parents, and students. I don’t want to create any unrealistic expectations that the goal is for everyone to like you. Instead, the goal should be to earn their respect by how you lead. And we are much more likely to respect someone who is clear and kind. Leaders can be both. In order for my nephew Stephen to receive his wings, he had to undergo months of training in classrooms and in the air. When I saw him walk across that stage and watched as his wife and three young children surrounded him for a group photo, I was reminded that he was experiencing a milestone. At the same time, he is just beginning a new adventure. Last week, a young man who is a junior at a nearby university reached out to me by email. He is pursuing a future in education, and he listens to my podcast. I was humbled and encouraged by his curiosity and his desire to learn as much as he can about leadership—even before he finishes his undergraduate degree. His curiosity reminded me that our work never stops, whether we are leading at a school level or supporting those who are. I encouraged him to reach out to other education leaders he admires, and I introduced him to a friend to start his next conversation. Talking to him reminded me that the principles involved in building and leading schools are not a secret formula. Just as I watched a Navy Admiral pass along lessons to new flight officers, those lessons are transferable from generation to generation. Know your mission. Be decisive. Invest in others. These truths may not make the journey easier, but they are certain to lead to better outcomes. The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Leadership Lessons From an Admiral appeared first on Principal Matters.

I am excited re-release this interview with Dr. Tracie Anderson Swilley for the second Friday of Black History Month. With over 12 years of school leadership, Dr. Swilley was the 2025 National Principal of the Year. Currently, she is serving as the Assistant Superintendent at Fairfield Central School District in Winnsboro, South Carolina. To learn more about the amazing work that Dr. Swilley is doing, listen to the episode or head over to the original blog post to find out where you can contact her! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP452: Reaching Every Student with Dr. Tracie Anderson Swilley appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’m struggling with how to best reach our teachers with clear communication. What systems help with clarity and consistency with staff, without depending on a single communication channel? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Paul Branagan: Paul Branagan is the very proud principal of Middleborough High School in Middleborough, MA. Paul has served the students of Middleborough for the last 29 years. He has served in the role of History Teacher, Department Leader for History and Social Studies, Assistant Principal, and is in his 14th year as the Principal. The role of Principal has been his favorite position.  Paul deeply believes that he never left the classroom…the classroom just got much bigger.   Additionally, Paul has served as the State Executive Director for the Massachusetts Association of Student Councils since 2010.  In this role, Paul works with high schools throughout the Commonwealth, helping with their student councils and leadership programs. Paul has served as the Student Council Adviser at Middleborough High School since 1997, and finds the marriage of being the principal and the student council adviser a perfect blend of leadership and culture building, which are two essential components of being an educational leader.   Paul was named the 2011 National Student Council Adviser of the Year, and was honored with the 2022 Earl Reum Award, which is a national award celebrating excellence in the work of student activities.   Leaning Into Student Leadership: In this episode of Principal Matters, Will Parker sits down with Paul Branagan, longtime principal of Middleborough High School in Massachusetts, to explore what it really looks like to build student agency, belonging, and a school culture that lasts.Paul shares his unlikely journey—from a disengaged high school student to an award-winning principal and national leader in student council work—and reflects on how that experience shaped his leadership philosophy. Now in his 14th year as principal, Paul explains how Middleborough High School has become a place where students feel known, valued, and invested in their school. A central theme of the conversation is student voice and ownership. Paul emphasizes that authentic engagement goes beyond symbolic gestures:“When students really believe that their voice matters, it’s incredibly powerful. It stops being your school and starts becoming their school.” With more than 250 students—over 30% of the school—actively involved in an open student council model, Middleborough High demonstrates how broad access to leadership builds connection and pride. Paul and Will unpack practical systems such as monthly student “temperature check” surveys, leadership roundtables, and feedback loops that turn student input into real action. The conversation also explores belonging as a driver of engagement. Rather than reacting to perceived crises, Paul describes how listening closely to students helped the school recalibrate its culture and strengthen everyday experiences—from classrooms to cafeterias to fan sections.  