In this Aspire Mailbag episode, Joshua Stamper and Jeff Gargas tackle two leadership topics that are on a lot of educators’ minds right now: how to hire great people when applicant pools are shrinking, and how to rethink student discipline in ways that actually build skills. They explore why culture matters in attracting the right staff, how leaders can look beyond interview answers to find the right fit, and what it means to create a school or district people genuinely want to be part of. The c

Amy Lenker had over 100 panic attacks in a single summer. She worked her entire maternity leave the day after having her daughter. And she built a career that looked like success from the outside while quietly destroying herself from the inside. This week Amy joins Jon and Coach Jim to talk about burnout, stress, and what she calls the unstressing method, a practical framework she developed the hard way. She also shares the leadership regret that still breaks her heart, and why the strongest tea

Episode Summary As school leaders prepare to welcome students and staff back this fall, it's easy to focus on schedules, staffing, professional learning, and school improvement plans. While those responsibilities are important, this episode offers a different perspective: What if the most important thing you bring into your building this year is the hope you cultivate and the joy you model? In this episode, Dr. Brandi Kelly explores why hope and joy are not simply emotions... they are intentiona

Welcome to Digital Learning Today. In this episode, Jeff Bradbury explores the strategic systems that shape the future of education, focusing on Instructional Coaching, Artificial Intelligence, Professional Learning, and the latest Educational Technology Trends.In this episode, Jeff Bradbury interviews K-12 tech director Chris Warden about managing technology in schools, implementing AI, and effective digital signage solutions. They discuss strategies for vetting apps, AI policies, and fosteri

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you! What does it actually mean to be good at math? If you asked your students that question, what would they say? In this episode, we're continuing our summer book study of Math Therapy by Vanessa Vakharia and diving into Chapter 3: Mythbust. While growth mindset may not be the educational buzzword it once was, the ideas behind it remain incredibly important. Students cannot build a healthier relationship with mathematics if ...

In this week's episode of The Language of Behavior , Josh and Charlie are joined by middle school educator and leader David James to discuss the impact of cell phones in schools and why strong, consistent policies matter. David shares how his district implemented a “way for the day” approach, why teacher support and top down consistency are essential, and how removing cell phones from the classroom has improved engagement, collaboration, and student focus. The conversation also explores how tech

Dr. Lindsay Whorton is proud to be a founding member of The Holdsworth Center. She helped design the Center’s programming and has served as president since 2019. She is the author of “A New School Leadership Architecture,” which calls for a fundamental redesign of how leadership roles are structured and practiced in schools, offering a bold new blueprint to make jobs sustainable and give teachers the coaching and support they need so that students thrive. Under Lindsay’s leadership, Holdsworth h

What does it look like to lead a business, serve clients, and keep showing up with humor and grace while fighting for your life at the same time? This week, Jon Goehring and Coach Jim Johnson welcome Deb Krier, seasoned entrepreneur, integrative cancer coach, host of the Business Power Hour podcast with over 1,100 episodes, and one of the most authentically inspiring guests the Lounge has ever had, for a conversation about resilience, communication, delegation, and what three cancer diagnoses ta

STOP TIERING YOUR STUDENTS!! Transform your organization by tiering your supports, not your students. Learn how in a FREE webinar at https://bit.ly/stoptieringstudents Planning for Fall Start Up! Create a foundation for your school’s Collaborative Response by reflecting on the past year and planning for the year to come. Learn how in this workshop. Part of our Supporting Collaborative Response workshop series! https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/publications/workshops In this episode of Leading Coll

In this solo episode of the Time for Teachership Podcast, host Lindsay Lyons explores several influential change leadership theories and examines how they can strengthen staff discourse, shared decision-making, and transformational school improvement. Drawing from her doctoral research in leadership and change, as well as her experience supporting turnaround schools, Lindsay shares practical frameworks that educational leaders can use to foster equity, inclusion, collaboration, and meaningful di

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you! Welcome back to our summer Math Therapy book study series! This week we're discussing Chapter 2 and exploring a question many teachers may be asking: What exactly is math therapy? One of the biggest takeaways from this chapter is that math therapy isn't about becoming a licensed therapist. Instead, it's about becoming more intentional about the human side of mathematics. As teachers, we already help students: navigate fru...

