Before we get started, I have two quick announcements

1.     I’ve been hearing a strong interest in how to support beginning teachers. I went into some key practices last year in episodes 214 and 215, so if you are in the mode to think about how to support your BTs (and ECTs), give a listen to episodes 214 and 215

2.     The July 22 episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast we feature a panel discussion with myself and five assistant principals. Some are national/state AP of the Year awardees and others are just wrapping up their first year as assist principals. The focus of our discussion is being a first year AP! We would love to hear from you. If you have questions, topics, advice, or stories, please consider sharing. Please email them to me at [email protected]. I would love to be able to name contributors but will only do so if you explicitly give permission for us to include your name and affiliation. We are recording on July 15, so don’t wait.

Okay, now onto the episode…

Investing in Growth with Dr. Nick Davies

Power Quote: Control What you can

Description:

If you don’t grow, how can you get better? Yet, in a job where you can’t ever get everything done, how do you find time to grow? Today we have the 2024 Washington State Elementary Principal of the Year here to help us figure out how to prioritize growth.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Davies is an associate principal for Vancouver Public Schools and an adjunct Faculty Member at Pacific University. He has a Ph.D. in Education and Leadership and wrote his dissertation on curriculum implementation. Dr. Davies was named the 2024 Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year for the state of Washington. He has previously held roles as an associate principal/athletic director and was a high school math teacher and head track and field coach. He was a two-time state coach of the year in Oregon. Dr. Davies also served as a reservist in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Warmup questions:

·      We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?

·      Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?

Questions/Topics/Prompts

·      You have a passion for learning – what fuels that passion?

·      Committing to your own growth requires strong priority management. How do you structure your life to invest time into your own growth?

·      How has your trajectory as an AP accelerated as a result of your commitment to learning?

o   In a general way…

o   In specific ways…

·      How have you worked to create learning opportunities for other APs?

·      As you invest time into your own growth and pour into others in your school, how do you keep your roles as a husband and father central to your life?

Closing questions:

·      What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?

·      If listeners could take just one thing away from today’s podcast, what would it be?

·      Before we go, is there anything else that you’d like to share with our listeners?

·      Where can people learn more about you and your work…

Recap

·      Do what only you can do

·      More is not better

·      Reflection is as important as learning

·      Systems (four ourselves, our teams, and others) make it possible

Close

·      Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.

·      You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/

·      If you haven’t grabbed a copy of my new book, A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose, please consider jumping on to Amazon or heading to my website and purchase a copy. The book covers so many of the things we talked about today and includes a systematic approach to escaping the gravitational pull of urgency so you can be that strategic leader Nick and I discussed today.

·      I love hearing from you so consider email me at [email protected] or connecting with me on LinkedIn.

·      Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.

·      Have a great rest of the week, be present for others and, more importantly, take time to reflect and recover so you can continue to live and lead better.

·      Cheers!

Guest links:

Nick’s website: www.drnickdavies.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-davies-education/

Frederick’s Links:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting

Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a