Accelerate Your Performance

How does going slow to go fast build a strong foundation for continuous improvement? Join Superintendent Ira Porchia and Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Marroquin of Tulare City School District as they share with Dr. Janet Pilcher how a thoughtful, deliberate approach is building alignment and fostering a sense of belonging. Hear how practices like rounding, consistent communication, and recognizing employee contributions are increasing employee engagement.

Recommended Resources: Focus on Employee Engagement, Increase Employee Engagement with Recognition, Sand Creek Zone-School District 49 Sets the Standard in Employee Engagement

Subscribe: Catch all the insights from our What’s Right in Education 2024 Conference by visiting http://www.studereducation.com/subscribe, where you'll receive the latest conference content as soon as it’s released.

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

What is a rounding road show, and how is it being utilized by Oldham County Schools to achieve service excellence? Listen as Superintendent Dr. Jason Radford shares how he takes this tactic on the road so his leadership team can gain valuable input from all 1,500 employees. Learn how it positively impacts the district's culture and enhances service excellence satisfaction, as reflected in the district services survey.

Recommended Resources: Create Connections Through Rounding, Round for Employee Retention, Rounding for Success: A Superintendent’s Journey from Skepticism to Impact

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Are you attending What’s Right in Education? Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher previews Studer Education’s thirteenth annual K12 leadership conference, where leaders will gather to share impact stories and demonstrate how they apply the Nine Principles® Framework daily. Even if you're not able to attend, she invites you to continue tuning in each week as we highlight the stories of superintendents and executive leaders who are dedicated to creating great places to work, learn, and succeed.

Recommended Resources: What it Takes to Be a Level 10 Leader, What's Right in Education Playlist on YouTube

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

To build excitement for the upcoming What's Right in Education conference in Colorado, Dr. Janet Pilcher invites Superintendent Mike Crawford from nearby Mapleton Public Schools to talk about his continuous improvement journey. Listen as he shares how he maintains strong relationships with the school board, promotes collaboration among staff, and regularly engages in the rounding process.

Recommended Resources: Retain Employees in Education Using Leadership Rounding, Create Connections Through Rounding, Rounding for Success: A Superintendent’s Journey from Skepticism to Impact

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Developing skilled leaders is a top priority at Manitou Springs School District 14. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she speaks with Superintendent Sean Dorsey about his dedication to building a robust leadership pipeline. Listen as he shares how his partnership with Studer Education empowers him to provide this development and achieve performance excellence within the district.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What is the importance of building both leadership capacity and leadership density within an organization?
• How does building a district scorecard create a sense of urgency for improvement?
• How can rounding be used to achieve various outcomes?

Recommended Resources: Hiring the Right Principal, Sand Creek Zone-School District 49 Sets the Standard in Employee Engagement, Measuring Progress and Fostering Excellence: The Power of Scorecards

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

What's a better mindset than "failing fast and failing often"? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she explores how reframing this phrase with positive language shifts the focus from failure to growth—exactly where it belongs in education.

Recommended Resources: Why I dislike the phrase "Fail Fast, Fail Often," Continuous Improvement: Adjusting Through Disruption, How One School District Hardwired Continuous Improvement Practices to Change their Culture and Adjust through Disruption

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Hardwiring systems is non-negotiable. If we want to take calculated risks, we need stable foundations and reliable processes to weather disruptions. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher defines what it means to hardwire excellence in education and how this approach builds trust with employees, empowering them to feel deeply connected to their work and confident to innovate.

Recommended Resources:The Maturity Model: Phases of Improvement in Organizational Excellence, What it Takes to Be a Level 10 Leader, Story Behind the Story: Hardwiring Excellence in Education

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

What would a school look like if all faculty and support staff regularly met to discuss student successes and challenges? It would look exactly like Mountainside Success Academy in El Dorado County Office of Education. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she interviews Principal Maria Osborne and Instructional Strategist Sharon Shipley about their approach and experiences in leading and teaching students in alternative education. Listen to hear how they regularly meet with students to provide personalized support and integrate trauma-informed practices to address the unique needs of their students.

Recommended Resources: Excellence in Operations, Leverage Input to Spark and Sustain Change, Educational Perspectives from California

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

How can you create departments that people want to work in? Amy Andersen and Meghan McAndrews, both operational leaders in El Dorado County Office of Education, join Dr. Janet Pilcher to share about their improvement work in human resources and transportation. Listen and learn how they’ve successfully implemented rounding and targeted training to elevate workplace culture, boost retention, and streamline onboarding practices.

Recommended Resources: Connecting Operations to Student Success, Strong Teams Don't Happen by Chance

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Throughout the summer, Dr. Janet Pilcher has had the privilege of interviewing exceptional leaders and teachers from educational organizations across the country. Join her as she reflects on how these individuals demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence through their relentless focus on continuous improvement. Listen as she highlights how prioritizing improvement over mere accountability lays the foundation for sustained success in education.

Recommended Resources: Preparing Students for Success from Kindergarten and Beyond, Recalibrate to an Improvement Lens, Raise the Bar with a Growth Mindset, Moving from Hope to Action, Classroom Improvement That Empowers Students

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.