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Welcome to the Principals' Leadership Lounge Podcast! We’re Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year Al Davenport & Old Quarry Middle School Principal Joe Sweeney, real principals sharing real-life leadership strategies, mentoring, and authentic insights. Tune in weekly for practical advice and down-to-earth discussions. Let’s lead and grow together!
80m
April 14, 2026
Season 4, Episode 7: 'Staff Wellness"
April 14, 2026
Season 4, Episode 7: 'Staff Wellness"
Season 4, Episode 7 brings an important conversation to the forefront—staff wellness. Al sits down with Carly Quick to talk about what it really means to support educators in today’s demanding environment. From burnout to balance, this episode explores real strategies to help leaders create spaces where staff feel valued, supported, and energized. Because when we take care of our people, everything else follows.55m
March 23, 2026
Season 4, Episode 6: "WE OVER ME"
March 23, 2026
Season 4, Episode 6: "WE OVER ME"
Season 4, Episode 5: WE over MEIn this episode of the Principal Leadership Lounge, Joe and Al dive into one of the most important mindsets in school leadership: WE over ME. In a profession where decisions impact entire communities, the conversation centers on how effective leaders prioritize the collective over the individual—building cultures rooted in trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility.Joe and Al reflect on what it looks like to move from “my school” to “our school,” and how that shift influences decision-making, staff relationships, and student outcomes. They explore real scenarios where leaders must balance personal perspective with the greater good, and how empowering others ultimately strengthens the entire organization.Whether it’s navigating tough decisions, supporting staff, or creating a unified vision, this episode challenges leaders to think beyond themselves and commit to something bigger. Because in leadership, the strongest schools aren’t built on “me”—they’re built on WE.54m
March 14, 2026
Season 4, Episode 5, "What the heck is a needo?"
March 14, 2026
Season 4, Episode 5, "What the heck is a needo?"
In this episode of the SEL Podcast, Dr. Sweeney sits down with a group of students to talk about one of the most talked-about topics in the building — Needos. What started as a stress-relief tool quickly became something much bigger in our school community. Together, they explore what Needos are, why they became such a distraction, and what students can learn from the situation.Along the way, the conversation expands into bigger topics like communicating with adults, advocating for yourself, and understanding how decisions are made in a school setting. The episode wraps up with a fun discussion where students share what they would change if they were principal for a day.
Join us for your weekly inspiration on leadership, friendship and relationships...get ready for some REAL TALK episodes featuring leaders across the country who inspire us, elevate us and celebrate us...our goal is to create a safe space to share the REAL things happening in education. Follow us on Twitter at @F4Leaders ...What does F4Leaders mean? Fun, Fab & Fierce Females!
35m
4 days ago
Anonymous Bananas Don't Run Your District: Make Appreciation Travel Faster Than Criticism
4 days ago
Anonymous Bananas Don't Run Your District: Make Appreciation Travel Faster Than Criticism
Elle joins us to remind us that we officially have NO idea what the cool kids are saying anymore. We're back at the IPA WELL Summit, and we're celebrating a group of women superintendents doing a book study with OUR book, and tackling some bigger conversations.Schools can't always share what's happening behind the scenes. But silence doesn't mean inaction. Before believing everything you read on social media, go to the source. Ask questions. Give your school a chance to respond. Because an online post rarely tells the whole story.We're also talking about the high cost of superintendent turnover, the continued scrutiny of public education, and why our communities should WANT stability in leadership.And one thing we won't apologize for? Personalized, responsive leadership. We believe in picking up the phone, having the conversation, and showing people we care. It's how we do business, and we think our district simply does it better.Even if the anonymous banana disagrees. OUR CALL TO ACTION: Send an email to an educator this week. Thank them for the work they do. Tell them they're making a difference. In a world where criticism travels fast, let's make appreciation travel faster.30m
October 24, 2026
What If We're Both Right? 18 Months to 18 Years
October 24, 2026
What If We're Both Right? 18 Months to 18 Years
This week, we're talking autism, advocacy, the power of public education, and why it doesn't have to be a fight to make a difference.27m
October 18, 2026
Educator Burnout: It's More Than the Workload
October 18, 2026
Educator Burnout: It's More Than the Workload
Courtney's 51 and Kate will no longer have singing parties in the office. Social media, constant criticism, and the pressure to defend public education are adding to the emotional weight that educators carry. This week on UL, we're talking about what's changed in education and why burnout goes beyond the walls of the classroom. We've decided we'll make this a series. Tune in.