In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Chris Culver brings the energy, insight, and authenticity that’s made him a rising national voice in school leadership and culture. A former principal and cabinet-level administrator, Chris now leads Orange Sparrow, a consulting practice built on the Science of Kindness and a deep understanding of generational learning needs.

Chris and Darrin dive into:

• Why building trust, belonging, and relationships is non-negotiable
• Practical ways to shift from rows to collaboration
• How to engage a phone-based generation of learners
• Creating emotionally grounded classrooms and leadership environments
• The power of gratitude, intentional reflection, and grace

Chris shares his powerful 5+1 framework rooted in his doctoral research and personal journey—and leaves listeners with a call to lead through kindness, not just because it feels good, but because it works.

Bio: Dr. Christopher Culver is a highly sought-after, dynamic, and engaging speaker. He is a proud product of Oklahoma public education. Raised in a divorced family, he split his time between Tulsa during the week, a 300-acre farm in Wyandotte, OK, and several times throughout the year in Fayetteville, NC.

For more than a decade, Dr. Culver has served educational communities as a classroom teacher, secondary principal, and, most recently, as a cabinet-level administrator. He is the former President of the Oklahoma Association for Bilingual Education and currently serves as Vice President of the Oklahoma Citizens for Education nonprofit. Today, he works as a speaker and leading thought partner on the Science of Kindness, a consultant with expertise in culture and Gen Z/Gen Alpha understanding, and a part-time professor at Oklahoma City University, where he teaches future teachers and leaders.

Earning an EdD through research on culture and the collective impact on motivation, Dr. Culver is dedicated to spreading kindness, improving mindsets, and creating spaces where everyone is seen, heard, valued, and respected. He believes that if you cannot find the light, be the light!

Website: www.orangesparrow.org

Email/contact info: christopher@orangesparrow.org

Social Media: @DrChrisCulver

In this episode, Darrin sits down with longtime education leader and author Todd Nesloney for a powerful conversation on leadership, culture, and hiring. Todd shares his journey from instructional aide to principal, and now as the Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for TEPSA. They discuss actionable insights into how schools can improve hiring processes, retain great staff, and onboard new hires in ways that reflect school values. Todd also shares lessons from his writing career, the importance of amplifying others' voices, and why leaning into discomfort is essential for leadership growth.

If you’re looking to improve your hiring systems, strengthen your culture, or simply need inspiration to keep growing as a leader—this episode is for you.

🔗 Connect with Todd: www.toddnesloney.com

📘 Check out Todd’s books, including Kids Deserve It and Building Authenticity

📷 Follow Todd @TechNinjaTodd on all social media

🎧 Learn more about Darrin’s leadership work at www.roadtoawesome.net

In this special joint episode of Leaning Into Leadership and The Assistant Principal Podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard teams up with Dr. Frederick Buskey to explore how school leaders can take a more strategic, sustainable approach to planning for the year ahead.

Together, they walk through a four-phase leadership cycle — Prepare, Perform, Refine, and Renew — with clear examples and strategies for turning vision into actionable leadership habits. From setting a focused instructional plan and building relational momentum to addressing systemic barriers and reflecting on growth, this episode is packed with practical tools leaders can use immediately.

They also share insights into their new collaborative initiative, Middle Ground: Leadership Excellence Network, a cohort-based leadership experience in partnership with the North Carolina Middle Level Educators Association (NCMLE). This program is designed to provide wraparound support for middle school principals through coaching, workshops, and peer connection throughout the school year.

Key Topics:

• How to create daily leadership practices tied to big goals
• Using clarity to drive instructional priorities
• Leveraging team alignment and inter-rater reliability
• The power of intentional culture-building
• Systems that free up time — like tiered behavior and email strategies
• Tools like SWOT and Start-Stop-Continue-Consider for reflection and renewal
• The launch of the Middle Ground cohort for North Carolina middle school leaders

Resources & Links:

• Get Darrin’s Principal Planning Tool
• Learn more about Frederick at frederickbuskey.com
• Join the NCMLE Middle Ground: Leadership Excellence Network - If you are super interested but don’t live in NC, drop me a line and we’ll figure out a way to support you.
• Subscribe to the Leaning Into Leadership Podcast
• Sign up for Darrin’s weekly leadership email at roadtoawesome.net
• Frederick's Email: frederick@frederickbuskey.com
• Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/
• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting
• Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a
• The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520