Schools of Excellence: The No. 1 ECE & Private School Leadership Podcast

When my husband Mayer and I moved to Florida, we had a pool for the first time ever. But as New Yorkers, we had no idea how to take care of it. So when we were told we didn't have to do much to maintain it, we took those words at face value.

Over time, different parts of the pool started to break down, and we had no choice but to call a maintenance company to evaluate the situation.

When they finally came to take a look, we were shocked at what they told us: We had to drain and reline the entire pool. 

A costly mistake.

The thing is, it didn't have to be that way. Had we kept up with the proper maintenance all along, we wouldn't have had to pay for such a costly repair.

We only had ourselves to blame.

Sound familiar?

Maintenance neglect is a common and costly problem for early childcare centers—something you really cannot afford in today's economic climate.

It's crucial you find ways to address money leaks and close investment gaps so your center can thrive regardless of the state of the economy.

This week's podcast episode is the final of a four-part series that breaks down the 2024 forecast for early childhood education. To close out our discussion, I'm talking about how you can navigate finances as you move into 2024 and beyond.

Join me for a conversation about:

• Why owners are finding themselves in a financial crisis
• The two major areas you need to address to increase your profit margins
• How to avoid scarcity-based decision-making
• How to make charitable giving a core part of your financial strategy​​

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

If you enjoy this episode and are looking for a space to continue exploring the next era of school leadership, consider applying for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

Or, help your leadership team prepare for today's modern challenges with a Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through obstacles and build a stronger, healthier center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

When I was a new parent, I thought I could give my kids more by simply loving them more.

Spoiler alert: I was mistaken.

Don't get me wrong—my heart was in the right place. Like so many before me, I wanted to give my kids a life even better than the one I had experienced.

But with time and maturity, I came to realize you can't give what you don't have.

You can't pour into your kids if you don't first pour into yourself.

The same can be said for your teachers at school.

Since the pandemic, children have experienced significant delays in cognitive and behavioral development, and our collective solution has been to seek strategies and resources to address these growing concerns.

But let me ask you this: How can teachers create the sort of safe and supportive environment that children need to grow and thrive if they can't create that for themselves?

You can't give what you don't have, remember?

Before we can look for solutions, we need to shift the focus to helping teachers regulate their own emotions so that they're better equipped to give children what they need.

This week's podcast episode is the third in a four-part series that breaks down the 2024 forecast for early childhood education. It centers on how to cultivate healthy teacher–child relationships so your students and school can thrive.

Join me for a conversation about:

• Why child relationships are such an important topic in 2024
• What experts have to say about child development in today's world
• The skills teachers need to cultivate healthy relationships with their students
• Practical strategies for how to make self-regulation a focal point this year​​

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

 If you enjoy this episode and are looking for a space to continue exploring the next era of school leadership, consider applying for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

Or, help your leadership team prepare for today's modern challenges with a Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through obstacles and build a stronger, healthier center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Has someone ever told you to calm down?

It's one of the most aggravating statements ever.

Recently, I was having a conversation with my husband, Mayer, and things were getting a little heated. Before things got out of hand, I wanted to regulate myself so I could operate from a more level mindset. 

Instead of giving me the space to work through my emotions, Mayer decided it would be helpful in that moment to say "Calm down. It's not a big deal."

When in the history of the world has it ever been helpful to tell someone to calm down?

So I responded snarkily, "Okay, get taller. Just grow 5 more inches. It's not a big deal."

Predictably, Mayer was confused. Of course, he couldn't do what I was asking.

But here's the thing—neither could I!

In the same way that Mayer couldn't grow 5 inches in a matter of seconds, I couldn't regulate myself at that very moment. 

Emotional regulation is a process that takes time.

Why am I telling you this?

Because the next time you see your staff on the receiving end of an upset parent's rampage, I want you to think twice before you tell them not to take it personally.

