Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

PMP480: Maximizing Your Systems with John Boyd

John Boyd is the Principal of Ste. Genevieve High School in Missouri, where he leads with a passion for innovation, efficiency, and creating memorable experiences for students and staff. A proud SGHS alum, he returned to teach for seven years, served three years as Assistant Principal, and is now in his fourth year as Principal. Named Missouri’s 2023 Jim L. King High School Principal of the Year, John also serves as President-Elect of the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. John has a passion for integrating AI, coding, and automation. He’s developed tools from digital hall passes to real-time dashboards that streamline operations and enhance communication. With over 30 years connected to Ste. Genevieve, John is committed to reimagining possibilities for learning and staff empowerment. He and his wife, Sierra, are the proud parents of their children, J.B. and Emery. Previous episode https://williamdparker.com/2023/pmp357-leading-your-hometown-school-with-john-boyd/ Thinking Outside the Box: John often utilizes AI to help him think outside the box and solve problems in completely new ways. He shares how as an assistant principal, his principal and mentor was big on coding and took pride in thinking through problems analytically. This mentor helped John develop the skills he uses now to integrate coding into their systems. One way that John has integrated these skills into the systems at his school is by using it for attendance reports, a task that used to take hours to complete. Typically, John takes time each summer to build these pipelines. While the front-end work takes time, the systems that John builds end up saving him and his team a lot of time. Practical Uses: One way that John utilizes AI in his school is through a digital hall pass system, a system that John built himself. His process for building these tools starts by thinking about what he wants the tool to do. In the case of the digital hall passes, John used AI to create a form that takes data and processes it on a google sheet. Each classroom in his school now has a kiosk in it that allows students to fill out a hall pass request before they leave, and it is where they check in when they get back to the classroom. The hall pass system is set up so that administrators are notified if a student has been out of class for more than 15 minutes, and meetup notifications for students who should not be in the same place at the same time. John finds that this hall pass system is very helpful for his school. Another way he utilizes this technology is for scheduling sports physicals, which has saved his secretaries and support staff a lot of time. Navigating AI with Students and Teachers: Although John embraces using AI as a tool, he acknowledges that it is a topic that requires nuance. Recently, John, along with his staff, have begun having conversations about the need for consistent language regarding AI for students and teachers. It is important for teachers and administrators to have consistent messaging about AI so that students know when it is appropriate to use and when it is not. Without that messaging, it can be confusing for students. There is a definite need for teachers to be able to monitor if AI is being used or not. The best solution to this is for teachers to know their students and to build relationships with them. Through intentionality, teachers, principals, and students can navigate these new technologies with confidence. Staying Connected: You can stay connected with John Boyd via email at jboyd@sgdragons.org. The post PMP480: Maximizing Your Systems with John Boyd appeared first on Principal Matters.

