Category: All Leader Chat Podcasts

Leader Chat: Future Ready Schools and Leadership Teams with Deborah Delisle

Posted on by Angela Comtois

If you listen to this, you will learn that Deborah Delisle is an amazing leader. As the president and chief executive officer of All4Ed, past CEO of ASCD, and was the U.S. assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, she provides insights and wise advice from a leadership perspective. Deb and Jeff try to focus on the topics of innovation, underserved students, and working in teams, but they go even deeper than planned. This is an honest and heartfelt conversation, and we are so thankful for this Leader Chat….

Leader Chat: Leading and Implementing Proficiency-based Systems with Robert Marzano

Posted on by Angela Comtois
private school curriculum

Those who have been in education for some time and have paid attention know Robert Marzano is a rock star! His expertise runs deep in many areas, and in this Leader Chat, we were thrilled to pick his brain on leading and implementing proficiency-based systems in schools and districts. We are so lucky to have such an esteemed lineup of guests, and Dr. Marzano only adds to the esteem of our show….

Leader Chat: Organizing the System for Student Success with MaryEllen Elia

Posted on by Angela Comtois

As the past superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools and New York State Education Commissioner, MaryEllen Elia knows what she is talking about. Jeff recruited her to this Leader Chat to discuss strategies on setting up district systems aligned to the needs of students, something MaryEllen is passionate about. This conversation is relevant to education leaders regardless of the size, location, or demographics of their system, a relevant topic indeed….

Leader Chat: Equity Based Leadership with Joshua Starr

Posted on by Angela Comtois

Well, Joshua Starr and Jeff clearly have a lot in common and are past friends. They are both experienced school district leaders and passionate about the moral imperative and strategy of leading with an equity mindset. Joshua is clear, honest, and able to describe the challenge and nuance of leading during challenging times….

Leader Chat: Common Sense Evidence with Nora Gordon

Posted on by Angela Comtois

The original plan was for Jeff to talk with Nora Gordon and Carrie Conaway, authors of Common Sense Evidence: The Education Leader’s Guide to Using Data and Research. However, Carrie had a health-related issue, so it was just Nora and Jeff. Nonetheless, they had a super interesting discussion. Jeff loved the way these two professors have created a pragmatic guide for busy educational leaders to analyze data to make wise decisions and create a legitimate narrative….

Leader Chat: The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership with Tim Elmore

Posted on by Angela Comtois

As Jeff says, “Dr. Tim Elmore ALWAYS delivers”. Watching or listening to this Leader Chat, you will see that Tim and Jeff have a rapport. What you will also notice is that Tim’s new research and book, The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership, is a must-have for leaders in any industry, especially education. Tim- the Founder and CEO of Growing Leaders- has contributed to our Leadership Circle several times. His book, The Pandemic Population, was a hit amongst our members. This focus on leaders takes the relevance of his perspective to a new level for us….

Leader Chat: Navigating Leadership Transitions with Stephen Murley

Posted on by Angela Comtois

Leadership transitions are tricky, not just for the school community, but also emotionally for the leader. Stephen Murley is a well-known and respected superintendent, successfully leading three different districts. Due to health concerns, Steve just resigned from his superintendent post in Green Bay Wisconsin. Jeff, a long-time colleague with Stephen, wanted to pick Stephen’s brain and discuss the emotions behind his past and current leadership transitions. This is a very relevant discussion for all educational leaders to hear and we appreciate the candid and thoughtful advice Stephen discusses with us….

Leader Chat: The Power of Regret with Daniel Pink

Posted on by Angela Comtois

Daniel Pink was with us! Seriously, that Daniel Pink . . . the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. He has lots of fans, and clearly, Jeff is one of them. Jeff peppered Dan with questions about education and how leaders can learn from the “regret” research described in the book. Daniel is a wealth of information and is well-deserving of his stellar reputation….

Leader Chat: Districts that Succeed with Karin Chenoweth

Posted on by Angela Comtois
Karin Chenowith

For schools to truly be successful, we learn in this conversation that the district does in fact matter. Jeff talks with the well-known educational author and researcher, Karin Chenowith. Karin is writer-in-residence at The Education Trust. Her latest book, Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement is what grabbed Jeff’s attention. Listen to this two-part podcast….

Leader Chat: Blueprint for Clear, Effective, and Meaningful School Communication with Patricia Weinzapfel

Posted on by Angela Comtois
Patricia Weinzapfel

Schools communicating clearly with families and community is challenging, and yet so important. Educational leaders and teachers know the opportunity of improving our communication skills, but they don’t always know how to do it. Patricia Weinzapfel is an expert having served as a former television reporter who spends the last decade working with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Cooperation in Indiana. Here, she talks with Jeff about pragmatic and digestible ways educators can up their game in terms of communicating with those we serve….