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

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: How can I discover my teacher’s unique “professional work languages?” Listen in to hear their response! You can use these questions to help discover those “work languages”: How do would you describe your leadership style in three words? What are your best working conditions? How does appreciation feel like for you? How do you communicate early warning signs? What is your genius zone? What is my learning zone? Meet Dina Langston & Stacey James: Stacey James and Dina Langston are experienced educational leaders from Armwood High School in Hillsborough County, Florida.  Stacey James currently serves as a Magnet Lead at Armwood High School and has held this role for several years, leading schoolwide efforts to align rigor, routines, and relationships to support instructional improvement and student success. With over 17 years in education, she has previously served as a classroom teacher, AVID coordinator, and instructional coach. James also has more than five years of experience as an AVID staff developer, facilitating professional learning for educators at AVID Summer Institutes and national conferences. Dina Langston serves as principal of Armwood High School, where she leads efforts to improve instructional quality, school culture, and student outcomes through aligned systems and collaborative leadership. Her work has contributed to significant school improvement, including increased graduation rates and academic performance. In recognition of her leadership and impact on student achievement, Langston was awarded the 2026 Principal Leadership Award from Florida TaxWatch. Together, Stacey James and Dina Langston design and deliver professional learning grounded in real school contexts and focused on sustainable improvement for educators and students. The Triple R Framework: Today’s guests center their leadership work around what they call the Triple R Framework: rigor, routines, and relationships. These three elements work together to create strong learning environments where students and educators can thrive. When schools intentionally focus on all three, they create both the structure and the culture necessary for sustained improvement. Rigor: Rigor is not simply about giving students more difficult assignments. Instead, it involves designing learning experiences that require students to think deeply, engage meaningfully, and apply their knowledge in authentic ways. When educators maintain high expectations while also providing the support students need to succeed, rigor becomes a pathway to greater engagement and stronger learning outcomes. Key ideas: Maintain high expectations for every student Design learning that requires critical thinking Connect instruction to real-world applications Pair high expectations with strong student support Routines: Predictable routines create stability in classrooms and throughout schools. When students understand procedures and expectations, they can spend less time navigating uncertainty and more time focused on learning. Clear routines also help teachers manage classrooms effectively and maintain a consistent learning environment. Examples include: Clear entry and exit procedures Consistent assignment submission processes Structured discussion and participation norms Reinforcing routines regularly so expectations remain clear Relationships: Relationships are the foundation of a healthy school culture. When students feel known, valued, and supported, they are more likely to engage in learning and take academic risks. Strong relationships among educators, students, and families build trust and create a sense of community that strengthens the entire school environment. Effective strategies include: Community-building activities Meaningful conversations with students Learning about students’ interests, backgrounds, and goals Creating a culture where students feel safe to participate and grow Staying Connected: Listen to the full conversation with Dina Langston and Stacey James for more insights on leading with rigor, routines, and relationships! You can stay connected with Dina Langston and Stacey James via the following channels: School website: https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/o/armwood Dina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-langston-60b0a7249/ Email: dina.langston@hcps.net  Stacey’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-james-m-ed-m-s-i-d-38391130/ Email: stacey.james@hcps.net  The post PMP508: Rigor, Routines, and Relationships with Dina Langston & Stacey James appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What would you say is the solution for the current state of decline in U.S. schools? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Paden Morris: Paden Morris serves as principal of Tyler Consolidated High School in Tyler County, West Virginia, where he has led for the past five years. Known for his steady leadership, Paden is passionate about helping staff and students believe in their own capacity for growth. He is a believer in collaboration and committed to reflection, continuous growth, and building a culture where belief drives performance. A husband and father of a curious three-year-old son, Paden is intentional about balancing leadership and family life while prioritizing what truly matters. In 2026, he was recognized by the West Virginia School Counselors Association as the Administrator of the Year. In this week’s episode, Paden reflects on his 12–13 year journey in education—from special education and science teacher to career and technical education leader, and now principal. Leading a small high school of approximately 360 students, he shares how steady leadership, collaboration, and belief in people have shaped his school’s