As Paul puts it:“Once students feel engaged and believe that school matters, school starts to make sense. And when it makes sense, they lean in even more.” Throughout the episode, Paul reframes leadership as facilitation rather than control:“My job as a principal isn’t to control the school—it’s to guide students in the direction they want their school to go.” The episode closes with advice for both aspiring and veteran leaders. Paul encourages leaders to treat the work as a vocation, remain visible, and stay deeply connected to students as a way to sustain purpose over time: “The more time I spend around students, the more grounded I am. That’s what reminds me why this work matters, even on the hardest days.” Other topics we’ve discussed: Student agency Career readiness Future Ready 2030 Advisory Boards Alumni Redesigning courses – Teaching staff  Engagement in learning Culture as an entry point Commitment to engagement practices Watching each other teaching Inviting vulnerability Question asking Stay Connected with Paul Listeners who want to learn more or continue the conversation can connect directly with Paul Branagan: Email: pbranagan@middleboro.k12.ma.us (contact via school directory) Middleborough High School website: https://mhs.middleboro.k12.ma.us/ Principal’s Office / Contact page: https://mhs.middleboro.k12.ma.us/about-our-schools/principals-office/administration To recalibrate your student spirit, connect with our mutual friend, Jason Jedamski, at Ignite2Unite: https://www.ignite2unite.com/ The post PMP487: Leaning Into Student Leadership with Paul Branagan appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters. This week, Will and Jen are discussing a conference Jen recently attended that was dedicated to the topic of AI in schools. Some of what is covered in this conversation include cautions for schools. Schools are currently being sold lots of different AI products, and they need to know that “We use AI” is not the same as “We use good AI”. Schools also need to understand that AI does not mean accuracy; we shouldn’t confuse confidence with correctedness. Next, Will and Jen talk about how teacher grading practices need to change to account for AI usage by students. They also discuss the difference between using AI to make our lives easier vs. using it to transform our work. Listen in to hear the whole conversation and let us know your thoughts on this topic! You can read more of Jen’s thoughts on this topic by reading her newsletters, found here and here. The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Some Thoughts on AI appeared first on Principal Matters.

Happy Friday, Principal Matters Listeners! In honor of Black History Month, I am re-releasing interviews from some exceptional educators that I have had the privilege of interviewing over the years. This week’s encore episode is an interview with Dr. Don Parker. Don is a former teacher and principal who is currently working to support teachers and build trusting relationships with students. You can learn more about the work of Dr. Parker at his website. You can read the original blog post for this episode here. I hope you all enjoy listening to this encore episode! As always, thank you for doing what matters! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP362: Be the Driving Force with Dr. Don Parker appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What Self-Reflection Practices work for you? Listen in to hear their response! You can find the link to the self-assessment questions mentioned here. Meet Elizabeth Dampf: Elizabeth Dampf is a practicing administrator in the Chicagoland area, where she has served at both building and district levels. Her most recent book, Am I Cut Out For This? An Educational Leader’s Guide to Navigating Self Doubt, is available now. She has written several print articles in Educational Leadership and regularly contributes to the ASCD blog. Elizabeth has also spoken on several podcasts, including Leaning into Leadership and Principal Liner Notes. In this week’s episode of the Principal Matters podcast, Jen Schwanke speaks with school administrator and writer Elizabeth Dampf about the systemic issues creating a divide between teachers and administrators. Sparked by Dampf’s ASCD blog post, “The Cost of Happiness for Education Leaders,” their conversation explores the deep-seeded mistrust in education, the challenges of leading in trying times, and the critical need for empathy when working with others. Dampf provides practical advice and frameworks for building a healthier, more trusting school culture from both the building and systemic levels. The “Us vs. Them” mentality as a systemic problem: Elizabeth shared her experiences and belief that the mistrust between teachers and administrators isn’t due to personal failings but is a product of the educational system itself. Teachers face immense pressure and workload, while administrators deal with a lack of job security and constant turnover, creating different priorities and fostering a natural mistrust.  