Ten Years in One School: New IPA President Brian Faulkner on Why Tenure Matters - IPA Talk

August 6, 2026  43 min

Principal turnover and school leadership tenure are at the center of this IPA Talk. Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association, sits down with Brian Faulkner, 2026-2027 IPA president and principal at Kaneland Harter Middle School in Sugar Grove, to talk about what changes when a principal stays in one building long enough to build real trust.

Brian shares how he built a family culture with his staff, why he stopped bringing work home, and how one region meeting changed the direction of his career.

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@IllinoisPrincipalsAssociation?sub_confirmation=1
Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCjd05N0Zv_LkA_TaQS5w0ekHV_fHq9vN

0:00 Meet Brian Faulkner
8:05 Building a Family Culture
19:09 Principal Turnover and Trust
29:01 Unlocking Potential Conference Theme
35:10 Why Region Meetings Matter