culture—especially in the years following the pandemic. Rebuilding After the Pandemic: Taking the principalship during the COVID recovery period, Paden focused on restoring normalcy, rebuilding relationships, and re-centering the school around a clear and memorable mission: To make it possible for all students to be self-supporting, contributing, and caring citizens. Rather than allowing the mission to sit on a wall, Paden and his leadership team distilled it into language that guides daily decisions. Each word carries weight: Self-supporting – Students develop independence, resilience, and life readiness. Contributing – Graduates move forward into work, military, college, or other meaningful pathways. Caring – Students grow into high-quality human beings who care for themselves and others. Building Culture Through Collective Efficacy: Paden emphasizes shared leadership and collective efficacy. By empowering teachers as experts and forming a student advisory council, he ensures students have voice and ownership in school culture. He regularly meets with grade-level groups to ask what’s working, what’s challenging, and what they’d change—modeling transparency and trust. The results of his leadership style are inspiring: Over 90% of students participate in extracurricular activities, reinforcing connection, motivation, and belonging. “Don’t Water Rocks”: One of the most impactful leadership lessons Paden shares comes from his superintendent: DWR — Don’t Water Rocks. Instead of pouring energy into unproductive criticism or negativity, leaders should invest their time where growth and impact are possible. Paden reframed his mindset: “I will defend this place every day—but I’d rather be proud of it.” This shift from defensiveness to pride allows the school to spotlight the 95% of good happening daily rather than being consumed by the 5% of negativity. Moving from Compliance to Deep Learning: The conversation also explores Tyler Consolidated’s shift toward standards-based grading. Post-pandemic, Paden and his team realized their assessment practices had drifted toward compliance rather than deep learning. Through a voluntary summer cohort that grew far beyond expectations, staff began rethinking grading practices to focus on: Clear proficiency criteria Evidence-based assessment Meaningful feedback Learning over averaging The shift reflects a commitment to authentic growth rather than traditional gradebook calculations. Leadership and Family Balance: As a husband and father of a young child, Paden shares the ongoing challenge of balancing school leadership with family life. He emphasizes intentionality, perspective, and protecting what matters most—recognizing that sustainable leadership requires healthy personal priorities. Staying Connected: Paden shared lessons learned in standards-based grading from a previous guest, Garth Larson. You can check out that interview and find more resources here: https://williamdparker.com/2024/pmp423-extinguishing-fires-within-assessment-and-grading-reform-with-garth-larson/ If you would like to stay connected to Paden Morris, you can connect with him via email at paden.morris@k12.wv.us. The post PMP507: Steady Leadership with Paden Morris appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: What is the difference between procedures and systems? Listen in to hear their response, and thank you for doing what matters! Meet Jamie Meade: With a career spanning over 35 years in education, Jamie Meade is dedicated to positive change and impact in our nation’s education systems, working to advance academic achievement, growth, and well-being for our nation’s youth. Jamie began her career as a high school English teacher in the rural Appalachian region of Ohio, and her passion led her to leadership roles in the school and district-level. Jamie has also served in regional school improvement services with the Ohio Department of Education and as Vice President at Battelle for Kids. For more than a decade, Jamie has done extensive research in the science of Hope—and why it matters for students, staff, education leaders, and communities. The Science of Hope: Jamie has made herself a student of hope, and has learned a great deal how we can focus on hope as a tool for leading, teaching, and learning. In this interview, Jamie explains that hope is different from wishful thinking, and walks us through the science of the brain— and where hope actually lives in our minds. Unlike “wishing” (which is passive), real hope is an active, strategic cognitive process. Neuroscience shows that hope is a skill that can be practiced. The more we choose hopeful thoughts, the more we physically rewire our brains to build capacity for resilience. The GPA of Hope: Jamie also introduces C.R. Snyder’s Hope Theory framework: Goals: A vision for a future that is better than today. Pathways: The ability to identify multiple routes to reach those goals and navigate obstacles. Agency: The belief in one’s own ability and the mental energy to pursue those pathways. Building Hope Among Students: Students are often stuck in the downward spiral of losing hope, which often starts with anger , moves to despair, and ends in apathy. As Jamie says, “Don’t misdiagnose hopelessness as laziness. Apathy is the final stage of a depleted spirit.” Teachers and staff are key factors in increasing student hope. Look for staff who bring energy, share their power, and get students excited about the future. Hope is a gift that can be shared. A student who has lost hope can borrow it from a teacher, but only if that teacher has it to spare. This applies to leaders and their staff as well. Staying Connected: If you would like to learn more about Jamie Meade, you can connect with her via email at j-meade@outlook.com. The post PMP506: Hope Is A Strategy with Jamie Meade appeared first on Principal Matters.

