Second-hand Schurtz: Start the Year Strong | Episode 38 Revisited

Great conversations deserve a second listen.

In this edition of Second-hand Schurtz, we revisit Episode 38—a conversation recorded before Kasey became a principal about beginning the school year with purpose, clarity, and authenticity.

Starting strong isn’t simply about generating excitement. It’s about establishing commitments we can return to when the optimism of August meets the challenges of the year.

Brian and Kasey wrestle with five enduring ideas:

• Light up the room by leaning into who you are
• Make important beliefs tangible
• Create a genuine sense of belonging
• Decide in advance how conflict will be resolved
• Maintain a “to-be” list alongside the to-do list

Some of the language might sound different from the principal’s chair today, but the essential questions remain:

How will we resolve conflict?
What will we consistently focus on?
Who do we want to be while doing the work?

Original Episode 38: “Start the Year Off Strong—Lean Into Who You Are.”