Schools are drowning in data—test scores, benchmarks, walkthrough rubrics, behavior logs—and yet half the time, it feels like we’re just checking boxes instead of actually learning anything from it. In this episode, we’re unpacking the difference between collecting data because you have to and using data because it helps you lead. From simplifying what you track, to asking better questions, to closing the loop with teachers, these strategies will help you turn data from noise into direction. Because data isn’t powerful because you collect it—it’s powerful because you use it. If you’ve been buried in spreadsheets but starving for insight, start here. This episode will help you turn data into a compass that actually points your school where it needs to go.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram

Students can be in their seats, quiet, and compliant—and still not be learning. That’s why engagement matters. In this episode, we’re unpacking the difference between keeping kids busy and actually engaging them in thinking, talking, and caring about what they’re learning. From shifting walkthroughs to focus on engagement, to celebrating small wins, to giving staff ready-to-use strategies, we’ll show you how engagement becomes the lever that drives behavior, learning, and culture. Because engagement isn’t entertainment—it’s everything. If you’re ready to move beyond compliance checklists and build classrooms where students are truly invested, start here.   Get Bashing Boredom Here!  If you want to talk about bulk orders or free resources reach out to us at tailored@educationtailored.com   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

When we talk about school culture, most people immediately think about staff morale—whether teachers feel supported, if the lounge is positive, if the vibe is good. But here’s the question we don’t ask enough: What does your culture feel like to kids? In this episode, we’re shifting the lens from staff to students. From the way kids are greeted at the door, to how corrections are delivered, to whether lessons feel engaging or just repetitive, student culture is built in the small, everyday interactions. And if students don’t feel seen, valued, and connected, no amount of spirit week can fix that. Because culture isn’t built in the lounge—it’s built in the hallways, classrooms, cafeteria, and bus loop. If you want to move beyond morale posters and really create a school kids want to be part of, start here. This episode gives you practical, ready-to-use strategies to build culture that students actually experience as belonging.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Family nights can be one of the most powerful ways to connect parents, kids, and schools—but they can also be some of the most disappointing when only a handful of people show up. In this episode, we’re unpacking why traditional formats flop and what actually gets families through the door. From drop-in, drop-out structures and student-centered showcases to short, fun, food-filled events, these strategies flip family nights from “one more meeting” into “can’t-miss experiences.” Because families don’t want another lecture—they want to see their kids shine. If you’ve been stuck with low turnout, start here. This episode will help you design family nights that build connections, celebrate students, and keep families coming back.   Stories and STEM Family Night    Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

The “honeymoon phase” is over, the candy is flowing, and Halloween somehow turns into a week-long holiday in kid time. No wonder late October feels like chaos in schools. In this episode, we’re unpacking why this season feels so heavy—and how principals can lead through it without losing their minds. From setting clear boundaries on costumes and candy, to channeling spooky energy into learning, to giving teachers quick morale boosts when fall fatigue hits, these moves keep the chaos from taking over. Because you can’t stop October energy—but you can shape it. If you’ve been feeling the weight of sugar highs, spooky vibes, and behavior spikes, start here. These strategies prove you don’t have to just survive October—you can use it to build culture.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Attendance dips, and the first instinct is often to blame kids or families—or fire off another robo-call. But here’s the truth: attendance isn’t just a kid problem. It’s a systems problem. In this episode, we’re breaking down why the usual fixes fall flat and what it takes to actually shift patterns long-term. From schoolwide culture moves and attendance mentors to family partnerships and staff systems, these strategies move beyond compliance and build connection. Because when kids feel like it doesn’t matter whether they’re there or not, that’s not a student issue—that’s a leadership challenge. If you’re tired of playing attendance whack-a-mole, start here. This episode gives you practical, ready-to-use steps to replace robo-calls with relationships and turn absenteeism into belonging.   Every Opportunity Video   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Some days you’ve got time for a deep dive into strategy. Other days? You just need a win before the first bell rings. In this episode, we’re sharing five practical “5-minute fixes” you can use this week to shift energy fast—without overhauling your entire system. From sticky note recognition and gratitude emails to hallway whispers and the “invisible principal game,” these micro-moves build trust, sharpen focus, and strengthen culture in small but powerful ways. Because leadership isn’t just in the big initiatives—it’s in the micro-moments that tell your staff, your students, and your community what you value most. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, start here. These quick wins prove you don’t need hours—you just need intention.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

You thought the summer recharge would carry you further—but here we are, barely a month into school, and the tank already feels empty. If you’re exhausted in September, you’re not alone. In this episode, we’re having an honest conversation about why burnout hits so early and what you can do to reset before it becomes your default. We’ll bust the biggest myths principals believe (“If I just power through now, it’ll calm down later”), unpack the real reasons September feels so overwhelming, and share practical resets you can start this week—like the 3-3-3 Reset, energy audits, and modeling rest as leadership. Because burnout isn’t proof you’re not cut out for this job—it’s proof that leadership without boundaries will take everything you give it. September doesn’t have to break you if you reset now.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here! .

