Send us a text

What if the most powerful thing you can do as a leader… is say nothing at all?

In this powerful two-host episode, Andrew and Gina explore how listening—truly listening—is one of the most overlooked and underutilized tools in a leader’s toolkit. With no guest this time, it’s a heart-to-heart conversation filled with relatable stories, practical strategies, and leadership wisdom about the art of listening with intention.

They break down the science and soul of active listening—why it matters, how it builds trust faster than advice ever will, and how to overcome the distractions that derail us. You’ll discover how listening applies at every level of school leadership—from students to staff to parents—and why giving someone your full attention might be the most radical leadership move you make this year.

What You’ll Learn:

• The #1 reason most leaders think they’re listening… but aren’t
• What active listening really looks like in schools
• How to avoid the “fixer” trap in staff and student conversations
• Listening as burnout prevention
• Why being heard matters more than being helped

Whether you’re leading a team, teaching in the classroom, or parenting at home—this episode will challenge and inspire you to tune in more deeply.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

What makes a great leader? According to Patrick Erwin, it’s not just vision or charisma—it’s trust.

In this compelling live interview, School on a Mission co-hosts Andrew and Gina sit down with Patrick M. Erwin, Curriculum Director at the Maxwell Leadership Foundation and a nationally recognized speaker, to unpack how trust and authenticity shape emotionally resilient schools.

From his years as a high school band director to his current work training leaders across the country, Patrick shares personal stories and practical insights on leading with integrity, sustaining real relationships under pressure, and rebuilding trust when it’s been broken.

Whether you’re a principal, teacher, coach, or student leader—this conversation will equip you to lead with courage, consistency, and heart.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why trust is a culture, not a checklist
• How to lead authentically, even when it’s hard
• Small daily habits that strengthen relationships
• How to rebuild trust after a breakdown
• Why vulnerability and accountability can co-exist

Tune in for an honest, hope-filled conversation that will challenge and inspire your leadership.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

What if emotional resilience wasn’t about pushing through—but about tuning in?

In this powerful episode of School on a Mission, emotional wellness advocate and Sōmōcom Lab founder Chelsea Elliott joins Andrew and Gina to explore how adults can model emotional intelligence in ways that prevent burnout and promote balance. Drawing from personal experiences and professional insights, Chelsea shares practical tools—from body scans to three-question check-ins—that help educators build emotional awareness and stay grounded in the work they love.

Whether you’re navigating burnout, supporting student well-being, or trying to build emotionally healthy school culture, Chelsea offers sustainable habits, healing reframes, and a call to treat both students and adults as full, feeling humans.

Key Takeaways:

• Why emotional intelligence starts with language and validation
• How to model healthy responses instead of reacting on autopilot
• The 3-question system that builds self-awareness in the moment
• Why self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s maintenance
• How honoring your emotions can transform your leadership

🎧 Tune in for practical wisdom and renewed perspective. Because the way we care for ourselves is the way we lead.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

In this deeply empowering episode, Principal Pam Bibik joins Andrew and Gina to share what every school leader needs to hear: boundaries aren’t selfish—they’re essential.

With over two decades of transformational leadership experience, Pam opens up about the lessons she’s learned—from burnout to breakthrough—and how setting healthy boundaries can actually make us better leaders. You’ll learn how to create a “time budget,” use your calendar as a tool for well-being, and empower your team to lead with clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re a principal, assistant principal, or classroom leader feeling the weight of expectations, this conversation offers the tools (and permission) you need to lead from a place of wholeness—not exhaustion.

Key Takeaways:

• Why boundaries protect purpose—not productivity
• How to use your calendar to reflect your real values
• The difference between saying “no” and communicating what you can do
• How school leaders can cultivate shared ownership and trust
• The one picture that changed Pam’s entire perspective on time

You’ll laugh, reflect, and probably turn off your notifications before the episode ends. 😉

Listen in and learn how to lead with intention, not obligation

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

Burnout isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the daily reality for countless educators. In this candid and empowering episode of School on a Mission, professional school counselor Lindsay Burnell Carson joins Andrew and Gina to explore what emotional resilience really looks like in today’s schools.

From teacher fatigue to student anxiety, Lindsay pulls back the curtain on the mental health challenges facing our classrooms—and offers practical, sustainable tools that actually work. Through real-world stories and refreshing authenticity, she reframes self-care as essential, not extra.

Key Takeaways:

• The cultural shift that’s fueling burnout—and how to fight back
• Why boundaries are a professional necessity, not a luxury
• Small, sustainable rhythms to build emotional resilience
• The power of reflective practices and daily self-inventory
• How to lead and teach from a place of authenticity and wellness

Whether you’re a teacher, leader, or support staff, this episode will remind you: you matter too. 🧠✨

🎧 Tune in and start rewriting the narrative—from burnout to balance.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

In this energizing and heartfelt episode, Andrew and Gina sit down with Coach Dominie Dwyer—educator, youth mentor, and founder of LIV3D Youth—to explore how mindfulness transforms classrooms, teams, and hearts.