The parenting landscape has changed drastically over the last several years, and your teachers deserve more than being told to calm down when dealing with the modern challenges of parent partnerships.

They need you to step up and create an environment where they feel supported and empowered to foster meaningful relationships with parents in this new climate.

This week's podcast episode is the second in a four-part series that breaks down the 2024 forecast for early childhood education. It centers on the shifting landscape of parent partnerships and what to consider as we move into the new year.

Join me for a conversation about:

• How parent partnerships have evolved, especially since the pandemic
• The impact of modern relationships on mental health
• How the shifting landscape is impacting teachers and turnover
• The key areas you should focus on as a leader in 2024

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

If you enjoy this episode and are looking for a space to continue exploring the next era of school leadership, consider applying for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

Or, help your leadership team prepare for today's modern challenges with a Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through obstacles and build a stronger, healthier center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Are you living by your values?

While you think that question over, let me tell you a story.

In our family, generosity is a core value, and one of the ways in which we embody that value is by hosting members of the community in our home.

So when the High Holiday was approaching this past year, our initial intention was to host two or three out of the four meals that take place over the holiday, just as we normally would.

But when I realized that the Schools of Excellence Legacy Mastermind happened to fall on the same weekend as the start of the High Holiday, I had to take a step back and re-evaluate.

Sure, I could stick to the original plan and spend the weekend hosting meals—that would be in alignment with my values, right?

But values don't exist in a vacuum.

If I were to neglect my commitments as a business owner in order to uphold my family's value of generosity, I wouldn't really be living by my values, would I?

So instead, Mayer and I chose to host just one meal so I could balance my role as both a business owner and member of our community. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right one.

When it comes to true leadership—especially in this day and age—solutions aren't black and white. 

Instead, leadership requires that you make hard choices and reserve enough energy to embody all of your values.

Now we come back to you. 

Are you living by your values? Are you prepared to be a leader in today's world?

In this week's podcast episode, I'll help you answer this question by exploring what it takes to be a leader in 2024 and beyond. It's the first in a four-part series that breaks down the 2024 forecast for early childhood education. 

Join me for a conversation about:

• The four critical areas shaping the next era of early childhood education
• Why traditional leadership strategies are no longer working
• What it means to be a leader in today's world
• How we should approach modern leadership

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

If you enjoy this episode and are looking for a space to continue exploring the next era of school leadership, consider applying for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

Or, help your leadership team prepare for today's modern challenges with a Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through obstacles and build a stronger, healthier center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership/

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

School leadership can be a lonely journey. 

When you're at the top of the org chart, it's your responsibility to support your team—meaning there's no one to catch you when it's you who has fallen down.

That's the harsh reality that Mandy Moore came face-to-face with when she became the owner of her center, Steadfast Academy in Texas, a few years ago.

Transitioning from director to owner was a difficult change. She had gone from having at least some semblance of support to suddenly having none at all.

When COVID-19 hit just a few months later, Mandy's already unstable life was turned completely upside down, with no one to turn to in her time of need.

It was at that point that Mandy came to a critical realization: If she was going to have any chance of surviving—let alone thriving—as an owner, she would need to find a support system.

Fortunately, she found exactly what she was looking for in the Schools of Excellence Owner's HQ membership program, and it changed the trajectory of her leadership journey.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm sitting down with owner Mandy Moore to talk about her experience in Owner's HQ and how finding community among other leaders helped her settle into her new role.

Join us for a conversation about:

• The state of Mandy's center before joining Owner's HQ
• Her experience as an owner after COVID-19 hit
• What she learned being part of a community of other owners 
• How her leadership transformation has impacted her personal life​

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

Your leadership team can also struggle to find support and community, which can greatly impact their ability to lead from the center's values. You can help them work through this and other challenges with a Schools of Excellence Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team work through obstacles and build a stronger, healthier center.

