In this powerful kickoff to our NASSP Principal of the Year finalist series, Dr. Damon Lewis of Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy in Norwalk, CT shares his incredible leadership journey—from paraeducator to transformational middle school principal. Under his leadership, chronic absenteeism dropped from 31% to 8%, equity-driven initiatives expanded access to gifted and accelerated programs, and eighth-grade PSAT scores outpaced national, state, and district averages.

Dr. Lewis discusses the culture shift at his school, his “so what, now what” mindset, and why proper preparation, intentional systems, and relentless focus on every student have made the difference. He also opens up about how his personal story fuels his mission—and how being a national finalist is a platform for advocacy, equity, and excellence in public education.

Key Topics:

• Vision-driven leadership and systems thinking
• Accelerating achievement while addressing inequity
• Listening as a leadership superpower
• The impact of culturally responsive leadership
• Why excuses build bridges to nowhere

Learn more about NASSP's Principal of the Year program at https://www.nassp.org/news/nassp-announces-national-principal-of-the-year-finalists/

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

What if the real cause of educator burnout isn’t a lack of resilience or self-care—but the workplace itself?

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Darrin is joined by longtime friend and national thought leader Nathan Eklund, founder of Vital Network, to explore how schools can reimagine themselves as vibrant, sustainable workplaces for educators. With over 20 years in education, including a decade in the classroom and a career dedicated to improving adult work culture in schools, Nate brings deep insight into what truly moves the needle when it comes to retention, satisfaction, and sustainable leadership.

This is not another episode about bubble baths and yoga. Nate and Darrin dive deep into systemic solutions—why burnout is often misunderstood, how leadership isolation contributes to turnover, and what schools and systems can do to create cultures where teachers and leaders actually want to stay.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ Why burnout is a systems issue, not an individual weakness

✅ How workplace conditions—not perks—determine retention

✅ The power of rethinking daily routines like staff meetings to improve morale

✅ How to support multiple generations of educators under one roof

✅ The overlooked burnout crisis among principals and school leaders

✅ What it means to lead with the phrase: “I don’t know—what do you think?”

✅ How Vital Network partners with states and districts to make long-term, scalable change

✅ Why the best recruitment strategy is being a place people want to work

One Big Takeaway:

Listening isn’t soft leadership—it’s the strategic superpower of leaders who want to build trust, engagement, and longevity in their schools.

Connect with Nate Eklund:

🌐 Website: vitalnetwork.com

📧 Email: nate@vitalnetwork.com

📘 Nate's book: How was your day at school?

About the Show:

Leaning Into Leadership is the podcast for school and district leaders who are ready to rise above the daily grind and lead with clarity, purpose, and impact. Hosted by Dr. Darrin Peppard—leadership coach, keynote speaker, and author of Road to Awesome—each episode brings practical strategies, authentic conversations, and powerful stories from education changemakers across the country.

Episode 210 – Schools That Give an F: Clarity, Culture, and Contribution with Rob McLeod

In this episode, Darrin is joined by international educator and podcast host Rob McLeod to explore a critical leadership conversation: school alignment. Drawing from his own career across three countries and multiple school systems, Rob shares how he rediscovered his passion by finding alignment between his personal values and the work his school was doing.

Together, they discuss:

• The three distinct types of schools: Expert, Coach, and Counselor
• How to identify your school’s default leadership style
• Why many schools unintentionally pull in different directions
• How leaders can use a values-based framework to bring their school into alignment
• The importance of understanding staff priorities: Responsibility, Achievement, or Meaning

Rob’s upcoming book, Schools That Give an F, offers practical tools for school leaders to create environments where every educator contributes meaningfully.

🎧 Learn more and connect with Rob here: https://linktr.ee/reinventingeducationpodcast

Check out Rob's kickstarter for his forthcoming book here

In this special midweek crossover episode with the Teach Better Podcast, Darrin sits down with Teach Better CEO and Co-founder Chad Ostrowski to dive deep into one of the most important leadership tasks schools face: planning professional development that actually moves the needle.

Darrin and Chad unpack the mistakes too many schools make—like treating PD as a day, not a movement—and offer a practical, strategic approach to make learning stick all year long. You'll hear about:

• How to build clarity into every phase of your PD plan
• The power of tiered professional development
• Why leaders must model differentiated support
• How to avoid turning your PD initiative into “the villain”
• Planning walkthroughs, building internal capacity, and protecting your time as a leader
• And how Teach Better + Road to Awesome are partnering to offer aligned leadership and instructional growth

Whether you’re a new principal or a veteran leader, this episode is packed with practical steps to help you develop PD that actually leads to instructional improvement.

👉 Learn more and schedule a conversation at www.roadtoawesome.net

👉 Connect with Chad and the Teach Better Team at www.teachbetter.com

What if your biggest mistakes became the very stories that helped others succeed? In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Kevin Mecchella — former class clown turned classical musician, educator, and nationally recognized student speaker — to talk about the power of decision-making and how schools can equip students with tools to choose better every day.

Kevin shares his personal journey from chasing laughs to chasing success, including a pivotal life moment that redefined how he views choices and consequences. Drawing on his experiences as a K–12 teacher and professional musician, Kevin now fuses music, humor, and vulnerability to deliver unforgettable mental health and leadership programming for schools across the country.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Kevin’s transformation from educator to keynote speaker
• The importance of teaching students a process for decision-making
• Why motivational talks fall short — and how his “Visionary Values” program creates lasting change
• His favorite stories and questions from students (including one involving a flugelhorn!)
• How he’s leaning into leadership by leaning back into his own self-care

Whether you’re a principal seeking meaningful programming for your students or a leader reflecting on the power of our own past, this episode will inspire you to show up more intentionally — for yourself and for those you serve.

📍 Learn more about Kevin’s work and book him to speak: www.kevinmecchella.com