Transformative Principal

In this episode, Jethro sits down with Dr. Erin Bailey, VP of Literacy Programs and Research at Reading Is Fundamental, to explore two exciting 2026 developments. Erin shares the growth of Skybrary, RIF's e-book app offering 1,000 read-to-me picture books, now with a free tier providing 100 books per household — a number rooted in research linking book access to reading and academic achievement. She also discusses RIF's acquisition of August House Publishing, bringing 185 titles focused on oral storytelling into RIF's mission of book access. The conversation turns to Erin's own podcast, Reading Inspires, covering the realities of podcast production, building thought leadership, an...

Kate O'Connell, an international education consultant and leadership coach based in Cambodia, joins the podcast to discuss her journey from classroom teacher to headship across four countries. She unpacks the difference between coaching and mentoring, and how she blends both to help school leaders find their own answers. The conversation also covers Link Leaders' new "Leadership Studios"—peer cohorts that create safe spaces for leaders to connect and grow—and why differentiated, problem-based support is key to effective professional development. Kate closes with her mission to humanize education through leadership, and simple advice: get a coach.

We’r...

Jethro D. Jones sits down with Simon and Jill from ClassVR at ISTE 2026 to talk about the company's newest VR innovations in education. They dive into Thrive, a sensory regulation product designed to support students who struggle with dysregulation, and preview ClassVR's new STEM library, which lets students safely experience hands-on experiments (like chemistry reactions and dissections) that are often limited by budget or safety concerns in real classrooms. The conversation also explores how VR builds "organic skills" that develop over time, why immersive, judgment-free environments help students practice soft skills, and what schools should consider before adopting VR — fr...

Jethro D. Jones interviews Jamie Candee (CEO of Edmentum) about bridging the gap between K-12 education and career readiness. They discuss how AI is reshaping the job market, why "durable skills" matter more than ever, and how schools can expose students to career paths early through career exploration tools, workplace internships, and real-world partnerships (like Edmentum's MajorClarity platform and Roadtrip Nation videos). Candee shares personal stories — including her son Milo's journey exploring baseball-adjacent careers — to illustrate how students can find purpose beyond the traditional "doctor, lawyer, teacher" track. The conversation also covers practical advice for principals looking to build care...

At ISTE 2026, Jethro Jones sits down with Mike Anderson to discuss his new book, Hugging Porcupines: Practical Strategies for Supporting Kids Who Struggle with Behavior in School. They explore why some students disengage, resist connection, and act out — and how teachers can respond with strategies built on the "three-legged stool" of academic engagement, respectful discipline, and positive relationships. The conversation covers building classroom rules collaboratively, the difference between consequences and punishments, and why problem-solving conferences (not just sending kids to the office) are key to real behavior change.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

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Pete Hall joins Jethro Jones live at ISTE 2026 to discuss his new book, Reaching and Teaching Kids Who Don't Fit in the Box. They dig into the five core reasons students disengage from school (not fitting in, academic gaps, boredom, lack of support, and emotional struggles), and share practical strategies teachers can use immediately — including setting self-concordant student goals, using AI to personalize entry tasks around student interests, and asking "cognitive interest cue" questions that spark curiosity instead of just testing recall. The conversation also explores shifting from "who knows the answer" questioning to more inclusive approaches that invite al...

In this episode, Mike Caldwell interviews Mike Huguelet, Executive Director of the Iowa Coalition of Public Charter Schools, about building Iowa's charter school movement from the ground up. Huguelet shares his path from teaching in Chicago (co-founding Noble Schools) to leading counseling programs in Des Moines Public Schools, and eventually launching the Iowa Coalition in 2023 — a state with one of the newest charter laws in the country (passed 2021).

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is acce...

In this episode, host Mike Caldwell sits down with Jo Lane, an educator support and instructional coach with 16 years of experience, who is currently a principal coach based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jo shares insights from her new book, Burn the Script: How Great Coaches Disrupt Thinking and Transform Practice, released May 19th.

The conversation dives deep into the concept of "mental fossils" — the ingrained beliefs and behavioral scripts educators develop from past professional experiences that often hold them back from growth. Jo breaks down how beliefs are anchored by three factors: skill, identity, and value, and explains wh...

In this episode of the Transformative Principal podcast, host Mike Caldwell talks with Jason Leshowitz, a New Jersey arts administrator and founder of Rejection Proof Career, about his upcoming book The Rejection Proof Educator. Jason shares how educators and school leaders can translate their skills and experience into compelling resumes and interview answers, whether they're pivoting upward into leadership or transitioning into education-adjacent careers like ed tech and instructional design. The conversation covers reframing your professional story, building relevant experience before an opportunity arrives, using LinkedIn (and Facebook) to network effectively, and practical strategies for standing out in a...

