Transformative Principal

Jethro Jones
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Jethro Jones interviews instructional leaders from around the nation to learn and teach what it takes to become a transformative principal. Episodes address topics like Response to Intervention (RTI), Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), the latest advances in educational research, standards-based grading, and interviews with industry leaders like Bill Daggett, Rick Wormeli, Todd Whitaker and even people outside the education like Seth Godin, JeVon McCormick, Liz Wiseman, and more.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Supporting School Leaders Through the Daily Grind with Marie Bordeleau

    In this episode, host Mike Caldwell sits down with Dr. Marie Bordeleau, a veteran Catholic and public school leader with over 25 years of experience, to discuss the realities of school leadership. Marie shares insights from her upcoming book, The Dust and the Glory, exploring how principals can navigate criticism, avoid burnout, and find joy in the chaos. From the importance of staying "in the arena" to setting boundaries and embracing slow, steady progress, this conversation offers practical wisdom for any school leader feeling the weight of the job. Marie also reflects on leading through crises like 9/11, the 2008 recession, and COVID—and why mission-driven, servant leadership is the key to holding schools together when everything feels fragile. Links:Website: InTheArena.com Email: marie@inthearenacoaching.com Book: The Dust and the Glory: Finding God in the Chaos of Catholic School Leadership (March 2026) - LinkedLeaders Profile: https://linkedleaders.com/mentors/7f7772dd-f9a3-4160-91f2-c08fbe3380d6 Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    41 min
  2. The 3 Keys to Leading Every Human with Nick Pretasky

    1 MAR

    The 3 Keys to Leading Every Human with Nick Pretasky

    In this episode, Nick Pretasky draws on his experience as an Alaskan backcountry guide to share three essentials for leadership: Bond, Mastery, and Belief. He explains why leaders fail when they forget they're leading humans—and why every leader needs a coach. The episode closes with a powerful story about a student who carried a teacher's handwritten note in his pocket for months, reminding us that small acts of recognition can be transformative. Links:LinkedIn: Nick PretaskyLinkedLeaders  Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    50 min
  3. Becoming an Innovative Leader with Brad Gustafson

    22 FEB

    Becoming an Innovative Leader with Brad Gustafson

    In this episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit vault, host Jethro Jones interviews Brad Gustafson, about becoming an innovative leader in education. Brad emphasizes that innovation starts with identifying your "why" - his is creating a relevant, connected learning environment where students are excited to come to school. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    34 min
  4. Jethro's Dissertation - How Principals who Use AI for Innovation Create Cognitive Equity

    15 FEB

    Jethro's Dissertation - How Principals who Use AI for Innovation Create Cognitive Equity

    In this special episode, Jethro Jones defends his doctoral dissertation on how school principals can use AI for innovation rather than just efficiency. The research challenges the common "save time" narrative around AI in education and introduces the concept of "cognitive equity" - using AI to expand capabilities and solve problems that weren't previously possible. Through a full-day workshop with 11 Wyoming principals, Jethro demonstrated that when professional development focuses on authentic problems rather than tools, leaders can create innovative solutions like student mental health check-in apps, digital citizenship games, and curiosity trackers. The study revealed three key barriers (time, training, and resources) and emphasized the importance of sustained, problem-focused professional development that allows for productive struggle. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    1h 12m
  5. A New Era of Transformative Principal with Mike Caldwell

    8 FEB

    A New Era of Transformative Principal with Mike Caldwell

    In this special handoff episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones announces he's passing the podcast to Mike Caldwell, founder of LinkedLeaders, as Jethro transitions to his new role as Director of Operations at Life Lab, a character education company creating video curriculum for middle and high schools—a move that aligns perfectly with his doctorate in character education, which he's defending the day after this episode airs. The episode explores why this partnership makes sense, as both Transformative Principal and LinkedLeaders focus on supporting school leaders through connection, mentorship, and learning from others' experiences, with Mike's platform connecting principals with mentors who have actually done the work they're struggling with through features like "Leadership Suites" that give districts their own dedicated spaces while accessing a broader community. Jethro shares insights about using AI tools like Open Claw to streamline operations and eliminate repetitive tasks in his new role, while both hosts emphasize a core theme: school leaders desperately need safe spaces to connect with peers who understand their challenges, since they often can't discuss struggles with staff below them or administrators above them. After 13 years and over 10 years of episodes, Jethro confidently hands off the podcast to Mike, who will continue providing valuable conversations for educational leaders worldwide. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    36 min
  6. Building Accountability Through Key Responsibility Areas with Will Parker