Every week, we’re here with strategies and systems to make school leadership feel a little lighter. But today? We’re stepping out of the usual rhythm to share something different. In this bonus episode, we’re telling the story of how The Principal Exchange came to be. From our venture outside of the public school system, to realizing how isolated school leaders often feel, to joining forces to create practical resources and a community of support—you’ll hear the “why” behind everything we do. We’ll walk you through what we’re building right now (the Academy, the Marketplace, our conferences), the vision that drives us, and the belief that’s at the core of it all: leadership doesn’t have to be lonely.   Make sure you follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Every principal starts the year determined to be in classrooms daily—but then the fires, parent emails, and coverage needs hit. Before you know it, months have flown by and your classroom visits are more accidental than intentional. In this episode, we’re breaking down how to actually lead instruction without burning yourself out. You’ll hear practical mindset shifts and simple systems that make classroom visits doable, like: Why instructional leadership isn’t about more walkthroughs, but more purposeful ones How to calendar classroom time so it actually happens Quick feedback strategies teachers appreciate (and will actually use) Creative ways to bring others into the work so you’re not carrying it alone If you’ve ever felt torn between running the building and leading instruction, this episode will help you reset your approach—and remind you that you don’t have to do it all to lead well.   Make sure to follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Every principal has those conversations you wish you could skip—the angry parent complaint, the teacher struggling instructionally, the staff member not pulling their weight. They’re uncomfortable, emotional, and easy to put off. But here’s the truth: hard conversations don’t kill trust—avoiding them does. In this episode, we’re breaking down the seven most dreaded conversations school leaders face and sharing practical ways to approach them with clarity, calm, and confidence. From navigating gossip and staff conflict to saying “no” to requests when resources are limited, you’ll hear strategies that protect relationships while holding the line on what matters most. If you’ve ever walked into a tough conversation with a pit in your stomach, this episode will give you the words, the mindset, and the confidence to walk out with stronger trust than you started with.   Make sure you're following us on social media! Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here!

Does your inbox feel like it’s running your day? Principals get buried under hundreds of emails every week—most of them urgent-sounding but low-priority. The truth? You’ll never answer them all (and you don’t need to). In this episode, we break down the different types of emails that flood your inbox—from FYIs and parent complaints to staff questions and those never-ending cc chains—and share practical strategies to handle them without losing your sanity. You’ll learn how to spot what actually needs you, set boundaries that stick, and use tools like templates, folders, and clear communication systems to keep email in its place. If you’ve ever felt like your leadership is happening after you survive your inbox, this episode will help you dig out—and stay out.   Follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram   Want more than just ideas? Join hundreds of principals inside The Principal Academy—a growing movement of school leaders reclaiming time, strengthening culture, and leading with purpose. Check it out here! 

What if the rules you’ve been following aren’t actually serving your people anymore? In this episode, we dig into why the best leaders don’t blindly follow rules—they question them, challenge them, and replace them with values and expectations that build stronger schools. We’ll look at how rules often start with good intentions but can quickly shift into tools of control that stifle culture. You’ll hear stories of innovators like Steve Jobs, Rita Pierson, Taylor Swift, and the founders of Airbnb—leaders who weren’t reckless, but intentional about breaking the rules to create something better. From there, we’ll walk through powerful mindset shifts: moving from rules to quotes to live by, from control to shared expectations, from compliance to cultural norms, and from “no exceptions” to intentional, humane ones. Plus, we’ll share practical strategies like running a “rule audit” with students, using the “Why?” test, and challenging yourself to condense every school rule down to just three universal expectations. By the end, you’ll be ready to trade rule management for culture building—and maybe even ask yourself: Which rules in my school don’t make sense anymore? Because rules might belong in board games, but in leadership? They’re meant to be challenged.

Ever stared at your screen, knowing you need to respond…but the right words just aren’t coming? In this episode, we’re giving you ready-to-use scripts for the conversations and emails you have on repeat — from redirecting a student, to following up after a tough talk with a teacher, to calming an upset parent, to sending staff appreciation notes that actually feel genuine. We’ll break down how scripts can save you time, keep your messaging consistent, and protect you from “heat of the moment” replies you’ll regret later. You’ll hear our some of our favorite strategies, the four categories of scripts every principal needs, and some out-of-the-box ways to build your own script bank so your whole team is on the same page. By the end, you’ll have practical, ready-right-now words for the moments you usually have to white-knuckle your way through — and the strategies to make scripts your secret leadership superpower. Check out these freebie scripts from the podcast!  Here's the link to the Principal Power Session we mentioned today.   Follow us on:  Facebook Instagram  

Today we're diving into building and maintain a supportive and consistent school culture from the jump. In this episode, we discuss the importance of setting expectations clearly, ensuring consistency in actions, and addressing issues proactively to avoid culture pitfalls. We'll share practical insights into how school leaders can anchor their culture in routine, enhance visibility, and track cultural progress. Learn how to reinforce positive actions among staff and students, handle unexpected challenges gracefully, and understand the significance of every decision and interaction in shaping your school's culture. Whether you're an experienced principal or new to leadership, this episode offers valuable tips to help you lead your school to a thriving academic year!   Follow us on:  www.facebook.com/theprincipalexchange www.instagram.com/theprincipalexchange   Check out The Principal Academy:  www.educationtailored.com/academy    

Welcome to the first episode of the Principal Exchange Podcast, where Sarah and Andra, seasoned educators and leadership coaches, guide you through making the first day of school a meaningful and stress-free experience. This episode tackles the common apprehensions and nervous energy surrounding the first day and shifts the focus from overwhelming events to building lasting impressions. The conversation centers around ensuring students and staff feel welcomed and valued from the moment they enter the school doors. Emphasis is placed on simple strategies that avoid first-day chaos while creating an inclusive atmosphere. Discover three actionable strategies to ensure your school's first day sets a supportive tone for a successful academic year.   Connect with us on social media! www.facebook.com/theprincipalexchange www.instagram.com/theprincipalexchange  

Being a principal is one of the most rewarding—and overwhelming—roles in education. That’s why we created The Principal Exchange and now, The Principal Exchange Podcast. Each week, we’ll bring you real strategies, honest conversations, and practical support to help you lead your school without losing yourself in the process. From time management to teacher feedback, staff culture to burnout, we’re tackling the issues that matter—with zero fluff and all heart. Subscribe now and join us every Sunday for episodes that meet you right where you are.