Love, Sweat, & Tears: Ingredients for Transformative Campus Leadership

In this episode, Dr. Monica Anguiano explores how celebrating small wins can transform leadership, strengthen organizational culture, and improve outcomes in education. She shares practical strategies for creating psychological safety, recognizing staff contributions, and building motivation within teams. Dr. Anguiano explains how leaders can sustain momentum for large goals by focusing on consist...

In this episode, How Principals Can Support Teachers with Challenging Student Behavior , we sit down with Dan St. Romain to explore practical, real-world strategies school leaders can use to better support teachers managing difficult classroom behaviors. Dan shares actionable insights on building systems of support, responding to behavior with consistency and empathy, and strengthening teacher con...

Balancing Leadership and Life: Preventing Burnout (Part 2) ft. Todd Bloomer In Part 2 of our conversation with Todd Bloomer, we go deeper into what sustainable leadership really looks like. Todd shares practical strategies for maintaining energy, managing ongoing pressure, and making intentional choices that protect both performance and personal well-being. This episode focuses on long-term habits...

Leadership can be meaningful and fulfilling—but it can also be draining. In this episode, Todd Bloomer joins us to talk about the real challenges leaders face when work starts to consume everything. Together, we explore how to recognize burnout early, set healthy boundaries, and lead sustainably without sacrificing your well-being, relationships, or passion for the work.

On this episode of Marty Takes the Mic , host Marty Silverman sits down with Dr. Billy Snow for a powerful conversation titled From Falling to Flourishing . Together, they explore what it truly takes to lead struggling schools through meaningful change—starting with psychological safety, trust, and collaboration. Dr. Snow breaks down why sustainable school improvement happens with educators, not t...

Reigniting your passion is only the beginning. In Part 2 , Erika Garza, Vanikin Sanders Leggett, and Tanya Alarcon take the conversation deeper—focusing on how principals can sustain their energy, protect their purpose, and lead with intention amid constant pressure. This session moves from inspiration to application, offering practical tools and mindset shifts that help you stay grounded, motivat...

Feeling the weight of the principalship? It’s easy for passion to fade under the demands of daily leadership. In this session, Erika Garza, Vanikin Sanders Leggett, and Tanya Alarcon guide you in rediscovering the excitement and purpose that drew you to school leadership in the first place. Through practical strategies, real-world stories, and reflective exercises, you’ll leave inspired, energized...

In this special takeover episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears , guest host Martin Silverman sits down with three dynamic Montana school leaders — John “Johnny Montana” Conan , Travis Niemeyer , and Brian Miller — for a deep dive into one of the most powerful drivers of school success: staff culture . Together, they explore how staff rooms and shared spaces can either drain morale or build a thriving,...

The Principal’s Playlist: Culture – Part 2 dives deeper into the everyday habits that shape positive school culture. Gerrie Spellmann and Todd Nesloney share simple but meaningful strategies—like handwritten notes, warm welcomes, and intentional moments of connection—that help every student and staff member feel valued. It’s a practical look at how authentic leadership creates a culture that lasts...

In The Principal’s Playlist: Culture, Gerrie Spellmann and Todd Nesloney explore simple, powerful ways to build a school where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. From handwritten notes to student greeters, discover how authentic leadership creates lasting campus culture.

Marty Takes the Mic: Love, Sweat & Tears Podcast Takeover Get ready for a powerful takeover of Love, Sweat & Tears by one of education’s most thoughtful and experienced leaders. In Marty Takes the Mic , Responsive Learning hands the mic to Martin “Marty” Silverman , a longtime educator, principal, mentor, and champion of school culture, reflection, and relational leadership. Who is Marty S...

In this episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears, hosts Gerrie Spellmann and Stacey Savage discuss the importance of zero waste initiatives in schools. Stacey shares her journey from a background in the oil and gas industry to becoming a zero waste advocate, highlighting key legislative achievements and practical steps schools can take to reduce waste. The conversation emphasizes the financial benefits o...

