Transformative Principal

By Jethro JonesEducation Self-Improvement

Transformative Principal episodes

November 22, 2015How a Kindergarten Center is Amazing with Jessica Cabeen Transformative Principal 099
Overview: Woodson has been an all-day everyday Kindergarten Center for the past 11 years. In the past 4 years enrollment has fluctuated between 360–425 students (currently about 385 with our preschool class). 51% of our students are students of color, and we have a 61% free and reduced lunch student population. We have 16 sections of kindergarten this year–13 on the traditional school calendar and 3 on the modified (year long) calendar as they feed into the modified calendar elementary school. We have been a PBIS school for the past 5 years and this year we were award a “School of Excellence” award by the State Department for our work in established strong tier one behavioral supports for all students. This year we have implemented a behavior specialist position as well as being the second year in our bi-linguage reading pilot in which we have a spanish speaking paraprofessional front loading reading instruction in home languages of a sub section of our EL students. Last year we tried a new venue for Parent Education via videos of local “celebrities” and teachers role playing activities that parents could do with their children to prepare for K.
Bio: This is my 4th year as Principal of the Woodson Kindergarten Center. Prior to this position I was an Assistant Principal, Supervisor of Special Education (all in Austin MN) and Special Education Teacher in Saint Paul MN. Besides being the Principal at Woodson I am a facilitator for the Minnesota Principal Academy out of the University of Minnesota in units surrounding literacy, ethical leadership and RtI. This year I am also a presenter for the Minnesota Department of Education in their P3 Principal Leadership Series. I have started a blog.
Provide appropriate staff development
Provide flipped PD
Teachers leading PD (play center activities)
Solid Understanding of developmental milestones
Become friends with the experts
Adjust schedule for success of students
School time: 8:30–2:05 with teacher prep time after school.
No specialists to reduce transitions for students
Teachers run everything
Parent Engagement
Connecting with Parents
Packers in Training
Being a partner
Community initiative for kids to be ready for Kindergarten, so local celebrities get in on the action for “Ready, Set, Go”
Make videos for parents
Be more knowledgable about preschool options in the community
Meet the pre-k providers and respect their work
Give parents information about Pre-K options.
Service learning opportunities for former students.
Principal’s academy
Professional development for principals, in a cohort.
Principal as an ethical leader: just, fair and caring
How to deal with Social Media issues
BIFF Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm
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Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
Sponsor: Sanebox
Web Site
Transformative Principal on Stitcher
Refer A Principal
Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey
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.
46 min
November 15, 2015DOK Instructional Rounds with Doug Timm Transformative Principal 098
Doug Timm is the principal of Carrie Downie Elementary School
First principalship - innovative technology, focus on standards.
Modern Teacher, Instructional Rounds. Cognitive growth targets (Bloom’s taxonomy)
Think beyond comprehension and recall.
What is the teacher doing and assigning?
6 different centers, but all 6 focused on retrieving and comprehending.
How can we focus on more than the two basic levels?
Charlotte’s Web in the city takes it up a level.
Not all we are looking at, but major focus on tasks.
I need to change what I am asking them to do to get them where I want them to be.
Importance of how kids think. Why we need to make sure our kids are thinking beyond comprehending.
Have to practice those skills.
I don’t make inferences in observations anymore.
Talk to kids during the observation. Sitting at a desk with the kids.
Coaches (2) and Doug are assigned to teachers
Teacher Name, Task, Where it falls in blooms taxonomy.
What can you do to be a transformative principal? Walk around the building and see what focus you want to have: technology, literacy, math, student ownership. What do we have and how do we get to where we want to be? Keep the focus. There’s no end game.
Answer one survey question: What is the most challenging part of your job?
Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
Sponsor: Sanebox
Web Site
Transformative Principal on Stitcher
Refer A Principal
Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey
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.
28 min
November 08, 2015Being an Outsider with Amy Locke Transformative Principal 097
Amy Locke graduated from the University of North Florida with a BA in Special Education: Deaf Studies and an M.Ed in Special Education: Deaf Education. She has been working in the field of Deaf Education for 7 years, beginning her career as an itinerant teacher for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in central Florida, then moving to Houston, TX to teach in a self-contained 3rd/4th grade class with DHH students. About 4 ½ years ago, she moved to Alabama to work as a reading teacher in the high school department at the Alabama School for the Deaf. In November 2014, she became the high school director.
The Alabama School for the Deaf currently has 178 students from all around our state, all of whom have a documented hearing loss. We have two academic departments here: Elementary serves students from age 3 through 6th grade and the High School department serves students in grades 7–12. We are a residential program and a little more half of them live on campus in our dorms. The rest are day students living within an hour of our school.
Seats arranged in semi circles
Classroom management
Communication is very powerful among adults.
Academic challenge is language.
English is a second language.
We can accidentally learn grammar and usage.
Students become the teachers of the language when they surpass their parents in ability.
Struggle showing knowledge on standardized test.
Disconnect between scores they get and what they know.
Transformation from advocate to getting what they need.
IEP Meeting dad spent 30 minutes educating them on deaf education.
Outsider because Amy is not hard of hearing.
If you try, and give a valiant effort, the community will hear you.
How to be a transformative principal: know your population: students, teachers, parents.
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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
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.
19 min
November 01, 2015School for the Deaf with Amy Locke Transformative Principal 096
Amy Locke graduated from the University of North Florida with a BA in Special Education: Deaf Studies and an M.Ed in Special Education: Deaf Education. She has been working in the field of Deaf Education for 7 years, beginning her career as an itinerant teacher for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in central Florida, then moving to Houston, TX to teach in a self-contained 3rd/4th grade class with DHH students. About 4 ½ years ago, she moved to Alabama to work as a reading teacher in the high school department at the Alabama School for the Deaf. In November 2014, she became the high school director.
The Alabama School for the Deaf currently has 178 students from all around our state, all of whom have a documented hearing loss. We have two academic departments here: Elementary serves students from age 3 through 6th grade and the High School department serves students in grades 7–12. We are a residential program and a little more half of them live on campus in our dorms. The rest are day students living within an hour of our school.
Wanted nothing to do with learning sign language.
Small community, tightly knit.
Culture is inviting.
Switched at Birth
There are always many opportunities to serve the hard of hearing students.
Parental involvement is hard to come by because of logistics.
IEPs over the phone.
16 teachers are deaf.
Just started picture-in-picture with sign language interpreter.
Huddle originated at a university for the deaf Galladette University.
Travel to other deaf schools.
Recruiting and hiring.
Director for the high school
Director for elementary
Director for career teach
Director for athletics
Challenge to find other people to learn from.
Applying learning from other principals to her school.
Sending teachers to professional development.
Bring more professional development to the school, rather than sending teachers out.
Empowering teachers with technology.
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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
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.
23 min
October 28, 2015Dignity with John Hope Bryant Transformative Principal Bonus
John Hope Bryant came to Alaska for the Alaska Principals Conference. He spoke to us about how he hopes to inspire corporations to partner with schools to prepare our students for the future. I bought both of his books mentioned below. I am excited to read them.
John Hope Bryant on Twitter. Learn more about Operation Hope. Learn more about Global Dignity Day.
John has two books out. The first is Love Leadership: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World. “Summary from the publisher: Aimed at a new generation of leaders and extremely relevant for today’s economic climate, Love Leadership outlines Bryant’s five laws of love-based leadership-Loss Creates Leaders (there can be no strength without legitimate suffering), Fear Fails (only respect and love leads to success), Love Makes Money (love is at the core of true wealth), Vulnerability is Power (when you open up to people they open up to you), and Giving is Getting (the more you offer to others, the more they will give back to you).”
The second is How the Poor Can Save Capitalism: Rebuilding the Path to the Middle Class. “Summary from the publisher: Raised in poverty-stricken, gang-infested South Central Los Angeles, Bryant saw firsthand how our institutions have abandoned the poor. He details how business loans, home loans, and financial investments have vanished from their communities. After decades of deprivation, the poor lack bank accounts, decent credit scores, and any real firsthand experience of how a healthy free enterprise system functions. Bryant radically redefines the meaning of poverty and wealth. (It’s not just a question of finances; it’s values too.) He exposes why attempts to aid the poor so far have fallen short and offers a way forward: the HOPE Plan, a series of straightforward, actionable steps to build financial literacy and expand opportunity so that the poor can join the middle class.”

