What sets strong instructional leaders apart from those just managing the day-to-day? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, you’ll learn five key traits that help principals lead learning, not just logistics.You’ll discover:Why great leaders see themselves as lifelong learners and model that for their staffHow to protect time for instructional leadership—even when the day gets chaoticWays to use evaluations, PD, and data as tools for genuine teacher growthHow to clearly communicate beliefs about teaching and learning so your vision sticksIf you’ve ever felt pulled away from instructional priorities by constant fires, this episode will help you refocus on what matters most—growing teachers, improving learning, and leading with purpose.Join us in The 8 to 4 Principal Leadership HubCheck out my free planner, The 8 to 4 Principal Planner.

In this episode of "In Search of Catholic School Excellence," Thomas Boles and Becky Wong dive into the admissions process for Catholic schools, sharing practical strategies and best practices to attract and welcome new families. They discuss the importance of visibility, community reputation, and intentional, personalized engagement throughout the admissions journey—from initial inquiry to enrollment and beyond. The conversation highlights actionable tips for making schools more inviting, reducing barriers for prospective families, and fostering a sense of belonging that supports both students and parents.Becky reminds us to focus on Communication with Families, the Environment we invite new families into and engaging the Community as part of the process.  If we can consider how we can simplify and gain clarity about each step of the process that families will go through in applying, enrolling and attending our school, we can increase the numbers and overall satisfaction, making our marketing efforts even easier.  To get a copy our Admissions Best-Practices Checklist, please visit us here.  If you need help with any of the steps or in simplifying and clarifying your process, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-TogetherBecky Wong has been a teacher, admin, tech coordinator and innovator in Catholic Schools for over 25 years.  She not only assists schools as part of the Tech Team but has been instrumental in guiding the Archdiocese of San Francisco as it navigates the edtech decisions and ever-changing landscape of classroom technology. The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team. When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students.Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team.Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible.Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com

To start building your Fine Arts Program, Abby suggests, " try to start first with where  they are at or what was the big trend this past year...then when you announce something that has something to do with that, they really get into it and get excited."   Plan your own Sunrise Art Show by gathering all the work from the year, displaying and it and inviting the community to come see all of the beautiful things your students are creating. Saints Peter and Paul School will celebrate its 100th year in 2025! Through the years, we have fostered a thriving learning community in the heart of San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. Our Pre-K through eighth grade provides academic excellence, enrichment opportunities, and development of the whole child through spiritual guidance based on reason, service to others, and loving-kindness.Abby Herget is the Junior High Fine Arts teacher and leader of the school's fine arts program. She brings her talents and experience as both an art and design director to the classroom to help students express themselves while exploring the elements of a formal arts program.To get a copy of the A Catholic School Guide to Meaningful Student Showcases, please visit us here.   The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team. When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students.Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team.Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible. Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.comEvery great school starts with a bold vision. Take the first step toward making yours possible — schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-Together

   In this Podcast, Angela and Davey synthesize Dr. Howie Knoff's November 8, 2025 Blog post which presents evidence that will fundamentally change how you understand school discipline and racial discrimination. Dr. Knoff and your Podcast Hosts summarize the latest research that reveals that Black students are, nationally, suspended from school at 3.8 times the rate of White students—not because of behavioral differences, but due to systematic racial bias. This significantly impacts Black students' psychological, academic, and social development, and it fundamentally rewires their developing adolescent brains for chronic trauma.     Indeed, when Black students experience unjust disciplinary accusations and actions, they suffer lasting increases in stress hormones, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety that can persist for years. The research also shows that their still-developing emotional regulation systems become overwhelmed by feelings of rage, helplessness, and institutional betrayal. . . and that their adolescent brains simply cannot process these emotions effectively._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Read the Full Text of this Podcast as a LinkedIn Newsletter: CLICK HERE Read the Full Text of this Podcast as a Project ACHIEVE Blog: CLICK HERE_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _    Davey and Angela discuss the “adultification” of Black students and its impact on implicit bias, how Black students experiencing disproportionate school discipline use "academic withdrawal" as a survival mechanism, and how Black students—who previously demonstrated high academic potential—are forced to expend their cognitive energy on threat detection and self-protection, rather than learning and collaboration. They also discuss how disproportionality creates intergenerational trauma that ripples through families and communities, and how Black students are publicly humiliated when disciplined in front of peers—experiences that lead to social isolation and lasting stigmatization within their school and peer communities.     This Podcast will transform your understanding of the documented trauma being inflicted on Black students in schools nationwide. This isn’t just about devastating statistics—it is about the human cost that implicit bias and discrimination has on Black students’ stress, anxiety, and trust, and how this  systematically denies them their dreams and futures.    Check out this NEWEST Podcast and its Call to Action. . . and “Follow” us so that you get notified when every new podcast is released.

In this rewind episode of Make It Mindful, we revisit one of our most popular episodes. Host Seth Fleischauer welcomes Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan, a speech pathologist and educational consultant, to delve into supporting executive functioning. Building on the previous conversation with Mitch Weathers in episode #49, this episode explores how executive functioning challenges impact social, academic, and functional life skills and discusses practical strategies for supporting students beyond the classroom.Dr. Karen will be returning to the show in a few episodes. If you'd like specific topics covered in that episode, please DM host Seth Fleischauer on LinkedIn.Key Topics Discussed:Understanding executive functioning as a set of cognitive processes like time perception, self-talk, and future pacing.How Tier 1 interventions can support students across all tiers by creating a collaborative, scaffolded environment.The importance of visual supports, episodic memory, and modeling self-talk for building executive functioning skills.Balancing standardized assessments with dynamic, portfolio-based approaches to better diagnose and support students.Strategies for addressing common challenges, like resistance to new tasks, and teaching students to develop self-motivation and planning skills.Guest Bio:Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan is a speech pathologist with over 14 years of experience in schools. She specializes in supporting related service providers, special education teams, and educators in fostering executive functioning, language, and literacy skills. She is the host of the De Facto Leaders podcast and the creator of resources at Dr. Karen Speech and Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan.Episode Links:Explore resources on executive functioning at Dr. Karen Speech.Listen to Dr. Karen’s podcast, De Facto Leaders, at drkarendudekbrannan.com/de-facto-leaders-podcast/Sign up for the Executive Functioning training at drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadershipDownload Dr. Karen's Executive Functioning Implementation Guide for School Teams at drkarendudekbrannan.com/efguideHost Bio:Seth Fleischauer is the founder and president of Banyan Global Learning, an international education company delivering experiential learning that builds global competency. A former classroom teacher, Seth is passionate about exploring how global learning and mindful innovation can transform education.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating or review and share it with a friend. As always, thank you to our editor, Lucas Salazar.