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

PMP484: Brain-Body Literacy with Trish Keiller

A QUICK NOTE TO LISTENERS: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question.  —- 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. —- This week’s question is:  What is something you will never forget about school leadership?  How did you learn it and how did it impact your career?  Listen in to hear their response! MEET TRISH KEILLER: Trish Keiller is an Emotional Intelligence Trainer, SEL Coach, and founder of Roots Education https://roots-education.com/. [https://roots-education.com/] With more than 20 years in education and dual master’s degrees, her career spans from middle school teaching to pioneering wellness practices for schools. Trish is the creator of Brain-Body Literacy™, a framework that integrates mindfulness, neuroscience, yoga, nutrition, and leadership to help educators and students thrive. Drawing on her background as a teacher, administrator, and holistic health practitioner, she equips schools with practical tools to manage stress, build resilience, and foster authentic connection. Through her training and coaching, Trish empowers educators to transform school culture, showing that well-being is not an add-on, but the foundation for achievement and joy. THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING READINESS: In her work, Trish promotes a “Learning Readiness” framework as an important way to talk about wellness with students, teachers, and school leaders. She based this framework on her experience as a middle school math teacher. As a young teacher, Trish utilized yoga as a way to help her deal with stress. She began practicing it in front of her students, who said that they wanted to try yoga too. Through this experience, Trish began to examine the disconnect that happens in modern teaching, saying that the whole child is being taught while neglecting the body. Thus the “Learning Readiness” framework was born. Through the use of yoga practices and other tools, the framework that Trish uses creates a sense of belonging and connection for students that allows for greater learning experiences. The “Learning Readiness” framework allows students to be more centered and feel less anxious.  UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN AND BODY CONNECTION: Trish is passionate about educators gaining a deeper understanding of learning and brain and body connection. She reiterates that the body is not fully included in how we think about learning in modern teaching practices. “Learning Readiness” is about getting students’ minds and bodies ready to focus on learning. It is important for students to learn how to practice preparing to learn, so that those skills become subconscious. When educators want students to be able to self-regulate and remain calm in conflict, they first have to teach students those skills and allow them to practice them. Doing so helps these skills become part of the students’ subconscious and saves teachers time and energy in the future.  THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SELF-FORGIVENESS AND SELF-COMPASSION: In her work as a coach, Trish spends a lot of time preaching self-forgiveness and self-compassion to school leaders. School leaders have to deal with a lot of stress, and approaching stress with self-forgiveness and self-compassion gives leaders space to acknowledge that their job is a lot. She uses a framework called the LOVE framework to help school leaders deal with stress and uncomfortable emotions. The LOVE framework stands for Lean in, Observe, Validate, and Embrace. Through this method, school leaders can really understand stress at a deep level.  STAYING CONNECTED: Listeners can stay connected with Trish Keiller and her work via the following channels: Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trish-keiller/] https://roots-education.com [https://roots-education.com] Thank you for doing what matters! The post PMP484: Brain-Body Literacy with Trish Keiller [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp484-brain-body-literacy-with-trish-keiller/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Planning PD

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to discuss second semester PD planning. This topic comes from this question: A common “Catch-22” is when the principal feels staff needs a particular PD, but staff says, “Just let me go to my room, close my door, and teach.” How can a principal reconcile these two perspectives? Will and Jen discuss this question and talk about building PD based on responses, successes, and challenges from first semester PD. They remind principals that, ultimately, if the goal is to create something that people will enjoy, then the solution is to include their voice. Listen in to hear the whole conversation! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Planning PD [https://williamdparker.com/2026/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-planning-pd/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP483: Leaders of the Class with Maureen Chapman and James Simons