In this episode of Love, Sweat, and Tears, hosts Gerrie Spellmann and Stacy Savage discuss the importance of zero waste initiatives in schools. Stacey shares her journey from a background in the oil and gas industry to becoming a zero waste advocate, highlighting key legislative achievements and practical steps schools can take to reduce waste. The conversation emphasizes the financial benefits of...

✨ Part 2 is here! ✨ In this episode, Dr. Bruce Gearing dives deeper into how school leaders can harness AI and technology to drive positive change, empower students, and create lasting impact in today’s digital age. Dr. Gearing currently serves as Superintendent of Leander ISD (Texas), where he leads more than 42,000 students across nearly 200 square miles. Originally from South Africa, he began...

In this episode, Bruce shares how school leaders can harness AI and technology to drive positive change, empower students, and create meaningful impact in today’s digital age. Don’t miss this conversation on leading with purpose, innovation, and heart. ❤️ Dr. Gearing currently serves as Superintendent of Leander ISD (Texas), leading over 42,000 students across nearly 200 square miles. Community Im...

️ Episode: School Funding Secrets: Everything Principals Need to Know Join Kish Russell , the expert in school funding, and Gerrie , your host, as they dive into everything principals need to know to master school budgets, federal grants, and funding strategies . In this episode, you’ll learn how to: ✅ Navigate Title 1 & Compensatory Ed Funds ✅ Reallocate your budget effectively ✅ Use the r...

In this powerful episode, Brandi Kelly dives into what it truly means to lead with hope in education. From hallway conversations to high-stakes decisions, Brandi shares how school leaders can uplift their teams, navigate tough seasons, and create cultures rooted in resilience and optimism. If you're a principal, teacher, or instructional leader trying to hold it all together — this one's for you....

Part 2 — T-TESS Blackbook Outcomes featuring Lori Gallegos! In this episode, we take a deeper look at how the T-TESS Blackbook has made a real difference in supporting teacher growth and development on campuses. Lori Gallegos shares how this resource impacted her own professional journey and offers insight on how you can use it to strengthen your leadership, support your team, and enhance instruct...

T-TESS Blackbook Outcomes — featuring Lori Gallegos! We dive into how the T-TESS Blackbook has influenced teacher growth, how it personally supported Lori in her journey, and how you can leverage it to impact your own practice.

John Hinds successfully led a school turnaround effort, while Emily Melngailis contributed as a Special Education teacher throughout the process. Together, they navigated the challenges and celebrated the successes of transforming a school, offering insights from both leadership and classroom viewpoints.

Turnaround Schools — John Hinds successfully led a school turnaround, with Emily Melngailis serving as a Special Education teacher during the process. Together, they experienced the challenges and successes of school transformation from both leadership and classroom perspectives.

Erika Garza and Dr. Kathy Dodge-Clay along with Gerrie Spellmann (co-host) and co author of T-TESS Black Book join us on the LST podcast.

️ The Power of Relationships w/ Dana Bashara & Kevin Brown In this inspiring episode, we explore how campus leaders can build thriving school cultures—starting with the right hires and lasting relationships. Dana Bashara & Kevin Brown share their insights on: Leveraging hiring practices to build your dream team Creating meaningful connections with staff, students, and the community Why vul...

We know that school leaders are required to do more and more each school year, and often with less training and experience than ever before. We know that a great, capable school leader can impact student outcome  just as much as classroom teachers. We know that campus leaders are feeling isolated, stretched thin, and thrown into the deep end- often without the support or resources they need to fee...

Tina Beene is an incredible speaker and author. She provides PD in-person and virtually on all things related to teaching multilingual learners. We go real deep in this episode, past just the basic pedagogy of teaching multilingual learners, and into some of the deeper, relational side of teaching someone that comes from a different background than you do. Tina has a series of books for teaching E...