When the building is quiet but the work isn’t done, what should leaders actually be doing? In this episode, Ryan Steuer breaks down how top-tier school leaders use those “in-between” days—when students and teachers are gone, but administrators are still on contract—to create clarity, momentum, and renewal.

Rather than reacting to email or busywork, high-performing leaders use this rare space to plan long-term, reconnect with key relationships, and rest in ways that genuinely refuel them. This episode is a practical guide to using quiet seasons to strengthen leadership impact and prepare for what’s next.

Top leaders use quiet days to focus on deep, strategic work—not inbox cleanup. Ryan challenges administrators to identify the one thing that would move their work forward 5x or 10x, rather than reacting to urgency.

Leadership can unintentionally sideline important professional relationships. These quieter days offer rare opportunities to reconnect with trusted peers, mentors, and thought partners.

Rest looks different for driven leaders. Ryan reframes rest as something intentional and personal—not just doing nothing.

PBL Readiness Scorecard™: Assess your school or district’s readiness for Project Based Learning and get targeted next steps at pblscore.com

In this episode of PBL Simplified for Administrators, Ryan Steuer breaks down how school and district leaders can intentionally plan and sustain a Project Based Learning (PBL) movement—without waiting for the “perfect time” or burning out their staff. This is a practical, leadership-focused roadmap for turning PBL from a few isolated classrooms into a lasting system-wide shift.

PBL momentum doesn’t have to wait for summer professional development. Ryan makes the case for moving during the school year—especially in the second semester—when leadership teams can see PBL in action, experience the culture, and begin shaping a real plan instead of talking in theory.

The fastest way to understand PBL is to experience it live in a model school. Ryan explains why bringing a leadership team—not just one administrator—creates shared understanding, shared language, and long-term alignment. This isn’t a “dog and pony show”; it’s real classrooms, real students, real questions.

Not everyone needs to be on board on day one. Ryan walks through the innovation curve and explains why PBL work should start with innovators and early adopters—then spread through visible success in your own building. Laggards aren’t the problem; they’re just not first.

A PBL movement requires more than a framed mission statement. Leaders must collaboratively define and live their mission, vision, and values—along with openly naming hopes and fears. When teams feel heard, resistance drops and trust increases.

Teachers talk to teachers first. That’s reality. Ryan explains why teacher representation on leadership teams accelerates buy-in, builds credibility, and creates early classroom wins that convince the early majority far more effectively than mandates ever could.

Short-term initiatives fail. A transparent, written three-year plan signals commitment, stability, and seriousness. Ryan shares why teachers rightfully wait out initiatives—and how a long-term plan with coaching, training, and internal capacity building changes that dynamic completely.

Top-performing schools don’t rely on one visionary leader. They build leadership teams—and teams within teams—to handle innovation, coaching, community partnerships, and reflection. Sustainable PBL requires distributed leadership, not superhuman administrators.

Ryan introduces the PBL Readiness Scorecard™, a free interactive tool that helps leaders identify strengths, growth areas, and next steps across vision, leadership capacity, and student outcomes.

👉 Take the assessment at pblscore.com

What separates a top 10% school from the other 90%? In this episode, Ryan lays out the habits, systems, and mindsets that high-performing, innovative schools share—and the traps they refuse to touch. You’ll hear why visiting model PBL schools is a game-changer, what visionary principals actually do differently, and how you can start moving your school into that top tier without waiting for summer PD.

Leaders get stuck thinking they should “start PBL next year.” Ryan breaks down why the second semester is the smartest launchpad and how to get your leadership team trained now so teacher PD in the summer actually sticks. 

Ryan explains why stepping into a top-tier PBL school feels different—teachers talk differently, students use real-world vocabulary like collaboration and conflict resolution, and the culture is unmistakably student-centered. 

From solar-powered Babcock Ranch in Florida to standout campuses across Missouri, Texas, Indiana, Kentucky, and beyond, Ryan highlights what visiting high-performing PBL schools will teach you about culture, process, and leadership clarity. 

What do innovative leaders fear most? Hint: it’s not test scores.
Ryan shares an interview with principal Cynthia Bruno, who says her biggest fear is students having ordinary school days—an unacceptable outcome for a true top-tier leader. 

✔ Build a strong leadership team
Assistant principals, coaches, and teachers collaborate to shape and spread the vision.
✔ Use instructional coaches intentionally
Not data clerks—actual co-teachers and PD leaders.
✔ Create a written 3-year vision
If it’s not written, it’s not real.
✔ Protect their calendar with fierce precision
Deep work blocks. Limited weekend labor. No white-space for chaos.
✔ Develop systems that outlive the leader
So the school thrives even when leadership changes. 

✘ Sit-and-get faculty meetings
Logistical items go in the newsletter—meetings are for collaboration and learning.
✘ Fixed mindset thinking
Problems are solvable. Kids can grow. Systems can improve. Period.
✘ Hide in the office
High-level leaders are visible, affirming, and vision-casting in classrooms daily. 

If you're ready to launch PBL with clarity and momentum, check out the on-demand and in-person webinars at pblwebinar.com. And if you want to visit a model PBL school, we can help you connect with one in your region.

