Hiring can be a challenging process for any principal, but getting it right is crucial to the success of your school. Today we discuss why being intentional in our hiring practices is so important. We explore strategies for evaluating needs, fostering inclusivity, and navigating the dual nature of hiring: mourning departures while seizing opportunities to fill vital roles within the team.

Dr. Ryan Daniel is principal of Fort Foote Elementary School in Fort Washington, Maryland, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

Xavier Reed is principal of Central Middle School in Wayzata, Minnesota, and also serves as a fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

As summer approaches, principals will no doubt be reflecting on their schools' progress, and what it means heading into the school year. And as with any process, equity should be a key area of consideration by school leaders. In this episode, we discuss how personal experiences influence equity approaches, how to establish common definitions, creating supportive systems, and building capacity for equitable leadership within schools and districts.

Dr. Ryan Daniel is principal of Fort Foote Elementary School in Fort Washington, Maryland, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

Xavier Reed is principal of Central Middle School in Wayzata, Minnesota, and also serves as a fellow at the NAESP Center for Diversity Leadership.

Project-based learning (PBL) isn't a new concept, but that doesn't mean there aren't new ways to approach it. South Carolina principal Beth Foster joins us to talk about how her school is innovating it's implementation of PBL, strengthening student literacy, relationships, and more.

Beth Foster is principal of Anderson Mill Elementary in Moore, South Carolina.

Liz Garden is principal of Henry P. Clough Elementary school in Mendon Massachusetts, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.

Scott McLeod is professor of educational leadership at the University of Colorado, Denver, and a fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.