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

PMP479: The Instructional Leader in You with Danny Steele

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: What are your practices for writing a book? Listen in to hear their response! MEET DANNY STEELE: Danny Steele worked for 31 years in education as a principal, assistant principal, teacher, coach, and assistant professor of Instructional Leadership. In 2005, Steele was recognized as the “Assistant Principal of the Year” for the state of Alabama. And in 2016, he was recognized as Alabama’s “Secondary Principal of the Year.” He has written six books, including two with Todd Whitaker, has presented at numerous state and national conferences, and has spoken in school districts around the country. Steele has an undergraduate degree in History from Covenant College; he has a Master’s in History from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Samford University. He is the father of three (mostly grown) children and resides with his wife in Birmingham, Alabama. Something that listeners may be surprised to learn about Danny is that he occasionally writes raps that he performs for his students and teachers. CURRENT WORK: After spending 31 years in education, Danny retired from the principalship last summer. Even though he is retired, he still has a lot of passion for the work of teachers and principals. Currently, Danny channels that passion into leadership coaching and consulting. He realized that there was a need for coaching in instructional leadership after working with two young principals. These principals needed help building their instructional leadership capacity. This experience is what solidified Danny’s passion for instructional leadership and what inspired him to write his book. According to Danny, “Until something is learned, nothing is taught”. When a principal goes into a classroom, they should be more focused on what the students are doing than what the teachers are doing. THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER IN YOU: 10 STRATEGIES FOR EVERY SCHOOL LEADER The Instructional Leader in You [https://www.routledge.com/The-Instructional-Leader-in-You-10-Strategies-for-Every-School-Leader/Steele/p/book/9781032973401] lays out 10 strategies that school leaders can use to increase their instructional leadership capacity. You can read the full list of 10 strategies below, and Will and Danny cover a couple of the strategies in the show. 1.  A Foundation of Curiosity   2. The Powerful Role of Visibility   3. The Surprising Strength of Vulnerability   4. Leading Without Relationships Isn’t Leading   5. Creating Opportunities for Growth   6. Delegating is Winning  7. Being Intentional   8. Prioritizing Learning, Not Teaching   9. Removing Barriers   10. Focusing on the Culture BEING VISIBLE: Danny discusses how “management by wandering around” is important for instructional leadership. School leaders who are walking around and staying visible to students and staff communicate what you value. When you pop into classrooms, your presence communicates to teachers that you care about the work they are doing, and, to the students, that you care about their experiences in the classroom. Staying visible throughout the school day reinforces your priorities as an instructional leader.  DELEGATING IS WINNING:  When asked to summarize the delegating is winning strategy, Danny talks about how, as a principal, you sometimes feel inadequate because you feel like you need to be everything to everyone. Principals burn out really quickly like that. Part of delegation is about letting go and being okay with not being in control of everything. Delegating some of the management pieces of the principal job frees you up to visit classrooms and be an instructional leader. Delegation can also improve your relationship with the rest of your leadership team. When you begin to delegate tasks to your colleagues, it shows you value them and their expertise. New leaders tend to struggle the most with delegation because they feel insecure giving up authority, but learning to do so is essential to being successful in leadership. REVISITING YOUR “WHY”:  Near the end of the conversation, Will asks Danny to share some advice he would give to principals. Danny tells listeners to revisit your “why”, and references a sign above his door that reads, “I am the difference”. He had this sign above his door when he was an AP and a principal to remind him of the role he plays. Most leaders get into education because they love kids and want to make a difference for them. When you become an admin, the mission changes. You have to win over the adults in the building and make them feel loved and appreciated. Danny shares how he learned to redefine his lightbulb moment to be anytime he could support a staff member and lighten their load. Making a difference for his staff became his “why” and helped him stay motivated.  STAYING CONNECTED: Listeners can stay connected to Danny Steele via the following channels: Danny’s website [https://www.steelethoughts.com/about] @steelthoughts on X or Instagram Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-steele-steelethoughts/] The post PMP479: The Instructional Leader in You with Danny Steele [https://williamdparker.com/2025/pmp479-the-instructional-leader-in-you-with-danny-steele/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Not the Place

This week on Monday Matters Will Parker and Jen Schwanke share some thoughts on addressing the political landscape that educators face. They discuss how educators, particularly school leaders, are often asked to weigh in on culture war issues. Taking sides on political issues is not what school leaders are paid to do, and in doing so you run the risk of alienating a significant portion of your school community. School leaders are paid to keep students safe, follow the law, and do what is best at any given time. Speaking publicly about politics as a school or district leader often requires a lot of nuance, since those leaders are representing an entire community. Still, it is important to be an advocate for your school based on the facts and what is best for your community. Sometimes it is better to protect your position rather than speaking on every issue so that you lose out on the ability to make a bigger impact through creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Principals should ask themselves: “How am I going to love and serve every student in this school? How do I make sure that every student feels valued and protected and that they belong? How do I make sure all my teachers know that I am here for them?”. Through creating an environment where students and teachers feel safe and protected, you can do far more than you would if you spoke about every political issue. Listen in to the episode to hear all of Will and Jen’s thoughts on the subject! This episode was inspired by a post in Jen’s newsletter. You can read her post here [https://jen-newsletter-c4287d.beehiiv.com/p/not-the-place?utm_source=jen-newsletter-c4287d.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=not-the-place&_bhlid=ea2cb611a7c6f206ed155b95d930580cc28ea2e9]. The podcast episode referenced in the show can be found here [https://mcie.org/think-inclusive/navigating-school-leadership-in-chaotic-times-a-conversation-with-will-parker-1306/].  The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Not the Place [https://williamdparker.com/2025/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-not-the-place/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP478: From Classroom to Crisis and Beyond with Dr. Greg Johnson

