Happy Friday! Our encore episode this week is one from 2021, another interview with D.J. Klein. His interviews on this show are popular for a reason; he always has sage advice to offer listeners! Check out this interview to hear him share ten lessons he learned in his first year as an assistant principal. Listen […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP253: 10 Lessons from a First Year Assistant Principal with D.J. Klein appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 18, 2025•34 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP444: Leading with Simplicity and Harmony with John Marinucci appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 16, 2025•49 min
Happy Monday, friends! This week for Monday Matters, Jen and Will are taking some time to catch up and talk about the exciting work we have been doing recently. Jen talks about a presentation she gave recently. By the time this recording comes out, she will have returned from speaking at national school boards association […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Catching Up appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 14, 2025•17 min
Welcome back to Encore Friday! This week’s episode is one from 2021, a conversation with Jen Schwanke about gaining buy-in and building leadership teams. Tune in to hear us answer the following questions from principals: Listen in to hear the entire episode, or follow this link to read the original blog post. Thank you for […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP270: Gaining Buy-In & Building Leadership Teams with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 11, 2025•28 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP443: Why Every Student Deserves a Pathway with Dr. T.J. Vari appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 09, 2025•54 min
Hi, friends. This week for Monday Matters, Jen and I are taking some time to talk about an exciting new offering from Principal Matters, led by Jen Schwanke! Based on her book, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, Jen will be leading a 3-hour masterclass on June 3rd, 2025, at 11 am EDT. This dynamic […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Introducing a New PD Offering from Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 07, 2025•13 min
Happy Friday, friends! This week, we are re-releasing an episode from 2022, an interview with a rockstar leader DJ Klein. DJ Klein has been featured on the podcast several times throughout the years and he is still doing the same phenomenal work in 2025 that he was doing in 2022. Listen in to hear the […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP299: 10 Lessons from a 2nd Year in School Admin with DJ Klein appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 04, 2025•50 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP442: Keys to Successful Schools with John Mihalyo appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Apr 02, 2025•57 min
Welcome back to Monday Matters! This week Jen Schwanke and Will Parker are sharing some lessons learned from doing PD with school leaders. They talk about some of the strengths that leaders who are women bring to the table, as well as strengths that leaders who are men bring to the table. During their conversation, […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Tips on Maintaining Sanity appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 31, 2025•12 min
Happy Friday! This week’s encore episode is one from 2022 with Garth Larson. He chats with Will Parker about guiding leaders and helping them build their leadership. Listen in to hear the full conversation or check out the original blog post to learn more! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP292: The Profile of a School Leader with Garth Larson appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 28, 2025•36 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP441: Ease the Pain – Guidance for Safety and Regulation with Dr. Bethany Bilodeau appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 26, 2025•43 min
This week on Monday Matters, Jen and I talk about some of the responses to the “Dear Colleague” letter sent out by the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Sent to educators across the country, this letter has generated a multitude of responses from teachers, principals, and superintendents alike. If you would like […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Dear Colleague Letter appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 24, 2025•18 min
Happy Friday! This week’s encore episode is one from 2022, in which I interview Jen Schwanke about her book The Teacher’s Principal: How School Leaders can Support and Motivate Their Teachers. Jen shares a ton of great takeaways in this episode; I learned a lot from her as I listened back to this it! Give […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP303: Intro to the Teacher’s Principal with Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 21, 2025•28 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP440: TRUST Principles for Professionalism with Dr. Nason Lollar appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 19, 2025•47 min
On this week’s installment of Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke have a conversation about leaving your legacy and making your mark. Some topics covered in the conversation are: Listen in to hear the full conversation! Below is a piece written by William D. Parker about the topics discussed in this episode: Remembering Faces […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Remembering Faces appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 17, 2025•17 min
“These are the times for stepping forward with courage.” – Enid Lee. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three things that make our country and our schools strong. I believe that it is vital to engage in conversations about these things in a time when our government in the US is cracking down on DEI. For […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP268: Equity, Equality and Systems with Enid Lee appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 14, 2025•37 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP439: Rebel Educator – Classrooms of Imagination and Impact with Tanya Sheckley appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 12, 2025•47 min
This week on Monday Matters, Will and Jen are doing something they have not done before: talking about books they’re currently reading. Will talks about reading the book, The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. Jen recently finished a book called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. Listen […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Reflections appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 10, 2025•12 min
Welcome back to Encore Friday! This week’s episode from the archives is PMP281: Paradoxes of Leadership with Dr. Tim Elmore, originally released in 2022. In it we discuss his book, The 8 Paradoxes of Great Leadership: Embracing the Conflicting Demands of Today’s Workplace. Listen in to hear Dr. Elmore talk about the complexities of leadership […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP281: Paradoxes of Leadership with Dr. Tim Elmore appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 07, 2025•32 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP438: Living on the Leadership Edge with Margaret Coates appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 05, 2025•52 min
Happy Monday! This week, Jen and I cover the topic of decision making for school leaders. Specifically, we consider the question: What goes in to the thought process when a leader has to make a decision? Some of the pieces of the decision making process we cover are: Listen in to hear our full answer […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker- Decision Making appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Mar 03, 2025•17 min
Happy Friday! This week’s encore episode is one from 2022. In it, Will Parker interviews Shenita Perry about her unique leadership experiences and the lessons she learned along the way. Listen in to hear the full conversation or check out the original blog post here! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP321: Lessons in the Leadership Journey with Shenita Perry appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 28, 2025•35 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP437: Partners in School Innovation with Dr. Derek Mitchell appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 26, 2025•50 min
By William D. Parker When we lived in the basement, Daddy would wake up long before the rest of us. He would stir the remaining coals in the wood stove, adding fresh sticks to the barrel-sized belly and stoking it until the new wood caught fire. As we crawled out of our beds, we would […] The post MONDAY MATTERS – Warming Your Hands and Learning Lessons appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 24, 2025•15 min
It’s Encore Friday! This week’s episode is an interview from 2023 with Jen Schwanke and Robyn Jackson. Listen in to hear them discuss topics like: You can also check out the original blog post for this episode here. Thank you for doing what matters! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP368: Buildership with Robyn Jackson and Jen Schwanke appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 21, 2025•44 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP436: Achieving Remarkable Outcomes with Dr. Amanda Austin appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 19, 2025•46 min
For this week’s Monday Matters topic, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk about AI in schools. While neither of them are experts on the subject, they acknowledge that AI is something that impacts everyone in the education world. Some of the points they address in this conversation are: Now It’s Your Turn: What are some […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – AI in Schools appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 17, 2025•22 min
It’s Friday and that means it’s time for another encore episode! This week’s episode from the archives is PMP358, an interview with my friend Timothy Alexander. Timothy’s story is moving and inspirational. Give this episode a listen or check out the original blog post from 2023 to learn more about him! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP358: Inspired to Be Faithful with Timothy Alexander appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 14, 2025•33 min
A Quick Note to Listeners: —- 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. —- Before […] The post PMP435: Empowering Teen Learners with Dr. Wilnic Gideon appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 12, 2025•43 min
In this week’s Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk about their word for 2025. Upcoming Events If you’re going to be in St George, Utah, February 12-14, 2025, let Jen know as she’s speaking at the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals. Word for 2025: Jen’s word for 2025 is equanimity – defined […] The post MONDAY MATTERS – What is your one word for 2025? appeared first on Principal Matters ....
Feb 10, 2025•11 min
