Educational Leadership with Principal JL

Connect with the Show Here! Doors closed, minds open or the other way around? Our conversation with NASSP’s 2025 National Principal of the Year, Tony Cattani, pulls back the curtain on how a large high school built a culture where teachers learn from teachers every single day. Tony walks us through the exact system that turned isolation into collective efficacy: a strengths inventory across four c...

Connect with the Show Here! A single question from a group of students rerouted a career—and sparked a movement. That’s how Dr. Salome Thomas-EL, widely known as Principal EL, went from TV production to a life in education, using chess to teach math, identity, and grit while building a school culture where kids line up to get in. We talk about the early days in Philadelphia, why engagement must pr...

Connect with the Show Here! The principal’s chair looks different from the inside. We pull back the curtain on the quiet costs of leadership—why accountability requires real boundaries, why the job can feel isolating even in a busy building, and how to replace that isolation with a resilient network that actually gets it. Through candid stories and concrete examples, we map out the habits that kee...

Connect with the Show Here! What if the strongest leadership move is to listen first, decide second, and never micromanage? That’s the tought line of our conversation with Principal Shannon Seale, who went from high school social studies to leading a pre-K–2 campus, without losing her sense of humor, her humility, or her focus on what matters most. We explore the origin of Shannon’s calling to tea...

Connect with the Show Here! What if the best instructional leadership doesn’t start with a rubric but with people? We sit down with Dr. Donovan Smalls II to unpack how a former PE teacher and college professor became an assistant principal known for calm under pressure, disciplined time management, and a people-first approach that lifts instruction across a building. We dig into the pivotal COVID...

Connect with the Show Here! Ever feel like the weight of the world lands squarely on your school's doorstep? You're not alone. Principal JL takes a rare solo moment to speak candidly about the reality educational leaders face when national events and societal tensions inevitably filter into school hallways. The truth about public education often gets lost in inflammatory headlines. Drawi...

Connect with the Show Here! Ever wonder what makes a truly exceptional school leader? Bill Curry, recently named Nebraska's 2025 Middle School Principal of the Year, offers a refreshing perspective that might surprise you. Curry's journey into education began unexpectedly when a high school crush asked for help with algebra. That simple tutoring session revealed his natural teaching abil...

Connect with the Show Here! What if the most powerful leadership quality isn't perfection, but authentic vulnerability? Jayme Braida, Iowa's Elementary Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal, demonstrates how embracing imperfection revolutionized her approach to educational leadership. Jayme's journey didn't follow a straight path. She "stumbled upon ed...

Connect with the Show Here! When a rural Nebraska principal discovered a behavioral problem with freshmen students, he turned to an unlikely source of inspiration: African bull elephants. Jerry Mack, the 2025 Nebraska State High School Principal of the Year, shares how this wildlife management concept transformed his school's culture by empowering seniors as leaders and mentors. Growing up po...

Connect with the Show Here! What does it take to truly connect with students who struggle? For Erin Jones, Assistant Principal at Sunrise Middle School, the answer lies in her own past. "I wasn't your picture-perfect student," she reveals, explaining how her personal challenges help her relate to behaviorally struggling students today. This fascinating conversation explores Jones&ap...

Connect with the Show Here! What happens when a Norwegian tour guide discovers her passion for educational leadership? In this revealing conversation, Dr. Dana Goodier shares her remarkable 25-year journey through the educational landscape, from teaching world languages to navigating the complex terrain of school administration. Dr. Goodier's story isn't one of overnight success but rath...

Connect with the Show Here! That moment when you've built a solid foundation, but find yourself staring at the ceiling wondering, "What's next?" This summer, after three years of transformative work as building principal at Hastings High, I hit that wall.  We'd successfully tackled culture, transforming our school from "welcome to the jungle" into a place where s...