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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
Sponsor: Sanebox
Web Site
Transformative Principal on Stitcher
Refer A Principal
Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey
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.
25 min
October 25, 2015Learning Now with Jamie Tewksbury and Ashley Drill Transformative Principal 095
Ashley: Ashley teaches 3rd grade in Plymouth, Minnesota at Greenwood Elementary School. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Miami University in Ohio. She then completed her Masters of Arts in Education with an endorsement in K - 8 writing from St. Mary University in Minnesota.
Jamie: Jamie enjoys seeing students complete learning independently. Jamie teaches 3rd grade at Greenwood Elementary School in Plymouth, Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Iowa. She completed her Masters in Education from Hamline University in Minnesota.
Both Jamie and Ashley feel that learning should be meaningful and authentic for their students.
PICE Learning is a new and improved way of teaching comprehension skills for our 21st century learners. The PICE approach gives students ownership in their learning while using the common core standards. Students are able to connect with each other and independently learn in our 21st century. PICE Learning was developed by Ashley and Jamie, they wanted to connect students’ learning to skills that they will use everyday and in their future.
If you’d like more information check out: www.picelearning.com * Learning then vs. now with PICE * There is a little more work that goes into PICE. * PICE Learning web site. * Explain Everything App * iMovie * Notability * Book Creator * Pic Collage * Mini Lessons on Monday to teach kids the apps. * Email [email protected] Follow on Twitter @picelearning
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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
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.
21 min
October 23, 2015Reflecting on the #AKPrincipals Conference with Mary McMahon and Rod Morrison Transformative Principal 063
Just before the #AKPrincipals conference ended, I had a chance to catch up the minds behind it all, Mary McMahon and Rod Morrison. They did a great job planning the event and will do an even better job next year.

Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.

Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.

Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.

Buy Communication Cards

Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com

Download Paperless Principal.

Sponsor: Sanebox

Web Site

Transformative Principal on Stitcher

Refer A Principal

Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey
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.
16 min
October 20, 2015How to Reach Every At-Risk Student with Baruti Kafele Transformative Principal 062
Here is a little bonus episode with Principal Kafele. We talk about how to reach those that are hardest to reach.

Principal Kafele spoke at the Alaska Principals conference in Anchorage on October 18th.

If this is your first time listening to Transformative Principal, please subscribe.

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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.

Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.

Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.

Buy Communication Cards

Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com

Download Paperless Principal.

Sponsor: Sanebox

Transformative Principal on Stitcher

Refer A Principal

Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey
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.
16 min
October 18, 2015PICE Learning with Ashley Drill and Jamie Tewksbury Transformative Principal 094
Jamie: Jamie enjoys seeing students complete learning independently. Jamie teaches 3rd grade at Greenwood Elementary School in Plymouth, Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Iowa. She completed her Masters in Education from Hamline University in Minnesota.
Both Jamie and Ashley feel that learning should be meaningful and authentic for their students.
PICE Learning is a new and improved way of teaching comprehension skills for our 21st century learners. The PICE approach gives students ownership in their learning while using the common core standards. Students are able to connect with each other and independently learn in our 21st century. PICE Learning was developed by Ashley and Jamie, they wanted to connect students’ learning to skills that they will use everyday and in their future.
If you’d like more information check out: www.picelearning.com
Gives Students an opportunity to be engaged learners.
Started as coteachers
Not 1:1 - 3:1 or 4:1
Engaging our students.
Kids were already eager learners
Model with the students how to learn together
Weekly Lessons - Project starts on a Monday, and they have all week to work on it.
Not about using an app, it is about learning.
Sequencing activities - visualizing.
How they are presenting their learning is up to them.
Students can listen to stories through the Moodle site.
Two students have jobs of being the Tweeters.
Kids are wanting to see themselves.
Twitter papers teach kids about character limits.
Twitter Mrs. Tewksbury
Twitter Mrs. Drill
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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
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.
22 min
October 11, 2015Giving Up Control with Michael Shapiro Transformative Principal 093
Michael Shapiro is serving in his second year as the principal of Highland Tech Charter School in Anchorage School District. A recent transplant from the Chicago area, he previously served as principal of Shepard Middle School in Deerfield, Illinois for seven years, during which time the school earned a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award. Prior to that he served as an assistant principal for five years in two different schools. Mr. Shapiro began his educational career as a computer applications teacher and director of instructional technology. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Administration and Supervision at Loyola University in Chicago.
Highland Tech is a 6th–12th grade charter school that promotes personal mastery through student centered, individualized learning and varied assessment strategies. Student placement is based on academic ability, rather than chronological age, ensuring students are challenged each day. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their education and master core content and the skills necessary for success in the 21st Century. Technology integration and project-based assessments are critical components of Highland Tech’s rigorous model.
Professional Development - content expertise and deep understanding of the standards.
Focus on building a curriculum that is standards-based.
Planning meaningful activities that align with standards.
Help teachers help students refine and revise work.
Time is a huge barrier.
Giving up control to students.
Advisory - take this incredibly seriously.
School visit in Michigan.
In the traditional model, we don’t demand that they master, we demand that they pass with an average.
Redos and Retakes
Be present. Be in classrooms learning every day.
Uncomfortable being called boss, because he is really a servant.
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Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.
Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools.
Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show.
Buy Communication Cards
Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com
Download Paperless Principal.
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.
18 min

About Transformative Principal

From the publisher's feed

Jethro Jones interviews instructional leaders from around the nation to learn and teach what it takes to become a transformative principal. Episodes address topics like Response to Intervention (RTI),…