The Modern Principal Podcast

Sep 08 2024 80 ep. 21 mins 19
The Modern Principal Podcast artwork

Welcome to The Modern Principal Podcast! We are Karen and Christy, two elementary principals reshaping education. We discuss practical strategies for doing the job while reforming the system.

  Education
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New Principal Planning

Sep 08 2024 25 mins  
Are you new to the principal role and wondering what you're missing? You have a whole list of tasks but don't actually know what to do?! This is the episode for you! Here's all the thoughts we would have if we got a "do-over" of the first year again! We chat about: - looking at your school through the 4 organizational frames (Bohlman and Deal)- people to schedule meetings with- qu

Summer Planning for Principals

Sep 02 2024 26 mins  
"When you guys say you are planning over the summer, what are you actually doing?" We get this question a lot! So we've broken it down to tell you all the things we do during the summer to make the school year go smoother! You'll hear about:- planning for the holidays- systems for committees- calendaring- updating policies and procedures- and more! Find more at www.themodernprinc

Leading Effective Meetings

Aug 27 2024 28 mins  
Have you ever worried your staff are sending "This meeting could have been an email" memes to each other during your weekly staff meeting? In this week's episode, Karen and Christy walk you through the basics of facilitating meetings that get results! Learn how: - to use meetings to further your vision - prepare meetings where work gets done - make meetings more efficient If you li

New Season Kick-Off!

Aug 12 2024 14 mins  
Karen and Christy are BACK in action! Hear about what they've been up to over the last school year, where they're headed this year, and what you can expect from this new season of The Modern Principal Podcast!

How to Sustain Your School's Vision

Apr 07 2024 26 mins  
This conversation explores the importance of sustaining a vision in education and provides practical strategies for doing so. Christy and Karen share personal anecdotes about their experiences as principals, highlighting the challenges and successes they encountered. They discuss the role of mindset and implementation in achieving a shared vision, emphasizing the need for clear rol

How to Create a Vision for Your School

Mar 31 2024 24 mins  
Creating a vision for a school is an important responsibility of a leader.In this episode, Karen and Christy discuss the process of creating a vision for a school. They provide steps for creating a vision, including gathering stories, identifying themes, and drafting a why statement. They also discuss the challenges of creating a vision and the need for ongoing communication and re

Using Conflict to Improve Your School Culture

Sep 10 2023 23 mins  
On this week's episode, Karen and Christy discuss the idea that conflict is natural - and even necessary - in a school culture. Listen to hear more about: - how to use personality tests to create common language and understanding- normalizing conflict- creating a safe environment for conflict to occur This episode was sponsored by Just Right Reader and Peer-Driven PD.

Shared Leadership: What to Do When Staff Don’t ”Stay in Their Lane”

Sep 05 2023 21 mins  
Ever had a staff member who shares lots of opinions on things that maybe don't apply to her? You probably want to acknowledge her concerns but also encourage her to "stay in your lane!" On this week's episode, Karen and Christy talk about: - why you should feel grateful when staff bring complaints out of their "lane" - how to use teams to improve decision-making and reduce complain

Communicating Student Behaviors with Parents

Aug 28 2023 26 mins  
It can be anxiety-inducing for a principal to relay negative information to parents but especially when their child has made a mistake or engaged in a major behavior. On this episode of the pod, Karen and Christy talk about: - how to get on top of behavior communication before the behavior even occurs - tips to prepare for a calm conversation - writing communication plans into beh

Impact of Physical Resources on Students and Teachers

Aug 21 2023 31 mins  
In this episode, Christy and Karen interview Dr. Samantha Keppler, Assistant Professor of Technology and Operations, who studies education operations, or the management of human and material resources, in public schools. In this episode Dr. Keppler helps principals: - understand the current data (or lack thereof) regarding how teachers are supplementing resources in their classroo