Transformative Principal

In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones interviews Joel Lavin, an equity and inclusion administrator in Eugene, Oregon, with 25 years of experience in public education. Joel shares insights into his work supporting high school students with disabilities, focusing on transition services that help students move from school to adulthood. The conversation covers the importance of inclusive practices, unifying specialized programs, and providing real-life experiences through initiatives like CTE (Career Technical Education) and the Future Build program. Joel and Jethro discuss the challenges and successes of integrating students with disabilities into broader educational and extracurricular opportunities, including unified sports and robotics. The episode features personal stories that highlight the impact of these programs on student confidence, independence, and community involvement, emphasizing the value of collaboration among educators to create inclusive environments.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones interviews Tyler Lafferty, executive director and founder of Slingshot. Tyler shares his mission to help young people discover purposeful career paths by aligning their unique skills and personalities with fulfilling jobs. The conversation explores the IDEAS framework—Introspection, Design, Exploration, Adaptability, and Service—and offers practical advice for educators and students to dream big, build social capital, and find meaning in both work and community service.

• Purposeful direction
• Dream big about their future
• Show kids how to connect the dots 
• Multi-faceted human being – many different paths that you could find fulfillment in.
• Be open to the winding path.
• No losing just learning
• Tyler’s book, “Be More Like You”
• The path of least resistance.
• IDEAS Framework
• Introspection, Design, Exploration, Adaptability, Service
• Dreaming too small.
• Meaningful conversation about the work.
• Encouraging teachers to get out and find someone to speak in their classroom. 
• Building a pipeline. 
• That’s not for me, and that’s ok. 
• How do you give back, and what does that look like? How can you plan for that for your whole life?
• How to get access: Taking over advisory, curriculum, group coaching for individuals, the academy, online course. 

About Tyler:

The Executive Director and Founder of Slingshot, Tyler Lafferty, a longtime entrepreneur, has built five successful companies in digital marketing, advertising media, and health and fitness. This investment over 20 years, has produced services purchased by multi-billion dollar companies and clients across the nation including AT&T, Amazon, Nike, Nintendo, MTV, Tiktok, Disney and many others.

At Slingshot, we exist to inspire and coach young people with purposeful direction for work and life. Our coaching framework helps them uncover the industries and job types they're passionate about, provides pathways to making meaningful industry connections and builds a resiliency mindset for being their own guide.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode of Transformative Principal, Brandon Cardet-Hernandez shares his journey from being a principal to advising the NYC Mayor, and now serving as President of Mrs. Wordsmith, a company dedicated to improving children's literacy through innovative tools like books and video games. Brandon dives into the urgent need for solutions in education, particularly addressing the missed "dosage" in phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary instruction that many students experience. He explores the role of video games in education, emphasizing that while games can't replace teachers, they can enhance the learning process through engaging, spaced-repetition techniques, like the popular game Word Tag.

Brandon discusses how joy and mastery of language can transform a student's understanding and emotional connection to words. He also highlights the challenges many students face in developing strong reading skills, especially in middle and high school, and how increasing practice time is essential.

• Leaving the principalship to do advising to NYC Mayor. 
• Solutions that I was hungry for. 
• President of Mrs. Wordsmith
• Efficacy of video games
• Sub-literate
• Games don’t replace teachers and instruction
• Missed dosage that kids need: phonemic awareness and phonics & vocabulary
• How much time they get practicing. 
• How do we give teachers the right data?
• Word tag - spaced repetition.
• Joy of words, master of phrasing. 
• How many kids don’t have the command of the language?
• Happiness makes more sense when you have word associations with it. 
• Increase dosage of reading skills. 
• How challenging it is to learn reading in middle and high school.
• How to be a transformative principal? Be ok that their experience looks different than ours: take a beat, pause, and play a video game.

About Brandon Cardet-Hernandez

Brandon Cardet-Hernandez is the President of Mrs Wordsmith, an innovative children's education media company that creates award-winning books, card games, and video games to help radically improve literacy outcomes for kids. A recognized leader and changemaker, Brandon has spent his career working to reimagine the systems, structures, and tools that accelerate opportunity and close achievement gaps. Brandon previously served as the Senior Education Advisor to former New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio and as the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the NYC Department of Education. A former special education teacher, Brandon has sat at the helm of two high schools, leading both institutions through transformational change. Brandon was appointed to the Boston School Board in 2022 by Mayor Michelle Wu and the Massachusetts Council for Latino Empowerment in 2023 by Governor Maura Healy. He serves on the board of EdVestors. His work has garnered national recognition, featured in publications like The Atlantic, People en Espanol, Essence Magazine, EdWeek, Commonwealth Magazine, and the Netflix documentary, “Teach Us All.”

