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

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 [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 in to hear our conversation from 2022. Thank you for doing what matters! The post ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP283: How to Be a Transformative Principal with Jethro Jones [https://williamdparker.com/2025/encore-friday-pmp283-how-to-be-a-transformative-principal-with-jethro-jones/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

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 by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/ [https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/] —- The question is: How can leaders address the issue of teachers expecting every office referral to lead to a disciplinary situation and improve classroom management? Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PMP432-1024x1024.jpg] MEET JOSHUA YEAGER Principal Joshua Yeager, a graduate of Mississippi State University, is a dedicated researcher with over a decade of leadership experience. He is the principal of Perry Central High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, which serves 400 students. In his third year as principal, Josh is proud to know every student by name. Under his leadership, the school has increased its graduation rate by 18% and raised its accountability scores by 100 points. The average daily attendance rate is 93%. Principal Yeager has also directed public and private educational institutions throughout the South, including facilities for those with special needs. A turn-around principal, he uses innovation to maximize student and stakeholder potential.  A Hattiesburg resident, he collaborates with Mississippi’s associations for school leaders, and he is actively writing his first book, “Turning Poverty into Riches: Rural Education At Best.”. In addition to being a principal, Joshua is the pastor of a local church within his community. He loves to coach people and maximize their greatness. He is the proud father of Makenlee Grace, a junior at Union High School in Mississippi. LEADING IN A RURAL COMMUNITY: When asked what he was most proud of in regard to the outcomes at Perry High School, Joshua talked about the rise in school spirit among his students. He noted that consistency is key for students, especially in rural communities. When Joshua first got to Perry High School, school spirit was really dry, but the students were eager to have pep rallies and engage in other forms of school spirit. Another outcome Joshua is proud of at Perry High School is how his school went from having a 70% graduation rate to a 90% graduation rate. As the graduation rate has increased, Joshua has seen parents becoming more active in the community through enrolling themselves in community college or by completing their GEDs. Overall, Joshua states that what he is most proud of are the smiles he gets to see on his students’ faces every day.  FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES: Joshua says that it is important for school leaders to view teachers as practitioners; the best teachers are good at “diagnosing” students. Therefore, one of the best tools that will help teachers achieve better outcomes is when teachers feel at liberty to teach. Additionally, Joshua reminds listeners that the most important factors that encourage students to learn and grow are their teachers and principals. When considering how to best utilize his position to encourage students to learn and grow, Joshua made the decision to add a 48-minute block to the daily calendar. Each of the blocks serves a different purpose each day: * Monday is the  social and emotional learning block  * Tuesdays are career planning  * Wednesdays are remediation days * Thursdays are ACT prep * Fridays are club Fridays  As a result of these daily blocks, Perry High School has seen growth in student outcomes.  ADVICE FOR NEW LEADERS: Joshua says that one piece of advice he would give a leader stepping into a new role is that every decision needs to be made with the worst-case scenario in mind. He also notes as a school leader, your decisions should never be selfish; it should always be about what is best for the people you are serving. Furthermore, Joshua says that leaders need to be honest with themselves about what they don’t know. Leadership is about humbling yourself and putting in the effort to surround yourself with people who really know what they’re doing.  STAYING CONNECTED: You can stay connected with Joshua Yeager via: * Twitter/X: @principalyeager  * Email : jyeager@pcs.us.org [jyeager@pcs.us.org] Referenced research: https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/the-school-principal-as-leader-guiding-schools-to-better-teaching-and-learning-2nd-ed.pdf [https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/the-school-principal-as-leader-guiding-schools-to-better-teaching-and-learning-2nd-ed.pdf] The post PMP432: Be the Shift with Joshua Yeager [https://williamdparker.com/2025/pmp432-be-the-shift-with-joshua-yeager/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

