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

PMP499: Cultivating Educator Wellness with Dr. Alli Phelps

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 an assistant principal with 9 years of experience. I’ve made it to superintendent interviews to become principal of my school. K-8 with about 900 students. My competition is a 20 year veteran principal. How can I compete with that? What advice do you have? Listen in to hear their response! MEET DR. ALLI PHELPS: [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/PMP-Template-24-1024x1024.png] Dr. Alli Phelps has spent more than twenty years dedicated to Educator Wellness, improving the lives of both teachers and students. Her experience spans classroom teaching, EL instruction, advocacy, mentoring, coaching, and school administration. She began teaching English in Australia in 1999, then returned to the U.S. to teach English and ESL at Homewood High School after completing her first Master’s in Secondary English Education. She later earned a second Master’s in ESL, which included cultural immersion work in Venezuela. In 2009, she moved to Shades Cahaba Elementary to teach K–5 EL students. In 2021, Alli was named Alabama’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. She went on to earn her P–12 administration certification and complete a doctorate at Samford University focused on Educator Wellness. Today, Alli serves as Assistant Principal at Riverchase Elementary in Hoover City Schools. Outside of work, she loves running, yoga, reading, time with family and friends, and caring for her Great Dane rescue, Murphy. UNDERSTANDING EDUCATOR WELLNESS: Dr. Ali Phelps, with over 20 years in education and recognized as Alabama’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, emphasizes the critical need for wellness among educators. She highlights that despite the passion educators have for their work, burnout is a common struggle. “Those aren’t mutually exclusive,” she notes, reflecting on her own experiences during the pandemic and the subsequent challenges faced by many in the education field. RESEARCH FOCUS: FROM TEACHER TO ADMINISTRATOR WELLNESS: Initially focusing her research on teacher wellness, Dr. Phelps discovered a significant gap regarding administrator wellness. She transitioned her research to explore how educational leaders manage their well-being amidst the demands of their roles. “There’s a huge problem with administrators and educational leaders and how to get from managing this career to maintaining longevity over time,” she explains. Dr. Phelps conducted qualitative research involving interviews with high-performing administrators across the country to gather insights into effective practices. THREE PILLARS OF EDUCATOR WELLNESS: * 1. Physical Wellness: Dr. Phelps found that physical wellness is paramount for educators. Her research indicated that exercise, nutrition, hydration, and sleep play crucial roles in enhancing resilience. Many administrators reported that regular movement not only improved their physical health but also positively impacted their decision-making and overall performance. * 2. Strong Boundaries: Another critical theme from her research was the importance of setting clear boundaries. As she puts it, “You have this job to support your family, you don’t have this family to support your job.” This notion underscores the necessity for educators to prioritize personal time and model respect for boundaries within their teams. This discipline in maintaining boundaries helps prevent burnout and fosters a healthier work-life balance. * 3. Aligning Values with Work: The third pillar involves connecting daily work to personal values. Dr. Phelps highlights that many educators enter the profession driven by a passion for service, and maintaining that connection is essential. Practices such as gratitude exercises, community engagement, and staying involved in classrooms help educators nurture their commitment to their core values, combating emotional fatigue and the challenges that come with the profession. Dr. Ali Phelps’ research sheds light on the vital aspects of educator wellness that can help sustain those dedicated to teaching. Her findings reveal that prioritizing physical wellness, setting strong boundaries, and aligning values with work are essential for maintaining a healthy and fulfilling career in education. As the landscape of education continues to evolve, these insights serve as a reminder of the importance of taking care of oneself in order to effectively serve students and communities. Staying Connected: If you wish to connect with Dr. Phelps, you can reach her via email at: aphelps@hoover.k12.al.us The post PMP499: Cultivating Educator Wellness with Dr. Alli Phelps [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp499-cultivating-educator-wellness-with-dr-alli-phelps/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Welcome to May-cember