If Mandy’s story resonates with you and you, too, crave the guidance and support of a community of like-minded leaders, I encourage you to apply for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Last year, after speaking at a conference, I was contacted by, Sophie Kerr, the owner of Little Foxes Nursery School in Wiltshire, England, an early childcare center that believes in the power of strong role models in children's learning and development.

She had heard me speak about B.R.I.D.G.E., the 6 key meta skills you need as a childcare center leader, and it immediately resonated with her.

Although she had a strong team of directors, they were struggling in some crucial areas, like managing their calendars and having difficult conversations with staff, that were impacting the overall culture of the school.

So, when she reached out to inquire more about leadership training for her team—Catherine, Amy, and Jen—I invited them to apply for our Director's Inner Circle membership program.

I knew it was the perfect place for them to not only develop their leadership meta-skills, but get support from other directors who were experiencing the same struggles and working toward the same goals.

But what I didn't expect was just how incredible it would be to watch each of their journeys unfold, side by side.

The extent to which the program transformed their leadership in such distinctive and personal ways was powerful to see.

That's why in this week's podcast episode, I'm sitting down with the Little Foxes team to hear their stories about how being in the Director's Inner Circle membership program has uniquely transformed their leadership and school cultures.

Join us for a conversation about:

• Their leadership styles before joining the program
• Their experience implementing the gratitude matrix, one-on-ones, and more
• The impact of their leadership on parents and families
• How they've grown thanks to the program's resources, coaching, and community

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

If you want to experience a leadership transformation like that of the Little Foxes team, I encourage you to apply for our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that will help you as you work toward building a school of excellence.

P.P.S. Or, if you're looking for a more team-centered experience to elevate your circle of leaders, you could be a good fit for our Leadership Day Intensive. You'll get a full day of on-demand, in-school training with me, plus various accountability check-ins, to help you and your team transform your center's leadership and build a stronger, healthier culture. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/leadership

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

When you write out a to-do list—whether for your team, your family, or yourself—does it give an accurate representation of everything that goes into completing each task?

Take laundry, for example. When I put "do the laundry" on my to-do list, I would be kidding myself if I thought it was a one-step process.

There's sorting, washing, drying, ironing, folding, putting the clothes away… and even that isn't an exhaustive list depending on the circumstances. Rather than an easy box to check, something like laundry can easily take an entire morning—or day.

It's a perfect example of invisible labor—all the tasks that need to get done that nobody sees…

…at least, nobody but you.

As a school leader, invisible labor is your middle name. Your brain is wired to consider the details, and you can't help but get bogged down in all the particulars of whatever task is at hand.

So, when your team reports to you, thinking the best thing to do is to relay ALL the information possible, you get overwhelmed by things you don't need to worry about.

You feel responsible for things you don't need to be responsible for.

And the result is that you waste precious time and energy on things that won't help your center move forward.

To ensure you're operating at optimal levels and focusing on the things that matter most, it's critical for you to educate your team on how to report to you.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm talking about how to train your team to report effectively so you can keep your mind—and your schedule—clear for tasks that bring you closer to your goals.

Join me for a conversation about:

• Why it's important to educate your team on proper reporting
• Financial debt vs. time debt
• How to discern what's truly important to know
• Action steps to educate your team

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

When my husband Mayer and I still lived in NYC, he held a position at a college that was highly demanding (to put it lightly).

As part of his role, he was required to work 7 days a week, with very limited PTO. And when he did have time off, he fell ill—just like clockwork.

That wasn't a coincidence.

When we work ourselves to the bone without allowing ourselves proper time to rest and recover, we become more vulnerable to illness. 

Think of your well-being like a battery—if you don't plug it in to charge, eventually it's going to run out of power.

As a school leader, I'm sure you know this better than anyone. After all, professionals in the field of education are especially prone to burnout.

But what you may not realize is that recharging your battery is about more than taking a yearly vacation.

