The Assistant Principal Workshop

The honeymoon period is over. Staff are tired, students are testing boundaries, parents have concerns, and sooner or later, someone is going to be frustrated with you. In this episode of The Assistant Principal Workshop, we talk about handling conflict without inheriting everyone else’s emotions. From student discipline and frustrated teachers to parent concerns and staff disagreements, we explore...

Making decisions is the name of the game in school leadership—but good leadership doesn’t mean having an immediate answer for everything. In this episode of Assistant Principal Enlightenment , Mark breaks down how assistant principals can slow down when needed, prioritize decisions, gather the right information, and “think tank” with others before making the call. He also discusses what happens wh...

How do assistant principals consistently complete classroom walkthroughs when discipline, meetings, parent concerns, and daily emergencies keep interrupting the plan? In this follow-up to Classroom Walkthroughs Explained , Mark shares the practical system he uses to make walkthroughs part of his week. He discusses using a clipboard and paper observation sheet, recording hard evidence, varying clas...

Assistant principals are often expected to complete classroom walkthroughs, but simply stepping into a classroom and checking a box isn’t instructional leadership. In this episode, I break down what administrators should actually be looking for during classroom visits, including five quick areas to notice: purpose, student thinking, academic discourse, checks for understanding, and classroom clima...

Year one comes with a built-in challenge: survive, learn the building, and figure out the job. But year two is different. You’re not new anymore—so how do you avoid getting comfortable and actually keep moving the needle? In this 11-minute episode of The Assistant Principal Workshop , Mark reflects on the difference between being busy and being transformational, the hidden mental load of the AP ro...

Assistant principals are expected to lead with confidence and purpose, but they also have to remain aligned with the vision of their principal and district. So how do you inspire others when you are not always the person setting the direction? In this episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast , I break down what James Kouzes and Barry Posner’s leadership practice Inspire a Shared Vision actually...

Every school has caring educators. The real question is: when someone notices a student is struggling, what happens next? In Episode 6 of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp , we shift our focus from schoolwide systems to the individual students who need us most. A strong student support system isn't built during a crisis—it's built before one ever happens. In this episode, I discuss:...

In Episode 5 of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp , we focus on the systems assistant principals can build before students arrive to prevent confusion, crowding, downtime, and discipline issues later. This episode is all about “Tier 0 leadership” — the proactive work that happens before referrals, interventions, and consequences are needed. In this episode, I discuss: Why a master schedule i...

In Episode 4 of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp , we move from organizing your leadership systems to leading the work that happens inside committees and recurring meetings. This episode focuses on how assistant principals can make committee work more purposeful, practical, and action-oriented instead of simply gathering people in a room to review information. In this episode, I discuss: Le...

In Episode 3 of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp , we move from organizing your physical space to organizing your leadership systems. This episode is all about creating practical systems that help assistant principals reduce mental clutter, follow up more consistently, and lead with more clarity before the school year takes over. In this episode, I discuss: Using Outlook as a main school ca...

The best assistant principals don't just know where classrooms are—they understand the people, systems, and culture that keep a school running. In Episode 2 of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp, we explore why summer is the perfect time to become a student of your building before students arrive. You'll learn how to: Walk your building with purpose. Discover the hidden operational systems ev...

Welcome to the first episode of the Assistant Principal Summer Bootcamp ! Before students return and the school year begins, take time to create a workspace that helps you lead effectively. In this episode, we'll discuss: How to organize your office for efficiency—not aesthetics. What outdated materials to remove before the new school year. Setting up systems that save time during busy days. Looki...

Strategic planning in schools is often treated like paperwork — something written for compliance, shared at a meeting, and forgotten once the year gets busy. But in this episode of The Assistant Principal Workshop , Mark Pages breaks down why real strategic planning is less about documents and more about disciplined leadership. Drawing from Session #1 of the Maryland School Leadership Academy (MSL...

In Episode 3 of The Assistant Principal Workshop, Mark Pages breaks down the Four Pillars of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future: strategic planning, high-quality instructional materials, recruiting and retaining a strong workforce, and building a positive school culture. Drawing from his experience in the Maryland State Leadership Academy (MSLA), Mark explains what these pillars actually mean in...

Stepping into the assistant principal role comes with an unexpected challenge — your identity. One day you’re building relationships as a teacher, and the next, you’re the one making tough calls, holding boundaries, and navigating shifting perceptions from staff and students. In this episode of The Assistant Principal Workshop , we unpack the identity shift that every AP experiences but few talk a...

What does it really mean to be an assistant principal? In this first episode of Assistant Principal Workshop , Mark Pages shares his journey from music teacher to assistant principal at 29 and explains why mentorship matters in school leadership. Leading from the middle can feel isolating — you’re no longer in the classroom, but you’re not the principal either. This episode introduces the purpose...