Educational Leadership with Principal JL
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!
Episodes
60 episodes
Episode 59: Leading as a Learner: Dr. Jess Quinter on MTSS, School Culture, and Principal Leadership
What does it take to lead a single school so well that your influence reaches across a district, and into state and national conversations? We sat down with Dr. Jess Quinter, Principal of Park Forest Elementary in Pennsylvania and NAESP Zone 2 ...
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Episode 59
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38:27
Episode 58: Dr. Danny Steele on Becoming an Instructional Leader: How Principals Reclaim Time, Support Staff, and Strengthen School Culture
Feeling stretched thin by the demands of school leadership yet determined to move learning forward? We sit down with Dr. Danny Steele; teacher, AP, principal, and author of The Instructional Leader in You; to unpack the practical mindset shifts...
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Episode 58
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42:56
Episode 57: Nebraska Education Advocacy: How the 2026 Legislative Session Will Impact Schools with Dr. Mike Dulaney & Tim Heckenlively
Laws that feel distant in a statehouse become very real in a classroom. We sit down with Dr. Mike Dulaney of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and consultant Tim Heckenlively to map what the new legislative session actually means fo...
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Episode 57
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1:03:19
Episode 56: Lindsey Allen’s Leadership Journey: How a Principal Scaled Influence, Protected Teacher Time, and Boosted Student Achievement
A school changes course when leadership starts by listening and then protects what matters most: time, clarity, and opportunity. We sit down with Lindsey Allen, Georgia’s 2025 Principal of the Year and principal of Walnut Grove High School, to ...
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Episode 56
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57:59
Episode 55: Year-In-Review 2025 (Part 2): Leadership Lessons From 12 School Leaders
Ready for a fast, no-fluff leadership reset that actually translates? In this 2025 Year in Review, we highlight twelve standout leaders and the single move from each that shifted trust, culture, and learning in real schools.You’ll hear h...
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Episode 55
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27:16
Episode 54: Year-In-Review 2025 (Part 1): Leadership Lessons From 14 School Leaders
This episode distills one powerful insight from each of our standout guests this year, practical moves you can use the moment you’re back in the building. From consistency and clarity to purpose, recognition, and sustainable habits, these strat...
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Episode 54
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30:51
Episode 53: You Don't Have to Leave to Lead: Dr. Chris Jochum's Leadership Journey
What if the most powerful leaders in a school aren’t the ones with the titles? We sit down with Dr. Chris Jochum department chair, coach, and author of You Don’t Have To Leave To Lead, to unpack how everyday teachers can move culture, improve l...
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Episode 53
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41:02
Episode 52: The Principal’s Playbook: Building Trust, Retaining Teachers, and Driving Change (Unfiltered)
Culture is not a poster on the wall, it’s the engine that determines whether any strategy, policy, or program actually works. We walk through a practical, field-tested playbook for principals who want to build trust, retain great teachers, and ...
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Episode 52
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42:41
Episode 51: Leading with Laser Focus: Dr. James Lane's Educational Leadership Journey
A trumpet, a baton, and a blueprint for real school change. James Lane went from touring musician to teacher, principal, superintendent, state chief, and ultimately a senior leader at the U.S. Department of Education and he never lost sight of ...
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Episode 51
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48:53
Episode 50: From Disillusionment to Momentum: What I Know Now, I Wish I Knew Then: Find the Joy, Break the Silos, Build the Network.
A single question changed the way we lead: what do we know now that we wish we knew then? From the emotional roller coaster of a school year to the small habits that keep us grounded, we unpack practical moves that help educators stay energized...
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Episode 50
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16:49
Episode 49: Proud Principal: Tony Cattani's Leadership Journey
Doors closed, minds open or the other way around? Our conversation with NASSP’s 2025 National Principal of the Year, Tony Cattani, pulls back the curtain on how a large high school built a culture where teachers learn from teachers every single...
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Episode 49
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1:06:46
Episode 48: I Choose to Stay: Dr. Salome Thomas-EL’s Journey from the Chessboard to the Classroom to Leadership!
A single question from a group of students rerouted a career—and sparked a movement. That’s how Dr. Salome Thomas-EL, widely known as Principal EL, went from TV production to a life in education, using chess to teach math, identity, and grit wh...
