Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and I spend some time answering a listener question. This week’s question is:

How do you coach and support teachers at different levels in their experience? For instance, new teachers, mid-level, and veterans?

Listen in to hear our response!

Meet Justin Wax:

Justin Wax is the Louisiana Principal of the Year and is in his fifth year as principal of Denham Springs Junior High in Livingston Parish. Under his leadership, the school is a 2024 and 2025 Top Gain...

The Power of Negative Thinking: Turning Worry into Productive Planning

When I was a new assistant principal, I was excited and nervous about teacher observation and evaluation. The idea of sitting in other classrooms for extended amounts of time was something I had not done since student teaching. Now, it would be my responsibility to provide feedback to dozens of teachers. My intention was to give each one the kind of attention and support I had wanted as a teacher.

Sadly, once the school year began, student discipline, parent concerns, and...

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before this week’s episode, Jen Schwanke and I take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

What do I do if I have a colleague who views collaboration as an opportunity to hand me work that is actually their own responsibility area?

Listen in to hear our response!

Meet Don Smith & Jenni Donohoo:

Don Smith is the Director of Professional Services at FIRST Educational Resources, where he supports school leaders and systems across the country in grading reform, inst...

This week, Jen Schwanke and I talk about a recent post she made, “The Loudest Room in the Building.” I especially loved this quote:

But it’s also the heartbeat of the school day—messy, loud, and entirely human…

Jen explains how the one place many leaders dread being is also a place where a lot of connections can happen. Listen in as we discuss ideas like:

Thank you for listening in and learning together. We’d love to hear ways you utilize impo...

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and I take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

How do I know if corrective feedback to my AP’s is more helpful than discouraging?

Listen in to hear our response!

Meet Casey Watts:

Casey Watts has spent 20 years in education, as a teacher, coach, and consultant, watching talented educators become stuck in silos, overwhelmed by initiatives, and frustrated by collaboration that felt more like chaos than progress. She knows the real p...

Last week, I ran into an old friend, a retired admin, at the airport. He’s enjoying a new career and some traveling time. As we talked, he told me a quick story of hearing some bad news from his previous district. 

He said, “As I was thinking about it, I realized I had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and then I remembered, this is what leadership often felt like for me on my hardest days.  “The good times were really good,” he said, “But the hard times, I don’t miss…” 

This week Jen Sch...

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s episode Jen Schwanke and I answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

I had so many important intentions and priorities for this school year, but my day-to-day still feels like mostly putting out fires. How do I get back to the priorities we said this year would be about?

Listen in to hear our response!

Systems Coaching with Matt Renwick:

In this week’s episode of Principal Matters, Jen Schwanke has the pleasure of catching up with her long-t...

This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and I discuss a recent newsletter of Jen’s entitled, “Protect Your Perimeter”. She begins the conversation by stating that “your perimeter” is the space around you that you need to be mentally and emotionally healthy. Educators often mistakenly fall into the mindset that they are an educator first and foremost, when the reality is that you do not benefit from wearing your education hat everywhere. Protecting your perimeter means allowing yourself the space to be someone besides an educator, and it’s important to surround yourself with people who allow you to be that p...

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

What do I do when I become aware of conversations in the teacher’s lounge – about my lack of support, for example – that filter their way back to my office?

Listen in to hear their response!

Meet Tony Bornhorst:

A veteran educator, coach, and athletic administrator with over three decades of hands-on experience, Tony Bornhorst has dedicated his career to shaping high schoo...

A few weeks ago, Jen Schwanke and I talked about the term “proflection”. Proflection is a term, coined by Jen, that combines reflection and proactivity. It means reflecting on past experiences in order to make changes to future practices. This week, Jen and I spend some time proflecting about work we have done recently. Jen shares some lessons that she presented at a conference in Louisiana, where she talked about the history of public education and the challenges that school leaders face in today’s educational landscape. I proflect on some lessons that I have been learning in my work i...

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview Jen Schwanke and I take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’m a Secondary leader now tasked with coaching and supporting Elementary leaders. What advice do you have for me when I’m sometimes out of my comfort zone with their unique […]

The post Fill the Gap with Trust with Darren Melton – PMP521 appeared first on Principal Matters.

