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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
Teacher Retention
Community Engagement
Student Engagement
Instructional Leadership
Mental Health
Teaching Strategies
Leadership Development
Collaboration
Leadership In Education
Conflict Management
Student Achievement
School Administration

With William D. Parker and Friends

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes500Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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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:

I’m new to my role as a principal after years as an AP, and I’ve set my calendar for wha... more

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Welcome back to another episode of Monday Matters! This week, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke reflect with listeners about the importance of examining your influence. Your influence matters. Every day, the way you interact with students, teachers, coll... more

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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’ve joined a new team and I want to build trust without coming across as too eager to be... more

YouTube

This week on Monday Matters, Will Parker and Jen Schwanke discuss a recent newsletter from Jen, “Weather vs. Climate”. Jen starts out the episode recounting a time that she got caught in an unexpected storm while on a run. She then goes on to talk ab... more

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Recent Guests

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
Will Darter
Rural superintendent and author of The Empowered Rural Education Leader
The Empowered Rural Education Leader (author)
Episode: PMP512: Forgiveness Looking Like Nachos with Dr. Will Darter
Mike Hayes
Assistant Superintendent, Aurora City Schools (Aurora, Ohio)
Aurora City Schools
Episode: PMP511: Creating a Greenhouse Culture with Mike Hayes & Ashley Pacholewski
Ashley Pacholewski
First female principal of Aurora High School
Aurora High School
Episode: PMP511: Creating a Greenhouse Culture with Mike Hayes & Ashley Pacholewski
Brad Johnson
Educator, author of Relational Intelligence; keynote speaker
Dr. Brad Johnson
Episode: PMP510: Redefining Leadership Through Relational Intelligence with Brad Johnson and Rachel Edoho-Eket
Rachel Edoho-Eket
National Blue Ribbon School Principal, TEDx speaker, president of Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals
Relational Intelligence co-author group
Episode: PMP510: Redefining Leadership Through Relational Intelligence with Brad Johnson and Rachel Edoho-Eket
Dave Sandowich
Retired principal and longtime listener who invited the guest's son on the sailing trip
Former Principal (New Jersey)
Episode: MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Lessons in Sailing Upwind
Will Bowen
International speaker, author, founder of A Complaint Free World
A Complaint Free World
Episode: PMP509: A Complaint Free World with Will Bowen

Hosts

Will Parker
Host of the show; a central figure in school leadership discourse with a practical, collaborative approach.
Jen Schwanke
Co-host and education expert contributing leadership insights and practical strategies.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 144 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.

Guests are consistently high-caliber education leaders offering actionable strategies.
Listeners appreciate practical, battle-tested leadership advice.
Many find inspiration and tangible takeaways for day-to-day leadership and staff wellbeing.
Quality and depth of conversations are often highlighted, though audio levels can be uneven at times.
Community and peer-learning aspects are frequently praised.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Cornerstones of Effective Schools with Dr. Darin Thompson – PMP513
Q: What are some practical moves to improve culture and build staff capacity in a school?
Begin with diagnosing the culture, then provide trust, understanding, and readiness; implement the PIN protocol to establish a clear instructional focus and build capacity through consistent professional development, teacher-led initiatives, ongoing feedback, and normed coaching across the admin team.
Cornerstones of Effective Schools with Dr. Darin Thompson – PMP513
Q: When you think about school improvement, what do leaders need to understand most for effective outcomes?
Leaders must align growth-oriented beliefs with strategic leadership, recognizing that improvement is driven not just by technical implementation but by cultivating a culture and capacity that supports those changes, and by ensuring leaders address both conditions and implementation cohesively.
PMP512: Forgiveness Looking Like Nachos with Dr. Will Darter
Q: How do you set the tone on day number one?
Will describes the importance of intentionality, choosing the desired tone (humor, welcoming, celebratory, somber) and aligning the first day's activities, materials, and calendar with that tone, so staff and students feel the environment reflects the school's goals from the start.
PMP510: Redefining Leadership Through Relational Intelligence with Brad Johnson and Rachel Edoho-Eket
Q: How could people get ahold of you if they want to engage your consulting or speaking services?
Will provides contact options: reach via the website williamdparker.com or email Will at williamdparker.com; Jen cites her site jenschwanke.com and email Jen at jenschwanke.com for connection, with both sides inviting outreach for collaboration.
PMP510: Redefining Leadership Through Relational Intelligence with Brad Johnson and Rachel Edoho-Eket
Q: This person is thinking about retiring in a year, but says, I want to do something part time. What are some options you've learned about consulting that I might be able to develop for me?
Brad explains that you typically start by volunteering at conferences or local events to build visibility, then gradually create a value proposition, develop a presence (website or LinkedIn), and explore groups with existing consulting operations to join, which can evolve into part-time or larger opportunities as you establish credibility and relationships.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

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

This show centers on school leadership, focusing on practical strategies for principals, district leaders, and education teams. Episodes frequently cover identity-affirming leadership, equity-centered practices, distributed leadership, coaching, trauma-informed cultures, and wellness for leaders. Guests range from experienced principals to university-affiliated education experts, offering frameworks, real-world coaching tips, and reflections on sustaining humane, effective leadership in schools. A notable strength is how conversations blend personal leadership journeys with actionable takeaways, often anchored in collaborative networks, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning. The format and guest mix make it a strong resource for leaders see... more

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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.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dr. Fernando Branch
2. Dr. Darin Thompson
3. Will Darter
4. Mike Hayes
5. Ashley Pacholewski
6. Brad Johnson
7. Rachel Edoho-Eket
8. Dave Sandowich

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