Educational Leadership with Principal JL

Jeff Linden
  • 5.0 (45)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Principal JL is an educational leader who explores various topics facing educational leaders today! The Mission of this podcast is to inform and inspire other Educational Leaders on how to be their best for their Schools by honing their skills and talents so they may impact their teachers, staff members, students, parents/guardians, and community members positively for their School District! Come with a Growth Mindset as we journey through Educational Leadership! 

  1. Episode 69: Principals’ Perspectives: Hiring Teachers, Staffing Shortages & Real Talk on School Leadership

    1D AGO

    Episode 69: Principals’ Perspectives: Hiring Teachers, Staffing Shortages & Real Talk on School Leadership

    Connect with the Show Here! Thirteen hires by April. Internal transfers that “go over like a turd in a punch bowl.” Schools trying to keep construction, CNA, phlebotomy, and dual enrollment alive while staffing gets tighter. If you’re leading a building right now, you know the feeling: everything matters at once, and spring turns the pressure up. We sit down for an unscripted conversation with co-host Robert Hinchliffe to compare two very different realities of educational leadership: a rural-leaning Nebraska high school where staffing is content and endorsement driven, and a Las Vegas elementary school where flexibility is higher but the pace and expectations can overwhelm new hires. We talk teacher hiring, staff movement, what HR systems help or hinder, and the creative ways leaders use endorsements, Praxis tests, and transitional pathways to place great teachers where students need them most. From there, we dig into bigger system issues that affect daily operations: school choice and enrollment volatility, remote instruction as a rural lifeline, and why strong programs can drive engagement and even improve attendance. We also share culture moves that matter, like welcoming students back with “How have you been?” instead of “Where have you been?”, and recognition ideas that celebrate growth, grit, and perseverance not just top GPA. We close with what the next month looks like in real schools: testing windows, prom and graduation logistics, teacher appreciation, field trips, and the nonstop calendar. If you want us to tackle a leadership challenge you’re facing, send your topic and we’ll give our honest perspectives. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can find the conversation. Connect with Robert Hinchliffe: Website: https://roberthinchliffe.com/ Tik Tok: @rhperspective New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    1h 12m
  2. Episode 68: How Principals and School Leaders Grow: Educational Leadership Lessons from Dr. TJ Vari and Dr. Joe Jones

    APR 20

    Episode 68: How Principals and School Leaders Grow: Educational Leadership Lessons from Dr. TJ Vari and Dr. Joe Jones

    Connect with the Show Here! Your leadership isn’t defined by your intentions, it’s defined by what your week actually looks like. We sit down with Dr. Joseph Jones, superintendent of Newcastle County Vocational and Technical School District, and Dr. TJ Vari, former deputy superintendent and senior director of product strategy at MaiaLearning, to get brutally practical about what strong educational leadership takes right now. We trace their journeys from the classroom to high-impact leadership roles and the real turning points that pushed them toward administration. Along the way, we unpack why systems thinking is the difference between a school that improves and a school that depends on constant heroics. They explain how TheSchoolhouse302 grew out of their days as turnaround principals trying to solve teacher burnout, retention, and achievement challenges, then turned into models, books, coaching, and leadership development used well beyond Delaware. We also preview their upcoming book on instructional leadership, built around time, tools, and tactics you can implement fast. They break down strategies like reverse time blocking to audit where your day truly goes, how to escape the “one-minuted” cycle, and how to use a pressure support approach that raises expectations while keeping teachers supported. The conversation widens to the future of education, career-connected learning, workforce readiness, and why they believe every principal deserves a coach. If you want clearer priorities, stronger systems, and more time in classrooms, hit play. Subscribe, share this with another school leader, and leave a review with the one system you’re ready to build next. Connect with TJ and Joe: TheSchoolHouse302 Website: New Book: Click Link Below Time, Tools, and Tactics of Instructional Leadership: A Principal’s Guide to Leading Learning (Amazon)New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    59 min
  3. Episode 67: Principal Baruti Kafele on Transformational School Leadership, Turnaround Strategies & Instructional Leadership

    APR 13

    Episode 67: Principal Baruti Kafele on Transformational School Leadership, Turnaround Strategies & Instructional Leadership