What happens when what you get isn’t what you wanted? This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke shares a story from her newsletter, “The Dog I Wanted,” about losing a beloved dog and learning to love a new one who was nothing like what she expected. Jen and Will connect the story to a reality every school leader knows: the staff you lead, the students you serve, and the challenges you face won’t always match what you hoped or planned for. Listen in as they discuss how principals and teachers can let go of expectations, adjust to the peop...

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and I take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What practical ways can I increase visibility even when I get trapped in my office so often? Listen in to hear our answer! Meet Patrick Erwin: Patrick M. Erwin is […]

The post I Love This Place with Patrick Erwin – PMP520 appeared first on Principal Matters.

The school year is in full swing, and in addition to leaders I’ve been supporting in Grow Academies, Masterminds, and one-on-on coaching, I’ve also had the privilege of gathering with leaders in person. This week I wanted to share about an opportunity I had recently to join my friend Chris LeGrande, Executive Director of Oklahoma’s secondary […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Learning From Other Leaders appeared first on Principal Matters.

Meet Robyn Hamasaki: Robyn Hamasaki is Managing Director of Leadership Development for the National Principals Association, supporting efforts to develop PreK–12 school leaders, National Honor Society advisers, and student councils. Previously, she served as a teacher, assistant principal, and PreK–8 principal and helped establish the Principal Leadership Institute with the Colorado Department of Education. She […]

The post Creating Belonging, Experience, and Memories with Robyn Hamasaki – PMP519 appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker discuss helping teachers avoid burnout. They start out the conversation by going over the differences between fatigue and burnout. Next, they spend some time talking about the benefits of proactively addressing burnout. Then, Will and Jen address the ways that school leaders can be proactive […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Helping Teachers Avoid Burnout appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: If we know best practices for strong student outcomes, why are so many schools not implementing them? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Mara Tieken: Mara Casey Tieken […]

The post Why Rural Schools Matter with Dr. Mara Tieken – PMP518 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Thinking about Wendell Berry’s Lessons for Schools When Andy Catlett, Wendell Berry’s character, a nine-year-old boy, visits his grandparents in 1943 over a Christmas vacation, he narrates the everyday happenings of a three-day journey. In one scene, he describes his Grandma’s button box. According to Andy, everyone had button boxes in every home he visited […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – A Tribute to Wendell Berry appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What is a story with a student, teacher or community member that reminded you why you are an educator? Listen in to hear their response! They also invite listeners […]

The post Teachers Are The Engine of School Success with Chien Nee – PMP 517 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Happy Monday, Principal Matters Listeners! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are talking about a term called “proflection”. Coined by Jen, the term “proflection” means “proactive reflection”. Typically, reflection is a passive process, but proflection is intentionally taking charge of what you intend with your work and what you think about your work. In practice, […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Proflection appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke spend some time answering a listener question. This week’s question is: What advice would a teacher want to give to a new principal? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Tyler Watkins: Tyler Watkins, Ed.D., is the principal of Petal High […]

The post Rooted Leadership in a Mobile World with Dr. Tyler Watkins – PMP516 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Jen Schwanke and I are discussing ways that school leaders can influence a positive start to the school year with a few shout-outs to school leaders we’ve admired. Below is a brief overview of our conversation: Now It’s Your Turn: What are some methods that […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – A Positive Start to the School Year appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’m new to my role as a principal after years as an AP, and I’ve set my calendar for what I believe are the most important priorities. How do […]

The post Collaborative Team Meetings: The Missing Piece with Kurtis Hewson – PMP515 appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke reflect with listeners about the importance of examining your influence. Your influence matters. Every day, the way you interact with students, teachers, colleagues, and families contributes to the emotional and cultural atmosphere around you. Are you helping others breathe healthy […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Examine Your Influence appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’ve joined a new team and I want to build trust without coming across as too eager to be accepted, if that makes sense. What’s the balanced way to […]