Coach Dwyer shares his journey from retail to the classroom to coaching, revealing how mindfulness and authenticity help students thrive emotionally and academically. Through stories of forgiveness, creativity, and connection, he reminds us that mindfulness isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.

Listeners will learn:

• How to foster mindfulness and emotional awareness in students
• Why being real with kids builds trust and resilience
• How educators can plan for recovery and prevent burnout
• Small, daily “mindful moves” that create long-term impact
• How personal growth and self-awareness fuel better teaching

This episode is a masterclass in real-world mindfulness—equal parts wisdom, humor, and hope.

🎧 Listen now and rediscover how presence can transform your leadership—and your students’ lives.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

Season 3, Episode 1

In this powerful kickoff to Season 3, co-host Gina Watts flips the script and interviews Andrew McPeak about something every leader wrestles with—rediscovering their “why.”

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, a district leader, or anyone guiding the next generation, this episode offers practical, heartfelt wisdom on reigniting your purpose, especially when burnout, doubt, or fatigue start to creep in.

Andrew shares:

• His own moment of purpose-drift and what brought him back
• How purpose serves as an anchor in turbulent times
• Why educators must care for themselves first
• Daily rituals that restore energy and focus
• A one-sentence challenge to reframe your purpose this week

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why am I still doing this?” — this episode is your answer.

🎧 Listen in, take notes, and share your one-sentence purpose with us on social!

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

Welcome to Season 3 of School on a Mission—the podcast for leaders shaping the next generation through education, innovation, and values that matter.

Preview a powerful new season filled with authentic conversations, real-world impact, and the stories you won’t hear anywhere else. From coaches driving statewide change to teachers sparking transformation in a single classroom, this season celebrates bold leadership and resilience.

Get ready for:

✔️ Weekly episodes that challenge and inspire

✔️ Practical strategies for real educational impact

✔️ Stories from leaders on the frontlines of change

If you’re passionate about schools that lead with purpose, this season is your blueprint.

🎧 Hit play, subscribe, and share—because this mission is one we take on together.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

🎉 Season 2 Finale!

We couldn’t close out this season without tackling one of the biggest conversations in education today: digital equity. In this electrifying final episode of School on a Mission, we sit down with Cinthia Diaz, Director of Community Impact at Oakland Undivided, to unpack what it really means to close the digital divide—and why access to technology is more than a convenience… it’s a necessity.

From launching a city-wide coalition during the chaos of the pandemic to driving Chromebooks into the hands of students in need, Cinthia reveals how Oakland Undivided went beyond buzzwords to build a model of equity that works. We talk about internet deserts, real-world tech barriers, and the game-changing power of community collaboration. You’ll hear how school leaders can leverage data, coalitions, and funding opportunities to make access universal and sustainable—especially for students navigating housing instability or tech literacy gaps.

Plus, Cinthia shares the little-known secret that could reduce your district’s hotspot costs by 80%, the role of phone banking in family engagement, and why digital inclusion is about so much more than logging in.

✨ This episode is both a celebration and a call to action. If you’re passionate about creating schools where every student has a seat—and a screen—at the table, this is the one you’ve been waiting for.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we’re joined by the vibrant and insightful Maisha Wilder, an educator who’s spent her career helping students—of every age—find their voice and thrive. Maisha offers a fresh, grounded perspective on the role of technology in education, urging teachers to treat it not as the star of the show, but as the costume that supports the performance.

From working with elementary students to guiding college transfer hopefuls, Maisha shares practical tools, creative analogies, and a heartfelt reminder that the most essential element in the classroom isn’t a device—it’s the teacher. Whether you’re struggling with tech integration or looking for a way to deepen digital citizenship in your classroom, this conversation is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Tech as a tool, not the teacher: Why technology should support, not replace, human connection in the classroom.

• Digital safety & stewardship: How to guide students toward mindful, ethical tech usage—starting in elementary school.

• Accessible innovation: Strategies for making classroom tech inclusive and equitable for all learners.

• Digital dilemmas: Creative ways to engage students in conversations about online behavior and real-world consequences.

• Authentic Intelligence > Artificial Intelligence: A new definition of AI that centers the educator’s unique influence and style.

🚀 Welcome to the School on a Mission Podcast! 🎙️

Hosted by Andrew McPeak and Gina Watts, this podcast is for educators, school leaders, and change-makers who believe in building schools where leadership, character, and social-emotional growth matter just as much as academics. If you believe education should inspire, equip, and empower the next generation—you’re in the right place!

Each episode features engaging conversations, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help you create a school culture where students thrive. From leadership principles and community engagement to AI in education and social media strategy, we tackle the most pressing topics in modern education.

🎧 New episodes drop regularly—don’t miss out!

💡 Connect with us at schoolonamissionpodcast.com

📲 Follow us on social media & join the conversation!

🔹 The School on a Mission Podcast is produced by Growing Leaders, powered by the Maxwell Leadership Foundation.