The Assistant Principal Podcast | A Culture of Connection with Erika and Tiffany

A Culture of Connection with Erika and Tiffany

April 15, 2025 / 01:03:54/E249

Power Quote: You are who you eat lunch with

Description:

Today’s show is so packed with gold nuggets, you might want to take notes or listen twice. You will hear many of my core themes filtered through a slightly different lens. Our guests are accessible and real, so perk up and hold on! (and ignore the leaf blowers outside my window)

Show Intro

Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get into the main show, I’d like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today’s show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn’t that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.

Guest Bio:

Erika Bare has been an educator for over 20 years, currently serving as the Superintendent in the South Umpqua School District in Oregon. A special education teacher by training, she is passionate about supporting all students through individual supports to reach their limitless potential. Tiffany Burns loves working with kids. In her two decades in education, she taught elementary, middle, and high school students. Tiffany has been an administrator since 2012 and an elementary school principal for the past nine years. This year, she is on a professional sabbatical, teaching university pre-service teachers, while also connecting with educators across the nation, helping to grow the Connected Communicator Movement. Together they wrote Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students.

Warmup questions:

We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?
Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?

Questions/Topics/Prompts

How to build strong connections with the educators you support
How to de-escalate frustrated adults
How to understand and navigate the contagion of emotions
How to apply specific communication techniques (acknowledge, validate, coach and compassionate communication)
How to plan for a difficult conversation

Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…
Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.
And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Closing questions:

What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?
If listeners could take just one thing away from today’s podcast, what would it be?
Before we go, is there anything else that you’d like to share with our listeners?
Where can people learn more about you and your work…

Sponsor Spot 4:Before I summarize some of the key points from today’s interview with Erika and Tiffany, I want to thank our sponsor digiCOACH. Administrators, you walk through classrooms, take notes, and you plan to follow up… but how much of that feedback actually reaches teachers in a meaningful way?
With digiCOACH, you don’t just observe—you coach in the moment. Provide clear, specific feedback instantly and track progress over time. No more forgotten notes or lost opportunities—just real conversations that drive real change.With digiCOACH, you’re not just giving feedback—you’re building a system for growth. Track trends, measure progress, and give teachers the real-time feedback they love.
Ready to make coaching more impactful? Start today at digiCOACH.com.

Summary/wrap up

“I’m telling myself this story…”
Relationships is an investment, not an expenditure (proactive v. reactive)
Be curious – problems aren’t our purpose, people are our purpose
Being realistically positive (not toxic) = helping others address their problems
You are who you eat lunch with
Wait time (11 seconds)
Four questions (What’s going well, what is one thing we could do differently, what do I need to know to be successful, what are you really good at)
More of that in episode 177 (link) where AP Alex Auriemma actually asked these questions of her staff and shares her experiences.
Like I said at the top of the show – so much gold!

Thank you to our sponsors!