    Connect with the Show Here! Some schools don’t need a new program, they need a leader whose voice actually lands. I sit down with Principal Baruti Kafele, a nationally recognized turnaround principal, author, and longtime educator, to unpack what transformational educational leadership looks like when the work is real and the stakes are high. We trace his path from teaching fifth grade to leading schools in highly urban communities, and why he believes culture and climate aren’t side projects, they are the foundation for learning. Kafele shares practical systems he used to rebuild trust and expectations, including short daily messages to students, monthly “state of the school” meetings, and intentional student leadership development that turns seniors into mentors and role models. The thread running through it all is credibility: students don’t respect a message if they don’t respect the messenger. We also go deep on instructional leadership and the principal’s role as a coach. Kafele challenges the common model where teachers receive lots of professional development but little in-classroom feedback, arguing that walkthroughs, coaching conversations, and consistent support are what protect students from uneven instruction. He uses a sharp football analogy to make the point: no serious team plays the game without coaches on the sidelines, so why do we accept that in education? If you care about school turnaround, school culture, principal leadership, assistant principal development, and instructional coaching, this one will push your thinking. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review so more educators can find the show. Connect with Principal Kafele: Website: https://principalkafele.com/ Email:  PrincipalKafele@gmail.com Youtube: AP and New Principals Academy What Is My Value Instructionally to the Teachers I Supervise? (Amazon)New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    56 min

  4. APR 1

    Episode 66: Trust and Inspire Leadership in Schools: How to Move Beyond Command and Control

    Connect with the Show Here! If leadership feels like you’re carrying the whole school alone, the problem might not be your work ethic. It might be the model you’re using. We get real about how easy it is for principals and school leaders to slip into command and control leadership and why that approach often creates compliance, not commitment.  I’m reflecting on key ideas from Trust and Inspire by Stephen M. R. Covey and what they mean for educational leadership, school culture, and teacher motivation. We talk through the big shift from managing people to leading people, why trust consistently gets better work than control, and how a leader’s habits can either grow staff capacity or quietly shrink it. You’ll hear practical ways to stop micromanaging instruction and start building instructional leaders across the building, plus the mindset reframe that matters most: leadership starts in the mirror.  We also dig into the real fears that hold leaders back like losing control, getting burned, or watching something fail and the real costs of staying stuck: burnout, disengaged staff, and a school that can’t run without you. If you want delegation that actually works, accountability that feels shared, and a staff that goes above and beyond because they believe in the work, this conversation will help you take the next step. Subscribe, share this with a leader who needs it, and leave a review so more educators can find the show. Check out the Book Below, Click on Link: Trust and Inspire by Stephen M.R. Covey New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    29 min

  5. MAR 16

    Episode 65: How Principals Can Hire Great Teachers in a Shortage: Recruiting, Retaining, and Building a Teacher Pipeline (2026)

    Connect with the Show Here! Hiring in education isn’t just “hard” right now, it’s faster, noisier, and far less forgiving than it used to be. If you’re still waiting to collect a perfect candidate pool before you act, you’re probably watching your best applicants accept offers somewhere else. We talk candidly about what the 2026 hiring cycle looks like from the principal’s chair, including contract deadlines, early retirements, surprise resignations, and why math, science, special education, and skilled technical positions can feel impossible to fill. We walk through practical teacher recruitment strategies that help school leaders hire smarter and move faster without sacrificing fit: tight interview timelines, backup plans for finalists, real reference conversations, and the value of trusting a consistent hiring team. We also dig into long-term educator pipeline work, like growing your own teachers through student pathways, student teaching partnerships, and para-to-teacher or transition programs that turn strong candidates into future classroom leaders. Then we get honest about the parts many leaders underestimate: school culture and school branding. Candidates research your building online, and your social media can either tell a clear story of learning and belonging or leave a blank space. Pair that visibility with retention systems like meaningful professional development, mentorship, and PLC collaboration, plus competitive pay and benefits, and you create the kind of workplace that recruits for itself. Subscribe, share this with a school leader who’s hiring right now, and leave a review so more principals and HR teams can find these teacher hiring ideas. New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    32 min
  6. Episode 64: How to Build a Real PLC Culture: Dr. Chad Dumas on Collaboration, the 4 PLC Questions, and Guaranteed Learning

    MAR 2

    Episode 64: How to Build a Real PLC Culture: Dr. Chad Dumas on Collaboration, the 4 PLC Questions, and Guaranteed Learning

    Connect with the Show Here! What if the reason your PLCs feel flat is because they’re treated like a calendar event, not a culture? We sit down with Dr. Chad Dumas, former music teacher, principal, director of learning, author, and Solution Tree PLC at Work associate, to unpack how schools move from working hard to getting results. Chad’s story arcs from the band room to building leadership to district systems and national consulting, and along the way he reveals the practices that turn collaboration into guaranteed learning for every student. We dig into the mindset shift that changes everything: from “what do we want students to learn?” to “what will we guarantee every student learns in this unit?” That single promise forces clarity on power essentials, tightens common assessments, shortens feedback cycles, and demands targeted interventions and extensions. Chad explains why the most effective PLC work is owned at the building level, supported by the district but driven by course-alike teams close to the kids. He shares how Hastings Public Schools flipped district-led meetings into school-based collaboration and how distributed leadership made the work endure beyond any one person. You’ll hear practical moves you can use this week: crafting unit guarantees, aligning quick common checks, grouping students by target for interventions, and keeping agendas focused on the four questions. For aspiring leaders, Chad offers candid advice on scaling your impact, building trust, and leaving a legacy measured by how many leaders you grow. The conversation is hopeful and grounded, celebrating the daily excellence of educators while giving you concrete steps to make your PLCs more than a time slot. If this conversation helps you see leadership and collaboration in a new light, share it with a teammate, subscribe for more, and leave a review with one thing your PLC will guarantee next unit. Google Dr. Chad Dumas? Don't have to click the link below! Chad Dumas's Solution Tree Website: New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    41 min
  7. Episode 63: Assistant Principal Leadership Playbook with Dr. Sonia Matthew: Equity, School Systems & Student Achievement