In this vault episode of Transformative Principle, host Jethro Jones interviews Glenn Robbins, principal of Northfield Community School in New Jersey and NASSP Digital Principal of 2016. Glenn shares how he builds a culture of innovation by prioritizing autonomy, transparency, and authentic collaboration among staff, students, and community. He discusses meeting daily with his union president to take the pulse of the building, using design thinking charettes to co-create a school-wide "Life Ready Manifesto," encouraging staff and students to bring problems paired with two solutions, and how owning his own mistakes publicly broke down trust barriers early in his tenure...

In this vault episode of Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones revisits an interview with Amy Fast, then assistant principal at McMinnville High School in Oregon, originally recorded for the Transformative Leadership Summit. Amy shares how a tragic college shooting in nearby Roseburg prompted her and her principal to proactively survey all 2,100+ students about their wellbeing, connectedness, hopefulness, and sense of significance — rather than simply reacting with more security measures.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is acce...

In this episode,  Rachael Thrash — educator, author, and Senior Director at Big Bad Boo Studios — joins Mike Caldwell to challenge the gap between student voice and student ownership. With 25+ years in education, Rachel argues that GPA-gated student councils and empty surveys exclude the students who need to be heard most. Through real examples of students solving real school problems, she shows what happens when kids are given genuine agency. She also walks through her new book Let the Learners Lead, a practical toolkit for educators ready to co-create school culture with students — not just for them

We’re p...

Mike Caldwell sits down with Scott Bess, President of the Indiana Charter Innovation Center and a member of the Indiana State Board of Education, for a wide-ranging conversation about what's broken in K-12 education — and what's actually being done to fix it. Scott shares his winding path from classroom teacher to CIO at Goodwill Industries to education innovator, including the founding of the Excel Centers: a now-nationwide network of 60+ charter schools helping adults without diplomas earn credentials and transform their economic trajectories. Scott argues passionately for blowing up discrete subject areas, seat-time requirements, and the Carnegie Unit, while making th...

In this episode of Transformative Principle, Jethro Jones sits down with Jonathan Wennstrom, principal of Rosedale Elementary in Livonia, Michigan, to discuss the power of school-wide weekly meetings. Jonathan shares how he launched "Celebrate Monday" assemblies — 20-minute, student-centered gatherings held every Monday morning to kick off the week with positivity and purpose. Inspired by ideas from fellow educators Sean Gallardo and Jessica Bartha, Jonathan walks through how these assemblies work, what they include (pledges, literacy shares, themed videos, and calls to action), and how they've transformed school culture by reducing behavior referrals and building community. He also shares practical ad...

Mike Caldwell sits down with Bill Knous, Senior Director of Quality and Growth at the Colorado League of Charter Schools and co-founder of Gran Via, a micro school in the Denver area. Bill shares his winding path into education — from a history degree and living abroad in Australia and Spain, to teaching multilingual learners in Denver and Philly, to leading classrooms and schools in Colombia. He and his wife co-founded Gran Via in 2020, growing it from six students to 30 while navigating a patchwork of micro-school funding in Colorado. Bill makes a passionate case for scrapping seat-time requirements as the pr...

In this episode, host Jethro interviews Robert Dillon, author and director of Bright Bytes, about the transformative power of learning spaces. Robert argues that reimagining physical classroom environments is one of the few true "big levers" of disruption in education — alongside grades and schedules. The conversation covers practical, low-cost strategies for redesigning spaces, including removing clutter, adding writable surfaces, varying seating arrangements, and leveraging hallways. Robert emphasizes designing with students rather than for them, using a phased purchasing approach (30/40/30), and embracing iteration over perfection. The episode also touches on the cultural shifts that come when spaces signal something different — maki...

In this episode of the Transformative Leadership Summit, Jethro sits down with Kyle Palmer, principal of Lewis and Clark Elementary, to explore how school leaders can develop teacher leaders and build a culture of trust and innovation. Kyle shares the story of how his school evolved from a single maker space initiative—sparked by library teacher Angela Rosheim's genius hour instruction—into a school-wide culture of student-centered learning, STEM integration through Project Lead The Way (PLTW), and maker spaces throughout the building. Central to the conversation is Kyle's philosophy of tight/loose leadership: being firm on learning outcomes and coll...

In this episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit, Jethro Jones sits down with Daniel Bauer, host of the Better Leaders, Better Schools podcast, to explore why relationships are the cornerstone of transformative leadership.

Daniel shares a candid, real-time example: his principal's unexpected departure and how a culture of trust and connection shaped how the school community responded to the news. He makes a compelling case for succession planning — not as a contingency, but as an ongoing leadership responsibility.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teachin...

