Get the book, The Four Cornerstones of Effective Schools: How to Build Lasting Success on Amazon

Get the book, The Four Cornerstones of Effective Schools: How to Build Lasting Success on Solution Tree's Website

Visit Darin's website, www.DrDarinThompson.com

Follow Darin on Youtube @drdarinthompson

Follow Darin on Instagram @drdarinthompson

Darin A. Thompson, PhD, is a veteran K-12 leader with nearly 20 years of experience and founder of Pivotal Leaders Group. A two-time outstanding principal of the year semi-finalist within his region, Dr. Thompson has led transformative school improvement efforts across multiple school divisions, resulting in double-digit gains in student outcomes and significantly closing achievement gaps for historically underserved populations. A regular presenter at conferences such as NAESP/NASSP’s United Conference, Making Schools Work, and VA Alliance of Black School Educators, Dr. Thompson has contributed to Education Week, the Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research, and other publications.

Dr. Thompson has become a trusted voice in educational leadership. He has delivered professional development workshops on building constructive school cultures for improvement at major conferences, including the 2024 and 2025 Virginia Alliance of Black School Educators Conference, the 2025 National Association of Secondary School Principals United Conference, and the Southern Regional Education Board’s Making Schools Work Conference.

Dr. Thompson’s thought leadership has been featured in Education Week, including the articles “How My School Is Fighting the Surge in Chronic Absenteeism” and “How Pandemic Isolation Damaged School Culture.” He has also published in the Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research and is a contributing author of Preparing to Lead: Narratives of Aspiring School Leaders in a “Post”-COVID World.

Dr. Thompson earned a bachelor of science in criminal justice and a master of public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a master of education and a doctor of philosophy in educational leadership from Regent University. He is also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. To learn more about Thompson’s work, follow him on LinkedIn or at @drdarinthompson on Instagram and YouTube.

Get the book, In Support of Student Data: A Data Workbook for MTSS Teams

Visit the Commonwealth Consulting Agency website, www.cca-pr.com

Follow Kristan on X @dr_rodriguez21

Connect with Kristan on LinkedIn

Kristan Rodriguez, Ph.D., is an award-winning educational leader and former superintendent and principal. She is the creator of the MTSS² Framework™ that replaces fragmented referral practices with proactive, data-informed structures. Dr. Rodriguez is the founder and CEO of Commonwealth Consulting Agency (CCA), a trusted partner to state agencies, districts, and schools nationwide. Dr. Rodriguez is the best-selling author of In Support of Student Data: A Data Workbook for MTSS Teams (Wiley, 2025) and In Support of Students: A Leader's Guide to Equitable MTSS (2023).

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.

Get the book, Becoming The Delegating School Boss

Visit Naphtali's Website, www.ImpactfulCoaching.com

 Dr.  Naphtali Hoff is a former educator and school leader who serves as an executive and performance coach and trainer, and he's the author of three books Becoming the New Boss a leadership Book that helps new leaders hit the ground running and enjoys sustained success, Becoming The Productive Boss, which helps leaders and their teams get more of the right work done and Becoming The Delegating School Boss, which helps school leaders clear their plates and empower their teams.

Get the book, A Level Playing Field: Strategies to Ensure Public Schools' Success

Visit the Caissa K12 Website, www.CaissaK12.com

Brian J Stephens is the Founder and CEO of Caissa K–12, a strategy firm serving public school districts nationwide. He has presented at national conferences and organizations, including the AASA, The School Superintendents Association, the National School Boards Association, and the Consortium of State School Boards Associations.

He served in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Captain, and is an attorney and psychologist by training. Brian is the author of A Level Playing Field: Strategies to Ensure Public Schools’ Success.

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.

Watch Lauren on The Teaching Show

Substack: Lauren Brown on Education

Lauren Brown’s articles on MiddleWeb

Lauren Brown spent about 20 years teaching US history in middle and high schools and another eight years working at the university level with future social studies teachers. She now works as a consultant and writer on MiddleWeb and her own Substack.

She writes about education with a special focus on why social studies and history in particular matter. Much of her work is about helping people see how good history teaching strengthens, not just literacy, but our democracy as well.

Get the book, The Complete Guide for New Elementary Teachers: Discover Joy and Success with a Whole Child Approach

Visit Steve's Website, www.SteveReifman.com

Steve Reifman has been an elementary school teacher for the past 31 years, and during that time he's earned National Board certification, traveled to Japan as a Fulbright Memorial Fund scholar, and completed two master's degrees.

He has experience working with students in all the elementary grade levels, and he's taught in both public and private schools. He's the author of several books for educators, such as The Complete Guide for New Elementary Teachers: Discover Joy and Success with a Whole Child Approach

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.

Get the book, Morph Mastery: A Morphological Intervention for Reading, Spelling and Vocabulary

Visit Louise's website, LouiseSelbyDyslexia.com

Get the book, The Daily SEL Leader

Get the book, A Blueprint for Teacher Retention: Leading Schools that Teachers Don't Want to Leave

Visit the Brass Tacks Innovations website, www.brasstacksinnovations.com

View the Teacher Retention Model PDF 

James Bailey’s career has encompassed teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, school turnaround leader, consultant and superintendent roles spanning Texas, Colorado and Wyoming. He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Innovation from the University of Colorado-Denver, is a prolific publisher and presenter, and currently serves as a core faculty member at Walden University in the area of educational leadership.

Randy Weiner has worked in education and education technology and consulting throughout his career. He co-founded the country’s first public Montessori, arts integration, and design thinking school in Oakland, CA. A Teach for America alum and father to two daughters, Randy taught for 5 years in Oakland and Madagascar, and holds two BAs from Middlebury College and an MA in Education from Stanford.

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.

Get the book, The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning—And How To Help Them Thrive Again

Visit the LME Global website, www.LMEGlobal.net

Follow Jared on Youtube @JaredCooney

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.

Get the book, Dealing with Difficult Parents (Teacher Edition): How to Get Parents Off Your Back and On Your Side

Get the book, Dealing with Difficult Parents (School Leader Edition): How to Model, Coach, and Support Your Teachers

This episode of Principal Center Radio is sponsored by IXL, the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12.

Discover the power of data-driven instruction in your school with IXL—it gives you everything you need to maximize learning, from a comprehensive curriculum to meaningful school-wide data.