Schools of Excellence: The No. 1 ECE & Private School Leadership Podcast

How can mentor relationships stabilize and strengthen the core of your organization and have an impact on your life? In this episode Chanie talks with Todd Herman, renowned leadership coach and author of "The Alter Ego Effect," and her mentor of 9 years. He shares personal stories and strategies that have helped him successfully mentor high achievers, Olympians, and entrepreneurs, offering valuabl...

Picture this–you’re walking through your school, juggling urgent emails, staff questions, and never-ending paperwork.  The days blur together as you tackle one crisis after another. But what if there was a way to break free from this chaos? In this week’s episode, Chanie addresses a critical challenge faced by school leaders: being trapped in the day-to-day operations. Chanie explains how cre...

In the journey of life, we often encounter moments that challenge our resilience and redefine our understanding of joy.  Join Chanie, as she courageously shares her deeply personal experience with pregnancy loss, revealing the unexpected lessons that emerged from her heartache and healing.  In this week’s episode of Schools of Excellence, Chanie opens up about her emotional journey follo...

What does it take to move from survival mode to true leadership? In this week’s episode, Chanie interviews Mel Elridge, a director at an early education lab school, who shares her powerful transformation since joining the Schools of Excellence program in 2020. Together, they explore how Mel built stronger connections within her team, shifted her mindset from chaos to growth, and implemented practi...

A parent is standing at your school's front desk, full of questions about how your program will fit their family’s unique needs.  Now, multiply that by dozens of families, each with different backgrounds, expectations, and concerns. How do you speak to all of them with each of their individual needs? In this episode, Chanie introduces her Parent Archetypes Framework, helping schools decode th...

What do you do when two of your most trusted teachers have unexpectedly handed in their resignations?  This is the reality of staff turnover faced by many school leaders. In this episode of the Schools of Excellence podcast, Chanie delves into the multifaceted issue of staff retention within early education centers. Drawing on her extensive research and hands-on experience, Chanie introduces...

Making decisions when leading in the school system can feel like a storm, and with the economic state of things, it can feel like the storm is only getting stronger. But… as you navigate the turbulent waters of school management, you may be surprised to find out that the right strategies can turn challenges into opportunities.  In this episode of Schools of Excellence, Chanie breaks down crit...

I know you know that feeling of immense overwhelm when you look at the endless tasks on your school calendar.  A pit in your stomach starts to form just by looking at everything you need to accomplish with such little time.  But it doesn’t always have to feel that way… In this episode, Chanie reveals the secrets to mastering calendar audits and making strategic decisions that align with...

Struggling with school enrollment can feel like navigating a maze of challenges and stress, leaving you wondering if there’s a clear path to attracting and retaining families. Join Chanie Wilschanski as she cuts through the confusion and reveals actionable strategies to transform your enrollment process, turning it from a daunting task into a streamlined, effective approach. Chanie goes over three...

In the demanding world of early education, balancing professional challenges and personal life can feel overwhelming. So, how did Stacy Smith, founder of Big Timber Daycare, transform her childcare center into a thriving example of integrated leadership and personal fulfillment? Join Chanie Wilschanski as she and Stacy delve into the transformative effects of values-based leadership on both profes...

When I lived in New York, I spent a lot of time inside during the winter because I didn’t want to freeze my face. But here in Florida, it’s the exact opposite. I find myself indoors all summer because I don’t want to melt. My older kids are away at camp, and Mayer’s and my work schedules both have a little bit more flexibility. We’ve started a family tradition of using the summer to assess our hou...

One of my clients is a school owner who hired a new director to lead a brand-new location. In the beginning, the director was doing a great job. But then she started to fall short… including on tasks that were not all that complicated. The owner was concerned the director was acting helpless, especially when it came to her regular duties. She said to me, “Chanie, I don’t know what to do. What do I...