    FEB 23

    Episode 63: Assistant Principal Leadership Playbook with Dr. Sonia Matthew: Equity, School Systems & Student Achievement

    Connect with the Show Here! A single line can change a career: “You’re not just an assistant principal.” Dr. Sonia Matthew joins us to show what that looks like when reflection, equity, and well-built systems collide to keep students in classrooms and learning at high levels. From her beginnings as a first-generation Canadian navigating language and stuttering to earning Maryland’s National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year, Sonia traces a journey defined by empathy, discipline, and community. We dig into the core moves that transform culture: knowing students and families deeply, streamlining interventions to protect instructional time, and measuring what matters so effort becomes impact. Sonia explains how adaptive leadership, SEL, and adult wellness help leaders listen with purpose, build trust, and tap hidden strengths across a staff. She walks us through concrete practices, clear routines for hallways and passes, progress monitoring with teeth, and collaborative decision-making, that reduce chaos and raise achievement. Sonia also shares how advisory councils shaped her view of policy and practice, why journaling and pattern-spotting power better decisions, and how optimism can be a strategic choice. Her nonprofit Imaginate and her forthcoming book, The Assistant Principal’s Blueprint: From Survival To Success, extend these ideas with practical tools for emerging leaders. If you’re an educator looking to sharpen systems, elevate equity, and energize your team, this conversation offers a playbook anchored in respect and results. Listen, share with a colleague who needs a spark, and subscribe so you never miss a story that moves education forward. If the episode resonates, leave a review and tell us: which school system would you streamline first? Connect with Dr. Sonia Matthew: Website: https://www.drsoniaamatthew.com/ New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    47 min
  8. Episode 62: 2025 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year Laura Tobias on Restorative Leadership, Culture, and Student Engagement

    FEB 16

    Episode 62: 2025 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year Laura Tobias on Restorative Leadership, Culture, and Student Engagement

    Connect with the Show Here! What if a high school could heal and improve at the same time? Principal Laura Tobias, 2025 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year, shares how she led a 2,400‑student campus through crisis into a culture defined by love, restorative practices, and relentless follow‑through. The story begins with hard truths: post‑pandemic grief, serious discipline incidents, and a community searching for footing. Laura didn’t double down on exclusion; she doubled down on connection, clarity, and student voice. We dig into the daily moves that changed everything: a simple morning message, “We love you”, paired with visible, consistent expectations. Restorative circles became the default for conflict across students, staff, and even families, supported by the React process to surface harm and repair it with dignity. Instead of reflexive suspensions, students complete accountability projects that teach skills and rebuild trust. Discipline drops, belonging rises, and kids start asking for restorative conversations on their own. Culture sticks when recognition is real and routines are predictable. Laura’s team leveled up PBIS with clear mantras, respect it, own it, advocate for it, represent SC, and Pride Coins that celebrate small, specific wins in the moment. Student-produced videos reinforce monthly themes, while school wide mental health summits give everyone two hours of choice-driven connection before high-stress breaks. Teachers lead sessions based on their passions, building relationships that make learning safer and stronger. We also talk about the adults: designing teacher-led PD that people actually want, growing aspiring leaders through committees and shadowing, and recruiting the next generation of educators with honest optimism. The takeaway is practical and hopeful, compassion, and accountability aren’t opposites. When schools lead with love, set high expectations, and make consequences teach, communities transform. Connect with Laura Tobias: email: lst13@scasd.org Phone: 814-574-1500 New and Improve  Teach Better Mid Roll Network Ad Support the show Click Here to Connect with Principal JL:

    53 min
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5
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45 Ratings

About

Principal JL is an educational leader who explores various topics facing educational leaders today! The Mission of this podcast is to inform and inspire other Educational Leaders on how to be their best for their Schools by honing their skills and talents so they may impact their teachers, staff members, students, parents/guardians, and community members positively for their School District! Come with a Growth Mindset as we journey through Educational Leadership! 

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