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Host Jethro D. Jones talks with teacher Hilda Guerrero about her "Peacefully Productive Kids" program, which helps students develop emotional regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution skills. Hilda shares practical strategies and resources she created after working with a challenging student, and discusses her mission to make social-emotional learning easy and accessible for teachers everywhere.

• Peacefully Productive Kids - SEL and personal development for kids. 
• Started 3 years ago when she had a highly challenging student, elopement, emotional outbursts. 
• Started to read books and did action research with that particular student. 
• Creating and collecting resources. 
• Videos and resources already available and creating as she went along. 
• Stephen Guise Elastic Habits
• Created a chart and tracked behavior. 
• Ridiculously simple goals. 
• The more he succeeded the better he got at succeeding. 
• What causes the elopement?
• Let him know he’s safe, consistent soft, gentle messages
• When a child is in distress, they need to learn how to release the emotions in a different way.
• If they have the language skills to express how they feel they will do better. 
• Addressing 3 tiers with students - 1:1, friendship class, and whole group
• 3 main components: mind, heart, body. 
• Preparation for the lesson - needs to be teacher friendly. Within 5 clicks have what they need. 
• Videos, journals, lesson plans, role plays, poetry, music, dance, etc. 
• State an issue, and find resources to support kids. 
• Language as the pathway to social and emotional well being
• “My son used to be feisty and snappy, and he even talks differently.” 
• Words of empathy - friendship class - kids all complaining about what is going wrong. 
• I can give you the words to de-escalate the fight! 
• Friendship helpers. 
• 6 steps on how to be an active listener. 
• This project is bigger than me! 
• Teachers are undertrained and outnumbered. 
• Want to help out? Reach out at PeacefullyProductiveKids.com
  
  

About Hilda Guerrero

Hilda Guerrero is a dedicated educator with 28 years of experience teaching elementary-aged students. Throughout her career, she has specialized in bilingual education, equipping students with the linguistic skills necessary to thrive in diverse learning environments. She holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, which has deepened her understanding of language acquisition and cross-cultural communication.

Now, she is channeling her expertise into developing a digital product (Peacefully Productive Kids) designed to help teachers cultivate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and personal development skills in their students. Drawing on the four modes of language learning, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, she is developing specialized language practices that foster children's social, emotional, and mental growth. Her passion for teaching language has expanded to include the vital language of emotions and self-awareness, empowering young learners to understand themselves and others with empathy and confidence.

She believes in the transformative power of language and SEL to nurture holistic development, shaping not only students’ academic skills but also their emotional resilience and interpersonal growth.

When she’s not teaching or creating, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, swimming, and taking long nature walks with friends, always inspired by the belief that education is the foundation for growth, in language, character, and life.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Nearly a year ago, Dr. Kelly Hastings interviewed Jethro on this show to talk about Saboteurs. It’s high time we get her on the show to talk about her work. 

• SCALE Framework:
• Set the vision and team with clarity and purpose
• Create the script that drives aligned, actionable change
• Act and communicate effectively with your entire community
• Learn, listen, and linger to build momentum and avoid burnout
• Empower and elevate your team so the work lasts beyond one leader or school year
• You can’t always make a vision happen in a single year. 
• Principals must set the vision, but they can’t do it alone. 
• Smallest possible action, aligned with what we are already doing
• Communicate with everyone about how they can support the initiative. 
• The power of “Shadow a Student”
• Teaching teachers how to be leaders - so powerful. 
• Power of Permission - 
• How to change mindsets - Vertical Development
• How to be a transformative principal? Listen to what your good teachers are saying. 

Dr. Kelly Hastings brings over 28 years of dedicated service to public education, most recently as a middle school principal. Since retiring from her role in public schools, she has continued to impact the field by coaching and supporting school leaders in implementation and leadership development. Dr. Hastings is married and the proud mother of four children and grandmother to four grandchildren, ranging in age from 8 to 16. Living nearby, she delights in cheering them on in their many activities—from baseball and dance to taekwondo and more. Join her facebook group. 

Get her book: Leading Change that Lasts

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach, organizational consultant, trainer, writer & speaker.

