Claim OwnershipPrincipal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker
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William D. Parker reveals his school leadership strategies, insights from other leaders, and practical tips so that you can have the tools to achieve your own goals. A former teacher of the year and Oklahoma assistant principal of the year, he is also an author, blogger, speaker and education consultant. The former Principal of Skiatook High School, near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and past Executive Director for the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals and the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association, he now leads Principal Matters, LLC, proudly supporting educators with Grow Academies, Masterminds, Executive Coaching, and Keynote Presentations.
Co-host, Dr. Jen Schwanke, is an ASCD author, speaker and Deputy Superintendent of Schools in Dublin, Ohio. A former teacher and principal, she is the author of "You're the Principal, Now What?" and several other helpful books for education leaders. She brings her background in teaching, principal leadership, and district leadership -- as well as her wit and practical tips -- regularly to the show as well as to audiences through in-person PD across the country.
Listen to this podcast to rediscover healthy motivation, resolve conflicts and challenges, maximize your communication, grow your instructional abilities, and learn to streamline responsibilities—all while building positive communities among your team members, students, parents, and patrons.
Co-host, Dr. Jen Schwanke, is an ASCD author, speaker and Deputy Superintendent of Schools in Dublin, Ohio. A former teacher and principal, she is the author of "You're the Principal, Now What?" and several other helpful books for education leaders. She brings her background in teaching, principal leadership, and district leadership -- as well as her wit and practical tips -- regularly to the show as well as to audiences through in-person PD across the country.
Listen to this podcast to rediscover healthy motivation, resolve conflicts and challenges, maximize your communication, grow your instructional abilities, and learn to streamline responsibilities—all while building positive communities among your team members, students, parents, and patrons.
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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 […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
The post PMP462: Supporting New Teachers, Part 2, with Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall appeared first on Principal Matters.
Welcome back, Principal Matters listeners! This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are talking about trust pillars and trust killers, a concept covered in Jen’s new book. When it comes to school trust, there are a number of methods school leaders can employ to build organizational trust among teachers and staff members. […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trust Pillars and Trust Killers 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 would a spouse tell a principal stepping into their first year on the job? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang: Kim Marshall is a veteran […]
The post PMP461: Supporting New Teachers with Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall appeared first on Principal Matters.
Hello, Principal Matters Listeners! Welcome back to another conversation about Jen’s new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, available August 17th. Pre-order your copy now! Today, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker will be talking about what sets this book apart from a lecture on how to be trustworthy. Their […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trustworthy vs. Trust-willing 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 listener question: What other practical ways (like your student handbook) can you rethink for sending positive messaging to your students and school community? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Richard Culatta: As […]
The post PMP460: Digital for Good with Richard Culatta appeared first on Principal Matters.
Hi, friends. Jen Schwanke is excited to announce that her new book, Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, will be released on the 17th of this month! Over the next several weeks, Jen and I will be using the Monday Matters episodes to dive into each of the chapters of […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Trusted: A New Book by Jen Schwanke 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 listener question: As I step into a new role at a new school, how can I make a difference in a school that is struggling with disengaged teachers without being seen as a […]
The post PMP459: Unlocking Academic Achievement with David Young appeared first on Principal Matters.
Lessons from Climbing Mt. Massive On June 26, 2025, my son Jack and I summited Mt Massive, at 14,429 feet, the 2nd tallest peak in Colorado. That one sentence sums up an impossibly difficult-to-describe one-day adventure that he and I have dreamed about for a long time. The day began at 4:30 AM, when we […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Lessons From Climbing Mt. Massive 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 should I be thinking as I step into the school year, especially if I am starting a new role? Listen in to hear their response! Meet LaVonna Roth: With almost 20 […]
The post PMP458: Permission to S.H.I.N.E. with LaVonna Roth appeared first on Principal Matters.
Welcome back to another installment of Monday Matters! This week, Dr. Jen Schwanke and I are discussing chapter 13 from my new book Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love. The focus of chapter 13 is based on avoiding the mindset that our greatest joy has to be […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Your Greatest Joy Is Not What You May Think appeared first on Principal Matters.
Meet Karen Borchert: Karen Borchert is the founder and CEO of Alpaca, a company with a mission to make it easier to support teachers. Karen started off in secondary education, but most of her career is as an entrepreneur, helping to grow high trust, highly aligned teams. Karen started Alpaca to combine her passion for […]
The post PMP457: Listening To Your Teachers with Karen Borchert appeared first on Principal Matters.
In this episode, I wanted to share some feedback from another Mastermind group I’ve met with in 2024-25. These leaders include: Julieta R. Flowers – Principal, Discovery Community School, Toledo, OH Kelly Brodzenski – Principal, Beacon Academy, Canton, OH Laura Krulik – Assistant Superintendent & Title II/Civil Rights Coordinator, Utica Shale Academy (Southern Local Schools), […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS BONUS with Ohio Academy Grads Mastermind appeared first on Principal Matters.
A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke share an update on the United Conference they will both be attending in Seattle this week. Listen in to find out what time they will be presenting and how you can connect with both of them at the conference. They would […]
The post PMP456: Empowering Student Agency with Dr. Mike Nicholson appeared first on Principal Matters.
Happy Monday, Principal Matters listeners! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about chapter 12 from my new book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love. The premise of this chapter is on something I like to call “life liturgies”: practices, routines, and rituals that define a […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Life Liturgies appeared first on Principal Matters.
A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke spend some time talking about Jen’s upcoming book: Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools. Listen in to hear more about this book, as well as where you can pre-order it. Thank you for doing what matters! […]
The post PMP455: Cybersecurity in Schools: Risks, Prevention, and Best Practices with Mike Fitzpatrick appeared first on Principal Matters.
Welcome back to another Monday Matters! I can’t believe it is already summer. This week, our Monday Matters Podcast is going to be a little different than usual. As listeners may already know, the focus of recent Monday Matters episodes have been on the chapters of my new book Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? […]
The post MONDAY MATTERS Bonus Episode – Mastermind Lesson with Legacy Leaders appeared first on Principal Matters.
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Hey there, I just started listening to your podcast. Thanks for putting this info out there. I am an aspiring leader in education from Australia and wanted to ask; If you could go back to your first appointment as principal, what would you do different?
Also love the tips on having difficult conversations with young people... I'll be using them. Thanks William for bringing Josh to the podcast!
Wow... Great tips! I really love the tip on simulating scenarios before they actually happen. It really reveals a lot, even though it takes great thought to accomplish but guess it'll be very effective.