Because if you only give yourself time away once or twice a year, that break ends up being spent in a desperate attempt to recover from burnout… 

…rather than experiencing genuine moments of aliveness and connection with the people you love.

To move beyond survival mode and make the most of your time off for fun and travel, you need to plan for regular rest and recovery throughout the year.

That way, you won't be running on a near-empty tank while trying to enjoy all life has to offer. 

In this week's podcast episode, I'm discussing how to plan strategically for rest and travel as a school leader.

Join me for a conversation about:

• Why it's crucial to strategically plan for rest and travel
• The different kinds of rest you need to feel fully recharged
• How I manage my own recovery and travel throughout the year
• How you can plan for rest and travel in 2024

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

No matter the industry, leaders are often afraid to be honest about why they're firing someone. They think that by sugar-coating the truth or dancing around the issue, they're protecting the person's feelings.

But the reality is that being dishonest doesn't help anyone but you. Rather than protect them, you actually protect yourself from uncomfortable feelings. 

In reality, the best thing you can do for everyone involved is to communicate with transparency and kindness—no matter the context.

Back in 2011, when I was working as a camp director in NYC, I had to fire a teacher after a very unfortunate incident.

It was a sensitive time for the Jewish community in that area because a child had been tragically abducted while walking home from day camp. Understandably, everyone in the city was on especially high alert.

So, when a teacher at my camp left a child alone in the bathroom and walked to a park two blocks away, I had no choice but to terminate her immediately.

I found the child in the bathroom while doing my rounds, walked them to the park where the teacher was, and fired her on the spot.

Now, in this particular situation, there wasn't much of a conversation, because I needed to act swiftly. But that didn't mean that I was unkind—or that I avoided addressing the reason she was being fired.

I simply told her that her error in judgment was unacceptable—and let her go. 

As a leader, you're going to have to fire team members. In fact, never letting go of employees is a sign that you're not cultivating a values-led culture. Because there will always be individuals on your team who simply aren't the right fit.

But at the end of the day, the reason you're letting them go doesn't matter. In every case, you owe it to them, to your team, and to yourself to navigate the conversation with poise and respect.

In this week's podcast episode, the final installment of a three-part series on firing, I provide tips on how to navigate termination communication in a way that preserves your center's reputation and maintains the trust of remaining team members.

Join me for a conversation about:

• What a termination conversation is really about
• Why handling a termination conversation well is so important
• How to prepare for and conduct the conversation 
• How to navigate the aftermath of firing a team member

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Many years ago (when my kids were a lot smaller), my husband Mayer and I took a trip to Niagara Falls. As usual, I had organized everything in advance, including reserving adjoining rooms for our family.

Because our kids were so young at the time, it was really important that we had that adjoining room. So, I made sure to call the hotel—both the day before and the day of the trip—to confirm that the rooms were available for us as planned.

But lo and behold, on the night we arrived at the hotel, the staff member on duty told us that there were no adjoining rooms left because we had arrived too late at night.

Mayer and I were livid. I had called to reserve in advance specifically because I knew we would be arriving late and wanted to make sure we got the rooms we needed. 

Yet here we were, standing at the check-in desk, luggage in hand, being told that it was our fault we didn't get adjoining rooms.

Why? Because the hotel staff refused to take responsibility for their mistake.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Throughout your career, I'm sure you've seen plenty of instances where team members didn't take accountability, shifted the blame, or reacted poorly to feedback.

And sure, even the best of us have some missteps along the way.

But when a team member's failure to take personal responsibility becomes a pattern of behavior,  it's a signal that it's probably time to say goodbye.

In this week's podcast episode, the second in my three-part series on firing, I dig deeper into personal responsibility and the other key reasons for deciding to let go of a team member.

Join me for a conversation about:

• The core evidence that should determine whether you fire someone
• Why documentation is essential throughout the decision-making process
• How to evaluate performance, coachability, mindset, and more
• How personality fit should factor into your decision

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.