The NAESP Principal Podcast

Programs and Practices

A great tool or program can make a world of difference for a school looking to advance its teaching. But central to those programs are dedicated teachers who already demonstrate great practices every day. Missouri principal Jenni Hayes sits down with Adam and Rachael to discuss her approach to school leadership, including program vs. practice, K-12 alignment, and what brings her joy as a principal.

Jenni Hayes is principal of Grandview Elementary School in Higgins, Missouri, and an NAESP state representative for the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals.

The Kids As Your Compass

Sometimes we’re caught looking for that one silver bullet for school improvement. But when asked how he leads his high-performing school, Arizona principal Chris Jackson gives credit to the families and students that come in every day. Adam Welcome and Rachael George sit down with Jackson to discuss how a learner-centered approach yields success in the long run.

Chris Jackson is principal of Mountain View Elementary in Rio Rico, Arizona, where he has served for 8 years.

Stronger Together

Principals may be leaders at their school, but they’re always at their best when learning with and from their colleagues, community, and beyond. That could mean Idaho principal Tim Lowe bringing together staff and community members to learn about their culture, or Washington principal Jack Arend working with fellow educators to advocate for change in the state legislature. In today’s episode, Adam Welcome and Rachael George sit down with these innovative school leaders to discuss strategies that help principals grow together.

Tim Lowe is principal of William Howard Taft elementary in Boise, and serves the Idaho state representative and federal relations coordinator for NAESP.

Jack Arend serves as deputy director of the Association of Washington School Principals.

Creating a Culture of Empathy

School leaders must understand that in order to build a positive school culture they must prioritize understanding the experiences and perspectives of others. Empathetic leadership is an essential component of school leadership. Today, Dr. Ryan Daniel and Dr. Edgardo Castro discuss ways principals can build and sustain a culture of empathy at their schools.

Dr. Ryan Daniel is principal of Fort Foote Elementary School in Fort Washington, Maryland, and fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

Dr. Edgardo Castro is Director of Learning Services at Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools in New Mexico, and fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

Addressing Implicit Biases

Ensuring a fair and equitable education for students is essential to their success and well-being, which is why it is so important for principals to understand implicit bias. Whether it manifests in students, staff, or importantly themselves, school leaders should be aware of the impact of bias and how to address it. In this episode, Center for Diversity Leadership fellow Dr. Ryan Daniel talks with Dr. William Blake about what implicit bias means to them, and strategies to both acknowledge and address these biases in their work and lives.

Dr. William Blake, a former teacher and principal, currently serves as director of redesign in the District of Columbia Public Schools.

What We’re Reading

For educators seeking new perspectives and ways to grow, it's hard to compete with a good book. And as Adam and Rachael discuss in this special episode, those books don't even have to be education focused to be of value. From vinyards to music venues, principals can read between the lines to find inspiration for their own work. For your reference, here's a list of titles mentioned:

• Living with the Monks: What Turning Off My Phone Taught Me about Happiness, Gratitude, and Focus by Jesse Itzler
• The Winemaker's Wife, by Kristin Harmel
• Big Little Breakthroughs: How Small, Everyday Innovations Drive Oversized Results, by Josh Linkner
• Upstream: How to Solve Problems Before They Happen, by Dan Heath
• The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, by Dave Grohl
• Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey
• A Principal's Guide to Special Education, by David F. Bateman and C. Fred Bateman

Getting It Done

Being a relatively new principal at your school is hard enough as it is—adding a pandemic on top of that definitely makes it harder. Arizona principal Garth Cupp sits down with us to discuss how despite these challenges, his school managed to get it done and continues to do so.

Garth Cupp is principal of in Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona.

Creating a Common Language of Equity

Every student in my classroom deserves an equal chance despite their differences, what can we do as school leaders to ensure that? Equity in education is the process of reforming practices, policies, and procedures at the school and district levels to support academic fairness and inclusion. This ensures every child has everything they need to be successful, like resources, teachers, and interventions. Today we are pleased to feature NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership fellows Ryan Daniel and Edgardo Castro as they discuss how school leaders can create a common language of what equity looks and feels like.

Dr. Ryan Daniel is principal of Fort Foote Elementary School in Fort Washington, Maryland, and fellow at the Center for Diversity Leadership.

Dr. Edgardo Castro is Director of Learning Services at Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools in New Mexico, and fellow at the Center for Diversity Leadership.

Lifting as We Climb

Personal success as a principal should be applauded, but the true measure of achievement for leaders is how they contribute to the success of those around them. In this episode we sit down with Donna McGuire as she shares how, as a woman in leadership, she embraces the concept of "lifting as we climb"

Donna McGuire is a school administrator in the New York City school system where she has served proudly for over 15 years.

Developing Effective Principals

What does it take to effectively lead a school? There are plenty of skills and strategies to look to, but critical to the success of any principal is effective preparation and development. Adam and Rachael talk to Marjorie Wechsler, a researcher at the Learning Policy Institute, to discuss their recent study, "Developing Effective Principals: What Kind of Learning Matters?" In this episode we cover:

• What makes for high quality preparation and development programs
• How to seek out development opportunities
• The importance of applied learning
• How to address standards

Dr. Marjorie Wechsler is the Principal Research Manager at the Learning Policy Institute, where she leads mixed-methods research studies related to teacher and leader quality and early childhood learning.