Welcome to “May-Cember”: 5 Steps for Closing Out the School Year (And Preparing for Your Next Launch) by William D. Parker It’s the end of the school year, and the last month of school is often the busiest. My wife likes to call this month “May-cember” because, next to Christmas, there’s not a busier time for school leaders. When people outside of education ask what you do at the end of the year and how you prepare for summer, you may want to smile, knowing that wrapping up a school year and managing summer to-do’s can be a heavy lift. There’s a common assumption that once the school year ends, school leaders simply step away for a couple of months. And while you may have opportunities for rest and time with family, you know the reality is more complex. I like to use the cruise ship analogy. You’ve just finished a full voyage with your students and staff. The building begins to quiet, but your work shifts. The passengers have disembarked, and now you’re preparing the ship for the next journey. Even in the summer, schools don’t fully stop. There are still students in the building, programs running, and responsibilities that continue. At the same time, these weeks give you a critical window to finish well and begin building momentum for the year ahead. From my own years as a principal, and from watching other leaders navigate this season well, here are a few suggestions to consider. These aren’t meant to be prescriptive. Every school and team is different. But I hope they offer something helpful as you reflect on your own context. 1. Create a working list you can return to each year. You face many of the same responsibilities this time each year: reports, scheduling, hiring, budgeting, and communication. Instead of starting from scratch each year, consider building a running list you can revisit and refine. Over time, that list becomes a reliable guide. It helps you stay organized, reduces decision fatigue, and ensures important details don’t get overlooked during a busy season. 2. Be intentional about sharing responsibility. You are not meant to carry this work alone. As you close out the year, take time to clearly define who owns which responsibilities. When your team knows their roles, multiple priorities can move forward at once. Clear communication, shared documents, and regular check-ins help everyone stay aligned. This approach not only improves efficiency but also builds trust and develops leadership capacity in others. 3. Adjust your pace to protect energy. The end of the school year is demanding. If you move straight into summer at the same pace, burnout can follow quickly. Keep a sensible schedule where you can. Consider how you might adjust schedules to create more focused work time and space for recovery. Shorter days, flexible hours, or intentional planning windows can make a difference. When you and your team have time to recharge, the work you do tends to be more thoughtful and effective. 4. Collaborate on the work that matters most. Some tasks can be completed independently. Others require deeper thinking and shared perspective. When you’re working through complex challenges like staffing, master scheduling, or program decisions, invite others into the conversation. You will often find better solutions when you draw on the collective insight of your team. 5. Make rest part of the plan. It can be tempting to treat rest as something you’ll get to if time allows. In reality, it needs to be intentional. As you plan the end of the semester and the summer ahead, think about how you can ensure coverage while also encouraging your team to truly step away. Give yourself permission to do the same. Time to rest and reset is not a luxury. It is part of what allows you to lead well when the new school year begins. Let’s Wrap This Up As you move through these final weeks and into the summer, remember that how you finish this year will shape how you begin the next. You may not complete everything on your list, and that’s okay. Leadership always involves more priorities than time allows. But with a clear sense of focus, shared responsibility, thoughtful pacing, collaboration, and intentional rest, you can position your team for a strong start. You’ve already led through a full year of challenges and successes. This next phase of your journey is an opportunity to reflect, reset, and prepare for what comes next. The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Welcome to May-cember [https://williamdparker.com/2026/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-welcome-to-may-cember/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP498: Rethinking High School with Dr. Dominique Smith

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: Help! Our school construction project was supposed to be finished for the start of next semester, and we found out it won’t be completed till some time in late October. How do you lead a school through multiple classrooms being displaced in the middle of a semester? Listen in to hear their response! MEET DR. DOMINQUE SMITH: [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PMP-Template-23-1024x1024.png] Join Dr. Jen Schwanke as she welcomes a very special guest, Dr. Dominque Smith, the driving force behind Health Sciences High and Middle College (HSHMC) in San Diego. HSHMC is a uniquely diverse school with a profound mission to be a “home away from home” for its students while preparing them for high-demand careers in health and healthcare. Dr. Smith shares his expertise on how to build a truly equitable, restorative, and mission-driven school culture. We dive into the core principles that guide HSHMC, the power of a social work lens in educational leadership, and the practical steps his team takes every day to ensure every student feels a powerful sense of belonging and leaves with “A Diploma That Matters.” In today’s episode, you will learn about several different mindsets at HSHMC, including: * The Power of Belonging: Learn the specific, practical strategies HSHMC uses daily to foster a family-like environment, ensuring every student feels a sense of belonging in their diverse community. * Restorative Practices in Action: Dr. Smith shares a compelling rationale behind using a restorative approach—rather than a punitive one—and how it can fundamentally change a student’s path and trajectory. He does not see restorative practices as a lack of consequences; on the contrary, he sees it as an opportunity for students to accept consequences and own the aftermath of their decisions. * A Social Work Lens on Leadership: Discover how Dr. Smith’s Master’s in Social Work shapes his daily decisions as a principal, offering a unique perspective that prioritizes the holistic well-being and needs of students over a traditional educational leadership approach. * Theme Integration & Career Pathways: We explore how the “Health & Healthcare” theme is integrated across the curriculum at HSHMC—not just in science—and how HSHMC creates personalized pathways to ensure students leave with “A Diploma That Matters,” ready for college or a high-skill career. * Dismantling Barriers to Equity: Dr. Smith discusses what he sees as the single biggest barrier to creating truly equitable schools in America today and shares the active steps HSHMC is taking to cultivate a culture where every student is supported and successful. The work being done at HSHMC, guided by Dr. Smith’s expertise in restorative practices and equity, offers a necessary and powerful model for school leaders everywhere. Don’t miss this conversation on building a truly mission-driven culture where every student is seen, supported, and prepared for a meaningful future. To learn more, check out Dr. Smith’s books at Corwin.com [http://corwin.com] or Amazon.com [http://amazon.com], or visit Dr. Smith’s school’s website at hshmc.org. The post PMP498: Rethinking High School with Dr. Dominique Smith [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp498-rethinking-high-school-with-dr-dominique-smith/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Wayward Solutions