A QUICK NOTE TO LISTENERS: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: Why do you think reading non-education books is important? Listen in to hear their response! MEET MAUREEN CHAPMAN AND JAMES SIMONS: Maureen Chapman and James Simons are co-founders of Cor-Creative partners, a Boston-based company that provides inspiring and practical professional development for educators, by educators. They are also the coauthors of the Solution Tree book Leaders of the Class: Teaching Motivation, Perseverance, Communication, and Collaboration in the Secondary Classroom [https://www.solutiontree.com/leaders-of-the-class.html]. Both have written articles for Edutopia, Inside Higher Ed, and Middleweb.  A little more about them individually:  Maureen Chapman loves school. As the co-founder of Cor Creative Partners, Maureen supports leadership development and student engagement through speaking, coaching, workshops, and PLCs. Maureen is a lifelong educator who taught for 15 years in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and spent eight years in school leadership. As a curriculum director and the head of an instructional leadership team, Maureen oversaw curriculum, resources, student data, instructional coaching, professional development, new teacher induction, and career education. James Simons loves school. James is the co-founder of Cor Creative Partners, and supports leadership development and student engagement through consulting coaching, facilitating workshops and PLCs, delivering speeches, and producing videos. Prior to co-founding Cor Creative Partners, James served as a high school principal and dean of students, an instructional coach, a middle and high school English teacher, a video-based storyteller, and a writer.  In this episode, Dr. Jen Schwanke interviews a dynamic duo, James Simons and Maureen Chapman, co-founders of Core Creative Partners and co-authors of the Solution Tree book “Leaders of the Class.” Drawing from their combined experiences as teachers and school leaders, they discuss the parallel work of adults and students in building leadership skills. The conversation centers on a framework that emphasizes the importance of motivation, perseverance, communication, and collaboration as essential leadership competencies. They argue that leadership is not a fixed position, but rather a set of skills and a mindset that can and should be cultivated in everyone, from school administrators and teachers to students in the classroom. Their discussion reveals a philosophy that sees leadership not as a top-down mandate, but as a collective endeavor fueled by a shared love for school and a belief in one another. By providing a practical framework for educators to teach and model these competencies, James and Maureen hope to empower every member of the school community to see themselves as a leader. Their work is a compelling call for a more empathetic, collaborative, and joyful approach to education, grounded in the belief that when adults and students work together to develop these essential human skills, everyone wins. STAYING CONNECTED: You can keep up with Maureen and James’ work via the channels linked below: www.corcreativepartners.com [http://www.corcreativepartners.com] www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmckennachapman [http://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmckennachapman] www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobertsimons [http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrobertsimons] The post PMP483: Leaders of the Class with Maureen Chapman and James Simons [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp483-leaders-of-the-class-with-maureen-chapman-and-james-simons/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Wellness for the New Year

Welcome back to this week’s episode of Monday Matters where Will Parker and Jen Schwanke are discussing the topic of wellness. Will shares some takeaways from a book he is reading called Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity by Dr. Eric Topol. The book highlights a study with 1400 participants called a ‘well-derly” study. Participants ages ranged from 85-102 years old who had no health problems and were not on any medications. When compared to a control group of ‘normal’ elderly people 85 and above, DNA samples revealed no significant differences in their genetics. Yet, they had higher immunity, better cognitive and cardiac functions.  > “Long-term benefits are often worth the short-term commitments.” The takeaway from this study highlighted by Dr. Topol is that prevention really is the best medicine. The way to stop heart attacks, Alzheimer’s, or cancer is twenty years before it has time to develop into a condition or disease through movement, rest, and nutrition. Will and Jen share some of their thoughts and practices about approaching wellness and talk about the importance of wellness for school leaders. Listen in to hear the entire conversation! You can watch an interview with Dr. Eric Topol here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW-VcyD54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW-VcyD54b0] The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Wellness for the New Year [https://williamdparker.com/2026/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-wellness-for-the-new-year/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP482: Empowering Learning Through Physical Education with Charles Rizzuto

