The Principal School Podcast with Mike The Principal

Public Schools Have a Relevance Problem | The Principal School Podcast Ep 46

Public schools across America are facing declining enrollment, budget cuts, and staffing losses. In Episode 46 of The Principal School Podcast, Mike Meechin explores why

Formative Assessment That Actually Moves Learning: How to Make It Happen Schoolwide - Ep 45

Formative assessment isn’t a pop quiz or a quick check—it’s a leadership move that changes instruction in real time. But too often, it’s reduced to checkbox compliance th

Fix the Culture First: Why School Improvement Fails Without It - Ep 44

You can’t improve instruction, boost test scores, or retain great teachers if your school culture is broken. In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael

Compliance is Killing Us - Ep 43

Is your school running on checklists instead of clarity? In this hard-hitting episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin calls out one of the biggest cu

The Power of the Open Door: How School Leaders Build Trust Without Saying a Word - Ep 42

Is your office door sending the wrong message? In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin dives into how one simple leadership move—keeping your

Why I Returned to the Principal's Chair - Ep 41

After years consulting and supporting school systems from the outside, Dr. Michael Meechin is back in the principalship—and he's got something to say about why the work s

How to Build a School Improvement Plan That Doesn't Suck - Ep 40

Let’s be real—most school improvement plans are built for compliance, not for impact. They sit in binders, check boxes, and rarely change what’s happening in classrooms.

The Principal’s Calendar: How to Take Control of Your Time - Ep 39

If your calendar is packed with back-to-back meetings, constant interruptions, and zero time to actually lead—you're not alone. In this episode of The Principal School Po

What Makes Professional Learning Actually Stick - Ep 38

Let’s be honest—most PL doesn’t stick. In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin breaks down why so much professional learning feels like a was

What Moves the Needle on Student Learning - Ep 36

We’re doing a lot in schools—but are we doing what actually works? In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin cuts through the noise to uncover

Why Homework Isn’t Working (And What Schools Can Do Instead) - Ep 35

Homework has been a staple of education for decades - but is it actually helping students learn? In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin br

Why Principals Need to Lead Like CEOs (And What That Really Means) - Ep 34

Running a school is a lot like running a business—budgeting, hiring, managing a team, and making high-stakes decisions. But unlike CEOs, most principals aren’t trained to

Making Learning Relevant to Students’ Lives NOW (Not 'Someday') - Ep 33

Students don’t want to hear that they’ll 'need this someday'—they want to know why it matters today. In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Meechin

How to Hire the Right Teachers (and Keep Them) - Ep 32

Hiring season is here, and finding the right teachers is more than just filling vacancies—it’s about building a strong, committed team that stays. In this episode of The

How to Run School Meetings That Actually Get Things Done - Ep 31

Tired of sitting through endless, unproductive meetings that drain your time and energy? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Principal School Podcast, Dr. Michael Me

BONUS: National School Counselor Week - How Leaders Can Show Their Support - Ep 30

School counselors do it all—academic guidance, mental health support, crisis intervention, college and career planning, and somehow, they still have time to be the heart

Leading Change Without Losing Your Sanity (or Your Staff) - Ep 29

Leading change in schools is tough—teachers have seen it all, and skepticism is real. If you’ve ever rolled out an initiative only to be met with resistance (or worse, co

Time Management for School Leaders: How to Reclaim Your Day and Lead Effectively - Ep 28

Are you a school leader struggling to keep up with endless emails, surprise 'got-a-minute' interruptions, and back-to-back meetings? In this episode of The Principal Sc

How Principals Can Help Their Teachers Thrive - Ep 27

Discover the essential elements principals and school leaders can leverage to help teachers do their best work. In this episode, we break down: 1️⃣ Leadership that Liste

Grading Gone Wild - Practices We Need to End v.1 - Ep 26

Buckle up because in this episode, Dr. Michael Meechin is taking you on a wild ride through the world of grading practices that have completely lost the plot. From grade