Recently, Jen Schwanke shared a newsletter [https://jen-newsletter-c4287d.beehiiv.com/p/wayward-solutions?utm_source=jen-newsletter-c4287d.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=wayward-solutions&_bhlid=c0d0196225454775777977b26fe8e6f9c369f8ad] about wayward solutions. She and I spent this week’s episode of Monday Matters discussing solutions. Specifically, we talk about how solving a problem can sometimes lead to even more problems down the road. In school leadership, we are constantly trying to find solutions to problems, but we have to remember to look at the big picture and consider the impact of our solutions before implementing them. Jen also shares an amusing story from her childhood to illustrate the points we are making in this episode. Listen in to hear the full conversation! The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Wayward Solutions [https://williamdparker.com/2026/monday-matters-with-jen-schwanke-and-will-parker-wayward-solutions/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].

PMP497: Magic Acronyms with Andrew Marotta

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 a new principal and preparing for my first meeting to let a teacher know we won’t be renewing their contract for next year. Any tips on how to do this well? How do you control any damage to the culture of the school if it upsets other teachers? Listen in to hear their response! MEET ANDREW MAROTTA: [https://williamdparker.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PMP-Template-21-1024x1024.png] Andrew Marotta is the Director of Communications and Academic Services for Port Jervis Schools in New York. After spending more than 20 years as a principal and assistant principal, he stepped into this role to champion his district in creative ways while expanding his work as an author, speaker, and podcaster. Andrew is a husband, father, adjunct professor of school leadership, and the founder of the Surviving and Thriving movement. A master storyteller, he loves to energize others with authentic stories, memorable visuals, and engaging, thought-provoking activities — all rooted in his commitment to positively impact every person he meets. He also officiated Division I men’s college basketball for nearly 20 years, balancing high-pressure moments on and off the court — lessons he brings to life for other leaders. He is the author of seven leadership books, including his latest, The Magic Acronyms, Formulas & Impactful Stories of Leadership [https://andrewmarotta.com/book/], a tribute to Dr. Rob Gilbert and the Success Hotline that explores leadership through hope, action, and timeless success principles. LESSONS FROM THE WORK: Andrew spent years as both a principal and a college basketball official. Over the course of his career he learned many lessons from both fields that help him in his work with teachers and students, and he shares three with Principal Matters listeners. One lesson is that you have to show up and do the job, no matter how you feel. The second lesson is that sometimes all you have to do is be a great listener. The third lesson that Andrew shares is the importance of being authentic, and using your mistakes to better yourself. He tells listeners, “If you make a mistake, admit it. Then you make sure you go back and do better.” THE SUCCESS HOTLINE: Andrew’s most recent book, The Magic Acronyms, Formulas & Impactful Stories of Leadership [https://andrewmarotta.com/book/], a tribute to Dr. Rob Gilbert, tells the story Dr. Gilbert’s Success Hotline and how instrumental it has been to Andrew’s career. In it, he weaves his own experiences into the story and shares some of the acronyms he uses that contribute to his success as a leader. One thing Andrew learned from Dr. Gilbert is the importance of persistence and mental strength. He also talks about how a commitment that is greater than your feelings will get the results that you want.  SUPPORTING OTHERS: Throughout the episode, Andrew talks at length about supporting others, whether that is school leaders, teachers, students, or other members of your community. He reminds listeners not to lose sight of the fact that leadership is about others. When you pour into supporting teachers, you will get the results you are looking for because people respect you. The same goes for students, parents, and other members of your school community. Andrew talks about when his mother passed away. He says that he made a memorial post for her on social media, and most of the comments on that post were from former students and parents, who talked about the impact he had on them. He shares this story to showcase how the impact you make through developing trust and relationships stays with you throughout your career.  STAYING CONNECTED:  You can learn more about Andrew Marotta at www.andrewmarotta.com [https://andrewmarotta.com/] & through his #ELBlog & podcast:  Education Leadership & Beyond found on Facebook, LinkedIn, X @andrewmarotta21, and Instagram.   You can also contact him through email: andrewmarottallc@gmail.com The post PMP497: Magic Acronyms with Andrew Marotta [https://williamdparker.com/2026/pmp497-magic-acronyms-with-andrew-marotta/] appeared first on Principal Matters [https://williamdparker.com].