It’s March. The initial adrenaline of the school year has faded, and for many school leaders, the data graphs aren't moving despite Herculean efforts. In this episode of Your Morning Boost, Adam Busch sits down with University Professor and educational transformation expert Dr. Doug Stilwell to discuss why surface-level changes—like new schedules or software—often fail to produce lasting results.

School leaders are working harder than ever—but in many cases, results aren’t improving. Why?

In this episode of Your Morning Boost, we unpack why common school improvement strategies fail to create real change—and what actually drives measurable results.

You’ll learn:

• Why surface-level changes don’t move student outcomes
• The role of systems thinking in school improvement
• What leaders can do differently starting this week
• If your data isn’t moving despite strong effort, this episode will help you rethink your approach.

Jim Wichman, a seasoned leader in educational administration, elucidates the transformative power of leadership coaching in this enlightening discussion. He emphasizes that effective leadership is not merely about managing tasks, but about nurturing relationships and celebrating the contributions of educators. Wichman reflects on his own evolution as a leader over 25 years, highlighting the importance of vulnerability and self-awareness in fostering a supportive educational environment. He advocates for an approach that prioritizes the well-being of educators, urging them to embrace their humanity amidst the challenges of their roles. This episode serves as a poignant reminder that authentic leadership can profoundly impact not only the individual leader but also the entire educational community.

Takeaways:

1. Effective leadership coaching focuses on empowering individuals to embrace their authentic selves and foster impactful relationships.
2. Jim Wichman's journey underscores the significance of vulnerability in leadership, facilitating stronger connections and trust within educational communities.
3. Celebrating small victories in education cultivates a positive atmosphere that encourages collaboration and enhances overall morale among educators.
4. Leaders must prioritize self-care and establish boundaries to maintain their effectiveness and prevent burnout in demanding educational environments.
5. Fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition is essential for motivating educators and affirming their contributions to student success.
6. The importance of defining one's personal 'why' in leadership promotes clarity and alignment in decision-making and goal-setting.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. www.awbeducation.org

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. The ForwardEd Network
2. Inspired Edification
3. Jimmy Casas and Associates

Are you fighting your own biology to stay calm while your classroom feels like it’s slipping away? Welcome to the “Long Stretch” of March—where high-empathy philosophy meets the reality of a Tuesday morning.

In this episode of Your Morning Boost, Adam Busch explores how the rise of gentle and respectful parenting has shifted the social contract in K–12 schools. As authority moves from positional power to relational trust, educators are feeling the strain of balancing compassion with accountability.

Key takeaways include:

1. The Shift in Authority – Building relational trust without sacrificing boundaries.
2. Ruinous Empathy – Why being “too nice” can unintentionally increase anxiety and instability.
3. The Calm Pivot – A practical three-step tool for acknowledging feelings while holding firm expectations.
4. Emotional Labor in Education – Navigating role strain without burning out.

This episode challenges educators to cultivate both warmth and clarity—high empathy paired with high expectations.

Looking to continue the conversation? Join the community at the ForwardEd Network.

Explore more at:

1. www.grundmeyerleadersearch.com
2. www.forwardednetwork.com

Subscribe, share, and review to help more educators discover the work.

This episode may include AI-assisted content.

Is your feedback building professional capacity or simply creating anxiety? In this episode of Control Shift Lead, hosts Jim Wichman and Adam Busch sit down with school administrator Kanika Dorsey to dismantle the "gotcha" culture of school observations.Kanika shares her powerful framework for moving toward non-evaluative feedback, emphasizing that the most impactful leadership happens when you leave the laptop at the door and pick up a sticky note. We discuss the "Control" of the feedback loop, the "Shift" toward high-frequency, low-stakes walkthroughs, and how to "Lead" by empowering teachers to facilitate their own instructional rounds.Whether you are a seasoned principal or an aspiring leader, this conversation offers a blueprint for building a culture of trust, focusing on "one or two things" for sustainable growth, and keeping student achievement at the heart of every classroom visit. Kanika also shares her deeply personal journey of resilience—from a single parent in the Bronx to a powerhouse instructional leader—reminding us why leading with heart is non-negotiable in K-12 education. This is a ForwardEd Network production.

Connect With Our Guest & Hosts

Kanika Dorsey:

1. Instagram: @kanikadorsey

Reach out to the Hosts:

1. Adam Busch: [email protected]
2. Jim Wichman: [email protected]

Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates.

Want to keep the conversation going?

1. Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
2. Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
3. Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
4. Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

"If you don't like where you are, do something about it."In this episode of Your Booster Shot, host Adam Busch sits down with former student-athlete turned motivational powerhouse, Chris Norton. After a life-altering football injury left him with a 3% chance of ever moving again, Chris didn't just survive—he redefined what it means to take "Radical Responsibility" for one's life.As school leaders and educators, we often face "3% moments" where the odds are stacked against our students or our systems. Chris shares how the qualities of resilience, the courage to ask for help, and the power of community are the ultimate tools for navigating change in K–12 education.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. The 3% Mindset: How to move forward when the outcome seems impossible.
2. Radical Responsibility: Why your response to adversity is your greatest leadership tool.
3. The "Rescue" Trap: How over-helping students can accidentally rob them of their self-esteem.
4. Strength in Vulnerability: Why the best leaders are the ones who know how to ask for help.

Connect with Chris Norton: Website: https://chrisnorton.org

About ForwardEd Network: We provide professional education and leadership resources to help school leaders and educators thrive.

#ForwardEdNetwork #SchoolLeadership #Resilience #K12Education #ChrisNorton #RadicalResponsibility

Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates.

Want to keep the conversation going?

1. Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
2. Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
3. Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
4. Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

In the mid-winter stretch of the school year, it’s easy for leaders to feel the weight of "the woes"—that heavy, gray season where the list of tasks grows faster than the daylight.

In this episode, 32-year veteran educator Bob Long joins us to discuss a simple but transformative leadership standard: being exactly where your feet are.Designed for school administrators and lead learners, this conversation explores how to balance the "business" of education with the human needs of our students and staff. We dive into the reality of "precipitating factors"—the invisible burdens our community carries—and why the most effective leadership move you can make today is simply catching someone doing something right. You'll walk away with a renewed perspective on presence and a reminder that you don't have to be a hero; you just have to be present.

Subscribe for your weekly dose of leadership perspective and share this with a colleague who needs a mid-winter boost.

Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates.

Want to keep the conversation going?

1. Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
2. Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
3. Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
4. Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

• Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
• Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
• Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
• Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Welcome to the first show of 2026! We are kicking off the New Year with a "heavy hitter" in the world of education. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Matt Townsley, an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Northern Iowa and the acclaimed author of Making Grades Matter.If you have ever felt that traditional grading systems—driven by points, percentages, and "extra credit Kleenex boxes"—don’t accurately reflect what your students actually know, this conversation is for you. Dr. Townsley challenges us to move from a culture of "earning" to a culture of "learning."

Key Highlights:

1. The Power of Redos and Retakes: Why honoring different learning paces is essential for student success and how to implement a plan that avoids the "end-of-semester dump."
2. The 21-Point Inspection: A brilliant analogy for shifting grading from vague percentages to detailed, standard-based feedback.
3. Communication Over Compliance: How to move away from using grades as "carrots and sticks" and start using them as a clear map for student growth.
4. Practical Leadership: Tips for principals on how to affirm teachers who are already innovating in their assessment practices.

Stop chasing points and start focusing on evidence of learning. Tune in to learn how to diagnose the "holes in the bucket" and provide meaningful interventions that truly help students master their goals.

Connect with Dr. Matt Townsley:

1. University Profile: University of Northern Iowa Faculty
2. Book: Making Grades Matter

Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates.

Want to keep the conversation going?

1. Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
2. Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
3. Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
4. Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

• The Principal Academy: Dr. Pepperd's innovative program designed to support school leaders at various stages of their careers with coaching and mentorship.
• Resources from Road to Awesome: Focusing on cultivating leadership that emphasizes clarity, intentionality, and purpose.
• Building a Thriving School Culture: Gaining a fresh perspective on the vital role of empowered leaders in fostering positive educational environments.
• Success Stories: Hearing real-world examples that underscore the profound impact of this leadership philosophy.
• Sneak Peek: Dr. Pepperd gives a look into his upcoming book, Culture First Classrooms, co-authored with Katie Kinder, which focuses on creating empowering learning environments from the ground up.

• https://roadtoawesome.net/

• Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
• Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
• Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
• Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

This bonus episode celebrates the launch of the new educational podcast - Navigating the Nest: From K to Success. This new podcast is the collaboration between a few fellow podcasters from Ctrl+Shift+Lead and From Carpool to College, and Vice Principal UnOfficed. Together, the podcast hosts will bring perspectives from school leadership and college guidance, enriched with unforgettable real-life tales from the hallways with their first episode titled: Charting the Course: GPS Insights for K-12 to Postsecondary Success Whether you're a parent, an educator, or a student, this new podcast is designed to provide valuable insights, hearty laughs, and the confidence you need to navigate the nest successfully.Vice Principal UnOfficed website has moved! Boomark my new site: https://viceprincipalunofficed.com/ Email me: [email protected] Check out photos from each Vice Principal UnOfficed episode at:

1. Instagram
2. Facebook

Resources used for Vice Principal UnOfficed can be found here. Thanks for listening! #KeepLaughing&Learning

Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates.

Want to keep the conversation going?

1. Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.
2. Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.
3. Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.
4. Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at [email protected] or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork.

Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.