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 this week’s interview, Jen Sch…

In this week’s episode of Monday Matters, Will and Jen talk about time spent and 5 areas of trust. 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. Will has some upcoming PD in Columbus, Ohio. He and Jen note that every time he go…

Happy Friday! This week I am sharing out an old episode from 2021. In it, Jen and I answer a listener question about managing people who ‘stir the pot’ – teachers or faculty who gossip or cause drama. Check out the original blog post now to learn more about the episode! Thank you for doing what matters! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP273: How to Manag…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. —- 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…

In this week’s check-in, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss habits and intentions surrounding commitments to your well-being as a leader. Both of them share reflections on seasons in life, challenges we face in our personal and professional lives, and ways to stay present in our mindsets and practices. You can stay connected with our professional…

Happy Friday! This week, the episode I have chosen to share from the Principal Matters archive is PMP283: How to be a Transformative Principal with Jethro Jones. We talk about self-care and growth for leaders, along with the challenges that school leaders face on a day-to-day basis. Click on the link above to read the original blog post or listen i…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. —- 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…

I’ve been thinking about some of the tensions leaders feel when trying to guide improvement among students and teachers. In a recent interview with David Yeager, author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Groundbreaking Approach to Leading the Next Generation―And Making Your Own Life Easier, we discussed how good classroom teache…

Happy Friday! This week we are re-releasing an archival episode, from 2022, where Jen Schwanke joins me to discuss her book, You’re the Principal, Now What? Check out this link to read the original blog post about PMP304 or listen in wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for doing what matters! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP304: You’re the Princi…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. —- 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…

In this week’s Monday Matters, Jen and Will talk about the challenge of the work of any educator, in knowing you are making a meaningful impact, not just a good impression. 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 […] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen and W…

Hello listeners! This Friday marks the first Friday that Principal Matters is starting to share out some archival content. We have over 400 episodes worth of content! That is a lot of content for listeners to work through, so we are sharing some old episodes in hopes that new and old listeners alike will find […] The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP197: 10…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How can leaders feel heard and ensure that responses lead to meaningful change, rather than seeming like a waste of time? Listen in for our response and thank you for […] The post PMP430: Cultur…

In this week’s episode, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss the new weekly show providing listeners some current updates on professional development they are offering to educators. They also discuss topics they come across when coaching or serving education leaders. In the weeks ahead, they plan to talk about topics like: What’s Coming Up in […] T…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: What strategies help maintain focus on long-term vision and direction in the face of daily challenges? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! Meet Jeff […] The post PMP…

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! We are sharing our weekly episode early this week to avoid intruding on your holidays. In this episode, Will and Jen both share some favorite Christmas memories. Listen to the end, however, for some heartfelt aspirations and hopes for the New Year. We would love to hear from you. […] The post PMP428: What’s Happ…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How do leaders know when to protect staff from initiatives (buffer) and when to connect to initiatives that are handed down to them? Listen in for our response and thank […] The post PMP427: The…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How do you navigate bureaucracy, especially with frequent shifts in focus that make previous efforts seem irrelevant? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! Meet […] Th…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How do you handle the tendency to catastrophize, which can drain energy and focus? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! Meet Kenny Rodrequez Dr. […] The post PMP425: …

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: What strategies work best when dealing with others who are resistant to growth? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! The Principal as a Mentor […] The post PMP424: Pr…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: What are the best practices for improving communication and fostering a sense of ownership among staff? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! Meet Garth […] The post P…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How can I use time effectively while also making time for self-care? Here’s a free resource Will refers to by Michael Hyatt: https://assessments.fullfocus.co/lifescore/ Also, check out Will’s bo…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How can I exercise my voice as a ‘guardian’ without coming off as ‘challenging’? Will refers to a resource The 5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead […] The post PMP421…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How do you help teachers keep their ‘Why’ in the forefront of their minds? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! David Yeager, PhD, is a […] The post PMP420: Mentoring…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: How do you create schedules for observing teachers in advance? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! Meet Dr. Jim Van Allan Dr. Jim Van […] The post PMP419: Energy Bus…

A quick note to listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. The question is: What are some best practices in other school buildings to “flatten the walls of the school”? Where did you start on this journey/process? [The idea of flattening the walls means […] The post PMP…