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – A Year in Review

Happy holidays, Principal Matters listeners! This week Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to reminisce about the year and share some of holiday traditions that they are looking forward to. Listen in to hear the full conversation, or read the post below to learn more about what we are thankful for this holiday season! A Year in Review from Principal Matters (2025) As I look back on the past year, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside school leaders across the country through Principal Matters. Whether through districts, state agencies, professional organizations, or individual coaching, the goal has remained the same: helping leaders lead with clarity, confidence, and sustainability during a time when the work feels heavier than ever. Instead of one-time sessions, much of our work this year focused on ongoing partnerships. Through executive coaching, cohort-based leadership programs, in-person learning, and keynote experiences, we created space for leaders to pause, reflect, and grow together — while building trusted relationships with peers who truly understand the challenges of the role. By the Numbers 300+ school and district leaders supported 20+ districts, state agencies, and school networks served 10+ states represented 250+ executive coaching sessions delivered 50+ cohort sessions, workshops, and professional learning experiences More than anything, these numbers represent relationships built over time and a continued shift toward sustained, retainer-style leadership support. Grateful for Our Partners I’m especially thankful for the trust and collaboration of the districts, organizations, and partners we had the privilege of serving this year, including: Districts, Schools, & State Agencies Archdiocese of Louisville Catholic Schools, Louisville, KY State of Ohio (Ohio Department of Education & Workforce) & Adkins Consulting Palo Alto Unified School District / Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA Springfield Local School District, OH Joplin High School, Joplin, MO Brazosport Independent School District, Clute, TX Pecos Barstow Toyah Independent School District, Pecos, TX South Umpqua School District, OR Owasso Public Schools, OK Burlington Schools, OK Holdenville Public Schools, OK Utica Shale Academy, Salineville, OH Northeast Ohio College Preparatory School, Cincinnati, OH Leigh High School, Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD), San Jose, CA Professional Associations & Conferences School Administrators of New York State (SAANYS), virtual & in-person (Lake George, NY) School Administration Manager (SAM) National Innovation Conference, Miami, FL Louisiana Principals Association, Baton Rouge, LA CLAS (Alabama Assistant Principal Conferences) Apptegy Conference (School CEO), Little Rock, AR Southeast Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals (SEMoASSP) Regional Meeting National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Organizations & Strategic Partners IXL Learning DigiCoach EduSkills Alpaca Better Learning / Summer Pops Grateful for Our Team I cannot do this work alone, and I’m incredibly thankful for the people who make Principal Matters possible: Missy Parker — my wife and the CFO of our company Emily Parker-Eaton — Executive Assistant and Editor/Copywriter for the podcast, social media, and client relations Jen Schwanke — Co-host of the podcast, prolific author, and weekly contributor whose insight and energy shape the show Aaron Fulbright — Designer and manager of the Principal Matters website Grateful for Helpful Friends This year also marked a complete rebrand for Principal Matters. I’m deeply grateful to MollyKeleneDesigns.com. Molly designed our new logos and brand identity. She captured the heart of this work and gave us a fresh, professional look that truly reflects our mission. My most recent book, Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love, was made stronger through the thoughtful proofreading and editing of Megan Doyle. I’m also thankful for our partnership with ConnectEDD Publishing, including Jimmy and Kheila Casas, and the outstanding editorial support of Jeff Zoul. Looking Ahead to 2026–27? If you’re starting to think about next year’s professional learning, have ideas for guests, episode topics, or sponsorships—or you simply want space to reflect on your leadership—I’d love to connect. I’m offering a complimentary Zoom reflection session to help you think, plan, and clarify next steps. Grateful for Our Guests Finally, 2025 was also another banner year for Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast, now available on YouTube as well as wherever you listen to podcasts. I’m deeply thankful for the many guests who shared their stories, insights, and leadership lessons with our listeners this