Episode 60: Getting Ready for the New Year

Jessica and Theresa discuss what they're working on right now to get ready for the new school year and thinking about the first staff meeting and what to read to students the first week of the school year.  Here are some of the resources they mentioned in the podcast:

Summer To Do List for Principals

Resources for New Principals (includes first meeting ideas, youtube links)

Tickler File

The Principal’s Checklist

Getting into classrooms the first week of school:

Spruce and Lucy by Todd Nesloney

Why am I Here? by Matthew Kelly

Jessica's post on Books for the First Week

Books we’re reading right now: Lean In, A Principal’s Guide to Leadership in the Teaching of Writing

And just a reminder, Tweet us using #principalpln or comment below about first staff meeting ideas and one lucky responder will get a copy of our book Breaking Out of Isolation in September. 




In other news...our book, Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader will be out in September, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon or from Corwin.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 59: Edcamp Recap

Edcamp Chicago Selfie (or is it Ussee?)

Chicago schedule/google doc of notes

Periscope - live stream/recording to share from conferences or share school events with family/community.

How are you using periscope? Tweet us using #principalpln or comment below about ideas for using Periscope and one lucky responder will get a copy of our book Breaking Out of Isolation in September.

Great way to introduce new staff members: All Star Press Conference by Brad Gustafson

EdcampPLN-

Want to join the PrincipalPLN Voxer group? Click on the Voxer image on the right side of the blog to add your info to the google form so we can add you into the group to join in on great conversations.

Jess and Theresa finally meet in person!

pre Edcamp dinner




In other news...our book, Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader will be out in September, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon or from Corwin.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 58 - #NAESP Collaboration with #30SecondTake!

Theresa worked with Brad Gustafson during the NAESP conference in Long Beach June 30-July 2. We found a ton of great principals with some amazing advice for new administrators. Check out what they had to say - you will not regret it!



Audio


Video

 

In other news...our book, Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader will be out in September, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon or from Corwin.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 57: Jethro Jones interviews the PLN on their new book

Jethro Jones reached out to us to interview the PLN on our book being released in September. He was kind enough to let us also share it with our viewers! It will be on the Transformative Principal near the end of July, but our listeners will get a sneak peek today :) Jessica and Theresa were on the podcast, Spike was taking shelter from a tornado ripping through South Jersey! We missed him but are so glad he is safe!

Thanks so much Jethro! Be sure to check out The Transformative Principal on iTunes and Twitter (@TrnFrmPrincipal) and follow Jethro on Twitter: @JethroJones

In other news...our book, Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader will be out in September, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon or from Corwin.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 56: Time to Get a Life!

What do principals do over the summer? Here’s a starting point: Summer To Do List

Great blog post: The Principal’s Summer Excellence Checklist by John Wink In this blog post he asks great questions for you to reflect/plan on that have to do with:

• culture
• instruction
• assessment
• intervention
• extension
• college and career
• master schedule
• leadership
• student behavior
• communication
• celebration

In other news...our book, Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader will be out in September, but you can pre-order it now HERE.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 55: The Mindful School Leader

How do you handle to stress?

 Does this sound like you? Maybe you just feel that way at times, which is certainly common in our overwhelming roles as school leaders. But, it doesn't have to be!

In this episode, the #principalpln crew have an amazing discussion with the authors of The Mindful School Leader. Kirsten Olson and Val Brown share their amazing wisdom with us on the importance of mindfulness for school leaders and how we can get started.  We felt a sense of peace and calm come over us just in listening to them speak!

We highly recommend you read the book, but until it arrives you can start with these recommendations from Val and Kirsten:

1. You eat a meal every day...choose one meal to really taste your food. Put down your devices and taste your food!
2. Look at the sky.
3. At times throughout the day, stop and notice your breathing.
4. Make a commitment for 10 minutes of alone time in your office.
5. Schedule these things so they become routine.

Do you have your own tips to share with being mindful or just taking care of yourself so you can be a better leader? Or are you (like us) a work in progress and just starting your path to mindfulness? Share your comments below or tweet your tips/reflections/progress using #principalpln.

Subscribe on iTunes here

Episode 54: Sprinting to the Finish Line

Theresa and Jessica discuss the craziness of the end of the school year...everything we have to get accomplished at this point of the year and how to survive it. We also discuss taking care of yourselves...what grade would you give yourself for this?

Jessica’s blog post on using Google calendar for a to-do list and her hack to cross off completed tasks: HERE

Subscribe on iTunes here