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Episode 48
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52:19
Episode 47: What They Don’t Tell You About Being a Principal: Leadership, Isolation, and the Power of Community
The principal’s chair looks different from the inside. We pull back the curtain on the quiet costs of leadership—why accountability requires real boundaries, why the job can feel isolating even in a busy building, and how to replace that isolat...
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Episode 47
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16:51
Episode 46: Listen First, Lead with Heart: Principal Shannon Seale’s Journey from Classroom to School Leader
What if the strongest leadership move is to listen first, decide second, and never micromanage? That’s the tought line of our conversation with Principal Shannon Seale, who went from high school social studies to leading a pre-K–2 campus, witho...
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Episode 46
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50:07
Episode 45: Beyond the Classroom: How a PE Teacher Became a Transformational Leader with Dr. Donovan Smalls II
What if the best instructional leadership doesn’t start with a rubric but with people? We sit down with Dr. Donovan Smalls II to unpack how a former PE teacher and college professor became an assistant principal known for calm under pressure, d...
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Episode 45
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52:01
Episode 44: A Principal’s Perspective on Society’s Issues in Schools
Ever feel like the weight of the world lands squarely on your school's doorstep? You're not alone. Principal JL takes a rare solo moment to speak candidly about the reality educational leaders face when national events and societal tensions ine...
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Episode 44
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12:27
Episode 43:The Cardinal Way: Building School Culture with Bill Curry: 2025 Nebraska Middle School Principal of the Year
Ever wonder what makes a truly exceptional school leader? Bill Curry, recently named Nebraska's 2025 Middle School Principal of the Year, offers a refreshing perspective that might surprise you.Curry's journey into education began unexp...
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Episode 43
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58:21
Episode 42: Seen, Heard, Valued: The Leadership Journey of Jayme Braida, Iowa’s 2025 Elementary Principal of the Year
What if the most powerful leadership quality isn't perfection, but authentic vulnerability? Jayme Braida, Iowa's Elementary Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal, demonstrates how embracing imperfection revolutionized her a...
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Episode 42
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41:28
Episode 41: Creating Bull Elephants with 2025 Nebraska High School Principal of the Year: Jerry Mack
When a rural Nebraska principal discovered a behavioral problem with freshmen students, he turned to an unlikely source of inspiration: African bull elephants. Jerry Mack, the 2025 Nebraska State High School Principal of the Year, shares how th...
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Episode 41
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1:15:16
Episode 40: From School Psychologist to Assistant Principal: Erin Jones’s Leadership Journey
What does it take to truly connect with students who struggle? For Erin Jones, Assistant Principal at Sunrise Middle School, the answer lies in her own past. "I wasn't your picture-perfect student," she reveals, explaining how her personal chal...
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Episode 40
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40:47
Episode 39: Out of the Trenches: Dr. Dana Goodier's Leadership Journey!
What happens when a Norwegian tour guide discovers her passion for educational leadership? In this revealing conversation, Dr. Dana Goodier shares her remarkable 25-year journey through the educational landscape, from teaching world languages t...
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Episode 39
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42:25
Episode 38: Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Climbing the Next Mountain in School Leadership!
That moment when you've built a solid foundation, but find yourself staring at the ceiling wondering, "What's next?" This summer, after three years of transformative work as building principal at Hastings High, I hit that wall. We'...
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Episode 38
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34:45
Episode 37: The Street Cred Principal: Josh Tovar’s No-Excuses Approach to School Leadership!
What does it take to transform a struggling school? Josh Tovar knows firsthand. Born in Juarez, Mexico, and growing up with learning disabilities and family challenges, Josh's journey from troubled teen to transformational principal offers powe...
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Episode 37
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1:15:54
Episode 36: Leading with Clarity: Casey Watts’ Educational Leadership Journey!
What happens when talented, dedicated educators feel stuck despite their best efforts? According to Casey Watts, the answer isn't about working harder—it's about seeing clearer.After two decades in education as a teacher, coach, and dis...
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Episode 36
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52:57
Episode 35: The Blueprint: Todd Bloomer’s Educational Leadership Journey on Balancing Family, Leadership, and School Culture!
What makes a school leader decide to step away when they still love what they do? Former high school principal Todd Bloomer opens up about his nearly three-decade journey through education and the wisdom he gained along the way.Todd's s...
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Episode 35
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40:57