Connect with the Show Here! What does it take to transform a struggling school? Josh Tovar knows firsthand. Born in Juarez, Mexico, and growing up with learning disabilities and family challenges, Josh's journey from troubled teen to transformational principal offers powerful lessons for any educational leader. Josh's personal story gives him authentic "street cred" with studen...

Connect with the Show Here! What happens when talented, dedicated educators feel stuck despite their best efforts? According to Casey Watts, the answer isn't about working harder—it's about seeing clearer. After two decades in education as a teacher, coach, and district leader, Casey discovered that the persistent gap between administrators and classroom teachers wasn't due to lack...

Connect with the Show Here! What makes a school leader decide to step away when they still love what they do? Former high school principal Todd Bloomer opens up about his nearly three-decade journey through education and the wisdom he gained along the way. Todd's story begins as a New Yorker who packed everything into a Geo Prism and moved 1,800 miles to teach in Texas without ever having vis...

Connect with the Show Here! Have you ever wondered what happens when a teacher steps into the administrator's office for the first time? Josh Rowan, Assistant Principal and Activities Director at Schuyler Middle School, pulls back the curtain on his journey from broadcaster to classroom teacher to educational leader in this revealing conversation. Josh's path wasn't the traditional...

Connect with the Show Here! What separates exceptional educational leaders from the merely competent? According to Dr. Frank Buck, it might be as simple and as challenging as reliable organization systems. His journey from band director to productivity expert reveals a crucial truth: educators aren't typically fired because students performed poorly at a concert, but because they forgot to or...

Connect with the Show Here! Imagine walking into a school where a principal tells a fart joke, and within seconds, students take deep breaths and self-regulate back to attention. Sound impossible? For Leroy Slanzi, this is everyday reality in schools that have embraced his emotional intelligence framework. With over 25 years of experience across elementary, middle, and high school leadership, Slan...

Connect with the Show Here! Dr. Darrin Peppard's educational leadership journey began when his college roommate asked for help coaching fifth-grade basketball. That simple moment sparked a passion that would guide him from classroom teacher to award-winning principal, superintendent, and eventually to becoming one of education's most respected leadership voices. The turning point in Darr...

Connect with the Show Here! Death is something no school leader wants to face, yet crisis management becomes an unavoidable reality when tragedy strikes. Drawing from the painful experience of navigating four student deaths in just three years, this deeply personal episode explores the profound challenges of leading a school community through grief and loss. The sobering statistics tell only part...

Connect with the Show Here! Ever wonder what transforms a passionate educator into an exceptional leader? Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket's journey from kindergarten teacher to Blue Ribbon School principal offers powerful insights for anyone navigating educational leadership. Growing up surrounded by educators—with a grandmother who served Baltimore City schools for over 30 years—Rachel developed an ea...

Connect with the Show Here! From reluctant administrator to award-winning principal, Dr. Cynthia Rapaido's remarkable 30-year journey through educational leadership offers powerful insights for anyone considering school administration. What began as an academic exercise to move up the salary scale unexpectedly blossomed into a 22-year administrative career spanning assistant principalship, pr...

Connect with the Show Here! Becoming a principal wasn't on my radar when I was happily teaching math and coaching sports. Someone else spotted my leadership potential before I did—a pivotal moment that set me on an unexpected path to school administration. My journey from classroom teacher to high school principal wasn't straightforward or easy. It required multiple graduate degrees, men...

Connect with the Show Here! From a small-town graduate with a class of 32 students to leading innovative educational programs across multiple school districts, Dr. Josh Wilken's journey reveals how diverse experiences shape exceptional educational leaders. Dr. Wilken takes us through his remarkable evolution from teaching English learners across seven buildings while coaching multiple sports...

Connect with the Show Here! What happens when a school truly embraces "we're all on the same team" as more than just a catchy phrase? The transformation can be remarkable. At Hastings High School, my journey as principal began with a fundamental belief that everyone—from teachers to custodians to students—plays an essential role in our school community. This wasn't just wishful...