William D. Parker

09/14/2026

With the news of author Wendell Berry’s death, Jen Schwanke and I decided to use this week’s Monday Matters to pay tribute to Berry and reminisce over the lessons in his writing. Listen in to the episode on YouTube or visit williamdparker.com to read a post that I wrote honoring him.

https://youtu.be/llNiCdEUu4g

Thinking about Wendell Berry’s Lessons for SchoolsWhen Andy Catlet...

09/10/2026

“The best way to build trust with school leaders is by doing the work side by side with them.”

Chien Nee offers some sage advice about building rapport with leaders in this week’s episode of Principal Matters podcast. Listen in to hear more of his advice on building trust with leaders!

09/09/2026

“Consistency is more important than intensity.”

This week on Principal Matters Podcast, educational leader Chien Nee joins me for a discussion about supporting teachers in ways that drive lasting student achievement. Listen to our conversation on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts!

A Quick Note to Listeners:Before this week’s interview, Will Parke...

09/08/2026

Reflection is a great tool for leadership growth. Typically, reflection is a passive action, but Jen Schwanke suggests that proactive reflection, or "proflection", is a better method of reflecting. Tune in to this week's episode of Monday Matters to learn more about how proflection can help you take control of your own growth!

09/04/2026

In this week's Q/A part of the show, Jen and I talked about what newer leaders can anticipate that maybe they haven't expected in transitioning from classroom to campus leadership. Good people need good systems, and we share even more takeaways in this week's show. Check it out plus 500+ episodes at our website or wherever you enjoy podcasts!

09/02/2026

Dr. Tyler Watkins joins Principal Matters Podcast this week for a discussion about building belonging and stability for students, in an increasingly mobile world. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Watkins and I hope Principal Matters listeners will too! Listen in on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts!

https://williamdparker.com/2026/rooted-leadership-in-a-mobile-world-with-dr-tyler-watkins-pmp516/

08/31/2026

In this week’s episode of Monday Matters, Jen Schwanke and I are discussing ways that school leaders can influence a positive start to the school year with a few shout-outs to school leaders we've admired. Listen to the episode on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts!

https://youtu.be/mJHoklb_vKc

08/29/2026

“The smartest person in the room is the room.”

That certainly proved true this week as I had the privilege of connecting with 40+ school leaders from across the Diocese of Joliet at Benedictine University near Chicago.

Our conversation centered on 8 Hats Leadership and what these different leadership roles look like when put into action. The best part of conversations like these isn’t simply sharing ideas—it’s learning from the collective wisdom, experiences, and perspectives of the leaders in the room.

A special thank you to Assistant Superintendent Barb Labotka for the invitation to share insights from my book, Principal Matters. I’m grateful for the opportunity to spend time with such a committed group of educational leaders.

I’m already looking forward to being back with school leaders from across the diocese in April!

Wishing all of you a great 2026–27 school year. May it be a year of purpose, growth, and meaningful impact for the students and communities you serve.

08/27/2026

School leaders spend a lot of time each week trying to solve problems. In this week's episode of Principal Matters Podcast, Kurtis Hewson shares that leaders should look to create systems rather than solve problems. By creating systems and structures to address problems, those closest to the challenges are empowered to act and respond. To learn more about creating systems to solve problems, listen in to the latest episode of Principal Matters!

08/26/2026

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Kurtis Hewson back to Principal Matters Podcast. He joins me for a discussion about the power of collaborative team meetings, a tool that builds collective efficacy. I know the lessons from this episode will really resonate with school leaders. Listen in on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Meet Kurtis Hewson:Kurtis Hewson is an award-winning educator, for...