Our models for leadership are simple and applicable in any school or district.
Every month we focus on one topic of school leadership. As a subscriber to our newsletter, you’ll get blog posts, podcasts, recommended books to read, and our thoughts on school leadership. Join thousands of others who are benefiting from our school leadership content.
Welcome to TheSchoolHouse302
It’s our job to help you lead better and grow faster. Leadership might be complex but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Our models for leadership are simple and applicable in any school or district.
Here’s how you can enjoy the site. Each month, we start with a new leadership model built on the core tenements of leadership and based on both research and evidence from practice. Here’s what you can expect from our newsletter.
Follow TheSchoolHouse302 to Lead Better and Grow Faster
Our Vision: To create an international network of leaders who are dedicated to improvement for the betterment of all people.
Our Purpose: To develop leaders by getting to simple so that they can lead better and grow faster.
Our Newest Free Content
The Negotiation Skills Every School Leader Needs with Scott Walker
In this episode of FocusED, Joe and T.J. welcome Scott Walker, author of Order Out of Chaos, to share leadership lessons drawn from high-stakes hostage negotiations. Scott explores how leaders can stay grounded during difficult conversations, regulate emotions under pressure, and build trust through curiosity, empathy, and deeper listening. He also introduces practical strategies, including PRC—Pause, Reflect, Choose—to help leaders respond intentionally instead of reacting impulsively.
Learning to See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader with Marty Dubin
In this episode of FocusED, Joe and T.J. welcome Marty Dubin, author of Blindspotting, to explore how self-awareness can help leaders recognize what may be holding them back. Marty explains how strengths can become blind spots when they are overused or applied in the wrong situations, while sharing practical ways to identify unhelpful patterns through reflection, emotions, and feedback. He also discusses how small behavioral adjustments can improve leadership, strengthen team culture, and help prevent burnout.
The AI Shift in Education: Why Waiting Is the Biggest Risk with Dr. Stacie Chana
In this episode of FocusED, we welcome Stacie Chana to explore why artificial intelligence must be treated as an urgent equity issue in today’s schools. Dr. Chana emphasizes the rapid pace of AI development and the risk of leaving students behind without intentional instruction, while outlining how leaders can build responsible, inclusive implementation through policy, professional learning, and ethical guardrails.
Practical Productivity for School Leaders with Rich Czyz
In this episode of FocusED, we welcome Rich Czyz, co-founder of 4oClockFaculty and author of Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders, to explore practical strategies for reducing burnout and reclaiming time. Rich shares how leaders can move beyond daily distractions by prioritizing high-impact work, delegating effectively, and building systems that create more efficient and meaningful leadership.
How We Got Started
TheSchoolHouse302 started on the trails of White Clay Creek, during what we call “write-and-runs.” We love to run and found that sharing thoughts and ideas was incredibly easy and cathartic. As leaders, educators, presenters, and thinkers, we often find ourselves discussing work, innovative ideas, political trends, organizational design, leadership theory, and more. As a result, we started a write-and-run series during our long runs with pit stops when the ideas from our conversations prompt a topic to write about. We joke that we have more ideas than people who will listen to them. And, we both love to write. That’s how this site and subsequent consulting venture got started.
Meet Our Team of Experts
Leading Better & Growing Faster
Ready to Achieve your Goals?
Let Us Guide you!
Book us to speak at your next event!
