The NAESP Principal Podcast National Association of Elementary School Principals

Providing a safe and secure environment is one of the most essential obligations for anyone looking after children, and principals have a unique role to play in creating such an environment at their schools. Today Equetta Jones talks school safety with principals Ashley Farrington and Dr. Jessica Grant, sharing their strategies for ensuring students, staff, and families feel safe and secure at their schools.
Ashley Farrington is principal of Birchview Elementary School in Plymouth, Minnesota, and president-elect of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association.
Dr. Jessica Grant is dedicated leader of a K-5 school in Prince Georges County Public Schools in Maryland.
Equetta Jones is principal of Love Creek Elementary School in Lewes, Delaware, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Early Career Principal Community of Practice.

A principal's job involves a broad variety of roles, responsibilities, and communities. So it stands to reason that any school leader seeking to improve their practice should seek to grow in multiple ways. Dr. Ryan Daniel and Liz Garden, both of whom work within the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership, sit down with host Andy Jacks to discuss how this work has helped themselves and their peers grow.
Dr. Ryan Daniel is principal of Fort Foote Elementary School in Fort Washington, Maryland, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.
Liz Garden is principal of Henry P. Clough Elementary school in Mendon Massachusetts, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.
Andy Jacks, Ed.D. is principal at The Nokesville School in Nokesville, Virginia, and senior fellow at the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership.
Learn more about the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership at naesp.org/CAL

Most people intuitively understand kindness, but defining what it means, how it impacts those around us, and how to practice it can be truly revealing. We're joined by Houston Kraft, co-founder of CharacterStrong, and Nikki Sparks, lead of the American Student Council Association (ASCA), to discuss the ways principals, staff, and students specifically can lead with empathy to create a kinder school and community.
Houston Kraft is co-founder of CharacterStrong, an organization providing curriculum and training to help teach leadership, character, and social-emotional skills, and author of Deep Kindness, and Be Kind.
Nikki Sparks is assistant executive director of executive services and recognition programs at NAESP, administering programs such as ASCA, the President's Education Awards, and the National Distinguished Principal® program.

Donna McGuire is assistant principal at The Park Terrace School in New York City, a 2023 NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal, and moderates the NAESP Assistant Principal Community of Practice.

This July in Nashville, NAESP is excited to be hosting its annual conference jointly with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for UNITED: The National Conference on School Leadership. Host Andy Jacks is joined by NAESP President-Elect Kevin Armstrong and Associate Executive Director of Professional Learning Gracie Branch, to discuss what to expect and how school leaders and educators from all grade levels can learn and grow this summer.
Kevin Armstrong, Ed.D. is principal of DuPont Hadley Middle School in Old Hickory, Tennessee, and president-elect of NAESP.
Gracie Branch, Ph.D., is associate executive director of professional learning at NAESP.
Andy Jacks, Ed.D. is principal at The Nokesville School in Nokesville, Virginia, and senior fellow at the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership.
Learn more and register today at theunitedconference.org.

School transformation is about more than just a change in name, or even a change in leadership. For Eric Chagala, principal of San Diego's VIDA Academy, culture is key. Chagala shares his story with Center for Innovative Leadership fellows Liz Garden and Scott Mcleod, and talks about the real reasons for VIDA Academy's successes.
Eric Chagala, Ed.D. is is the founding principal of the Vista Innovation & Design Academy (VIDA) in San Diego, California.
Liz Garden is principal of Henry P. Clough Elementary school in Mendon Massachusetts, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.
Scott McLeod is professor of educational leadership at the University of Colorado, Denver, and a fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.

Should I stay, or should I go? That's the question many assistant or aspiring principals are asking themselves when considering whether to transition fully into the principalship. We sit down with two APs to discuss their advice on the when, how, and why of becoming a principal.
Shay Lewis is assistant principal at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Elementary School in Rocky Hills, Connecticut.
Delaney Rosenberg is assistant principal at a pre-K–8 school in Fremont, New Hampshire.

Donna McGuire is assistant principal at The Park Terrace School in New York City, a 2023 NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal, and moderates the NAESP Assistant Principal Community of Practice.