Beau Brannon has served as principal of Union High School Freshman Academy, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, since the summer of 2022. Previously, he served four years as its assistant principal. A 2008 Muldrow High School alum, he ventured into college football at the University of Tulsa, then pursued his passion for education, earning a bachelor’s in middle childhood education from the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, a master’s in educational leadership from Arkansas State University, and completed a Superintendent certification at Northeastern State University. Beau’s education career started at Alma ..read more

Dr. T.J. Vari is the Deputy Superintendent of the Appoquinimink School District. T.J. is a former middle school assistant principal and principal and former high school English teacher. His master’s degree is in School Leadership and his doctorate is in Innovation and Leadership. He holds several honors and distinctions, including his past appointment as President of the Delaware Association for School Administrators and the Paul Carlson Administrator of the Year Award. He teaches educational leadership courses at the master’s and doctoral levels. He has co-authored 5 books, including his late ..read more

Naheed Bardai is the Principal of UWC Atlantic and arrived in south Wales in August 2021 from Upper Canada College in Toronto, where he was head of upper school for six years. Before that, he served as dean of students and senior school principal during his 10 years at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya. For Naheed, education is a deeply moral endeavor and the exercise of leadership demands a thoughtful, ethical foundation. His own rests on the tenets of pluralism, integrity, generosity and trust. He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from the Western University, Canada; a ..read more

In this week’s episode, Dr. Jen Schwanke and William D. Parker delve into the complexities of decision-making, particularly in leadership roles. Both share insights and strategies to navigate the often murky waters of making the “right” decisions. Continuous Learning and Humility Will emphasizes the importance of humility in leadership, advocating for a mindset of constant inquiry and openness to learning. He suggests that asking questions is a fundamental way to deepen understanding and make informed decisions. Collaboration Over Isolation Jen warns against the pitfalls of isolation, stressin ..read more

In this week’s episode, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker talk about the word accountability. In education, this word can be perceived as both positive and negative. On the negative side, education has been the target of a lot of political discourse, beginning for many modern U.S. educators in the 1980’s with the report a Nation at Risk, that shined a light on discrepancies in student learning and an avalanche of new laws that dictated outcomes and punished schools for lack of progress or performance.  Fast forward to 2024, and schools have spent decades redesigning accountability structures ..read more

Melissa Barlow is in her eleventh year as Principal of Yukon High School in Yukon, Oklahoma.  In her past two decades as an educator, she has taught both middle-level and high school science and math, as well as serving in the role of assistant principal.  Barlow obtained her bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. As a former alumnus of Yukon High School, Barlow is honored to serve her hometown community with a focus on individual student success through educator collaboration.  Her foc ..read more

Flip Flippen is a New York Times best-selling author, social entrepreneur, psychotherapist, and the founder and chairman of Capturing Kids’ Hearts, one of the largest educator training and team development companies in North America. Flip and his wife Susan were named Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year, making them the first couple to ever receive this prestigious award. Their company was chosen by Texas Monthly magazine as #2 Best Companies to Work For in Texas. Flip and his team are passionate about bringing out the best in people.  In this episode, Flip shares great takeaways ..read more

Conflicts are inevitable. The question is how do you manage them in healthy ways with the appropriate mindset, anticipation, analysis, and action? This week, Dr. Jen Schwanke shares takeaways with William D. Parker from Jen’s new book, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management. Listen-in as Jen explains how to approach conflict with courage. Learn the importance of managing specific conflicts with teachers, students, parents, and with yourself. Embracing problems, not eliminating them, is an important part of the mindset for managing conflicts. Jen recommends cultivating these qualities li ..read more

Daniel Kelley is an Associate Teaching Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Rhode Island. He previously served as the principal of Smithfield High School in Smithfield, RI. During his tenure, he successfully implemented sustainable change initiatives that profoundly impacted the school’s learning culture. Dan’s contributions to education extend to national leadership roles as well. He served as the president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) during the 2017-2018 school year and was a member of the NASSP Board of Directors for five ..read more

Jim Wichman is the founder of Inspired Edification, LLC, a seasoned educational administrator with over 25 years of experience. Jim has a rich history of service in both urban and rural public school settings. Coming from a background of poverty and even experiencing homelessness, Jim is a strong advocate for centered, respectful, and value-driven education. Not just an experienced educator, Jim is also a multi-talented individual who can play the accordion, a talent that saw him travel and compete in his youth. Additionally, he is a foster parent who adopted a 3-month-old child, who is now 21 ..read more