A Quick Note to Listeners: Before this week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is: I want to say yes to new opportunities outside my building without neglecting my first commitments to my school. Is it possible to do both? Listen in to hear their response! Meet Erika Bare & Tiffany Burns: Tiffany Burns and Erika Bare are veteran educators and co-authors of Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students.  Tiffany brings more than two decades in education — from teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, to instructional coaching and serving as an elementary principal before taking time to teach and support educators nationwide as part of the Connected Communicator movement.  Erika Bare has spent over 20 years in education as well, including roles as a special education teacher, administrator, and currently as a district leader committed to helping all students reach their potential. Together, they blend deep classroom and leadership experience with practical communication tools that help adults build stronger, more connected relationships with students.  They joined us on Principal Matters: The School Leader’s Podcast in Episode 369 to share insights from their work and strategies that empower leaders and educators to handle tough conversations with care and confidence. Now, they are authors of the new book, A School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations. Understanding the Challenge of Tough Conversations: Tough conversations often create anxiety for school leaders, leading to sleepless nights and lingering stress. Tiffany Burns notes that, while most educators enter the profession to serve students, it is often the adult conversations — with staff, caregivers, and colleagues — that feel most complex and emotionally charged. In their book, Burns and Bare provide concrete strategies to help leaders prepare intentionally, reduce uncertainty, and approach conversations with purpose rather than avoidance. The Importance of Relationship-Building: A central theme of the conversation is the importance of building relationships long before difficult conversations arise. Erika Bare emphasizes the need for leaders to systematize relationship-building by intentionally scheduling regular check-ins and informal connections with staff. Simple habits — such as dedicating the first part of the day to walking classrooms and engaging in brief conversations — help staff feel seen, valued, and supported. Will Parker reinforces this idea with the reminder: “Our systems support our habits.” When leaders prioritize relationship-building in their calendars, those behaviors become sustainable rather than reactive. Strategies for Effective Communication: Burns and Bare share several practical strategies for reducing tension and increasing clarity during tough conversations. One example involves responding thoughtfully when someone seeks immediate feedback or resolution. Instead of dismissing the concern or rushing a response, leaders can say: “This conversation is important, and I want to give it the time it deserves. Let’s schedule a time to talk more.” This approach honors the person’s concern while creating space for a more focused and productive conversation. Another powerful strategy is the intentional use of supportive language. Bare highlights the impact of simple questions such as, “How can I support you?” This communicates empathy and helps leaders better understand what type of support is truly needed — whether emotional reassurance, problem-solving, or simply being heard. Overcoming Obstacles to Communication: Despite best intentions, school leaders often struggle to sustain these practices amid constant demands and crisis-driven work. Burns acknowledges how easily proactive relationship-building can slip as the school year intensifies. The solution, however, is not perfection — it is consistency and accountability. Leaders must protect their calendars, recommit to intentional habits, and recognize that meaningful connections are not optional extras but foundational leadership work. Conclusion: Tough conversations do not have to be overwhelming. When leaders invest in relationships, communicate intentionally, and build supportive systems, difficult moments become opportunities for trust, growth, and clarity. By applying these practices, school leaders can transform anxiety-producing conversations into meaningful moments of connection and leadership impact. If you want to connect with Erika Bare and Tiffany Burns, you can learn more about them at their website. The post PMP505: A School Leader’s Playbook for Tough Conversations with Erika Bare & Tiffany Burns appeared first on Principal Matters.