Build Trust by Attending to Feelings, Not Managing Them: A leader’s job isn’t to make everyone happy, which is an impossible task. Instead, Elizabeth, referencing Brené Brown, suggests leaders should “attend to” their staff’s feelings by listening and showing empathy. The focus should be on building an environment of professional norms and high expectations for the collective good, rather than trying to please everyone individually. Empathy is a learnable skill: When dealing with difficult behavior, Elizabeth advises leaders to ask, “Why would a reasonable, rational, and decent person do that?” A practical way to build this empathy is to first ask yourself, “Have I ever done that?” The answer to this might be yes— and this self-reflection helps humanize the other person and shifts the focus from judgment to understanding the root cause of their actions. Prioritize relationships over authority: New administrators often make the mistake of trying to assert authority immediately. Elizabeth stresses that the first and most critical step is to build trust by focusing on relationships. We can show people we care about them as individuals before introducing any new initiatives or change plans. Elevate the Teaching Profession: When asked for one “magic wand” change, Elizabeth pointed out that making teaching a revered, respected, and well-compensated profession would solve many underlying issues. If society valued teachers on par with doctors and lawyers, it would fundamentally improve morale, retention, and the overall health of the education system. Ultimately, this powerful conversation between Elizabeth and Jen emphasizes that bridging the divide in education requires leaders to lead with empathy, humility, and a focus on building genuine relationships. While systemic problems like high turnover and cultural disrespect for the profession require large-scale change, Elizabeth makes it clear that individual leaders can foster a positive, trusting, and effective community within their own schools by listening, understanding their staff’s perspective, and consistently demonstrating that they care. Staying Connected: You can stay connected with Elizabeth Dampf via Linkedin. The post PMP486: The Cost of Happiness for Education Leaders with Elizabeth Dampf appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to talk about financial wellness for educators. They talk about the importance of making sure that your financial house is in order in the event that a new or different job opportunity comes up. Finances can either be an anchor that is used to hold one steady when times are hard or an anchor that keeps one’s head underwater if they are mismanaged. They also discuss how maintaining healthy practices benefits you in life and in the choices you have in your work. It is important for educators to manage their resources effectively, as it affects how you show up for your staff. If you are burdened by your finances it is hard to show up for others and support their work. Listen in to hear the whole conversation! If you would like to learn more about this topic, check out this article by Will from 2018: https://williamdparker.com/2018/pmp122-packing-parachutes-why-your-money-management-matters/  The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Financial Wellness appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question.  —- The Question of the Week is supported by Summer Pops Math Workbooks. Principals, when students practice math over the summer, math scores go up. What’s your summer math plan this year? A great way to start is by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at Summer Pops Workbooks.com. —- This week’s question is:  It’s very difficult to change one’s mind. When was the last time you were surprised to learn something new? How did this new learning make you feel?  Listen in to hear their response! Meet Jan Harrell:  Dr. Jan Harrell is the creator of emotional education curricula now used in schools and prisons, with materials also accepted for use in both U.S. and Canadian federal prison systems—programs that help prevent bullying, build empathy, and transform communities. Her curricula bring students and inmates together by highlighting the shared human experience and transcending cultural, ethnic, and racial divides. Passionate about advancing human understanding, Dr. Harrell offers her programs to schools and juvenile justice/corrections at no cost, driven by a vision of preventing trauma before it happens and empowering young people with lifelong emotional wisdom. Addressing Student Anxiety:  Jan has a long history in clinical psychology, but she is on this week’s episode of Principal Matters Podcast because of her outreach to schools. When addressing how school leaders should think about addressing the painful anxiety of students in schools, Jan talks about how a revolution in education is missing. Throughout the history of education, schools have focused on teaching human survival, through teaching problem solving abilities and teaching students about physical well-being. According to Jan, what is missing is education on emotional well-being. We are taught how to take care of our body, but not how to take care of our emotional well-being. Jan gives the example of a fire alarm going off. If a fire alarm goes off, we immediately know what to do. If an emotional alarm goes off and we do not know what to do about it, we go into a reactive state. Students need to be given the opportunity to learn what to do when their emotional alarm goes off.   