I remember when I got my first W2 job when I was 19. I was so proud and excited. I was working hard, showing up every day, and doing my best. But when I got that first paycheck, my heart sank. I thought, “There’s something wrong. This is not the amount that was in my contract.” I went to my boss and gently let her know about the mistake. Little did I know there was no mistake. She showed me the ot...

Big decisions are tough. I was speaking with one of my clients who was considering letting a director go. There was a clear mismatch of values between the director and the school. Everything the owner had tried to get the director on track had failed. And yet if she fired the director, the owner would have to expand her workload. She would get stuck doing all the director’s tasks, even though she...

During my second year of teaching, I was only 20 years old. Our school had teachers do home visits before the school year started, so the child could get to know their teacher before entering the classroom. I remember one home visit distinctly because the child’s mom came on so strong. “How old are you? Do you have a college degree? Are you in a relationship? Have you ever provided childcare befor...

I was recently texting with a one-on-one client. She had a decision to make about professional development, and she asked me what she should do. It would have been easier for me to say, “Do XYZ.” But I didn’t. Instead, I wrote back, “You hired me to coach, mentor, and uplevel you. I want you to trust your decision-making ability. What do you believe should happen?” She clearly thought I was overco...

Recently, I was reading an article in the Journal of Human Resources that highlighted a difference in the teaching practices between veteran teachers and new teachers.  Veteran teachers demonstrate confidence and expertise in the classroom. They’re experienced, and they love to be recognized for what they’ve brought to your school. New teachers are more likely to experiment and innovate, espe...

In 2019, Kathy owned three ECE centers near Richmond, Virginia.  She felt a lot of empathy for the dedicated women who worked in her school.  They always were the kind of people who would always give, give, give without receiving in return.  They were burning the midnight oil and without inner peace. That meant burnout was on the horizon. Kathy knew she couldn’t guide them as a lead...

Recently, I was speaking with an owner who was opening a second location. Despite this being an exciting time for her school, she was drowning in shame. “Chanie, I keep starting and stopping, starting and stopping,” she told me. I asked her what she meant. She told me she felt ashamed that she couldn’t be consistent with her decisions. “I keep creating policies, implementing them, then getting pus...

Comparisonitis is so common for school leaders. I used to compare myself to others constantly . It’s only natural in the face of successful-looking influencers and mountains of social media content. But two and a half years ago, I got super honest with myself.  What was actually important to me? Was it accolades and endless business growth? No. What truly mattered was these two things: my fai...

My client, Jaycee, was doing something truly amazing. She’d worked hard and put in extra hours to build a culture of teacher collaboration. As a result, there was unity within the staff, and children’s learning and engagement soared. She was really pleased with the outcome. …But no one else seemed to notice. She brought the question to the Schools of Excellence community for owners and directors ....

I’m one of the few people who actually enjoys public speaking. Walking onto a stage excites me, and I gain a lot of energy from interacting with a crowd. But I know I’m an outlier. Most people panic when they’re asked to give a thought-provoking response in front of the whole staff with no advanced warning. You can avoid this reaction in your staff meetings while creating a more thoughtful gatheri...

In January, the internet was full of cute memes about going back to the gym, eating salads, and recommitting to your health. At the end of the calendar year, school leaders often take a look at fiscal performance and next year’s goals. But right now, as the school year comes to a close, we tend to focus on the next thing.  Our brains are already in summer mode. We are entering a new season fo...

In 2020, everyone’s world turned upside-down  Sioux Falls school owner Cayla Rush knew there was too much on her plate as the pandemic began, but she didn’t see an alternative.  She felt it was her responsibility to make countless decisions that could impact the health and well-being of her staff, herself, and the families she served. “My self-trust was shaken,” she told me. “Before 2020...

Have you seen Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and 40 Under 40 lists? They feature the brightest, shiniest, hardest-working entrepreneurs. These individuals embody hustle, grind, and achievement. It would be exciting to get on one of those lists, right? Let’s step back for a moment. When you’re 40 years old, or even 50, 60, 70, or 80, your school will still be there. You have your whole life to be an owner or...