Leaning into Leadership

Episode 265: A Textbook Isn’t a Curriculum with Emily Makelky

One of the most common mistakes schools make is confusing a resource with a curriculum.A textbook gets adopted. A program is purchased. A shiny new initiative is rolled out.And suddenly everyone says, “Great… we have a curriculum.”But that’s not curriculum.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Emily Makelky from the Curriculum Leadership Institute (CLI) to unpack what curriculum actually means and why empowering teachers to lead curriculum development can transform how schools serve students.Drawing on years of classroom experience and consulting with districts across the country, Emily shares how leaders can move beyond resource adoption and build sustainable curriculum systems that reflect their community, their teachers, and their students.The conversation also explores how leadership teams can prioritize curriculum work, avoid overwhelming teachers, and create structures that support long-term improvement.If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like “What should we really be teaching?” or “How do we align instruction across classrooms?” this episode offers practical insight for school and district leaders.In This EpisodeWhy a textbook is not a curriculumThe difference between resources and true curriculum alignmentHow schools can build local curriculum that reflects their communityWhy teacher voice and teacher leadership are essential in curriculum developmentHow leaders can create systems and routines that support curriculum workWhy going slow to go fast matters when implementing curriculum changesHow districts can create a long-range plan for curriculum developmentAbout Emily MakelkyJust like when she was in the classroom, Emily loves it when the “lightbulb” comes on for teachers.Combining her teaching experience with a foundation in business management, Emily now works as a consultant with the Curriculum Leadership Institute, helping schools and districts take a systematic approach to curriculum development and alignment.Emily’s work focuses on helping educators clarify what should be taught, align instruction and assessment, and empower teachers to lead meaningful curriculum work within their schools.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeCurriculum Leadership Institutehttps://www.cliweb.orgFree tools and resources (including the Long Range Plan template)https://www.cliweb.org/toolsandinspirationFree Long Range Planning Sessionhttps://calendly.com/d/3sk-z55-pg2/develop-your-long-range-planConnect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

Episode 264: Leadership Presence (Part 3) - The Interpersonal Work That Makes It Real

This is Part 3 of a three-part series on leadership presence.In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust and psychological safety erode when leaders aren’t fully present.In Episode 263, we discussed how to engineer margin through calendar integrity, decision discipline, and clarity around your top priorities.Now we bring it home.Because presence isn’t performance.Presence is connection.In this episode, Darrin dives into the relational and interpersonal work that makes leadership presence genuine — not polished, not performative, but real.You’ll learn:Why presence is more than eye contact and good postureThe three foundations of genuine presence:AttentionCuriosityEmotional regulationWhy you cannot fake nervous system safetyThe danger of listening to fix instead of listening to understandFour practical signals of authentic presence you can use immediatelyWhy follow-up is one of the most powerful leadership moves you can makeDarrin also shares a story from his superintendent experience that highlights the difference between listening to correct and listening to comprehend.Reflection Question: Where do you need to replace fixing with listening?Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Episode 263: Leadership Presence (Part 2)- Breaking Through the Chaos

In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust, psychological safety, and connection erode when leaders aren’t fully present. This is Part 2 of our three-part series on leadership presence.In this episode, Darrin focuses on why distraction keeps happening — and how to intentionally break through the cycle of overwhelm.Chaos isn’t loud.It’s cumulative.It’s the stacking of interruptions, back-to-back meetings, unresolved conversations, decision fatigue, and carrying problems that aren’t yours to carry. When leaders operate in survival mode, presence becomes nearly impossible.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why overwhelm — not incompetence — is the real issueThe difference between chaos being loud vs. cumulativeHow to engineer margin into your leadershipThe importance of calendar integrityWhy decision discipline protects your leadership capacityHow to clarify your Top Three priorities each weekHow to use a simple 15-Minute Weekly Presence AuditPlus, Darrin shares a free resource:📥 The School Leaders Weekly Planner — a tool designed to help you schedule your priorities, build margin, and protect your presence. Download the free planner using the link here.Reflection Question:What on your calendar right now is stealing margin from the moments that matter most?Find one thing. Change one thing. Break the chaos. Build the margin. Protect the moments.Next up in Episode 264: The interpersonal work that makes leadership presence genuine and authentic.Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

Episode 262: Leadership Presence (Part 1) - The Hidden Cost of Leadership Distraction

This episode kicks off a powerful three-part series on leadership presence.In Part 1, Darrin explores the hidden cost of distraction and how leaders unintentionally erode trust, psychological safety, and emotional connection when they are not fully present.Through personal stories from his time as a high school principal, Darrin shares moments of realization when distraction cost him relational depth — and what those experiences taught him about culture and leadership.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why presence is not “soft” — it’s culture workThe three things that erode when leaders aren’t fully presentThe difference between productivity and true leadership impactWhy leadership is about stabilizing people, not just solving problemsA simple 60-Second Reset you can use before your next important conversationReflection Question:Where this week does someone need the fully present version of you?This episode sets the foundation for Part 2, where we’ll explore how to intentionally create margin and break the patterns that keep leaders stuck in distraction.Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Episode 261: Reclaiming Human Connection with Joe Beckman

In Episode 261, I’m coming to you on location from Edmond, Oklahoma, where I had the opportunity to sit down with my friend Joe Beckman at the OASSP conference.Joe has spent more than 20 years traveling the world with one simple mission: reclaim human connection.And if we’re honest, that mission has never been more urgent. Loneliness is at an all-time high. Belonging and self-worth feel fragile. Technology is louder than conversation. So what does that mean for school leaders?In this conversation, Joe challenges us to rethink where connection lives on our priority list. It’s not one more thing on the plate.It is the plate.We talk about:Why connection must be the foundation of leadershipThe powerful “Chinette plate” analogy and what it means for cultureHow storytelling builds trust and opens students’ mindsWhy vulnerability accelerates connection in classroomsThe Big Tobacco → Big Tech comparison and what leaders must understandHow adults must model healthy tech boundariesWhy conferences and networks matter in fighting leadership isolationThe courage required to lean into difficult conversationsJoe also shares how he is personally leaning into leadership right now by stepping into uncomfortable spaces and using his voice where it matters most.If you care about culture…If you care about your people… If you care about leading well in a distracted world…This episode is for you.Connect with Joe: www.joebeckman.comThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com