year. We also launched a Monday Matters show, where Jen Schwanke and I provide updates on current happenings in our work with leaders, as well as a shorter show for weekly inspiration. With deep gratitude, we would like to thank all the incredible guests who shared their time, insights, and leadership on Principal Matters in 2025. Your voices, stories, and expertise continue to shape meaningful conversations for school leaders everywhere. Thank you to Tracie Anderson Swilley, Amanda Austin, Danny Bauer, Bethany Bilodeau, Cale Birk, Todd Bloomer, Karen Borchert, Beau Brannon, Derek Cantrell, PJ Caposey, LaDonna Chancellor, Margaret Coates, Tyler Comeau, Jenn David-Lang, Angela Diggs, Mike Fitzpatrick, Kate Anderson Foley, Tony Frontier, Wilnic Gideon, Daman Harris, Donna Hayward, Brent Jaco, Carlos Johnson, Greg Johnson, Jeff Jones, Baruti Kafele, Robert Kaiser, Brandi Kelly, Nason Lollar, Eric Mace, Kim Marshall, John Marinucci, John Mihalyo, Derek Mitchell, Mike Nicholson, Ohio State University Grad Students, Darrin Peppard, Lana Penley, Ross Romano, LaVonna Roth, Tanya Sheckley, Danny Steele, Michelle Steingart, T. J. Vari, Steve Ventura, Tim Villegas, and Crystal Williams. Your generosity and commitment to leadership and learning make this work possible, and we are truly grateful for each of you. Thank you for being a part of the Principal Matters Community. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas & Winter holiday, and Happy New Year. Thank you for doing what matters! With appreciation,William D. Parker P.S. Below is an entire list of our 2025 shows with links if you want to listen back or check them out for the first time: 2025 Podcast Shows & Guests 12/17/2025 – The Instructional Leader in You with Danny Steele 12/10/2025 – From Classroom to Crisis and Beyond with Dr. Greg Johnson 12/03/2025 – Lessons from Transition with Beau Brannon 11/26/2025 – Leading a Community of Educators with Steve Ventura 11/24/2025 – Subscriber Holiday Special 11/19/2025 – Lessons From the First Year with Dr. Robert Kaiser 11/12/2025 – Radically Excellent School Improvement with Dr. Kate Anderson Foley 11/05/2025 – Road to Awesome with Darrin Peppard 10/29/2025 – Elemental Educator with Tyler Comeau 10/22/2025 – Lead with H.O.P.E. with Dr. Brandi Kelly 10/15/2025 – Staying Committed to Inclusivity with Tim Villegas 10/08/2025 – Instructional Coaching with Crystal Williams 10/01/2025 – AI with Intention with Tony Frontier 09/24/2025 – Being a Ruckus Maker with Danny Bauer 09/17/2025 – Leading Collaboratively with LaDonna Chancellor 09/10/2025 – Better Together with Derek Cantrell 09/03/2025 – Human Capital Management with OSU Grad Students 08/27/2025 – Leaning into Leadership with Darrin Peppard 08/20/2025 – Supporting New Teachers, Part 2, with Jenn David-Lang and Kim Marshall 08/13/2025 – Supporting New Teachers with Jenn David-Land and Kim Marshall 07/23/2025 – Permission to S.H.I.N.E. with LaVonna Roth 07/16/2025 – Listening to Your Teachers with Karen Borchert 07/09/2025 – Empowering Student Agency with Dr. Mike Nicholson 07/02/2025 – Cybersecurity in Schools with Mike Fitzpatrick 06/25/2025 – Maximizing Systems, Focus, and Impact with PJ Caposey 06/18/2025 – Leading with Wellness in Mind with Dr. Angela Diggs 06/11/2025 – Reaching Every Student with Dr. Tracie Anderson Swilley 06/04/2025 – What is my Value Instructionally with Baruti Kafele 05/28/2025 – Instructional Excellence with Michelle Steingart 05/21/2025 – Inclusive & Supportive Schools for Every Learner with Dr. Eric Mace 05/14/2025 – The Antiracist School Leader with Dr. Daman Harris 05/07/2025 – The Blueprint for Administrators with Todd Bloomer 04/30/2025 – Recovering After Fire with Lana Penley  04/23/2025 – Powerful Voices in Education with Donna Hayward  04/16/2025 – Leading with Simplicity and Harmony with John Marinucci 04/09/2025 – Why Every Student Deserves a Pathway with Dr. T.J. Vari 04/02/2025 – Keys to Successful Schools with John Mihalyo 03/26/2025 – Ease the Pain – Guidance for Safety and Regulation with Dr. Bethany Bilodeau 03/19/2025 – TRUST Principles for Professionalism with Dr. Nason Lollar 03/12/2025 – Rebel Educator – Classrooms of Imagination and Impact with Tanya Sheckley 03/05/2025 – Living on the Leadership Edge with Margaret Coates 02/26/2025 – Partners in School Innovation with Dr. Derek Mitchell 02/19/2025 – Achieving Remarkable Outcomes with Dr. Amanda Austin 02/12/2025 – Empowering Teen Learners with Dr. Wilnic Gideon 02/05/2025 – Power Engage with Carlos Johnson 01/29/2025 – The Benefits of Trust with Brent Jaco 01/22/2025 – Finding Solutions with Jeff Jones 01/15/2025 – Culturizing for Impact with Cale Birk 01/08/2025 –  Connecting Leaders with Ross Romano  01/01/2025 – Finding Solutions with Jeff Jones The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – A Year in Review appeared first on Principal Matters.

