The Heart & Science of Leadership

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Chronic Absenteeism and School Refusal: What School Leaders Can Do with Matt Cicoria

2026-10-2745:51

Send us Fan Mail School leaders are working hard to improve learning and support student behavior. But those efforts depend on students actually being there. And when a student starts missing school, the missed instruction and lost connections can make coming back even harder. In this episode of The Heart & Science of Leadership, I’m joined by my good friend and colleague Matt Cicoria to talk about chronic absenteeism, school refusal, and how school leaders can respond. Matt brings more t...

Leadership Starts in the Mirror: A Conversation with David Clark, Who Served Under Four Florida Governors

2026-10-0248:52

Send us Fan Mail The Heart & Science of Leadership | Hosted by Dr. Paul “Paulie” Gavoni We hear a lot about holding teachers accountable. But before we ask what teachers need to do differently, we need to ask what their leaders have done to prepare and support them. In this episode, I sit down with David Clark to talk about leadership from the classroom to the governor’s office. David brings experience in government, the military, and business, along with a personal story that changed how...

Turning School Success Into a System with Dr. Jon Prince

2026-09-0852:10

Send us Fan Mail How does a large school district move from struggling schools to earning its first A rating—and then do it again? In this episode of The Heart and Science of Leadership, I sit down with Dr. Jon Prince, Superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools, to look beneath the results. We discuss the systems his district has built across more than 40 schools and nearly 50,000 students, including consistent expectations, frequent data checks, differentiated support for principals and teac...

Leadership When Life Hits Back: The Paul Anthony Episode

2025-11-0301:03:28

Send us Fan Mail Most people brag about leadership when things are working. When the check clears, the metrics are green, and applause is still flowing. But what happens when the spotlight shuts off… or your body betrays you… or life delivers a sentence most people don’t come back from? In this episode, Dr. Paul “Paulie” Gavoni and AJ Rinaldi sit down with the legendary Paul Anthony — a global music icon turned three-time cancer champion — to explore what leadership looks like when everything...

Change Isn’t Optional: What Every Leader Needs to Know

2025-08-0957:00

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Heart & Science of Leadership Podcast, Dr. Paulie and Aj tackle one of the toughest challenges leaders face: change. They explore how change can feel like both an exciting opportunity and a sucker punch in the gut. Drawing on behavior science and real-world leadership experience, Paulie and Aj break down how leaders can navigate change effectively, turning disruption into growth. Whether you’re leading a team, department, or entire organization, thi...

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