
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


In this fourth installment of our special NASSP Principal of the Year series, Darrin sits down with Terita Walker, principal of Denver East High School and one of three finalists for NASSP’s 2025 National High School Principal of the Year award.
Walker has transformed East into a school where inclusivity, student empowerment, and academic excellence thrive. With nearly two decades at the school, she reflects on her growth as a leader, the intentional systems she's built to elevate student voice, and how she's making time to deeply connect with teachers post-pandemic.
This episode explores how school culture is built through trust, visibility, and authenticity—and why Terita believes joy is found in the journey.
About Terita Walker
Walker is the principal of Denver East High School in Colorado. Through intentional leadership and a deep commitment to equity, she has fostered a culture where students and staff thrive. She regularly engages with East’s 90+ affinity groups, hosts monthly coffee chats, co-leads community events, and credits the school’s success to the collective work of students, staff, families, alumni, and district partners.
By Darrin Peppard4.9
3030 ratings
In this fourth installment of our special NASSP Principal of the Year series, Darrin sits down with Terita Walker, principal of Denver East High School and one of three finalists for NASSP’s 2025 National High School Principal of the Year award.
Walker has transformed East into a school where inclusivity, student empowerment, and academic excellence thrive. With nearly two decades at the school, she reflects on her growth as a leader, the intentional systems she's built to elevate student voice, and how she's making time to deeply connect with teachers post-pandemic.
This episode explores how school culture is built through trust, visibility, and authenticity—and why Terita believes joy is found in the journey.
About Terita Walker
Walker is the principal of Denver East High School in Colorado. Through intentional leadership and a deep commitment to equity, she has fostered a culture where students and staff thrive. She regularly engages with East’s 90+ affinity groups, hosts monthly coffee chats, co-leads community events, and credits the school’s success to the collective work of students, staff, families, alumni, and district partners.

2,270 Listeners

10,767 Listeners

2,408 Listeners

125 Listeners

21,168 Listeners

13,991 Listeners

1,208 Listeners

2,450 Listeners

1,733 Listeners

429 Listeners

658 Listeners

1,435 Listeners

637 Listeners

175 Listeners

8,425 Listeners