PMP479: The Instructional Leader in You with Danny Steele

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What are your practices for writing a book? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Danny Steele: Danny Steele worked for 31 years in education as a principal, assistant principal, teacher, coach, and assistant professor of Instructional Leadership. In 2005, Steele was recognized as the “Assistant Principal of the Year” for the state of Alabama. And in 2016, he was recognized as Alabama’s “Secondary Principal of the Year.” He has written six books, including two with Todd Whitaker, has presented at numerous state and national conferences, and has spoken in school districts around the country. Steele has an undergraduate degree in History from Covenant College; he has a Master’s in History from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Samford University. He is the father of three (mostly grown) children and resides with his wife in Birmingham, Alabama. Something that listeners may be surprised to learn about Danny is that he occasionally writes raps that he performs for his students and teachers. Current work: After spending 31 years in education, Danny retired from the principalship last summer. Even though he is retired, he still has a lot of passion for the work of teachers and principals. Currently, Danny channels that passion into leadership coaching and consulting. He realized that there was a need for coaching in instructional leadership after working with two young principals. These principals needed help building their instructional leadership capacity. This experience is what solidified Danny’s passion for instructional leadership and what inspired him to write his book. According to Danny, “Until something is learned, nothing is taught”. When a principal goes into a classroom, they should be more focused on what the students are doing than what the teachers are doing. The Instructional Leader in You: 10 Strategies for Every School Leader The Instructional Leader in You lays out 10 strategies that school leaders can use to increase their instructional leadership capacity. You can read the full list of 10 strategies below, and Will and Danny cover a couple of the strategies in the show. 1. A Foundation of Curiosity 2. The Powerful Role of Visibility 3. The Surprising Strength of Vulnerability 4. Leading Without Relationships Isn’t Leading 5. Creating Opportunities for Growth 6. Delegating is Winning 7. Being Intentional 8. Prioritizing Learning, Not Teaching 9. Removing Barriers 10. Focusing on the Culture Being Visible: Danny discusses how “management by wandering around” is important for instructional leadership. School leaders who are walking around and staying visible to students and staff communicate what you value. When you pop into classrooms, your presence communicates to teachers that you care about the work they are doing, and, to the students, that you care about their experiences in the classroom. Staying visible throughout the school day reinforces your priorities as an instructional leader. Delegating is Winning: When asked to summarize the delegating is winning strategy, Danny talks about how, as a principal, you sometimes feel inadequate because you feel like you need to be everything to everyone. Principals burn out really quickly like that. Part of delegation is about letting go and being okay with not being in control of everything. Delegating some of the management pieces of the principal job frees you up to visit classrooms and be an instructional leader. Delegation can also improve your relationship with the rest of your leadership team. When you begin to delegate tasks to your colleagues, it shows you value them and their expertise. New leaders tend to struggle the most with delegation because they feel insecure giving up authority, but learning to do so is essential to being successful in leadership. Revisiting Your “Why”: Near the end of the conversation, Will asks Danny to share some advice he would give to principals. Danny tells listeners to revisit your “why”, and references a sign above his door that reads, “I am the difference”. He had this sign above his door when he was an AP and a principal to remind him of the role he plays. Most leaders get into education because they love kids and want to make a difference for them. When you become an admin, the mission changes. You have to win over the adults in the building and make them feel loved and appreciated. Danny shares how he learned to redefine his lightbulb moment to be anytime he could support a staff member and lighten their load. Making a difference for his staff became his “why” and helped him stay motivated. Staying Connected: Listeners can stay connected to Danny Steele via the following channels: Danny’s website @steelthoughts on X or instagram Linkedin The post PMP479: The Instructional Leader in You with Danny Steele appeared first on Principal Matters.

MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Not the Place

This week on Monday Matters Will Parker and Jen Schwanke share some thoughts on addressing the political landscape that educators face. They discuss how educators, particularly school leaders, are often asked to weigh in on culture war issues. Taking sides on political issues is not what school leaders are paid to do, and in doing so you run the risk of alienating a significant portion of your school community. School leaders are paid to keep students safe, follow the law, and do what is best at any given time. Speaking publicly about politics as a school or district leader often requires a lot of nuance, since those leaders are representing an entire community. Still, it is important to be an advocate for your school based on the facts and what is best for your community. Sometimes it is better to protect your position rather than speaking on every issue so that you lose out on the ability to make a bigger impact through creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Principals should ask themselves: “How am I going to love and serve every student in this school? How do I make sure that every student feels valued and protected and that they belong? How do I make sure all my teachers know that I am here for them?”. Through creating an environment where students and teachers feel safe and protected, you can do far more than you would if you spoke about every political issue. Listen in to the episode to hear all of Will and Jen’s thoughts on the subject! This episode was inspired by a post in Jen’s newsletter. You can read her post here. The podcast episode referenced in the show can be found here. The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Not the Place appeared first on Principal Matters.