In this 'From the Vault' episode of the Transformative Leadership Summit, Jethro sits down with Kimberly Miles, principal of East Gresham Elementary School, to explore her remarkable approach to reading as a leadership practice. Kimberly shares how she strategically selects books — only picking them up after hearing multiple recommendations — and then digs deep using a layered annotation system of underlining, highlighting, color-coded tabs, and 3x5 index card summaries she keeps on hand for professional conversations. She discusses why leaders need to be diverse readers beyond education titles, how she uses books like Make It Stick and Thomas Friedman's work to b...

In this episode, Mike sits down with Alisha DeLorenzo, educator and consultant from New Jersey, to explore her powerful framework of "Unleash Aliveness." Alisha shares how a deeply personal encounter with loss sparked her mission to help schools move from feeling like a "zombie apocalypse" to places of genuine energy and engagement.

Key Takeaways:

Derek Cantrell, principal of Allegheny High School in Virginia, shares how he led the consolidation of two rival high schools after 40+ years of failed merger attempts. As the final principal of Covington High School, Derek navigated the emotional journey of closing one school while building excitement for a unified future.

Key insights:

Dr. Chris Culver, founder of Orange Sparrow, shares his journey from being bullied as a student to becoming an advocate for the science of kindness in education. After working in toxic school environments that led him to call an employee assistance helpline, Chris left traditional K-12 education to pursue a mission of making kindness go viral.

Key takeaways:

Gene Kerns, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Renaissance Learning, joins the show to discuss instructional coherence—a trending concept in education that asks whether all the programs, assessments, and interventions schools purchase actually work together as a system.

Notes:
- Instructional Coherence.
- Connecting in appropriate ways.
- How do you know if there is instructional coherence?
- Each part we add has the potential to become a silo.
- Incoherence vs. coherence.
- Our students who are struggling the most have to carry the most cognitive load.
...

In this episode, first grade teacher Sarah Oberle and Organized Binder creator Mitch Weathers discuss their new book, Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom. They explain how core executive functions—working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility—develop between ages 4-8 and can't be trained like skills. Instead, teachers should design environments that preserve students' limited cognitive capacity for learning.

Links:

US Book Purchases: 

Outside of the US Book...

In this episode, Mike Caldwell sits down with Dr. Kristilynn Turney, an educational consultant, speaker, and former school principal with 27 years in education. Kristilynn shares her journey from being labeled a "problem child" for talking too much to becoming the first Black principal of two predominantly white suburban schools in the Cincinnati area.

Key topics include:

Episode Links:
Website...

In this episode, host Mike Caldwell sits down with Dr. Marie Bordeleau, a veteran Catholic and public school leader with over 25 years of experience, to discuss the realities of school leadership. Marie shares insights from her upcoming book, The Dust and the Glory, exploring how principals can navigate criticism, avoid burnout, and find joy in the chaos. From the importance of staying "in the arena" to setting boundaries and embracing slow, steady progress, this conversation offers practical wisdom for any school leader feeling the weight of the job. Marie also reflects on leading through crises like 9/11, the 2008 recession, and...

In this episode, Nick Pretasky draws on his experience as an Alaskan backcountry guide to share three essentials for leadership: Bond, Mastery, and Belief. He explains why leaders fail when they forget they're leading humans—and why every leader needs a coach. The episode closes with a powerful story about a student who carried a teacher's handwritten note in his pocket for months, reminding us that small acts of recognition can be transformative.

Links:
LinkedIn: Nick Pretasky
LinkedLeaders 

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s compre...

In this episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit vault, host Jethro Jones interviews Brad Gustafson, about becoming an innovative leader in education. Brad emphasizes that innovation starts with identifying your "why" - his is creating a relevant, connected learning environment where students are excited to come to school.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns...

In this special episode, Jethro Jones defends his doctoral dissertation on how school principals can use AI for innovation rather than just efficiency. The research challenges the common "save time" narrative around AI in education and introduces the concept of "cognitive equity" - using AI to expand capabilities and solve problems that weren't previously possible.

Through a full-day workshop with 11 Wyoming principals, Jethro demonstrated that when professional development focuses on authentic problems rather than tools, leaders can create innovative solutions like student mental health check-in apps, digital citizenship games, and curiosity trackers. The study revealed three key...

In this special handoff episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones announces he's passing the podcast to Mike Caldwell, founder of LinkedLeaders, as Jethro transitions to his new role as Director of Operations at Life Lab, a character education company creating video curriculum for middle and high schools—a move that aligns perfectly with his doctorate in character education, which he's defending the day after this episode airs. The episode explores why this partnership makes sense, as both Transformative Principal and LinkedLeaders focus on supporting school leaders through connection, mentorship, and learning from others' experiences, with Mike's platform connecting pr...