Success of the Curriculum: Jan shares that her curriculum originated because of a friend who was the Dean of Students at a local high school. This friend would often talk to her about how her students suffered from anxiety. This friend piloted Jan’s program in her high school, and through this experience Jan learned that the issues of being a human being transcended every difference between us. The students in her program were brought together into an intimate family-like situation in which they felt comfortable being vulnerable and sharing their trauma and anxiety with each other. This same framework has been utilized in prisons with both juveniles and adults, with the same results. Through teaching the concept of understanding the self and learning how to work through issues with other people, Jan’s curriculum allows people to free themselves from the cycle of being in an emotionally reactive state.  Helping Students Avoid being Sabotaged by the Emotions: Towards the end of the episode, Jan offers teachers and principals some strategies to help students avoid being sabotaged by their own emotions. She talks about how students often come to school feeling tortured and are filled with reactive emotions. Teachers and principals can try to suppress or judge their reaction, or they can view it as a gift that creates a teaching moment and helps students connect with their own wisdom. It is important to give students the rightness of their own feelings, not the wrongness. Equally important is teaching students that they can figure things out within themselves and between themselves. Helping students learn to guide the worst emotions the mind has to offer provides them with the tools to break out of an emotionally reactive state.  Staying Connected: If you are interested in learning more about Jan’s curriculum, she is currently offering it and her consultation for free. The only strings attached are that she wants to know that it’s being used and that it does not get fed into AI. You can reach out to her at janharrell.now@outlook.com or on Linkedin. The post PMP485: Preventing Trauma Before it Happens with Dr. Jan Harrell appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to talk about the challenges and emotional burdens faced everyday by school leaders. They highlight the importance of self-reflection practices and finding hope in trying times, and emphasize the importance of keeping challenges in perspective. This post was inspired by a blog post written by Will, you can read it below.  Every One of Them Is Worth It The first time I ever saw a student banging his head against a locker, I was completely perplexed. Even with eleven years of teaching, I had never seen a student engage in self-harm in such a public way. This was my first year as an assistant principal. The boy had been placed in the hallway for disciplinary reasons and, for reasons unknown to me at the time, was so distraught that his way of coping with being in trouble was to hit his head over and over again against a metal locker. Thankfully, my assistant principal partner at the time was well-trained in trauma and had a background working as a mental-health professional. She helped guide the student back to a place of calm and reason. It was an eye-opener for me. Moving out of the classroom and into an entire school setting would confront me with situations that were novel, different, and far more challenging than anything I had seen in my own classroom. The first time I met a student with schizophrenia, I was also perplexed. He began pulling his hair out while sitting in my office and admitted to me that he could see someone sitting in a chair nearby. After consulting with his parents and getting to know him more personally, he would open up about the times he was frightened–scared of others appearing in rooms and unsure whether they were real or not. Then there was the time a student became so upset after an argument at lunch that he slammed his head into the window frame of a door, shattering the glass and bleeding from his head. He lay on the office floor, growling and angry. When he was finally able to regain control, the residual effects of his meltdown were felt deeply by other students and staff. Even though my responsibility was to define an appropriate disciplinary response, that behavior still perplexes me to this day. There was also a student I didn’t work with directly, but one of my assistant-principal friends did. She learned his story over time: during his traumatic early years, his father abused him by locking him in a cage throughout the day when he didn’t want to tend to him. The emotional scars from those memories made it incredibly difficult for him to cope with the everyday dramas he encountered at school. Over time, he learned better self-control–but it came from a place of deep pain. As I think about these things today, I am sometimes amazed that educators can teach math, reading, and science–or coach sports–never knowing the underlying situations children face. Even students from well-adjusted families, or those who seem to have all the support they need, I have seen end up in facilities needing inpatient