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🎧 Stepping into the principalship at the school where you already serve as an assistant principal? That internal interview process can feel personal, political, and pressure-packed. In this episode, Dr. Mel coaches you through how to confidently prepare for that high-stakes moment—especially when your interview panel knows you well.

You’ll learn:

• The mindset shift that changes everything when interviewing internally
• The four core areas to anchor your leadership vision: school vision, equity & culture, instructional leadership, and internal dynamics
• How to answer the tough questions with clarity and confidence
• Three powerful practice questions to help you stand out and show you're already leading

Whether your interview is days away or still on the horizon, this episode will help you step into your next level with purpose, preparation, and poise.

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

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email: melinda@empowereducator.com

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Main Message (2–3 min):
Use these last few weeks to:
✅ Celebrate the wins—no matter how small. Growth happened.
✅ Gather reflections—from your team, your students, and yourself. What worked? What didn’t?
✅ Set your foundation—don’t wait until August. Anchor one or two key priorities for next year now so your team has clarity over the summer.

“I Will” Statement:

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

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Dr. Jana Haywood drops truth and strategy for every aspiring leader, burned-out teacher, and game-changing educator ready to make a move. From tackling the teacher shortage to rethinking onboarding, Dr. Haywood shares how authentic relationships, daily visibility, and intentional leadership can transform your school culture—and your career.

We dig into:

• Why building culture starts with your body language
• How to retain great teachers through daily connection and recognition
• The power of student ambassadors in onboarding new staff
• What “do the job before you get the job” really looks like
• Why you don’t need to feel 100% ready to lead—and how to move anyway

Whether you're eyeing your next leadership step or looking for ways to support and retain your staff, this convo will leave you fired up and full of actionable takeaways.

✨ Connect with Dr. Jana Haywood: illuminesolutionsgroup.com
📘 Grab her book Move Without the Ball on Amazon
🎧 Share this episode and tag us with your takeaways!

www.illuminesolutionsgroupisg.com
Instagram-@illuminesolutionsgroup
X-@IlluminesgLLC
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Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

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Pause. Breathe. Ask yourself three quick reflection questions:

1. What leadership move did I make this week that aligned with my vision?
2. What’s draining me or my staff that needs my attention?
3. What’s one intentional shift I can make before Friday to refocus my energy or support my team better?

This isn’t about perfection—it’s about alignment. When you lead on autopilot, you drift. When you pause, you re-center.

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

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In this episode of The Empowered Educator, Dr. Mel sits down with veteran educator Chuck Moss to unpack what it really takes to build a thriving school culture—one that fuels student achievement and inspires educators to lead from where they are. With over three decades in education as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, and now director, Chuck brings a grounded, real-world perspective to school leadership.

He shares practical, actionable strategies for creating space for teacher-led innovation, ditching the “culture of permission,” and leading with presence and purpose. From jumping into PD alongside teachers to asking students the hard questions—like “Did I treat you fairly?”—Chuck shows us that strong culture is built one authentic relationship at a time.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to build a culture where innovation happens without red tape
• Why admin should show up and engage in professional development
• Real ways to build trust and care into your daily leadership
• How to protect your time and energy without guilt
• A sneak peek into building deeper community engagement

If you’re ready to shift the atmosphere on your campus and lead with heart and clarity, this conversation is your roadmap.

X, FB, IG, Trends - @ChuckMossEDU

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

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✅ A heartfelt, specific thank you hits deeper than a donut.
✅ Recognize effort, not just outcomes. "I saw the way you deescalated that student in third period—your calm presence made a big difference."
✅ Appreciation fuels retention. Teachers who feel seen and valued are more likely to stay and serve.

Action Surge (1 min):
Pick 3 teachers today.
📩 Send a voice memo.
✍🏽 Write a sticky note.
📞 Pop into their room for 60 seconds.

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

Send us a text

This episode dives deep into the real challenges and responsibilities of school leadership. From chaotic tornado drills to the emotional weight of imposter syndrome, we hit on what it really means to lead with clarity, communication, and care.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Culture trickles down: When the culture’s bad for teachers, it's just as bad—if not worse—for students.
• Communication is leadership: A tornado drill gone wrong shows how a lack of prep creates chaos and undermines safety.
• Lead from the front: Don't ask staff to do things you wouldn't do. Be visible. Be present. Your presence reduces behavior issues and builds trust.
• Delegate with purpose: New leaders, don’t try to carry it all. Let others help—build capacity, not burnout.
• Comparison kills growth: Stay in your lane. Your leadership journey is yours—unique, valuable, and divinely designed.

💡 Power Surge for Aspiring Leaders:

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 the current Vice President of the Oklahoma Citizens for Education non-profit. Today, he serves as a speaker and consultant with expertise in kindness, culture, and understanding Gen Z/Gen A, and as an 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, cultivating culture, and educating about Gen Z/A. He believes that if you cannot find the light, be the light!

Email: christopher@orangesparrow.org

Website: www.orangesparrow.org

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com

Send us a text

Feeling stuck in the in-between? Whether you’re still in the classroom dreaming about leadership or already in a role but waiting for that next open door, this episode is for you. We’re talking about how to lead well in the waiting season—because growth doesn’t stop just because the title hasn’t changed. The way you show up now is shaping your leadership legacy later. Let this be a reminder that your “not yet” is actually preparation.

Empowered Educator Community
Calling All Educators!

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

--> You can find it here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

Let me help you determine the next steps in your career!
Grab a complimentary POWER Session

With Rubi.ai, you'll experience cutting-edge technology, research-driven insights, and efficient content delivery.

email: melinda@empowereducator.com