• How to come back from making a mistake.
• Think big picture.
• If you don’t create the right foundation, then you will spend far less time helping kids than
• When elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets trampled. - Rick Lavoie
• Where you can support the vision
• Everything flows from the foundation.
• We make decisions based on the emotional connection.
• Trust shields you from other problems.
• How to be a transformative principal? Continue to invest in yourself. You can’t give what you don’t have.

In this episode, Jethro and Danny continue their "Reject the Premise" series, a collaborative book-writing and podcast project. They discuss challenging traditional assumptions in education, focusing on reimagining school leadership, student development, and the real purpose of education.

Links to Parts 1-3:
Reject the Premise 1: Podcasts Link
Reject the Premise 2: Podcast Link
Reject the Premise 3:

Eric Chagla Episode

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode of Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones welcomes three inspiring guests to discuss the origins and impact of the Test Kitchen Education Foundation in Fort Madison, Iowa. Brent Zirkel shares how the foundation was created to blend culinary arts with education, providing students with essential life and academic skills. Kumar Withanage, a renowned chef and passionate educator, recounts his journey from Sri Lanka to the U.S. and his motivation to give back to the community through after-school programs that teach both cooking and life lessons. Julian Pope, a former student and participant, describes how the Test Kitchen became a turning point in his life, offering mentorship, practical skills, and opportunities that helped him pursue higher education. The conversation highlights the power of mentorship, the importance of community, and the value of providing safe, supportive spaces for students to grow.

• How Test Kitchen Education Foundation came to be. 
• How Julien got involved through the robotics program. 
• Cooking provides instant feedback.
• The power of mentorship.
• ACT - Appreciate, Clean up after yourself, Thank everyone.
• Mentorship and agreements or commitments

About Kumar Wickramasingha

Kumar Wickramasingha is best known in southeast Iowa for his culinary expertise and his deep commitment to educational equity. A native of Sri Lanka, Kumar immigrated to the United States in 1986, where he was welcomed by George and Jean Alton—two Fort Madison educators who gave him a home and the encouragement to pursue higher education. Inspired by their generosity and belief in the power of education, Kumar fulfilled his American dream by becoming a successful restaurateur and later a healthcare executive.

Kumar's most enduring legacy, however, may be his work in education reform. As the founder of the Test Kitchen Education Foundation (TKEF), he created the Elliott Test Kitchen (ETK)—a one-of-a-kind afterschool program that used food and mentorship to bring academic support to students in rural Iowa. With a blend of culinary creativity and educational accountability, the program helped countless students from all backgrounds succeed in school, build life skills, and discover their potential.

Today, Kumar is collaborating with former ETK student Julien Pope on a forthcoming book that tells the story of the Test Kitchen’s origins, challenges, and powerful impact. The book not only highlights the life-changing effects of academic support and mentorship, but also draws a powerful connection between the decline of quality education in rural communities and the rise of political polarization in America. Through real stories and hard truths, the project aims to spark a national conversation—and offer a roadmap for healing both systems.

Kumar continues to live in Fort Madison and remains passionate about giving back to the community that once lifted him up. His work is a testament to the idea that the best way to thank a community is to build something lasting within it.

About Julien Pope

Julien Pope is a ghostwriter and freelance developmental editor currently working in Fort Madison, Iowa. As a high schooler, his life was positively impacted by the Elliott Test Kitchen, and, using the resources provided to him by the ETK, he successfully enrolled at the University of Iowa as an English and Creative Writing Major. Recently graduated, he has returned to Fort Madison to work on a series of writing projects, one of which being the memoir of Kumar Wickramasingha and the story of the Elliott Test Kitchen. 

As the author of this memoir, Julien will use both personal narrative and in-depth research to create a compelling argument for the solution to rural America’s educational decline - namely, that only through dedicated, passionate community involvement and cultural appreciation will education be able to flourish and heal the rifts in our fracturing society. 

About Brent Zirkel

Brent Zirkel is currently the Elementary Principal at Mary Welsh Elementary in Williamsburg, Iowa, a school of about 650 students.  He also serves as the district ELL Director, Migratory Education Program Director, and Preschool Program Director. Brent has previously served as the Associate Principal at Williamsburg Jr/Sr. High School (7-12) and Fort Madison Middle School (4-8).  Brent taught Spanish at Fort Madison High School for 12 years where he was honored for 5 consecutive years with the Terry Branstad Inspiring Teacher Award for serving as a motivational force to some of Iowa’s top-performing high school students. He has a BA in Geography and Spanish Education, an MS in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Bilingual Education (ELL), and is certified as a Pre-K-12 Administrator and Special Education Supervisor.