therapy because of self-harm or suicidal ideation. The statistics around trauma for young people–especially in my own state–are pretty compelling. Psychologists use a measurement called ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and Oklahoma is among the states with high numbers of children who have experienced significant trauma. Because of that, they come to school desperately needing stability, consistency, and predictability. They need a place that holds them to high expectations while also providing high support. A good teacher knows this. But if a teacher has a classroom with multiple students who may melt down, over-respond, or lack the coping skills needed to regulate their emotions, it can be overwhelming. Even one student with those needs can make a classroom difficult–now imagine if half or more of your students came in with those kinds of backgrounds. This is why teachers, to me, are heroes. You can’t predict what kinds of students you will get. Some schools can try–those with placement applications or tuition-based enrollment can deny students whose needs they know they cannot meet. But public schools, in particular, take them all. That should be even more reason for every community to want their public schools fully resourced, well-trained, and staffed with teachers who are supported to meet children wherever they come from. The idea of creating a school where no bad things happen, where students never see others in crisis, where children are never exposed to difficulty–that is a fallacy. It is only possible for those with enough resources to insulate their children in carefully constructed environments. And even those environments are no longer sealed off. Phones and social media have proven that outside forces can invade anywhere–often faster than parents or schools have the capacity to respond–especially when algorithms backed by billions of dollars are designed to capture the attention of our children, and of us adults. So the question becomes: how do we create daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly routines that reintroduce the civility and consistency necessary for good learning, good outcomes, and healthy, flourishing lives? This is why the best schools I work with understand that children are complex, adults are complex, and environments and communities are complex. And three things must be present for schools to succeed. First: people. Schools must be full of people committed to high expectations and high support. Second: systems. Schools must commit to creating policies, procedures, protocols, and curricula that guide students toward better outcomes while providing support along the way. Third: belief. An unwavering commitment that all students are worth our investment–our time, our creativity, and our care. None of them is expendable. None is disposable. For those of us who are veterans in education, these have become familiar refrains we must revisit again and again. For those new to education, the fresh perspective and vision quickly reveal the truth: the work is as hard as it has always been–but with the right people, systems, and beliefs, it is still deeply worth doing. Because we also know the flip side of these stories. There is the orphaned student who sat across from me one day, clutching a book to her chest–so excited to be reading, asking permission to take it home for the night. There are the bright voices of students discovering their talents in the school choir, standing for the first time in front of friends and family, singing at a Christmas concert. There is the amazement and awe in the eyes of students doing a science experiment for the first time. Or the pride of a young girl standing beside her groomed heifer, showing it for Future Farmers of America. The list could go on and on: the exhilarating moments of watching children learn to read, listening to their curious questions, enjoying their laughter on the playground, watching them wrestle for the ball in athletics. No one goes into this profession without a love for kids. And over time, I think we all realize something else–everyone is still a kid at heart. So whether you are working with a student, a fellow teacher, or a community member, we are all someone’s student in one way or another. How we treat the people right in front of us–whether they come from backgrounds of deep trauma or from more stable settings–matters. They all deserve the same attention, the same intention we would have wanted to receive at any age. The same grace and compassion. The same forgiveness and correction. Humanity has been on this planet a long time, and the traumas of our present age are not always as new as we think. But they are still painful. Still profound. So let’s keep perspective. Let’s be people who show up with high expectations and high support. Let’s build systems that provide students with the stability, consistency, and outcomes we know they deserve. And let’s hold firmly to the belief that every one of them is worth it. Further Reading: If you would like to read some of Jen’s thoughts on managing struggles, check out her newsletter, linked here. As always, thank you for doing what matters! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Keeping Challenges in Perspective appeared first on Principal Matters.