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: How can we build and sustain trust with staff, students, and parents? Listen in to hear their response! MEET DR. GREG JOHNSON: [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/PMP-Template-1-1024x1024.webp] Greg Johnson is the high school principal at West Liberty-Salem High School in West Liberty, Ohio. He was first hired as a middle school social studies teacher in 1997 and recently completed his twentieth year as principal, marking his twenty-eighth year in education – all at the same school. Greg enjoys the small rural school setting and appreciates the family atmosphere and collaborative spirit of his K-12 building. Greg serves on the NASSP Board of Directors. His involvement with NASSP can be traced back to the school shooting that he and his school experienced in 2017. This event and the extensive recovery period that followed let to Greg’s involvement in the establishment of the NASSP Principal Recovery Network in 2019. While serving as a co-facilitator of this group, Greg gained a deeper understanding of the vision, mission, and work of NASSP. Greg joined the Board of Directors in 2024. Sharing his experience and educating others about school leadership during and after a shooting as well as the long and difficult road of recovery has been a passion of Greg’s since 2017. This passion has allowed him to speak at conferences across the country, often accompanied by his wife, three children, and son-in-law. All members of the family were in the school the day of the shooting and each experienced the event and its aftermath differently. Greg brings a thoughtful, authentic, and compassionate approach to speaking on school safety as well as to his work as a school leader. Greg’s greatest passion is his family. He has been married to his wife Crystal for 28 years and they are the proud parents of three adult children. Additionally, he is also passionate about his Ohio State Buckeyes. Greg and Crystal met at Ohio State. All three children are graduates or current students at OSU. In addition to his bachelor’s and master’s from OSU, Greg accomplished a life-long goal of earning his Doctor of Education from Ohio State in 2024. As their youngest follows her two older siblings to OSU, Greg looks forward to tailgating on campus with his wife and kids as often as possible. Go Bucks! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: A CALL TO LEADERSHIP: Dr. Johnson initially considered a career in engineering but found his calling in education through a mentor. He began teaching social studies and coaching at West Liberty Salem in 1997. Witnessing a “revolving door” of five principals in seven years, he felt a strong pull to provide stability. A dean of students role served as a stepping stone to his principalship 20 years ago. Despite missing the daily joy of teaching, his commitment to consistency for his school community remained paramount. In his rural setting, he deeply values the opportunity to know all students and their families, often before they even reach high school. A significant challenge, however, is the limited support for specialized services and the necessity of wearing many hats due to smaller staff, particularly during his 16 years as both middle and high school principal (grades 6-12). Greg’s positivity and commitment to his school have kept him rooted to his community, where he and his wife— who, by the way, is Jen’s longtime best childhood friend— have raised three children.  NAVIGATING A SCHOOL SHOOTING: In January 2017, West Liberty Salem High School faced an unimaginable crisis. Dr. Johnson recounted the chaotic morning when he received the call about a shooting in the high school wing. Upon entering, he and his assistant principal discovered shell casings and located a student, Logan, who had been shot twice by another junior. Remarkably, Logan’s presence and his ability to talk to the shooter disrupted the perpetrator’s plan. The school’s ALICE training proved invaluable, empowering students and teachers to make independent decisions; many high school classrooms self-evacuated through windows minutes before any official announcement. In a moment of incredible composure, Dr. Johnson immediately called Logan’s family— who were personal family friends— to inform them of the incident and their son’s injury. THE UNSEEN WOUNDS OF TRAUMA AND THE POWER OF CONNECTION: Dr. Johnson emphasized the profound and often underestimated traumatic impact of the event on students, staff, and the wider community. He realized that while the immediate threat ended with the shooter’s containment, students evacuating through cornfields endured agonizing hours of not knowing if their friends and family were safe. Initially, he felt compelled to project an image of “Tiger Strong” as a leader, inadvertently leading teachers and students to suppress their own suffering. A school counselor’s intervention helped him recognize his own need for support, prompting him to process the event emotionally. This experience was foundational to the formation of the NASSP Principal Recovery Network, an informal group initiated by Frank Deangelis (Columbine High School) and Greg Waples of NASSP. This network provides vital peer support, advocates for school safety, and has developed a “guide to recovery” for principals facing similar tragedies. In a poignant twist, Logan (the shooting victim) and Addie (Dr. Johnson’s oldest daughter), who was a sophomore in the same wing during the shooting, began dating during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now married. This unique detail, along with the fact that many students, including Dr. Johnson’s own children, chose to enter the field of education after the event, powerfully underscores the resilience and positive legacy that can emerge even from profound tragedy. Listening to this episode will restore your faith in the power of community, leadership, and the hearts of principals like Dr. Johnson. His story stands as a powerful testament to the enduring and transformative impact of steadfast leadership in the face of adversity. The post PMP478: From Classroom to Crisis and Beyond with Dr. Greg Johnson [https://williamdparker.com/2025/pmp478-from-classroom-to-crisis-and-beyond-with-dr-greg-johnson/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Who Are You Without A Title?

