Episode 290: Before Staff Returns

As another school year begins, principals across the country are busy preparing classrooms, finalizing schedules, reviewing procedures, and checking countless items off their opening-week to-do lists.

But what if the most important preparation has nothing to do with the building?

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard challenges school leaders to stop asking, "Is the school ready?" and begin asking, "Am I ready?"

Drawing from his own experiences as a principal, superintendent, and leadership coach, Darrin shares five commitments that will help leaders prepare themselves before they prepare everyone else. Rather than offering another opening-week checklist, this conversation focuses on the mindset, habits, and intentional leadership practices that shape school culture throughout the entire year.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why preparing yourself matters more than preparing the building
• How to identify the three priorities that should drive your leadership
• Why leadership team alignment creates consistency and trust
• How to design opening experiences that inspire teachers instead of overwhelming them
• Practical strategies to protect your calendar from the "cycle of chaos"
• Why your presence during difficult moments shapes culture more than your plans
• Three reflection questions every principal should answer before staff returns

Whether you're entering your first year as a principal or your twentieth, this episode will help you begin the school year with greater clarity, intentionality, and purpose.

Key Takeaway:

"You are not preparing the building. You are preparing yourself and your leadership team to lead the people who will make the building successful."

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Road to Awesome

• Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard on LinkedIn

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting the link above.

Connect with Darrin

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://darrinpeppard.com/ to continue the conversation.

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