MEET CHARLES RIZZUTO: Charles Rizzuto currently serves as Assistant Principal at Islip High School, following 15 years as a health and physical education teacher at Oyster Bay High School. A nationally recognized speaker, he has presented across the country on high-quality instruction, leadership, school culture, cultural proficiency, and social and emotional wellness. His highly regarded keynote address, The Driver’s Seat, has been featured by numerous school districts and state organizations. In addition to his school leadership role, Rizzuto teaches graduate courses at Adelphi University and Cambridge College, focusing on the influence of social issues in education, instructional technology, models-based instruction, and social-emotional literacy. His teaching excellence has been recognized by students and peers alike—he was nominated as a Professor of Excellence at Adelphi in 2021 and named National Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America in 2022. Additionally, Charles was named Eastern District Physical Education Teacher of the Year, New York State Physical Education Teacher of the Year, New York State Health Education Amazing Person of the Year, and Drug-Free Hero. He was a contributing author of the New York State Physical Education Learning Standards, served as President of Health Education for New York State, and sat on the National Health Education Council. LET’S GET INTO THE EPISODE: In this episode of the Principal Matters Podcast, host Dr. Jen Schwanke welcomes guest Charles Rizzuto, an assistant principal at Islip High School in New York, former National Teacher of the Year, and a self-proclaimed “super fan” of the Principal Matters Podcast.  Rizzuto, who previously served 15 years as a decorated health and PE teacher at Oyster Bay High School, shares his extensive experience and insights into elevating health and physical education from mere “glorified recess” to an essential component of a school’s academic, social, and emotional framework. The conversation delves into the nuances of effective health and PE programs, Rizzuto’s transition into administration, and how his deep classroom experience shapes his current leadership role. For any principal wondering why a high-quality health and PE program matters, and what school leaders can do to get one, here are a few things to consider.   “PA IS NOT PE”: Rizzuto emphasizes a critical distinction between physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE), stating that mere physical activity does not constitute a comprehensive PE program. Movement serves as the “text” in PE, acting as a vehicle for deeper, more meaningful learning across cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. A quality PE program focuses on these learning outcomes, not just whether students are moving, sweating, or smiling. SKILLS-BASED HEALTH EDUCATION: Rizzuto asserts that a quality health education program is skills-based rather than solely content-driven. While content (like the recent addition of vaping education) changes, the essential life skills taught—such as analyzing influences, accessing valid information, goal setting, and decision-making—remain constant and are paramount for students’ transferrable learning. HEALTH AND PE AS A CENTRAL ENGINE FOR SEL: Rizzuto highlights that health and physical education are the environments where social-emotional learning (SEL) and social-emotional literacy can surface most organically. Due to the nature of interactions in PE and the topics discussed in health, these subjects provide unique opportunities for students to develop conflict resolution, leadership, and emotional regulation skills, using frameworks like the Zones of Regulation. He shares a personal anecdote about building relationships with students by explicitly expressing care and love in his health classroom. ELEVATING HEALTH AND PE DEPARTMENTS: To truly support and elevate health and PE, school leaders should recognize the discipline’s nuances but not lower expectations for lesson structure, assessment, rigor, or participation. Feedback to health and PE teachers should be rooted in the same principles as feedback for other disciplines, including expectations for posting mastery objectives using a “what, why, how” framework. Leaders should also regularly communicate with health teachers to help them advocate for their curriculum with community members. ADDRESSING RELUCTANT PE TEACHERS: Rizzuto advises principals to handle resistant PE teachers as they would any other resistant educator, but also to consider that the pushback might stem from feeling invisible or undervalued over time. Leaders should explicitly communicate their value to the staff, reflect on any unintentional messages (e.g., consistently using the gym for non-PE activities), and include them in building-wide professional development. FOSTERING INCLUSIVITY IN PE: For genuine inclusivity, Rizzuto recommends that educators embark on a journey of cultural proficiency, seeking to deeply understand their students beyond superficial surveys. Practical solutions include differentiating the scope and sequence of activities from year to year to keep students engaged and interested, and moving away from grading based on participation, as this can turn students off to physical activity altogether. After all these critical conversations about Heath and PE, this episode concludes with Rizzuto sharing an item from his “if/when I become a principal” list: prioritizing a structured, intentional, and frequent meeting schedule for the leadership team. He proposes daily “What We Know” (WWK) and “What We Learned” (WWL) meetings, and weekly “Planning and Goal Setting” (PAGS) meetings to proactively address issues and foster shared leadership. This comprehensive discussion underscores the transformative potential of health and PE when viewed through an educational and leadership lens, and we know it will inspire principals to mirror Rizzuto’s dedication to expanding positive impact in our schools.  STAYING CONNECTED: You can stay connected with Charles Rizzuto via Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-rizzuto-2442b225b/] The post PMP482: Empowering Learning Through Physical Education with Charles Rizzuto [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp482-empowering-learning-through-physical-education-with-charles-rizzuto/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].