Episode Details

A quick note to listeners: 

Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. 

—- The Question of the Week is supported by Summer Pops Math Workbooks. Principals, when students practice math over the summer, math scores go up. What’s your summer math plan this year? A great way to start is by ordering FREE summer workbook samples at https://summerpopsworkbooks.com/ —-

The question is: How do you effectively manage constant student-related issues while staying focused on broader school goals? 

Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters!

Meet Ross Romano:

Ross Romano is a consultant, advisor, performance coach, and podcast host who helps organizations and individuals define and communicate their unique vision, connecting it with strategic decisions that lead to meaningful impact. He is the founder and CEO of September Strategies, an award-winning consulting firm supporting businesses and nonprofits in the K-12 space, and co-founder of the BE Podcast Network, with 40+ shows focused on transformative change in formal and informal learning environments. He is also the founding chair of the Excellence in Equity Awards, strategic advisor to the American Consortium for Equity in Education, and contributing editor of Educate AI. 

From Dr. Jen Scwanke: 

I met Ross Romano almost eight years ago after the publication of my first book. He was part of a team responsible for marketing and promoting the work of authors and educational leaders.  In the intervening years, he has been quite busy, applying his many skills to educational consulting and performance coaching. He sees his work as being “a journey from vision to decision,” which entails planning “the right actions, making the right decisions, and investing in the right areas.” 

But that’s not all. Ross is also deeply committed to connecting leaders together through shared experiences. His Be Podcast Network is a group of more than 40 podcasts, and all are connected to the area of education. Most podcasts on his network focus on K-12 leadership, but there are also topics including corporate learning, development, parenting, and more. Within his network, his own podcast, “The Authority,” focuses on authors and thought leaders in education.

With such an unconventional career in the education field, and with having so many conversations with people deeply embedded in school leadership, I asked Ross for a throughline— some things that stand out to him that might help Principal Matters listeners and provide some specific learning takeaways. Here are a few of his thoughts:

• Educators, parents, and teachers should always be working on the same team. This is a complicated goal, though, and one t