In this episode, Ryan shares the honest, often-overlooked reasons school leaders struggle to launch Project Based Learning—even when everyone knows it works. Whether you’re wrestling with teacher buy-in, traditional systems, or shifting school culture, this episode breaks down the five biggest barriers and gives you practical ways to overcome them.

Most PBL rollouts fail at hello. Innovators, early adopters, and the early majority need different invitations. You can’t pitch the same way to everyone and expect momentum.

We’ve operated in a traditional learning model for over a century. It’s comfortable, predictable, and familiar. PBL requires pushing a giant cultural boulder—but there is a way to move it.

When instructional practices evolve but evaluation, systems, and PD don’t, teachers eventually retreat back to what’s safe. PBL collapses when leadership isn’t aligned and trained.

Top-down mandates always fail. Ryan explains how to build a “grassroots movement” where teachers ask for PBL—without forcing it.

When educators visit authentic PBL schools, witness the culture shift, talk to students, and see the engagement—everything changes. Most resistance is lack of exposure.

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Simon Holzapfel, the CFO and Co-founder of Leaf Lab, joins the podcast to share his experience in education, leadership, and business, describing himself as a "PBL fanboy". Simon asserts that PBL was the heart of education because it caused the learning to bond to something other than just the head, such as the body or heart, making the subject matter truly matter. He clarifies the crucial distinction between progressive education—which offers specific forms of scaffolding and flexible structure—and the dangerous lack of structure found in permissive education. Simon offers insights on avoiding leadership mistakes, managing burnout, and the sustainable implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL). He details how Leaf Lab partners with schools to use real-world problems from local companies to provide students with a digital portfolio and two professional certifications.

Main Points

Takeaways

In this episode, Ryan shares his firsthand experience visiting Calvert County’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, where Project-Based Learning (PBL) and hands-on technical education intersect to create incredible outcomes for students. The visit highlights how authentic projects, structured pedagogy, and real-world experiences are transforming student engagement and post-graduation success.

Ryan explores how CTE teachers—often experts from the professional world—are empowered through PBL frameworks to deliver deeper learning and stronger instructional design, creating classrooms that mirror real workplaces.

🧠 Key Takeaways

🧰 Resources Mentioned

🎯 Call to Action

If you’re a school leader ready to:

➡️ Visit pbwebinar.com or callmagnify.com to get started.
And if you’re proud of your CTE program—reach out to be a podcast guest and share your success story!

In this inspiring leadership episode, Ryan Steuer talks with Amy Balsbaugh, principal and researcher on joy and well-being in school leadership. Together, they unpack practical ways school leaders can protect their joy, model balance, and lead with gratitude—even in high-demand environments.

Amy shares her research on the 10 strategies that help principals sustain joy despite the challenges of modern education, and she dives into her favorites—gratitude, relationships, and strength-based leadership. Whether you’re a veteran administrator or just starting out, this conversation reminds you that joy isn’t optional—it’s essential to long-term impact.

✅ Write down 3–5 things you’re grateful for daily
✅ Schedule “no work” zones (like no emails after 8 PM)
✅ Start team meetings with a quick celebration
✅ Identify your top strengths and use them intentionally
✅ Find your “people” — mentors or peer leaders who understand the work
✅ Create joy rituals that fit your school culture (bells, notes, mascots, etc.)

In this episode, Ryan Steuer breaks down why employability skills—communication, collaboration, problem solving, and agency—are what truly prepare students for life beyond school. Drawing from his business background and classroom experience, Ryan connects how PBL builds the exact skills employers and communities say they need.

He challenges school leaders to move beyond test prep and toward preparing learners for the real world—where teamwork and adaptability win every time.

Eliia’s Mural Project — A quiet student discovered her voice through a PBL unit on designing a community space. Her mural idea gained real funding and became a lasting contribution to her city. That’s real impact—learning that leaves a mark.

In this leadership episode of the PBL Simplified Podcast for Administrators, host Ryan Steuer sits down with David Richards — founder of Growth Public Schools, Changemaker Micro Schools, and host of the Changemaker EDU podcast. David shares his journey from corporate banking to education entrepreneurship, his “why” rooted in serving students who don’t fit the traditional model, and how micro schools are redefining education for the next decade.

The conversation dives deep into learner-centered design, micro school development, district innovation, and the leadership mindset needed to create transformative change within schools of any size.

Resources and links:

whatispbl.com

Connect with David:

LinkedIn

Growth Public Schools

Changemaker Micro Schools

Changemaker EDU podcast

In this episode, Ryan tackles a question that’s been floating around education circles: “Is Project Based Learning too hard?”
Spoiler: No—it’s not too hard when done the right way.

Drawing from over a decade of work in schools across the country, Ryan breaks down why some districts struggle to sustain PBL, how Magnify Learning is helping schools build internal capacity, and what it really takes to make PBL thrive long-term.

“Is PBL too hard? If you don’t support it—yes.
But if you train, coach, and structure it right—it’s the most powerful way to engage teachers and learners.”

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