Connect with the Show Here! Two principals sit down with no script and compare the real, messy, meaningful work of educational leadership. Robert Hinchliffe, Nevada Elementary Principal of the Year, brings the metro elementary lens from Las Vegas. Principal JL brings the rural secondary lens from a comprehensive high school. Different contexts, same mission: help adults grow so students win. We start with what it takes to set the school year on the right foot: principal messaging, a clear th...

Looking to learn more and get started with a powerful meeting structure that will transform your school’s MTSS efforts? Access the Collaborative Team Meeting Starter Kit at https://bit.ly/ctmstarter Access a workshop guide to help your team unpack their norms and help them have a greater impact on your collaborative efforts - https://bit.ly/jlnorms In this episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Lorna and Kurtis are joined by Christina Hidek, a former litigation attorney turned professi

In Episode 148, Brandon sits down with Derek Cantrell, principal at Alleghany High School in Virginia. He is a 2026 Virginia Principal of the Year named by the VASSP and has over 20 years experience as a teacher and principal. Derek is also the author of Better Together: Building One School, One Culture, From Two Routes , the inspiring story of successfully merging two longtime rival high schools into one thriving school community. In this episode, Derek shares the remarkable journey of bringing

In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Darrin Peppard to explore how organizations can intentionally develop future leaders. Darrin shares practical ideas for identifying leadership potential early, creating meaningful growth opportunities, and building the kind of trust and support that helps emerging leaders step into new roles with confidence.Together, they discuss why leadership development cannot be left to chance, how mentorship and coaching shape long-term grow

Leadership isn’t just about the impact you create today. It’s about the leaders you prepare for tomorrow. In this annual shared episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with fellow leadership coach, author, and podcast host Joshua Stamper for a powerful conversation about one of the most important responsibilities of leadership: developing the next generation of leaders. Darrin and Joshua begin by reflecting on transitions, stress, and the reality every leader faces — even the best plans encounter

Welcome back to Digital Learning Today . In this episode, Jeff Bradbury sits down with instructional coach Vernita Scarborough to unpack what effective coaching really looks like inside a busy school—and how coaches can build systems that support teachers without burning out.You’ll hear Vernita’s journey from the classroom to coaching, a breakdown of her EPIC Framework for prioritizing the work that matters most, and practical strategies for building trust with teachers through relationship-dr

Summary This episode of the Lead with Hope podcast features veteran leader, mentor, and speaker Vernon Wright. Dr. Brandi Kelly and Wright discuss the fundamental role of self-awareness and intentional connection in human-centered leadership. Wright shares insights from his journey, emphasizing that leadership is a lifelong process of "reflecting and refining" to elevate humanity. Key Takeaways The Law of the Lid : A leader's own level of efficacy and learning acts as a "lid" for their organizat

In this week's episode of The Language of Behavior , Josh and Charlie explore a question that affects students, adults, and leaders alike: why do good people lie? They unpack the many reasons people stretch the truth, including fear of consequences, shame, protecting their ego, avoiding embarrassment, and trying to gain approval or belonging. The conversation also looks at what lies are really protecting beneath the surface, and why honesty is often tied to safety, trust, and self image. Josh an

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you! This week, we're kicking off our summer book study of Math Therapy by Vanessa Vakharia. Rather than providing a chapter-by-chapter summary, this series is designed as a conversation around the ideas that resonate most, the questions they raise, and how they might influence our classroom practices. In Chapter 1, one idea kept surfacing again and again: The stories we tell ourselves about mathematics matter. From cultural s...

Listen in as: I unpack the three most common time sucks and how to avoid them so that you are saving time in the long run. I talk about: -What time sucks are, how they fool us into thinking they are good for us and a plan for how to avoid them all together. They are: Going down the TPT rabbit whole without a clue of what we actually need or what we already have. Not knowing our grade level standards well enough to know what our students need most to understand the current reading unit. Not plann