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 [https://williamdparker.com/2024/pmp420-mentoring-mindset-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 [https://www.amazon.com/10-25-Motivating-Groundbreaking-Generation_And/dp/1668023881/ref=sr_1_1?crid=221PYDPTIIRG5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1BcyNiO2SYzF1RAf8PhRDDpjiv98HLL35Tds7hJiu9Pdk7bSdKiN_0cJT75IoQB0AJcvqVcsSqa-Gp2jmJFgInB0cRxSKNGqm5A01Al0Z59V-JA3z2kytUCf5hiT4_R3M5pCOBWi33KKWpoyj77IT2Q8m44o-trr3wYGB-C9f7uxRgpVCmQHT98D19kC08Ug2MK2evROmRmdKwlyjGYIl5pBl6K087UVhOhvULU-tYw.YasxoYYKO6JZoTepPQjO8Ua6oJKBAy-CaTGWq-QDTbw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Yeager%2C+10-25&qid=1733341423&s=audible&sprefix=yeager%2C+10-25%2Caudible%2C129&sr=1-1-catcorr], we discussed how good classroom teachers know that their own expectations of student learning significantly impact the ability of students to learn.  Hattie’s research, as well as other studies in psychology, have shown that ‘teacher expectations’ — the belief that all students have the capacity to learn — change the way we approach students. The more we believe in their abilities, the higher standards we hold for their learning, and the more they achieve as a result (Yeager, 10-25, Chapter 12). If this is true, and it is, then how do we approach teachers or students who seem stuck in their ways or uninterested in growth or change? Two works stand out to mind that seem to contradict each other, but I believe are two sides of the same coin: Anthony Muhammad’s Transforming School Culture [https://www.amazon.com/Transforming-School-Culture-Overcome-Division/dp/1945349301/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/135-9101030-4887060?pd_rd_w=VyvnK&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=5Y08ZGPHYBA2VWGNXYZF&pd_rd_wg=PpHzb&pd_rd_r=54f50805-17ec-4f85-bdac-231925d140ef&pd_rd_i=1945349301&psc=1] and Todd Whitaker’s What Great Principals Do Differently. [https://www.amazon.com/What-Great-Principals-Do-Differently/dp/B07M7XHJRM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PN89RL9TSQ6O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QGJkv77nEdC7ZOQGbjP-7_mLYWJBbaU0lj_ccPE8d6LirRCbVmMwxQbOQr4sDhDy6rNgmb8GRYgtoUf4TXXhhw.PuYugTPvazSPk_6EisnvIsPaza5k0qNG8it3eKm97RE&dib_tag=se&keywords=Todd+Whitaker%E2%80%99s+What+Makes+Excellent+Principals.&qid=1733340089&s=books&sprefix=todd+whitaker+s+what+makes+excellent+principals.%2Cstripbooks%2C97&sr=1-1] In Muhammad’s work, he studies school culture as it is influenced by types of educators he describes as believers, tweeners, survivors, and fundamentalists. The key to a strong culture is often determined by which types of educators have the most predominant voices in their school communities. The more believers, the healthier the culture. The more fundamentalists, the more toxic. Muhummad’s solution among many? Leaders must be willing to engage in crucial conversations with people who need improvement. In Whitaker’s work, he studies the outcomes of highly effective leaders and notices these leaders tend to frame their communication based on feedback needed for their highest performing teachers, or “super-star” educators. When leaders communicate feedback with these high performers in mind, they tend to elevate the experience of everyone else. For instance, if you notice teachers not showing up for an assigned duty, you could make an announcement scolding teachers and reminding them to be present for supervision. Whitaker would say that this is unhelpful. Announcements should praise the good work of high performers. For instance, you might say, “Thank you teachers for being on duty today for drop-off and pick-up. When you’re present, our school is safer, and parents appreciate seeing you make safety a number priority as well.”  Whitaker and Muhammad are not disagreeing. Instead, they are showing two sides of the same coin. On the one side, you must have crucial conversations with someone when they are poisoning the culture or negatively affecting student achievement. On the other hand, those crucial conversations are best reserved for one-on-one conversations when possible. Messaging to the community as a whole should be done in a way that lifts up everyone in the process. Here are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind as you discern when to apply pressure and when to praise: REGULARLY LOOK FOR AND PRAISE GOOD BEHAVIOR.  Great classroom teachers know it is best to direct with a positive statement vs a negative one. Great leaders are no different. For instance, when students are becoming talkative, say, “I would appreciate everyone listening. In fact, if you hear my voice, clap once. If you hear my voice, clap twice.”  This is much more effective than saying, “Students, please stop talking.” The same methods work in teaching adults – whether in a room of 10 or 100. WHEN YOU OBSERVE BEHAVIOR THAT IS INTOLERABLE OR HURTING OTHERS, YOU MUST INTERVENE.  Do so one-on-one when possible. When not possible, be direct and then switch your focus back to the positive.  We should assume the best intentions of others, and if someone is behaving in a way that is a distraction from the mission and vision of learning, it is appropriate to call them out. If possible, this should be done in a way that is specific, clear, and invites a solution. For instance, if someone is getting off-topic and pulling others into a negative path during a lesson or meeting, you might say, “I know we could go down this rabbit hole together, but I’d like to place that conversation on hold and let’s come back to the topic at hand.” Then ask a question that leads people back to the topic at hand. SET NORMS FOR CONVERSATIONS AND LEARNING AND REVISIT THEM WHEN NECESSARY. By inviting students and teachers to set norms for learning together, you often address negative behaviors in a positive way. For instance, if a team commits to “engagement” as a norm then you can remind them that distractions like phones or checking email will probably keep them from being fully engaged. “Let’s remember to stay fully engaged in this conversation. If something distracts you, try to manage it with as little disruption as possible, and then please pull your attention back to the moment we are in.”  Notice in all these examples crucial conversations and positive ‘superstar’ phrasing can happen at the same time. LET’S WRAP THIS UP I see the two sides of this as a Venn diagram. When you draw those circles together, the circle in the middle becomes the sweet spot.  [https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe6cly6vZJzpoZisWia_0JlGRGqOIfp0SS9b9Suhu_7X8izmePW0F1toTE0wkUTQgEAnHQFkIQ5PKAa71G-sk87CX98yfq8pAAMkHxjFEJ-fbfGbqyWd6Yu8tGAg7ZpvK4WNN_JbQ?key=LomRtm6hqh_4PmHTU6KPwy9D] NOW IT’S YOUR TURN Listen in as Jen Schwanke and I discuss these thoughts with her amazing feedback.  How do you decide when to have a crucial conversation vs praising performance?  Thank you again for doing what matters! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Crucial Conversations vs. Super Star Phrasing [https://williamdparker.com/2025/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-crucial-conversations-vs-super-star-phrasing/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

