The Principal Exchange Podcast

We're on vacation and bringing back a fan favorite—especially timely as you head into the new school year. Culture isn't just morale. It's how people act when no one's watching. The tricky part? Culture happens whether you set it or not. If you don't define it intentionally, it will define itself—probably not how you want. In this episode, Sarah and Andra break down what actually moves...

We're on vacation, so we're sharing one of our most downloaded episodes. School rules are everywhere. But most people can't even recite them. So what are they actually for? In this episode, Sarah and Andra challenge traditional school rules entirely. They're not calling for chaos—they're calling for a reframe. Instead of rules that beg to be broken, what if we built cultures grounded in valu...

Summer brings space to think—and immediately brings a different kind of overwhelm. Should you focus on behavior? Master schedule? Staff morale? Professional development? All of it feels urgent. None of it feels doable. In this episode, Sarah and Andra use the Netflix scrolling problem to explain summer planning paralysis. You have all these choices and end up making none. They break down the...

How does a principal stay in one building for 21 years when the average principal lasts just three? Matt Moyer, nationally distinguished principal at Rupert Elementary in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, has beaten the odds. He's been principal for over two decades—at the very school he attended as a child. In this Real Talk episode, Sarah and Andra ask Matt what keeps him there. Spoiler: it's not m...

You have the credential but feel completely unprepared. This is the reality for many principals—and the statistics show why. In this episode, Sarah and Andra tackle the crisis in principal retention: 42% are considering leaving, 64% cite administrative burden as the reason, and 86% report daily stress. The real problem? The job isn't set up for principals to actually lead. This conversation...

    When principals step into leadership, it often starts with the best intentions. You want to help. You want to support your staff. You want to solve problems, remove obstacles, and make life easier for the people around you. But over time, that desire to help can quietly turn into something else—the belief that you have to be the one who fixes everything. In this episode, we exp...

Special education teachers are often some of the most dedicated people in a school—but they’re also carrying responsibilities that many others never fully see. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Brandie Rosen to talk about what special education teachers really need from school leaders. From overwhelming caseloads and competing responsibilities to creating systems that help...

    When schools feel stressful, chaotic, or emotionally heavy, principals often absorb that pressure without even realizing it. In this episode, we explore the difference between thermometer leadership and thermostat leadership — and how the emotional energy principals bring into a building shapes the culture around them. From reacting to stress and urgency to creating steadiness...

For many principals, leadership can start to feel like survival mode. You’re solving problems, putting out fires, answering questions, and just trying to make it to Friday—while the bigger vision for your school keeps getting pushed further down the list. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Dr. Ruthie Walker to talk about the difference between reactive leadership and intent...

As the school year comes to an end, many principals immediately shift into planning for next year. But before jumping ahead, there’s value in slowing down long enough to intentionally close out the year you’re still in. In this solo episode, Andra shares seven simple but powerful ways principals can reflect, reset, and finish the year with purpose. From walking the building with fresh...

Most principals didn’t step into leadership to spend their days buried in emails, meetings, discipline, and constant interruptions. They stepped into leadership to support teachers, strengthen instruction, and impact students. But somewhere along the way, the work that matters most started getting pushed aside. In this Real Talk episode, we sit down with school leader Mary Baker to talk abou...

Student engagement is one of the biggest conversations happening in schools right now — and honestly, we understand why. Between behavior challenges, short attention spans, constant distractions, and increasing student disengagement, many teachers and principals are asking the same question: How do we get students genuinely connected to learning again? This week, we’re bringing back on...

Every student. Not most students. Not the ones who are easiest to serve. Every single one. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Eric Griffin — superintendent, former principal, and opening keynote speaker at this summer's Built Different conference — for a conversation that gets to the heart of why so many educators feel like they're drifting away from the reason they got int...

You've built a community. 26,000 downloads, hundreds of principals connecting weekly, a movement that grew because it felt real — that's TPE Nation. And somewhere in celebrating that milestone, we started thinking about the schools that need this same energy with their families.  In this episode, we talk about what makes community actually work, why most school communication falls flat,...

Schools are serious places filled with serious work. But they’re also full of hilarious moments, unforgettable stories, and the kind of joy that can easily get lost when stress takes over. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Sara Ajisafe, educator, conference sponsor, and author of Humor and Heart: From the Halls of Elementary School, to talk about why laughter matters more in lea...

When it comes time to choose a school theme, many leaders focus on decorations, shirts, and a catchy slogan. But the best themes do much more than look good in August. In this episode, we explore how a school theme can become a strategic tool that shapes culture, guides decisions, and gives staff a shared language throughout the year. From building belonging and resilience to encouraging growth, i...

Leadership can feel heavy. The decisions, the pressure, the constant pull between your school and your life outside of it—it adds up quickly. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Dinah McMichael to talk about what it really looks like to lead through that weight and come out on the other side with clarity and joy. From building leadership across your entire school to creating a cul...

When hiring season arrives, many schools focus on filling vacancies as quickly as possible. Resumes, years of experience, and certifications often become the main deciding factors. In this episode, we explore a different way to think about hiring — not as filling a slot, but as strengthening the ecosystem of your school. From identifying what a grade level team is missing to balancing attitu...

Behavior can feel constant. You’re handling what’s right in front of you all day… but rarely get the chance to step back and actually see what’s driving it. In this episode, Sarah and Andra sit down with Danielle Baranishyn to talk about the shift from correcting behavior to understanding it. Because most schools already have the data… it’s just sitting there,...

Observations are done… but the feedback isn’t. Notes are sitting. Tabs are open. Conversations keep getting pushed. In this episode, we talk about why feedback becomes one of the biggest backlogs for principals—and how to actually move through it without needing hours you don’t have. Because the challenge isn’t getting into classrooms. It’s turning what you saw...

Students will try the same level in a video game again and again without giving up — yet in school, frustration can sometimes lead to disengagement much more quickly. In this episode, we explore the psychology behind why video games are so effective at building persistence and motivation. From clear goals and instant feedback to visible progress and productive challenge, the design of games...

It’s spring break, and we’re doing what we always tell principals to do—rest when your school rests. But before we step back this week, we wanted to drop in for a quick check-in. This time of year just feels different. The days are longer, the light shifts, and things start to feel a little lighter again. In this mini-episode, we’re not talking strategy or systems. Just a q...

Summer starts with good intentions… and then it gets filled with everything else. In this bonus episode, Sarah and Andra share what it looks like to actually build your next year on purpose—and  that's why this year's TPE Summer Virtual Conference is Built Different. This isn’t sit and get. It’s keynotes, real sessions, panels, and build-with-me work time focused on b...

March Madness is famous for unexpected upsets — when an underdog team defeats a powerhouse program that everyone expected to win. But those wins rarely happen by accident. They’re the result of preparation, belief, teamwork, and momentum. In this episode, we explore what schools can learn from the psychology behind March Madness. From the power of belief and preparation to the role of...

When spring arrives, something shifts in schools. Students feel more energetic, more social, and sometimes more restless — and many schools see that change as something to control. In this episode, we explore the hidden power of spring energy and how principals and teachers can use it to their advantage. From incorporating movement and collaboration to refreshing learning environments and ce...