The School Leader's Podcast is a podcast for current and aspiring principals on a mission to create a school of excellence. On this podcast, we will explore the challenges, strategies, and successes of the school leader's journey. Listeners will hear from fellow school leaders and other voices on the field to scale up your leadership practices in several areas, including school culture, student achievement, innovative ideas and more. I will also share my reflections and tips from over 15 years as a school leader. Together, we will dive deep into the real work of school leaders & how to plan for success.
Featured Episodes
22
April 16, 2023
22. Instructional Leadership with Fedrick Cohens
In this episode, I interview Fedrick Cohens. Mr. Cohens is the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction (Elementary Schools) at Georgetown County School District, where he supports all elementary school leaders and principals. He provides technical assistance to early learning centers, supervises elementary schools, and creates optimal opportunities for effective teaching and learning experiences. He is a former Elementary Principal for nearly a decade (10 years). He is also a creativ
27
July 9, 2023
27. How to Increase Your Influence
In this episode, I shared How to Increase Your Influence. These tips will help you increase your influence in every direction—up, down, and across your organization. You must be able to influence or manage up, down, and across our organization if you are going to increase your influence and effectiveness. These tips are: Understand your organization Develop a solid reputation Cultivate trust Promote others Build networks Create opportunities for growth I hope you enjoyed today’s episode.
16
Jan. 14, 2023
16. Steps to be a Better Leader
In this episode, I shared ideas and thoughts on Steps to be a Better Leader. Before we talk about what you will want to do in the New Year, let’s start with who you want to become. So many people make “do” goals. I encourage you to start with “who” goals. Who do you want to be as a leader? Based on who you want to become, what do you need to do? Consider these six things so you can set goals to become a better leader: A discipline to start A person to empower The courage to stop Create a sy
26
June 19, 2023
26. Self-Care Tips for Educators
In this episode, I shared Self-Care Tips for Educators. These self-care tips are intended as reminders for educators, school leaders, and principals as they enter the summer months and throughout the new school year to refill and rejuvenate. As you enter the summer and throughout the new school year, consider or ponder on these 3 self-care tips. They are: Slow down and be present Disconnect Write down what you are grateful for I hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Please subscribe to the podc
8
Sept. 19, 2022
8. Tips for New Assistant Principals
In this episode, I shared Tips for New Assistant Principals. If you are a newly appointed assistant principal, Congratulations! I am proud of you. I know you are excited and ready to work alongside your principal to turn your school around or scale up to make it better. As you start your 1st year as an assistant principal or a veteran assistant principal in a new building, I would you to consider or ponder on these tips. They are: Be You. Be authentic. Build trusting relationships Understand
4
Aug. 1, 2022
4. Tips for New Principals
In this episode, I shared Tips for New Principals. If you are a newly appointed principal, Congratulations! I am proud of you. I know you are excited and ready to turn your school or scale up to make it better. As you start your 1st year as a principal, I would you to consider or ponder on these tips. They are: Get to Know Your Staff Be Visible Ask Lots of Questions Don’t Make Major Changes Share Your Core Values with staff Don’t Talk about the Previous Principal I hope you joined today’
21
April 2, 2023
21. Strategies to Move Your School from an F to a C in One Year with Heilange Porcena
In this episode, I interview Heilange Porcena. Mrs. Porcena is a servant leader and elementary turnaround principal. She has been an educator for 28 years and 12 years as a school-based administrator. She is a phenomenal leader. She has been instrumental in improving student achievement and moved her school from an F to a C in 1 year. She is passionate about making a difference for all children to succeed by equalizing the playing field through high expectations and a positive school culture. Sh
28
Aug. 7, 2023
28. 10 Tips for New Assistant Principals
In this episode, I shared 10 Tips for New Assistant Principals. If you are a newly appointed assistant principal, Congratulations! I am proud of you. I know you are excited and ready to work alongside your principal to turn your school around or scale it up to a make it a better learning environment for students. As you start your 1st year as a new assistant principal or a veteran assistant principal in a new building, consider these tips. Build relationships Discover the vision and values of
Recent Episodes
43
Sept. 1, 2025
43. 23 Ways to Be a Better School Leader
School leadership is rewarding — and relentless. In this energizing episode, I walk listeners through 23 practical habits and mindset shifts that strengthen influence, improve decision-making, and protect leaders from burnout. Drawing on leadership research and everyday school leadership realities, I cover tactical moves (be visible, have difficult talks,mentor & coach), mindset anchors (choose a growth mindset, listen with empathy, know yourself), and wellbeing practices (go offline, practice m
42
June 17, 2025
42. 8 Traits of Successful School Leaders
In this episode, I explore the 8 essential traits that distinguish the most effective principals and educational leaders. Backed by research from the Wallace Foundation, Education Development Trust, and insights from thought leaders like Todd Whitaker and Michael Fullan, you will discover: What makes a successful school leader or principal? How do you truly become effective as a principal? While listening, take note of the eight traits of successful school leaders: They are Visionaries They B
41
May 26, 2025
41. Strategies to End The School Year Successfully
As the academic year wraps up, K–12 school leaders and share principals face a critical opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and prepare. In this episode, I shares 8 practical strategies for school principals and administrators to successfully close out the school year and lay the groundwork for a strong start to next year. These strategies help principals and school leaders boost staff morale, celebrate student success, review performance data, and plan for summer and beyond. If you are a princi
40
April 12, 2025
40. Connect & Thrive: Building a High-Morale School Community
In this episode, I dives into the critical issue of teacher and staff morale. With teacher burnout at an all-time high, I provides actionable strategies for school leaders to cultivate a positive, supportive, and high-morale school community. You will discover how boosting teacher and staff morale directly impacts student achievement and how to implement practical steps to make a difference. Episode Highlights: The State of Teaching: I opens with a sobering look at the current challenges facing
39
March 3, 2025
39. 8 Strategies for School Leaders to Create More Margin in Your Day
In this episode, we explore eight strategies for school leaders to create more margin in their day. According to a report from Education Support, 78% of teachers have reported feeling stressed or experiencing burnout. Recent research indicates that 87% of knowledge workers work two hours more each day compared to 2019. Despite this effort, over a quarter of deadlines are still missed each week. Daily, we face competing demands on our time, which leads to increased chaos and stress rather than c
38
Nov. 12, 2024
38. 7 Powerful Ways to Get Noticed by Your Boss and Advance Your Career
In this episode, we dive into seven impactful strategies to help you stand out in your school or workplace and capture the attention of your principal or leadership team. What does it really mean to “get noticed” at work? It goes beyond simply being seen – it’s about being recognized for the unique strengths and contributions you bring to the table. From being a go-to problem-solver to demonstrating expertise in curriculum design, managing challenging classroom situations, or fostering collabor
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Recent Blog Posts
March 8, 2025
Creating Margin: 8 Essential Strategies for School Leaders
School leadership isn’t easy. In our fast-paced educational environment, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. A study from the American Educational Research Association indicates that educators in the U.S. are 40% more likely to experience symptoms of anx…
July 7, 2024
7 Things Effective School Leaders Do Over the Summer
Summer is here. Most schools are closed for the summer. However, most school leaders and principals work over the summer. It is important that school leaders and principals catch their breath and recharge their leadership battery. Although the work…
Jan. 3, 2024
Top 10 Episodes of The School Leader’s Podcast
The School Leader’s Podcast explore the challenges, strategies, and successes of the school leader's journey. Listeners hear from fellow school leaders and other voices on the field about how they can level up and scale up their leadership skills an…