Other Duties As Assigned

The season comes to an end with this finale, complete with one final conversation with a child of mine. It has become tradition (can I call it a tradition when I've only had two seasons of this podcast?) that one of my episodes shows the mom-side of my life. So here I am, talking through some of life's biggest questions with my youngest daughter. She'll send you on your way at the end of the episode with "Heads Down, Prayers Up."

Thank you for making this season so much fun for me to record. You can always reach out to me with ideas, who you would like to hear from, or just to say hello! You can email me ([email protected]), follow me on Twitter (@PrincipalPick) or follow my blog (https://juliapick.blog/). "See" you next season when Season 3 becomes available. Mark your calendars for June 2022!

This episode is all about the kids, which isn't that what this job is all about?! In this episode, you're going to hear from eight 8th grade students that are clumped together into groups (of their choosing) and I ask them all sorts of questions. Some of these kiddos have been attending our school (or Child Care Center) since they were itty bitty. These interviews were recorded in mid-May, during the last week of school for these kids. You get to hear their perspective about Catholic school (ugh uniforms), traditions (Cathedralfest), and community (could these kids love their friends any more?)! 

During the interviews you'll know why I love my job so much. I get to come to school every day and be around these kids. Every. Single. Day. And I get paid for it!

Allow me to introduce you to Shannon. Shannon is one of the many reasons I love my job. I mean that. I don't know if you'll find too many school administrators saying that parents are one of the reasons they love their job, but at my school, it's true.

Shannon is a Catholic mom who is super supportive of our school and parish community. She's has the cutest family (#boymom) and she continues to be a huge reason why our school community is so successful. You're gonna love our conversation. We talk about school, our faith, COVID, marriage stuff, and much more. I loved recording this episode because it allowed me to learn more about our school through the eyes of another parent. 

Feel free to follow me on Twitter or my blog. Remember: Heads Down; Prayers Up.

In today's episode you'll get to "meet" Matthew Jones, a dynamic educator who I am lucky enough to work with at St. Cecilia. Mr. Jones is the writing teacher for Grades 6, 7, and 8 in our school and he is also fills the role of grade level coordinator for middle school and is the co-facilitator for the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Whew, that's a lot! 

As all educators know, we wear multiple hats throughout the day and teachers are no exception. For this episode, Matt talks about the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) and valuable building relationships is with students. Definitely one of his strongest skills, Matt builds SEL into his every day and every class period with students. The Archdiocese of Omaha is currently implementing SEL into all of their schools and we are fortunate to be a part of this ride with them. 

You'll love listening to Matt and I'm hopeful you'll walk away knowing that here at St. Cecilia, community and relationships are our top priority. For more, follow me on Twitter or stay connected on my blog. Heads down, Prayers up!

This year was tough and one reason most of us made it through was because of our connections to those around us. Whether it was family, friends, colleagues, workout buddies, or whomever helps get you through the day. One of the people I reached out to a lot this year was a friend and colleague, Angie Palmer. This episode is a casual conversation between Angie and myself where we debrief on our year as Catholic elementary principals, moms, and just humans during COVID-19. 

You'll love Angie. She's fun, speaks from her heart, and is one of the most faith-filled people I know. She and I both work within the Catholic school network of the Omaha Archdiocese and we tend to find each other at training sessions, administrative meetings, etc. so we can sit close and catch up. 

For more about me, feel free to follow me on Twitter (@PrincipalPick) or my blog. Heads down, prayers up.

I remember back in March 2020, people would say, "you should be journaling every day so that way you remember the pandemic." And I thought to myself "are you crazy, I won't forget this school year."

This episode I share with you the thoughts and actions of what it was like to be inside a principal's mind from May 2020 until June 2021. Was I anxious? Yup. Did I have all the answers? Nope. But was I gonna give it 110% each and every day? You know it. 

Enjoy this peak behind the curtain into my life this past year. Follow me on Twitter for more (@PrincipalPick) or follow my blog (https://juliapick.blog/). Heads down, prayers up friends. 

This is an audio outline of what you can expect in Season II of Other Duties As Assigned. The objectives for this season are:

This year has been...well...weird. And this season allowed me record a lot of different perspectives (teacher, other principals, students, parents, and even my own kids'). If you were wondering what COVID was like inside a school that was in-person for a full school year, you're gonna love this season!

This season is all about connecting with others in my community, sharing our experiences from this past school year, and having some laughs along the way. Please connect with me on Twitter (@PrincipalPick) or follow my blog (https://juliapick.blog/) for more!

One week down for the 2020-21 school year and....it's too early to count how many are left. This episode is a summary of each day with in-person instruction, in masks, with all of the safety precautions in place for COVID. 

Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@PrincipalPick) for updates on when to expect the next season of Other Duties As Assigned. Until then, heads down and prayers up for all students, teachers, and educators for the 2020-21 school year. 

It's the night before returning to school and just like a kid, I can't seem to settle my mind! This episode I share with you three ingredients to success that I believe all of us need this school year from our communities. Whether you are starting in-person, remote, or with a hybrid in between, a growth mindset is needed to make this all work.

For future episodes ideas or to offer feedback, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Until next time, hearts open and prayers up!

What are administrators thinking when interviewing teacher candidates? This episode sheds some light on this and then you get to hear from two of our new team members - Hannah and ummmm (checks notes) Hannah! These two energetic young women are new to the St. Cecilia community and new to teaching. So prayers up for their first year!