Brent is also an educational consultant for the Test Kitchen Educational Foundation: a non-profit organization that creates innovative after-school programming for rural communities in Iowa by getting youth excited about learning through engagement in academics, culinary arts, and valuable life skills.  

Brent is married to Michelle, a K-6 Media Teacher, and has two children, Brevin (16) and Bram (10). Brent enjoys spending time with his family. He is an avid fan of Survivor, the TV show, and is a true believer in progress through struggle. Brent sees education as the greatest opportunity to build a better tomorrow by positively impacting the lives of his students today.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode, Jethro interviews Derek "DC" Crager, a passionate advocate for making artificial intelligence accessible, especially for the neurodiverse community. DC shares his personal experiences as an autistic individual and discusses how AI can empower people with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia to enhance their skills and independence. The conversation explores the unique challenges neurodiverse individuals face, the importance of supportive AI interfaces, and how technology can provide cognitive equity and a patient, understanding companion. DC also explains his work with Practical AI and AI for Autistics, offering insights into building inclusive tools and communities that help neurodiverse people thrive in education and employment. The episode highlights the transformative potential of AI as both a mentor and a bridge for communication, learning, and self-advocacy.

• Neurodiverse vs. neurotypical
• AI gives “us” someone to talk to
• Voice interface to be a patient anthropomorphic voice
• Speak with ourselves 
• Those of us with ADHD are either at 50,000 feet or deep in the weeds
• Cognitive Equity is what AI enables for people with disabilities to have a voice when they didn’t before
• Genius Within - spikey profile
• Lack of control over the words can be seen as ignorance or stupidity
• How to make sure that the AI is helpful and context aware
• Guardrails on the AI - for example, as a subject matter expert
• Navigating the community and context instead of just 
• GPS navigating vs. talking on the phone navigating
• Anyplace that a human can be offering mentorship
• 1:1 virtual mentor:student relationship
• Conversationally know and communicate about students
• Reach out to DC about free resources

Derek “DC” Crager, a passionate advocate for making artificial intelligence approachable and accessible, particularly for individuals within the neurodiverse community. As someone who is autistic, Derek has dedicated himself to fostering a supportive environment where people with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia can leverage AI to enhance their skills and income. Through his work at Practical AI, he emphasizes clarity and support, ensuring that users can navigate AI without being overwhelmed by its complexities.

Derek has also achieved notable success in his career, having developed Amazon's top-rated employee training program, which focuses on simplifying complex concepts for better understanding and application. His community, now boasting over 6,060 members, thrives on the principles of shared learning and earning, making it a valuable resource for educators and leaders alike. He is poised to share insights drawn from his journey and the impactful initiatives at Practical AI, promising to engage and inspire any audience.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

In this episode of Transformative Principle, host Jethro Jones welcomes back Dr. Chad Dumas, international consultant and author of "The Teacher Team Leader Handbook." Together, they explore the crucial distinction between who you are and what you do as a leader, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, integrity, and coherence in educational leadership. Chad shares practical advice for new teacher team leaders, highlighting the foundational responsibilities of creating psychological safety, building team capacity, and doing the work. The conversation delves into actionable strategies—like the power of the pause and using a "third point" in meetings—to foster trust and effective collaboration. Listeners will come away with insights on aligning intentions with actions and building long-term, meaningful professional relationships.

• Two parts - who you are and what you do (being and doing)
• Give me a tool! Give me a process! 
• Others did not perceive them as being genuine or authentic
• Coherence - striving to live a life of coherence - same person when I’m with anybody
• Clarity about the responsibilities - psychological safety, building capacity, doing the work
• Culture of Nice
• Social sensitivity - nonverbal communication
• Equity in turn taking - 
• 4 quadrants for decision-making for a leader. 
• 40 actions - here’s one:  pause
• Another one: 3rd point - Michael Grinder
• What was most valuable to you today? From The Coaching Habit.
• How to be a transformative principal? Think about your intentions as a person and a leader and how you can 

About Chad Dumas

Dr. Chad Dumas is a Solution Tree PLC and RTI at Work®, Assessment, and Priority Schools associate and international consultant, presenter and award-winning researcher. His leadership training and coaching focuses on building capacity for self, team, and system improvement. Having been a successful teacher, principal, central office administrator, professional developer and consultant in a variety of school districts, he shares his research and knowledge in his books, Let’s Put the C in PLC, An Action Guide to Put the C in PLC, and The Teacher Team Leader Handbook,  and consulting that includes research, stories, hands-on tools, useful knowledge, and practical skills.

We’re proud to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.