Rephonic
Artwork for Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast

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

Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker
Education
Leadership
Professional Development
School Leadership
Educational Leadership
School Culture
Education Leadership
Trust
Community Engagement
Instructional Leadership
Mental Health
Teacher Retention
Leadership Development
Teaching Strategies
Student Engagement
Leadership In Education
Collaboration
Student Achievement
Conflict Management
School Administration

With William D. Parker and Friends

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes500Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast

Latest Episodes

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before each week’s interview, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

What do I do when I become aware of conversations in the teacher’s lounge – about my lack... more

YouTube

A few weeks ago, Jen Schwanke and I talked about the term “proflection”. Proflection is a term, coined by Jen, that combines reflection and proactivity. It means reflecting on past experiences in order to make changes to future practices. This week, ... more

YouTube

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before this week’s interview Jen Schwanke and I take some time to answer a listener question. This week’s question is:

I’m a Secondary leader now tasked with coaching and supporting Elementary leaders. What advice do yo... more

YouTube

What happens when what you get isn’t what you wanted? This week on Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke shares a story from her newsletter, “The Dog I Wanted,” about losing a beloved dog and learning to love a new one who was nothing like what she expected. ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Tony Bornhorst
Veteran educator, coach and athletic administrator; author of Thinking About Coaching High School
Dublin-Coffman High School / author
Episode: PMP522: Lessons from Coaching High School with Tony Bornhorst
Darren Melton
Head of School at Lincoln Christian School
Lincoln Christian School
Episode: Fill the Gap with Trust with Darren Melton – PMP521
Patrick Erwin
Educator, speaker, leadership development specialist; curriculum director for Maxwell Leadership Foundation
Maxwell Leadership Foundation; Growing Leaders
Episode: I Love This Place with Patrick Erwin – PMP520
Robyn Hamasaki
Managing Director of Leadership Development for National Principals Association
National Principals Association
Episode: Creating Belonging, Experience, and Memories with Robyn Hamasaki – PMP519
Mara Tieken
Author and researcher focusing on rural education and college access
Bates College (lecturer); author of Educated Out, Educated Out, Why Rural Schools Matter
Episode: Why Rural Schools Matter with Dr. Mara Tieken – PMP518
Chien Ray Nee
Transformational educational leader; Performance specialist in Maryland's second largest school district
Maryland School District
Episode: Teachers Are The Engine of School Success with Chien Nee – PMP 517
Dr. Tyler Watkins
Principal of Petal High School; author of Rooted Leadership in a Mobile World
Petal High School; Author
Episode: Rooted Leadership in a Mobile World with Dr. Tyler Watkins – PMP516
Dr. Fernando Branch
Principal of Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy; beekeeper; author and consultant
Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy; cmocc.org
Episode: Lessons from Beekeeping with Dr. Fernando Branch – PMP514
Dr. Darin Thompson
Veteran K-12 leader from Fairfax, Virginia; founder of Pivotal Leaders Group; author
Pivotal Leaders Group
Episode: Cornerstones of Effective Schools with Dr. Darin Thompson – PMP513

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 145 ratings
  • Good listen

    Will and Jen provide some good information. There are some nuggets in their stories. Aside some content I would urge Will to fix the audio level. His volume is so low compared to Jen’s - sometimes really hard to hear.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Loreleijane
    United Statesa year ago
  • Excited about new content for school leaders!!

    Jen and Will are piloting unique episodes for school leaders on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in 2025. Check it out and share with other education leadership friends!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    williamdparker.com
    United States2 years ago
  • Great reflective coach

    Thanks for the WWPN 2023 shout out in your December episode Will! Will helps leaders reflect on their practice. He also walks the walk and regularly practices his own reflection. I appreciate how he guides our admin team through reflection so that we build stronger connection which leads to us better serving our staff and students. Wishing Will and his team a wonderful 2024. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow with you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CaTeamPA
    United States3 years ago
  • Celebrating 1.2 million downloads

    Thank you listeners for the the ongoing learning we are doing together!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    williamdparker.com
    United States3 years ago
  • the podcast was informative. Sometimes it is difficult to decide what feedback is most valuable.

    Audible
    5
    Davidb734
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Long-time listeners appreciate the community feel and mentorship mindset from hosts and guests.
Listeners praise practical, actionable leadership insights and relatable hosts.
Some feedback notes audio consistency issues but overall high regard for content and guest quality.
Audiences highlight the show as a reliable resource for school leaders seeking strategies they can implement.
A few criticisms mention shifts in focus or balance between spirituality and leadership content.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

PMP522: Lessons from Coaching High School with Tony Bornhorst
Q: What do I do when I become aware of conversations in the teacher's lounge about my lack of support that filter back to my office?
The recommended approach is to acknowledge concerns, provide a space for legitimate issues, and handle complaints privately and promptly—never airing staff grievances publicly; treat it like a classroom issue, resolving it one-on-one and moving back to business.
Fill the Gap with Trust with Darren Melton – PMP521
Q: Can you talk about filling the gap with trust and why it matters for school environment and communication?
Trust reshapes how information is received and discussed; when trust is in place, conversations about disagreements become productive, leading to clearer decisions that better protect and support students and families.
I Love This Place with Patrick Erwin – PMP520
Q: What practical ways can a principal increase visibility in a school when stuck in the office?
Schedule intentional office time, walk through high-traffic areas like the cafeteria and hallways, and make brief, visible appearances during peak times; involve teammates to hold each other accountable for being present.
Why Rural Schools Matter with Dr. Mara Tieken – PMP518
Q: What can principals do to strengthen community building in a polarized environment?
Principals should clear the clutter to let teachers focus on instruction, create safe harbors within schools, and treat schooling as the learning and growth that happens inside, not just the pursuit of test scores. Emphasizing the human story of students and staff helps sustain a sense of belonging and purpose.
Why Rural Schools Matter with Dr. Mara Tieken – PMP518
Q: How can we better prepare students for the cultural costs of higher education?
By making conversations explicit about what students might encounter, offering realistic previews, and equipping them with strategies such as tutoring, cohort advising, and strengthening counseling training. Also, inviting former students to share experiences helps normalize these challenges and reduces feelings of isolation.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on educational leadership, focusing on practical, field-tested strategies for principals and district leaders. Episodes frequently explore building trust, culture, and instructional quality, with how-to frameworks for PLCs, MTSS, relational leadership, and sustainable school improvement. Guests include experienced principals, district leaders, and authors who share actionable approaches, from rural leadership to large high schools, often tying leadership practices to real-world outcomes for students and staff. A notable pattern is pairing leadership theory with personal stories and tangible steps that listeners can implement, plus recurring collaborations with a co-host team that foregrounds servant leadership and relation... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Assistant Principal Podcast
2. Transformative Principal
3. The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast
4. Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
5. The Principal's Handbook

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 11 years ago and published 500 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Tony Bornhorst
2. Darren Melton
3. Patrick Erwin
4. Robyn Hamasaki
5. Mara Tieken
6. Chien Ray Nee
7. Dr. Tyler Watkins
8. Dr. Fernando Branch

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days