Welcome back to Monday Matters! This week, Will and Jen tackle the topic of understanding your identity outside of your career. They discuss how this can be particularly challenging for mothers, who often carry the mental load of running their households on top of having a career. Jen shares some insights into how she has learned to describe herself apart from her titles, and the toll that carrying the mental load can take on working moms. Will challenges listeners to learn to describe themselves in ways that align with their core values, and to align your decisions with those values. Listen in to hear the whole conversation! This post is based on a thoughtful post by Will Parker. You can read it below: WHO ARE YOU WITHOUT A TITLE? This morning, I was in a meeting with a Mastermind group when a superintendent told me she asked her husband a question from a chapter in my book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For? An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love. The question: If you had to define yourself without a title or position, or even the label of parent, spouse, or partner, how would you define yourself? She told me she was surprised by how hard the question was to answer. Eventually, he said he was a problem-solver, and he described her as pragmatic.  The conversation reminded me of how difficult it can be to describe ourselves. In particular, I learned recently that this can be a significant challenge for moms. I learned this at a conference I attended in the fall of 2025, when two speakers, Katherine Wintsch and Lauren  Fitzgerald, founders of The Mom Complex, reported five commonalities among most mothers they interview: 1. Moms are filled with doubt. 2. There are no such things as experienced moms (every stage is new and different). 3. Moms today are rejecting perfection. 4. Parenting is a team sport. 5. Moms carry a heavy mental load and are just trying to survive (Wintsch, Fitzgerald, public comments, 09/25/25, check out their website here: https://momcomplex.com). Most interestingly, they have found that women tend to self-doubt and engage in negative self-talk more often than men in their surveys and work.  With those thoughts in mind, I wanted to ask the group of Mastermind members (both women and men) in my recent meeting how they would describe themselves in a positive way instead of a negative way if they could do so without relying on their own work or home titles. As a way to encourage this activity, I introduced the following words as ways I would describe them from the interactions we’ve had over the past five years of meeting together. Words like… * Courageous * Tenacious * Committed * Brave * Thoughtful * Inspiring * Gritty * Resilient * Problem-Solver As we talked, they introduced other words of their own, including: * Wise * Confident * Insightful * Funny * Fun-loving * Forgiving * Gracious * Nurturing The challenge with an activity like this is to find a practical application. So, I wanted to make a simple one:  WHEN YOU APPLY YOUR MOST IMPORTANT CORE VALUES TO THE GOALS YOU’VE SET FOR YOURSELF OR YOUR WORK, THE CHANCES ARE YOU’LL SEE OUTCOMES THAT BETTER REFLECT THOSE VALUES. The inverse is true as well: When we step into our fears or ego-driven identities, or if we simply move forward based on our titles (at work or home), we either fail to experience the values we most cherish or we simply play a role without actually living into the best version of ourselves. I know that’s a lot to think about in one sentence, but I’d like to you to take a moment and read that aloud. If it helps, say it in first-person:  WHEN I STEP IN MY FEAR OR EGO-DRIVEN IDENTITIES, OR IF I SIMLY MOVE FORWARD BASED ON MY TITLES (AT WORK OR HOME), I EITHER FAIL TO EXPERIENCE THE VALUES I MOST CHERISH, OR I SIMPLY PLAY A ROLE WITHOUT ACTUALLY LIVING INTO THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF. At the time of this writing, we just wrapped up the Thanksgiving holiday. My dad, who passed last year, would have been 85 this month. One time, I asked him how he wanted to be remembered. He said he hoped he would be remembered as a man who had loved and supported his wife and family. It was a simple statement and one that beautifully summed up his values and character. To be who we truly are may be less difficult than describing it. I guess I’d rather make the mistake of living out beautiful values like the ones above than simply identifying myself by titles or misunderstanding my true character. As you step into your day, I’d like to remind you of something another leader said in our meeting this morning. I didn’t write it down word for word, but here’s my best attempt:  “Leadership requires bravery, honesty, and hard conversations. We must be teachers or teachers. If someone isn’t willing to embrace these virtues, they should choose another profession.” It may not be a warm or fuzzy moment to be reminded to live into your best values and qualities. But it may be helpful to realize those whom you serve know when you do. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN  1. If you described yourself without using your job title or your roles at home, what words or qualities would you choose? 2. In what practical ways do you keep your decisions (at work or in life) aligned with your core commitments and values? The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Who Are You Without A Title? [https://williamdparker.com/2025/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-who-are-you-without-a-title/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP477: Lessons from Transition with Beau Brannon

