#59 - Jeff Linden - Nebraska -From Chaos to Clarity: Building a Strong School Culture Through Collaboration

#66 - Dr. Carmen Maring (Gull Lake Middle School, Michigan) - Growth is Not an Option - It's the Expectation

Growth Is Not an Option—It's the Expectation with Dr. Carmen Maring What happens when a school commits to creating systems where every student, every teacher, and every leader is expected to keep growing? In this episode of the Proud Principals Podcast, Tony Cattani welcomes Dr. Carmen Maring, Principal of Gull Lake Middle School in Richland, Michigan. Serving approximately 750 students in grades 6–8, Dr. Maring has built a culture centered on one unwavering belief: "Growth is not an option." Throughout this inspiring conversation, Carmen shares how intentional systems—not isolated initiatives—have transformed her school into a place where continuous improvement is simply part of the culture. From hiring exceptional educators to investing in meaningful professional learning, she explains how every decision is made with one goal in mind: growing learners while developing leaders. In This Episode, You'll Learn: * Why creating sustainable systems is more powerful than chasing new programs. * How hiring for Hungry, Humble, and People Smart characteristics strengthens school culture. * The impact of instructional coaching built on transparency, trust, and continuous feedback. * Practical strategies for strengthening literacy through reading, writing, and student engagement. * Why it's critical for every teacher to have clarity about what students should know and be able to do. * How faculty meetings can become meaningful professional learning opportunities instead of informational sessions. * How principles from Teach Like a Champion help elevate instructional practice across an entire school. 🎧 If you enjoyed this episode: * Subscribe to the Proud Principals Podcast for more conversations with outstanding educational leaders from across the country. * Follow on Instagram - @TonyCattaniProudPrincipal * Leave a review to help other principals discover the show. * Share this episode with a colleague committed to building a culture of continuous growth. Because the greatest resource in every school has always been... EACH OTHER! Contact Information and Bio Dr. Carmen Maring - NAESP Board of Directors Gull Lake Middle School Gull Lake Community Schools Richland, Michigan cmaring@gulllakecs.org [cmaring@gulllakecs.org] Carmen Maring has led Gull Lake Middle School for ten years, building on her previous experience as a dean, a school counselor, and an assistant principal. During her tenure, many of her most successful initiatives for instructional and school improvement have been so effective that they have quickly been adopted at the district or county level. For example, after successful implementation at the building level, Maring’s instructional coaching program and approach to instructional rounds have both been replicated, going on to elevate teaching practices beyond Gull Lake. Maring has also taken an innovative approach to school achievement that is now the norm in her district. Rather than attempt to reach three or four school improvement goals at once, Gull Lake Community Schools now identify one top-line goal that all school stakeholders work toward. Recently, Maring guided her staff in identifying literacy as a top priority, setting the goal for all students to “read, write, and speak with purpose,” which took center stage in dialogue and data analysis across all professional development activities, ultimately leading to increased achievement over three years. The school has also become an exemplar of STEM education under her leadership, with all students gaining hands-on learning experiences before graduation. Maring holds a B.A. from Hope College, an M.A. from Western Michigan University, and an Ed.D. from Michigan State University.

#65 - Scott Jung -Superintendent of New England, North Dakota - Restoring Pride Through Purpose

Scott Jung is the Superintendent of New England Public School District in North Dakota.  What does it take to restore the pride of a school district with a rich tradition while building a culture where teachers want to stay and students thrive? In this episode of the Proud Principals Podcast, Tony Cattani sits down with Scott Jung, Superintendent of New England Public Schools in North Dakota. Now in his third year as superintendent after serving 11 years as a principal, Scott shares how he has intentionally worked to bring back the pride and prestige that made his hometown schools special when he was a student there. Rather than chasing quick fixes, Scott focused on something more sustainable: people and culture. By engaging staff in a meaningful school improvement process, the district developed a shared mission, vision, beliefs, and pillars of character that now serve as the foundation for every decision. His leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful, invest in teachers through meaningful professional development, remove unnecessary distractions, and trust great educators to do what they do best: teach. In This Episode, You'll Learn: * Why culture is the foundation of lasting school improvement. * How creating a shared mission, vision, and beliefs builds ownership among staff. * The importance of developing clear pillars of character for students and adults. * Practical strategies for retaining outstanding teachers. * How intentional professional development empowers teachers instead of overwhelming them. * Why great leaders create the conditions for teachers to thrive rather than micromanaging instruction. Scott's story is a reminder that transformational leadership isn't about doing more—it's about doing what matters most, consistently. Email : scott.jung@k12.nd.us [scott.jung@k12.nd.us]

#64 - POY Series - Chelsea Gallagher - Washington POY - Culture by Design

Chelsea Gallagher is the 2025 Washington Principal of the Year Chelsea has served as the principal of Mt. Spokane High School for five years. She began her career with eight years of teaching high school English, followed by one year as Dean of Students and six years as an Assistant Principal. Gallagher knew in third grade that education was her calling, despite a brief childhood dream of becoming a professional ghost buster. Her commitment to servant leadership has: increased graduation rates, enhanced academic success for marginalized groups (particularly multilingual students), improved student belonging, and maintenance of a collaborative culture. She focuses on utilizing professional learning communities to ensure high levels of learning for every student. Gallagher shares her award as the 2025 Washington Principal of the year with her dedicated staff, students, and entire school community for their commitment to serving one another as they work together to create a school where everyone wants to be even when they don’t have to be there.   Email - chelsea.gallagher@mead354.org [chelsea.gallagher@mead354.org] Instagram - mt.spokane.wildcats

#63 - David Zatta (New Jersey) - Preschool Pathways

David Zatta is the principal South Plainfield Preschool in New Jersey.  He makes sure his Tiny Tigers identity as part of everything they do. Through their words, visuals, celebrations, and family involvement, they help thier youngest students and their families feel like they belong. He is proud of their hands-on, theme-based curriculum and the strong connections we have built with parents through real-world connection events. They invite families to join their school-wide events, share their skills, and help shape their themes. This shows children that their families are important partners in learning. He focuses on equity by making sure all students have real-world, first-hand experiences and by removing barriers to help everyone access the curriculum. These efforts have built trust, increased engagement, and created a lively school community where learning goes beyond the classroom. Davis was also honored to be recognized for instructional leadership in a Tools of the Mind article and as a presenter at the Tools of the Mind–TEACH national conference. David Zatta shares their process of creating meaningful preschool pathway opportunities for his Tiny Tigers school community. He discusses the following on this episode:  Tiny Tiger Pizza Palace Veterinary Medical  Utility services While these themed experiences create opportunities for his students to explore these roles in their community, it also exposes them to scenarios which create competence in interacting in these environments.   Contact for more information: Email - dzatta@spboe.org Instagram - @dazatta

#62 - Kim Aman (South Dakota Elem. POY) - Standards Based Grading K-5

Kim Aman is South Dakota's 2026 Elementary School Principal of the Year. Kim is the proud principal of Simmons Elementary School. Simmons Elementary School has improved support systems for students, especially those with behavioral and social-emotional needs, while creating a positive, inclusive environment based on a “Kids First” philosophy. Kim has been in education for about 34 years. She started out as a preschool teacher then finished her degree and have taught mostly lower elementary with 25 years in kindergarten. Kim is going on her fourteenth year as an elementary school principal. Grading From the Inside Out - Author - Tom Schimmer   Instagram - @kimluvmy4 @KimAman_abe threads - kimluvmy4 Email: Kim.F.Aman@k12.sd.us [Kim.F.Aman@k12.sd.us]