ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP270: Gaining Buy-In & Building Leadership Teams with Jen Schwanke
Apr 11, 2025
Show notes
Welcome back to Encore Friday! This week’s episode is one from 2021, a conversation with Jen Schwanke about gaining buy-in and building leadership teams. Tune in to hear us answer the following questions from principals:
How do you gain ‘buy-in’ among staff vs just ‘setting expectations’ when it comes to structuring or implementing new programs to support student learning?
How do you start a leadership team? Ask for volunteers? Invite specific people??
Listen in to hear the entire episode, or follow this link to read the original blog post. Thank you for doing what matters!
PMP443: Why Every Student Deserves a Pathway with Dr. T.J. Vari
Apr 09, 2025
Show notes
A Quick Note to Listeners:
—- 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. —-
Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer a listener question with a five minute response.
The question is: How can we build stronger partnerships with community organizations?
Listen in to hear their response and thank you for doing what matters!
T.J. Vari is the Senior Director of Product Strategy at MaiaLearning and a former Deputy Superintendent, Principal, Assistant Principal, and High School English Teacher. He spent 20 years in public education before transitioning to the position he currently holds. His master’s degree is in School Leadership and his doctorate is in Innovation and Leadership. He holds several honors and distinctions, including his past appointment as President of the Delaware Association for School Administrators and the Paul Carlson Administrator of the Year Award. He teaches educational leadership courses at the master’s and doctoral levels.
T.J’s passion is college and career readiness. He has co-authored 6 books, including his latest two 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders and Invest In Your Best. He is a national presenter on school leadership and college and career readiness, and he’s the co-founder of TheSchoolHouse302, a leadership development institute.
A Post-Secondary Plan for Every Student:
Dr. Vari strongly believes that it is important to ensure that every student has a post-secondary plan. It is important for educators to recognize that this is an equity problem: privileged kids are talking about their post-secondary plans very young whereas other kids are not. One method that helps students create a post-secondary plan is advisory periods, ensuring that there is space in the student day to do some work making post-secondary plans. T.J. calls educators to think about how they are intentionally introducing these conversations with their students.
Helping Students Reach Their Best Outcomes:
As a coach and leader of leaders, Dr. Vari says that the answer to helping students reach their best outcomes is through school leadership. He often works with school leaders to build their capacity to change things. This work is important because the education system was never built to do what is best for all students. The education system, as it works currently, was built to dole out privilege. It takes a leader who is willing to challenge the status quo and is willing to make change happen for the system to benefit all students. T.J. coaches leaders to read about change in order to understand management and change models. He emphasizes that change is not going to happen naturally, leaders need to learn how to make change happen if they want everyone of their students to benefit from school.
Tensions in Leadership – Decision Making:
T.J. discusses why examining and reflecting on one’s motivations can be a helpful practice when it comes to decision making. His personal philosophy is that “Somebody’s going to have to go first, so it might as well be me”. There are a lot of people waiting around for someone to tell them to change instead of actually changing. The job of a leader is to make incremental changes each day that will eventually lead to massive change. Part of making that change in education is asking what kids really need to be successful in life. One big area that educators need to focus on is helping students learn how to read. A lot of people who are in trouble in this country either do not read well or cannot read at all. Another need that students have is a need to feel valued and that they have a purpose. This need can be met through using career exploration as a part of SEL. Understanding what students need in order to be successful can make decision making for leaders easier in the long run.
Advice for New and Aspiring Leaders:
Dr. Vari offers up three pieces of advice for new and aspiring school leaders. The first is time blocking. Every leader has a vision for what their day is supposed to look like. Time blocking allows leaders to use their time for a specific task. In order to successfully time block, everything needs to go on the calendar, and leaders should try to block their whole day or even their whole week out in advance. The second piece of advice T.J. offers is the strategy of reverse time blocking. To do this, leaders need to take out what was going to be in a calendar block and put what actually happened there. This requires a time of reflection each week to figure out what is derailing the leader’s schedule. T.J. emphasizes that reflection is what will help leaders improve how they are using their time. Finally, T.J tells leaders to ask themselves if they should really be the person to do all the things in their calendar. This helps determine what tasks can be delegated to other people on your team and will allow leaders to fill up their calendars with the things they really want to be doing.
MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Introducing a New PD Offering from Jen Schwanke
Apr 07, 2025
Show notes
Hi, friends. This week for Monday Matters, Jen and I are taking some time to talk about an exciting new offering from Principal Matters, led by Jen Schwanke! Based on her book, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, Jen will be leading a 3-hour masterclass on June 3rd, 2025, at 11 am EDT. This dynamic virtual training equips school leaders with practical strategies to transform conflict from a dreaded challenge into an opportunity for growth. Through interactive workshops and reflective sessions, participants will learn to shift their mindset towards embracing conflict, understand its various forms, and master a three-step “Anticipate, Analyze, Act” cycle for effective resolution. The program addresses common school conflicts, emphasizes empowering others to manage disputes, and even explores personal accountability in conflict situations, providing attendees with immediate, actionable tools to build a positive and resilient school environment. Register at https://williamdparker.com/guide/. Listen in to hear more about the masterclass. We look forward to learning and growing with you!
ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP299: 10 Lessons from a 2nd Year in School Admin with DJ Klein
Apr 04, 2025
Show notes
Happy Friday, friends! This week, we are re-releasing an episode from 2022, an interview with a rockstar leader DJ Klein. DJ Klein has been featured on the podcast several times throughout the years and he is still doing the same phenomenal work in 2025 that he was doing in 2022. Listen in to hear the full episode or follow this link to read the original blog post. Thank you for doing what matters!
PMP442: Keys to Successful Schools with John Mihalyo
Apr 02, 2025
Show notes
A Quick Note to Listeners:
—- 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. —-
Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer a listener question with a five minute response.
The question is: What are some strategies that foster parent involvement in the school?
Listen in to hear their response and thank you for doing what matters!
John Mihalyo, founder of Elementary Advancement Solutions, is a seasoned education professional with over 20 years of administrative experience and 15 years as a Catholic school principal. He has a proven track record in supporting Catholic and faith-based school leaders in leadership, advancement, and enrollment. John has successfully collaborated with leaders across multiple states, establishing himself as a respected authority in education.
His accomplishments include founding two Advancement Offices and securing over $1.8 million in funding. Additionally, he led a $6 million renovation project and increased school enrollment by 24% as a principal. Through Elementary Advancement Solutions, John partners with schools to develop customized strategies, leveraging his expertise to help them achieve their goals. While in college, John played tennis and later coached a state championship team. He resides with his family in Apex, North Carolina.
Previous Work:
John has worked as an administrator in both public and Catholic schools. One experience that he is immensely proud of is his work in a struggling Catholic school. When he took over, enrollment was down and the building was falling apart. Through his experience at this school, he learned that families are often hungry for a vision, and, if you can show them where the school is going, they’ll work with you to achieve that vision. John states that the experience led him to develop a passion for the business side of education and inspired the work he does currently.
School Identity and Culture:
Identity and culture are the hub for all other outcomes of successful schools. John describes culture as the way we do things, while emphasizing that culture does not mean the way we always do things. He encourages school leaders to meet with their team and define the core set of values that will guide all future decisions. When defining those core values, it is important for schools and leaders to be realistic. They should not define their core values as what they want them to be, but rather what they are today. Doing so will help leaders keep themselves on track towards meeting their goals.
The Hub of Identity and Culture:
A key point John impresses on listeners is that they do not always have to look at other schools to be a great school. Once, when John was at a conference, he attended a hospital management lecture. He was impressed by the organization of the hospital and decided to take some of their practices and apply them to his work. Another point that John emphasizes is that everybody in a school should have some kind of leadership role, students and teachers alike. When it comes to the hub of identity and culture within a certain school, John states that there are five things (or ‘spokes’) that indicate that a school is thriving and has students that are growing. Those five spokes are:
Community Engagement
Individual Student Growth
Workforce
Operational Vitality
Leadership
Advice for Leaders Trying to Implement Change:
One piece of advice that John offers for school leaders trying to implement change is focusing on building your school brand. He defines the school brand by what people say about your school when your back is turned. Another recommendation that John makes for leaders of struggling schools is to be honest and be willing to listen. In fact, he recommends that leaders do twice as much listening as they do talking. When tackling problems, John tells leaders that they need to really peel back the layers of problems and get to the root of the problem. Lastly, John reminds leaders that the transition period of change is what people do not like about change. If people can get through the transition period of change, then good change will happen.
Parting Advice & Staying Connected:
As a parting piece of advice, John discusses using the word ‘ambassador’ rather than ‘volunteer’ when seeking community engagement during school events. Engagement is something that people will be proud of and will foster a sense of excitement among people about getting involved.
MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Tips on Maintaining Sanity
Mar 31, 2025
Show notes
Welcome back to Monday Matters! This week Jen Schwanke and Will Parker are sharing some lessons learned from doing PD with school leaders. They talk about some of the strengths that leaders who are women bring to the table, as well as strengths that leaders who are men bring to the table. During their conversation, Will and Jen discuss an article from the Harvard Kennedy School called “The Advantage of Women”. A few highlights from their discussion of the article are:
Studies show women are more likely to use collaboration
Bring more creative and sustainable solutions
More willing to seek solutions that benefit everyone
More able to grasp complexities of issues
More effective conflict attributes than men
Less ego-driven
More empathetic
More willing to recognize other’s pain
More willing to apologize
More tuned in to trust
More willing to be called upon to mediate disputes
ENCORE FRIDAY – PMP292: The Profile of a School Leader with Garth Larson
Mar 28, 2025
Show notes
Happy Friday! This week’s encore episode is one from 2022 with Garth Larson. He chats with Will Parker about guiding leaders and helping them build their leadership. Listen in to hear the full conversation or check out the original blog post to learn more!
PMP441: Ease the Pain – Guidance for Safety and Regulation with Dr. Bethany Bilodeau
Mar 26, 2025
Show notes
A Quick Note to Listeners:
—- 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. —-
Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer a listener question with a five minute response.
The question is: How do you support and develop your teachers who struggle with classroom management?
Listen in to hear their response and thank you for doing what matters!
Meet Bethany Bilodeau:
Dr. Bethany Bilodeau, an expert in human behavior with a Doctorate of Arts in Leadership, has a remarkable career that began teaching high school biology in Guam. She has designed innovative programs to help students achieve academic success and holds numerous certifications in behavioral therapies. She has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2024 Business of the Year in education and Business Excellence award for Social Equity. Her upcoming guidebook, Ease the Pain in the Classroom: A Guide for Safety and Regulation, is set to launch in 2025.
Bethany says that something listeners might be surprised to learn about is that she did not have a great educational experience for her first eight years of school. Eventually, a personal family tragedy made Bethany realize she wanted to turn her life around and opened her eyes to helping kids who are struggling. Her personal philosophy is that all kids deserve the chance to be successful.
Who She serves:
Most of the students Bethany works with are ones who have the most challenging behaviors. Her company, the Behavior Bootcamp, provides support to school districts for students who have significant behavior problems. Dr. B states that her organization works with students who are classified as tier 3 and beyond. They primarily work with this population and reintegrate them back into the classroom within 3 months, with a 92% success rate.
Areas Taught:
Dr. B’s organization teaches educators how to make students feel physically and emotionally safe. They emphasize areas such as establishing trust, mirroring/labeling, and illusions of control. Bethany discusses how the ability to present empathy and confidence through her body features plays a significant role in helping build trust with kids very quickly. She often teaches educators about the “stance of safety”, which was developed by working with some of the best body experts to learn to read body language and determine how to interact with a student. Some of the body language emphasized for the “stance of safety” includes: thumbs pointed up to convey confidence, head tilted left to convey empathy, and the posture of your knees and feet to convey that you are listening. Dr. Bilodeau also talks about how she always finds something that she genuinely loves about the student she is working with and focuses on that gift. Once the student feels that love, their behavior will start to change.
Mindfulness:
Practicing mindfulness plays a significant role in both Dr. B’s personal life and the way she works with learners. She and her children meditate every single day. In the classroom, Bethany says that it is important for students to first feel safe and regulated before they begin to work on meditation. At first, students may find meditation a little silly, but with practice it becomes something that students look forward to each day. Dr. B recommends that if any listeners would like to try to practice meditation, they should start with a minute at a time and work up from there.
Words of Advice:
When asked “what advice would you give if you were talking to someone who is stepping into a season of challenge or change?”, Dr. Bilodeau gives two pieces of advice. The first is that you have to feel safe and regulated in order to take risks. The second is that in order to change and grow, you have to embrace challenges and risks.
For her final piece of advice to listeners, Bethany says that if you want to break the cycle of problematic behavior in a child you have to receive them back to school with empathy and care.
MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Dear Colleague Letter
Mar 24, 2025
Show notes
This week on Monday Matters, Jen and I talk about some of the responses to the “Dear Colleague” letter sent out by the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Sent to educators across the country, this letter has generated a multitude of responses from teachers, principals, and superintendents alike. If you would like to read the full letter, you can find it here.
Some of the topics covered and advice offered in this episode are:
Think and read, don’t act just yet
Take the letter seriously but remember that it is not legally binding, and is not policy
Find ways to respond to the letter that is not alarming while still responding to people’s concerns
Maintain commitments to the values that are best for students
Remember that we are more alike than we are different; celebrate the things about us that are unique and beautiful
Have conversations about this letter with the people you work with every day
Listen in to hear the full conversation! If you would like to continue this conversation with Jen or me reach out to us at jen@jenschwanke.com or will@williamdparker.com
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