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? [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=you%27re+the+principal+-+now+what&hvadid=630952058618&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9073467&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3831052719672333892&hvtargid=kwd-410860539973&hydadcr=24602_13626758&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_38fam05t5c_e] Check out this link [https://williamdparker.com/2022/pmp304-youre-the-principal-now-what-revisited-part-1/] 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 Principal, Now What? Revisited Part 1 [https://williamdparker.com/2025/encore-friday-pmp304-youre-the-principal-now-what-revisited-part-1/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

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 by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/ [https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/] —- The question is: How do you effectively manage constant student-related issues while staying focused on broader school goals?  Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters! [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PMP431-1024x1024.jpg] MEET ROSS ROMANO: Ross Romano is a consultant, advisor, performance coach, and podcast host who helps organizations and individuals define and communicate their unique vision, connecting it with strategic decisions that lead to meaningful impact. He is the founder and CEO of September Strategies [https://www.septemberstrat.com/], an award-winning consulting firm supporting businesses and nonprofits in the K-12 space, and co-founder of the BE Podcast Network [https://bepodcast.network/], with 40+ shows focused on transformative change in formal and informal learning environments. He is also the founding chair of the Excellence in Equity Awards, strategic advisor to the American Consortium for Equity in Education, and contributing editor of Educate AI.  FROM DR. JEN SCWANKE:  I met Ross Romano almost eight years ago after the publication of my first book. He was part of a team responsible for marketing and promoting the work of authors and educational leaders.  In the intervening years, he has been quite busy, applying his many skills to educational consulting and performance coaching. He sees his work as being “a journey from vision to decision,” which entails planning “the right actions, making the right decisions, and investing in the right areas.”  But that’s not all. Ross is also deeply committed to connecting leaders together through shared experiences. His Be Podcast Network is a group of more than 40 podcasts, and all are connected to the area of education. Most podcasts on his network focus on K-12 leadership, but there are also topics including corporate learning, development, parenting, and more. Within his network, his own podcast, “The Authority,” focuses on authors and thought leaders in education. With such an unconventional career in the education field, and with having so many conversations with people deeply embedded in school leadership, I asked Ross for a throughline— some things that stand out to him that might help Principal Matters listeners and provide some specific learning takeaways. Here are a few of his thoughts: * Educators, parents, and teachers should always be working on the same team. This is a complicated goal, though, and one that causes a great deal of discord if not done with thought and care.  * Culture is something we all say is a priority, but many of us actually don’t focus on it— or, worse, we focus on the wrong things in an attempt to improve culture.  * When things are messy and complicated, it is helpful to revisit what things we can control as educators and the things we really can’t control. * There is a sense of urgency now in education because making innovative change is an opportunity now. We need to become literate in what technologies are available, how to address equity gaps, what access gaps exist, and what potential tools we have to help us.  On that last point, Ross notes that we have to be careful we don’t exacerbate gaps by refusing to embrace current tools— AI is an excellent example of this— and it’s important to embrace and use the tools rather than be fearful of what they might mean for us. It is an exciting time in education, with ample opportunity for teachers, principals, classrooms, and schools to rethink our instruction and our assignments and how it might look different for a student today than it did even ten years ago.  As we wrapped up our interview, I asked Ross if he has any final thoughts for principals on how to lead toward the future in a positive and effective way. He pointed out that leaders often get stuck in thought patterns that lead to fear or lack of energy. To overcome those patterns, Ross says, it’s important to take the time to recharge yourself and make the choices that’s best for you as a leader. “Choose calm over chaos, ” he says. “Look for your helpers, even in a culture that seems antagonistic,” Ross says. “There are a lot of people out there who want you to succeed. Look for those people.” CONNECT WITH ROSS: * Social Media: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossromano/] and Twitter [https://twitter.com/RossBRomano] * Website: https://www.septemberstrat.com [https://www.septemberstrat.com/] * Podcasts:  The Authority [https://authoritypodcast.net/] and  Sideline Sessions [https://ss.bepodcast.network/] The post PMP431: Connecting Leaders with Ross Romano and Jen Schwanke [https://williamdparker.com/2025/pmp431-connecting-leaders-with-ross-romano-and-jen-schwanke/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].