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 are the common pitfalls that keep principals from effectively leading instructional communities? Listen in to hear their response! MEET BEAU BRANNON: Beau Brannon is the Principal of Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He previously led Union’s Freshman Academy as both assistant principal and principal. A Muldrow High School graduate and former college football player at the University of Tulsa, Beau followed his passion for education and earned degrees from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Arkansas State, and Northeastern State University. He began his career teaching science and coaching football at Alma Public Schools, later becoming Teacher of the Year at Keys High School in 2015. Since joining Union in 2016, he’s taught Geometry, helped coach a state championship football team, and served in school administration since 2018. Beau and his wife, Caitlyn, have been married since 2013 and are proud parents of two children, Baker and Collins. A previous guest on episode 391, [https://williamdparker.com/2024/pmp391-hiring-tips-from-the-field-with-principal-beau-brannon/] Beau returns to Principal Matters with lessons from his first year in leadership at a new level. Welcome back to Principal Matters!  SCHOOL CULTURE AND STUDENTS OUTCOMES: Each spring, Union High School partners with OU to give a survey to staff, students, and families. Over the last year, Brannon’s school has seen a 10% increase in “Faculty Trust in Principal” over the last year. 96.2% of respondents agree the principal at this school develops a team attitude and spirit amongst faculty & staff,94.3% agree the principal at this school commends me when I do a better than average job, and 98.1% agree that the admin team cares about them as a person. The emphasis on student relationships, student success, and providing real hope and pathways had led to improved student results in his school. Beau’s school has seen a 32.25% decrease in failed courses in semester one and a 21% decrease in failed courses in semester 2, totalling about 1300 courses that do not need to be recovered. All in all, Beau’s school is doing exceptionally well.  CHALLENGES IN TAKING ON A NEW ROLE: Moving from Union’s Freshman Academy to Union High School presented a fresh set of challenges to Beau. The size of Union High School is one of the challenges that Beau had to navigate. Union High School has about 3,500 students and 250 staff. Beau had to learn how to work amongst a bigger admin team and had to try to get to know 175 teachers as quickly as possible. Since he previously taught at Union High School, it took a lot of work for Beau to gain the trust of some of the teachers at his new school, since not all of them saw him in the leadership light right away. HIRING PROCESS AND PRIORITIES: In his first year, Beau hired 42 new teachers and staff members, and hired 29 new teachers and staff members in year two. One hiring tip he recommends is to have a hiring waitlist or chart. Throughout the year, you will hear names of people who want to work at the school. Beau also recommends building partnerships with area colleges and universities and going to their job fairs. Another hiring recommendation he makes is to develop your own staff.  TOO BIG TO DO ALONE: One lesson Beau Brannon has pulled for this past year is that the work of a principal is too big to do alone. Principals need to lean on their team’s strengths. Beau shares that his team just did the Clifton Strengths Finders from Gallup to learn each other’s strengths. Everyone has a passion, and they need to lean into them in order for leadership teams to be successful. Leaning into the collective intelligence that comes from working with a team means less stress for the individual.  ADVICE TO THOSE TAKING ON NEW ROLES: When asked what advice he would give those who are stepping into a new role, Beau reminds listeners to take care of themselves. He follows up that statement by saying that you aren’t as important as you think you are, and that you are a lot more important than you think you are. This means that you need to take your work seriously, but that you also need to remember to take care of yourself and your loved ones first.  You can stay connected with Beau Brannon via X [https://x.com/Beau_Brannon] or Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/beau-brannon-a6a98b153/].  The post PMP477: Lessons from Transition with Beau Brannon [https://williamdparker.com/2025/pmp477-lessons-from-transition-with-beau-brannon/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].