PMP478: From Classroom to Crisis and Beyond with Dr. Greg Johnson

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s episode, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How can we build and sustain trust with staff, students, and parents? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Dr. Greg Johnson: Greg Johnson is the high school principal at West Liberty-Salem High School in West Liberty, Ohio. He was first hired as a middle school social studies teacher in 1997 and recently completed his twentieth year as principal, marking his twenty-eighth year in education – all at the same school. Greg enjoys the small rural school setting and appreciates the family atmosphere and collaborative spirit of his K-12 building. Greg serves on the NASSP Board of Directors. His involvement with NASSP can be traced back to the school shooting that he and his school experienced in 2017. This event and the extensive recovery period that followed let to Greg’s involvement in the establishment of the NASSP Principal Recovery Network in 2019. While serving as a co-facilitator of this group, Greg gained a deeper understanding of the vision, mission, and work of NASSP. Greg joined the Board of Directors in 2024. Sharing his experience and educating others about school leadership during and after a shooting as well as the long and difficult road of recovery has been a passion of Greg’s since 2017. This passion has allowed him to speak at conferences across the country, often accompanied by his wife, three children, and son-in-law. All members of the family were in the school the day of the shooting and each experienced the event and its aftermath differently. Greg brings a thoughtful, authentic, and compassionate approach to speaking on school safety as well as to his work as a school leader. Greg’s greatest passion is his family. He has been married to his wife Crystal for 28 years and they are the proud parents of three adult children. Additionally, he is also passionate about his Ohio State Buckeyes. Greg and Crystal met at Ohio State. All three children are graduates or current students at OSU. In addition to his bachelor’s and master’s from OSU, Greg accomplished a life-long goal of earning his Doctor of Education from Ohio State in 2024. As their youngest follows her two older siblings to OSU, Greg looks forward to tailgating on campus with his wife and kids as often as possible. Go Bucks! Episode Highlights: A Call to Leadership: Dr. Johnson initially considered a career in engineering but found his calling in education through a mentor. He began teaching social studies and coaching at West Liberty Salem in 1997. Witnessing a “revolving door” of five principals in seven years, he felt a strong pull to provide stability. A dean of students role served as a stepping stone to his principalship 20 years ago. Despite missing the daily joy of teaching, his commitment to consistency for his school community remained paramount. In his rural setting, he deeply values the opportunity to know all students and their families, often before they even reach high school. A significant challenge, however, is the limited support for specialized services and the necessity of wearing many hats due to smaller staff, particularly during his 16 years as both middle and high school principal (grades 6-12). Greg’s positivity and commitment to his school have kept him rooted to his community, where he and his wife— who, by the way, is Jen’s longtime best childhood friend— have raised three children.  Navigating a School Shooting: In January 2017, West Liberty Salem High School faced an unimaginable crisis. Dr. Johnson recounted the chaotic morning when he received the call about a shooting in the high school wing. Upon entering, he and his assistant principal discovered shell casings and located a student, Logan, who had been shot twice by another junior. Remarkably, Logan’s presence and his ability to talk to the shooter disrupted the perpetrator’s plan. The school’s ALICE training proved invaluable, empowering students and teachers to make independent decisions; many high school classrooms self-evacuated through windows minutes before any official announcement. In a moment of incredible composure, Dr. Johnson immediately called Logan’s family— who were personal family friends— to inform them of the incident and their son’s injury. The Unseen Wounds of Trauma and the Power of Connection: Dr. Johnson emphasized the profound and often underestimated traumatic impact of the event on students, staff, and the wider community. He realized that while the immediate threat ended with the shooter’s containment, students evacuating through cornfields endured agonizing hours of not knowing if their friends and family were safe. Initially, he felt compelled to project an image of “Tiger Strong” as a leader, inadvertently leading teachers and students to suppress their own suffering. A school counselor’s intervention helped him recognize his own need for support, prompting him to process the event emotionally. This experience was foundational to the formation of the NASSP Principal Recovery Network, an informal group initiated by Frank Deangelis (Columbine High School) and Greg Waples of NASSP. This network provides vital peer support, advocates for school safety, and has developed a “guide to recovery” for principals facing similar tragedies. In a poignant twist, Logan (the shooting victim) and Addie (Dr. Johnson’s oldest daughter), who was a sophomore in the same wing during the shooting, began dating during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now married. This unique detail, along with the fact that many students, including Dr. Johnson’s own children, chose to enter the field of education after the event, powerfully underscores the resilience and positive legacy that can emerge even from profound tragedy. Listening to this episode will restore your faith in the power of community, leadership, and the hearts of principals like Dr. Johnson. His story stands as a powerful testament to the enduring and transformative impact of steadfast leadership in the face of adversity. The post PMP478: From Classroom to Crisis and Beyond with Dr. Greg Johnson appeared first on Principal Matters.