    1 FEB

    Building Accountability Through Key Responsibility Areas with Will Parker

    In this vault episode from the Transformative Leadership Summit, host Jethro Jones interviews Will Parker, a high school principal from northeastern Oklahoma, about implementing KRAs (Key Responsibility Areas) in schools. Will shares how he adapted Dave Ramsey's organizational management concept to create clarity and accountability for all staff members—from secretaries and counselors to administrators. The conversation explores how defining specific responsibility areas upfront prevents confusion, enables cross-training, improves hiring processes, and creates a supportive environment where everyone understands their role. Will emphasizes that KRAs are living documents revisited annually, helping schools manage organizational structure effectively, especially during transitions like budget cuts or staff changes. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    34 min
  7. Learning Through Video Games at Alpha School with Benny

    26 JAN

    Learning Through Video Games at Alpha School with Benny

    15:19.5In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones interviews Benny, a 16-year-old sophomore at Alpha School in Austin. Benny discusses his Alpha X project—a YouTube channel explaining how video games are educational. The conversation explores Alpha School's innovative model, which combines AI-based academics in the morning with passion-driven project work in the afternoon. Benny shares insights on how video games teach critical life skills like problem-solving, resilience, teamwork, and communication through active learning environments. Jethro challenges Benny to stop perfecting his first video and start publishing immediately, emphasizing that consistent practice beats endless research. They discuss the importance of learning through doing, the value of failure in video games versus traditional education, and how Alpha School's approach helps students develop real-world skills. Alpha School academics and workshops. Benny’s youtube channelUploading many videos as opposed to researching to make one video. Active worlds do 1.5x better than kids in traditional learning situations.Video games teaching organic skills. Portal 1 and 2 are great for teaching logicProfessor Layton Franchise - puzzle games.What makes you give up? Motivational models - motivating a student for doing a certain task or achievementHow minecraft raised us better than our schools. Brainlift Google DocAbout Benny Benny is a 16-year-old sophomore who attends Alpha High School. He enjoys playing video games, playing instruments, and debating a variety of topics. He has lived in Austin, Texas his whole life and has been attending Alpha for three years. At Alpha, students complete an AlphaX project, an individual project based on their passions. When he was in middle school and during his first year at Alpha High School, Benny’s project was based on music therapy. However, as he progressed through high school, he began to change his project to a YouTube channel that explains how video games are educational. This change was inspired by the first thing he does when he gets home from school, which is playing video games. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    35 min
  8. The Power of Principal Self-Efficacy with Stan Koterba

    18 JAN

    The Power of Principal Self-Efficacy with Stan Koterba

    In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones speaks with Stan Koterba, an Ohio principal working on his doctorate in educational leadership. Stan shares his powerful personal journey of battling leukemia during his doctoral program and how that experience shaped his dissertation focus on principal self-efficacy—the belief that positive thinking and visualization directly impact leadership effectiveness. Dissertation Accountability groupStarted his dissertation in 2014, Leukemia slowed him down, but he persevered and is back on track!What self-efficacy means: Visualizing success and optimism that it’s going to work out.Personal experience first, and thinking about it. Tackle the toughest thing first. Start with the smallest win, and then keep going. Email is a procrastination tool. Schedule send is your friend!School email off my cell phone. Schedule times on your calendar. You are worthy of that yourselfDon’t get too busy with the busywork to do the real work!Text blast for phones to communicate with parentsHow to be a Transformative Principal? Get in the classrooms! About Stan Koterba Stan Koterba is a School Administrator, and is a former Band Director and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Leadership at Youngstown State University, as well as a Google Certified Educator. His doctorate is in principal self-efficacy.  Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.  These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.  We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.  IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more: Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

    31 min
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About

Jethro Jones interviews instructional leaders from around the nation to learn and teach what it takes to become a transformative principal. Episodes address topics like Response to Intervention (RTI), Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), the latest advances in educational research, standards-based grading, and interviews with industry leaders like Bill Daggett, Rick Wormeli, Todd Whitaker and even people outside the education like Seth Godin, JeVon McCormick, Liz Wiseman, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Jethro Jones
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    840
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Jethro Jones
  • Show Website
    Transformative Principal

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