The post Lessons from Beekeeping with Dr. Fernando Branch – PMP514 appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss a recent newsletter from Jen, “Weather vs. Climate”. Jen starts out the episode recounting a time that she got caught in an unexpected storm while on a run. She then goes on to talk about how sometimes unexpected storms pop up in leadership. Leaders […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Weather vs. Climate appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I’m wanting to intentionally develop leaders on my team. Ideas or suggestions? Listen in to hear their repsonse! Meet Dr. Darin Thompson: Darin A. Thompson, PhD, is a veteran […]

The post Cornerstones of Effective Schools with Dr. Darin Thompson – PMP513 appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and I take some time to talk about decision making. Inspired by a newsletter Jen recently wrote, we talk about how it’s important to make decisions on an average day, not a really good day or a really bad one. School leaders make a lot of decisions each […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – What Kind of Day is It? appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How can I set the tone on Day #1? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Will Darter: Dr. Will Darter is a rural school superintendent, author, presenter, speaker, […]

The post PMP512: Forgiveness Looking Like Nachos  with Dr. Will Darter appeared first on Principal Matters.

First Days of School Reminders William D. Parker This post is reprinted from an archived one we shared in 2019. Jenny is a returning student at her high school. She has a part-time job, which keeps her up late most nights. When she arrives late to school, she has already missed breakfast, and she’s tardy. […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – First Day of School Reminders appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker takes some time to ask Jen Schwanke about recording an audio book version of her book, You’re the Principal Now What? Here is a link to purchase the book! https://www.echopointbooks.com/cart/add/?id=45972673560749&quantity=1 Use code PRINCIPAL30 for a 30% discount!  Follow this 30-second demo to learn how […]

The post PMP511: Creating a Greenhouse Culture with Mike Hayes & Ashley Pacholewski appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s Monday Matters episode, Jen and I grabbed four of the last books we’ve read, and shared a few takeaways from each for listeners looking for good reads this summer: Will’s List: The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliA compelling novel tracing the history of Iran from the 1970s through the Revolution […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Book Talk appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:  I’m thinking about retiring in a year, but I want to do something part time. What are some options you’ve learned about consulting that I might be able to […]

The post PMP510: Redefining Leadership Through Relational Intelligence with Brad Johnson and Rachel Edoho-Eket appeared first on Principal Matters.

Lessons in Sailing Upwind William D. Parker, July 9, 2026 When my friend Dave Sandowich, a retired principal with 20+ years of admin experience, invited me to go sailing with me off the Chesapeake Bay, I was thrilled. This would be the third time he had taken me on the water, and my son Jack, […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Lessons in Sailing Upwind appeared first on Principal Matters.

Meet Will Bowen Will Bowen is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and founder of the Complaint Free® Movement. This movement has inspired millions of people across more than 100 countries to live with greater positivity and personal accountability. He is best known for his bestselling book A Complaint-Free World, which introduced a simple yet powerful […]

The post PMP509: A Complaint Free World with Will Bowen appeared first on Principal Matters.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke talk about the problem with certainty. Certainty is not a bad thing. It is very soothing and comforting for us, but it doesn’t equal growth. In fact, being certain is a terrible substitute for growth. The idea of leadership as […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – The Problem with Certainty appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How can I discover my teacher’s unique “professional work languages?” Listen in to hear their response! You can use these questions to help discover those “work languages”: How do […]

The post PMP508: Rigor, Routines, and Relationships with Dina Langston & Stacey James appeared first on Principal Matters.

Today’s Monday Matters discusses the importance of summertime for mental break and the importance of disengagement from the worries. Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss the benefits of giving yourself a mental break from the stress of a leadership job. They talk about how taking a break will make the next school year better, and […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Why Vacation Matters appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What would you say is the solution for the current state of decline in U.S. schools? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Paden Morris: Paden Morris serves as […]

The post PMP507: Steady Leadership with Paden Morris appeared first on Principal Matters.

In this week’s Monday Matters, I share with Jen a list of 10 takeaways from learning I’ve experienced with leadership groups this past school year. We discuss several of them together and how these lessons have stood out in our thinking and growth. Here are 10 takeaways we explored together: Listen in for the whole […]

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – 10 Lessons from Masterminds appeared first on Principal Matters.