In this vault episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit, host Jethro Jones interviews Will Parker, a high school principal from northeastern Oklahoma, about implementing KRAs (Key Responsibility Areas) in schools. Will shares how he adapted Dave Ramsey's organizational management concept to create clarity and accountability for all staff members—from secretaries and counselors to administrators. The conversation explores how defining specific responsibility areas upfront prevents confusion, enables cross-training, improves hiring processes, and creates a supportive environment where everyone understands their role. Will emphasizes that KRAs are living documents revisited annually, helping schools manage organizational structure effectively, especially during transitions li...

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In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones interviews Benny, a 16-year-old sophomore at Alpha School in Austin. Benny discusses his Alpha X project—a YouTube channel explaining how video games are educational.

The conversation explores Alpha School's innovative model, which combines AI-based academics in the morning with passion-driven project work in the afternoon. Benny shares insights on how video games teach critical life skills like problem-solving, resilience, teamwork, and communication through active learning environments.

Jethro challenges Benny to stop perfecting his first video and start publishing immediately, emphasizing that consistent practice beats en...

In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones speaks with Stan Koterba, an Ohio principal working on his doctorate in educational leadership. Stan shares his powerful personal journey of battling leukemia during his doctoral program and how that experience shaped his dissertation focus on principal self-efficacy—the belief that positive thinking and visualization directly impact leadership effectiveness.

In this episode of Reject the Premise, Jethro and Danny challenge three common misconceptions in educational leadership. They argue that leadership development isn't a luxury but a necessity, emphasizing that top performers in every field invest in coaching and that having a coach demonstrates maturity rather than inadequacy. They reject the notion that leadership must be lonely, encouraging leaders to build supportive communities and connections rather than remaining isolated. Finally, they reframe innovation as a mindset focused on problem definition rather than an expensive, technology-dependent endeavor. Throughout the conversation, they stress that leaders must take ownership of their own...

In this episode, Jethro Jones interviews Mike Goldstein, co-founder of Reset Teen Coaching and author of "I'll Do It Later." They discuss the challenges teens face with executive function, especially those with ADHD, and the trial-and-error nature of finding strategies that work. The conversation covers the limitations of one-size-fits-all approaches in education, the importance of supporting students and families, and the need for school leaders to rethink homework and support systems. Mike shares practical advice for principals, emphasizing the value of providing help during the times students struggle most, such as evenings, and encourages educators to partner with families...

In this special "reverse interview" episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones is interviewed by Mike Caldwell. Jethro reflects on his journey as a podcaster, the evolution of his career, and his philosophy on education, innovation, and personal growth. The conversation covers the origins of the podcast, lessons learned from hundreds of interviews, the role of AI in education, and Jethro's next chapter with Life Lab.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achie...

In this episode, Jethro Jones sits down with Rich Czyz, principal of Yardville Elementary and author of "Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders." They dive into actionable strategies for school leaders to reclaim their time—starting with time audits, the art of elimination, and the power of delegation. Rich shares how empowering students with real leadership roles, like running morning announcements, not only automates tasks but also builds community. The conversation explores the evolving role of AI in education, the importance of maintaining energy and boundaries as a principal, and why sometimes closing your door is the key to ef...

In this episode, Jethro Jones and Danny Bauer continue their "Reject the Premise" series, challenging common assumptions in education. They discuss the importance of schools partnering with parents, emphasizing that parents are the primary educators and schools should serve as supportive partners. The conversation also rejects the idea that test scores are the sole measure of success, advocating instead for focusing on meaningful inputs and student well-being. Finally, they encourage school leaders to break free from the status quo, embrace innovation, and model positive change, highlighting the value of creativity and adaptability in education.

Links:
Transformative...

Jethro Jones interviews Ben Downey, founder of Big Nest, about the vital role and challenges of parent teacher groups (PTAs/PTGs) in schools. They discuss how these groups are essential for building strong school communities but often face issues with organization, communication, and fundraising. Ben explains how his experience managing a local parent group inspired him to create Big Nest—a platform designed to simplify and modernize the management and fundraising efforts of parent teacher groups. The conversation highlights the unique needs of school-based nonprofits, the importance of preserving institutional knowledge, and how Big Nest streamlines processes like donations, re...

Host Jethro Jones talks with Mike Caldwell, founder of LinkedLeaders, about building a platform that connects school leaders with mentors and peers for real-time support. They discuss the challenges of school leadership, the value of personalized coaching, and how technology and community can help educators grow. 

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins Univer...