Schools of Excellence: The No. 1 ECE & Private School Leadership Podcast

Everyone experiences a variety of emotions throughout the day. Whether it’s anxiety before a dentist appointment, excitement when we find $20 in our pocket, or disappointment when our favorite coffee cup breaks, emotions come and go—and it’s entirely normal. There’s no such thing as a good or bad emotion. They’re just feelings that come and go like clouds passing in the sky. But for some people, emotions aren’t always just clouds—they’re storms that ravage the land, causing destruction in their wake. When people experience emotions more intensely and frequently than normal, to the detriment of their relationships with others, it means they struggle with what’s called emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is the ability to control your emotional state. It’s understanding that emotions impact behavior and then taking the appropriate action to alter the intensity of your emotional experience. So, when a teacher shows up late, someone who practices good emotional regulation would recognize the anger that arises and let it pass before it negatively affects the way they respond. On the other hand, someone who struggles with emotional regulation might become consumed by the anger and take their emotions out on the teacher, potentially damaging the goodwill between them. As a leader, you’ve probably seen your fair share of instances like these. And maybe you’ve felt frustrated by someone’s inability to keep their emotions in check and simply follow the protocol. The problem is, an SOP can’t change the way a person’s nervous system has been trained to react in tense situations. So, what can you do to help your staff better regulate their emotions and transform your center’s culture? In this week’s podcast episode, we’ll explore the answer to that very question. The final part of my B.R.I.D.G.E. series focuses on the skills and strategies you need to help your staff master emotional regulation. Join me for a conversation about: What emotional regulation is Why people lose control of their emotions How emotional regulation impacts performance and work culture The 5 skills for mastering emotional regulation How to identify and reduce triggers With lots of practice and proper modeling, you can show your staff how to control their own emotional state, improve the culture of your center, and create generational impact and legacy. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Learning how to role model these skills for your staff is no easy task, but it’s well worth the effort. Join our Owner’s Only HQ or Director’s Inner Circle programs to get support and strategies from like-minded leaders like you who are experiencing the same challenges. Their stores and insights can guide you as you work toward building a school of excellence. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

What does it mean to be generous? Oftentimes the first thing people think of is financial generosity. They believe that to be a generous leader, they need to focus on philanthropy. But while financial generosity is a type of generosity, it’s certainly not the only one. Sharing your knowledge, time, and resources is generous too, and the things you choose to share say a lot about who you are. Unfortunately, though, our education system teaches people that the way to get ahead is to leave others behind. Instead of pooling our assets to benefit the community, we’re taught to work in stingy isolation to climb the ladder of success. This sets a precedent that leaves leaders wary of generosity before they even step into the role. They unknowingly shut down their capacity for generosity, become overly critical of themselves and others, and have a hard time forgiving mistakes. While this mindset can bring you some success, it’s not the most effective way to move forward—let alone build a legacy. To be the type of leader who sustains a school of excellence, you need to build a culture of generosity at your center. So, what exactly does that look like? Let me explain using a parenting example (because they so often lend themselves to matters of school leadership). Let’s say that you buy your child that Nintendo (That’s a thing, right?) they’ve been going on and on about. You bring it home, set it up in the living room, and leave him or her to play alone. Is that what would happen in your household? Consider this for a moment: What would happen if it didn’t stop there? What if by giving some of your time, you used it as an opportunity to connect on a deeper level and strengthen your relationship by playing together? That is generosity. And by cultivating a culture of generosity at your center, you can experience the same kind of beneficial connection between you and your staff. This week’s podcast, the fifth of my B.R.I.D.G.E. series about developing critical meta-skills as a 21st century leader, will explore how to practice generosity in your center. Join me as we talk about: The benefits of generosity How to be a more generous leader The “generous silence” and resisting the temptation to fix The difference between generosity and neglect Questions you can use to reflect on your own generosity Let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes by the late designer Zeev Aram: “I’ve never found that my own light has been dimmed by lighting someone else’s candle.” In other words, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by becoming a more generous leader. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic If you’re looking for inspiration in practicing your own generosity, I encourage you to check out our Owner's Only HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs. These groups are made up of leaders just like you who see the value in sharing their insight, advice, and feedback with others. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

One of the most important skills I help owners and directors develop is discernment. But…what exactly does that mean? Let me give you an example: Two different patients go to the doctor with a headache. One of the patients is suffering from a hangover, and the other has a brain aneurysm. How does the doctor properly diagnose and treat each patient? Discernment! Discernment is all about getting to the heart of the matter and understanding what lies below the surface so that you can come up with the right solution. To diagnose their patients, doctors accumulate years of practice, learn from their mistakes, and avoid black-and-white thinking. You and your staff can do the same. When a situation arises in your center—like a teacher quitting on the spot—it can be easy to flounder in the chaos that ensues. Where’s the SOP for that? But when you know how to ask the right questions, see past the surface, and consider the big picture, you can be an effective leader regardless of the scenario. Discernment is like a muscle—to make it stronger, you need to use it! And the more you practice discernment, the smoother decision-making in your center will become. This week, we’re diving into the fourth component of my B.R.I.D.G.E series on the six meta-skills you need as a 21st century leader: discernment. Join me for a conversation about: What makes a discerning leader What questions you should ask to become a more discerning leader How to grow your discernment muscle (HINT: It’s something kids do) I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: You can’t SOP your way out of everything. No matter how great your systems and processes are, you’ll still have conflict and issues. But if you focus on training your discernment muscle, you’ll be prepared to make informed and wise decisions—no matter the situation. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic As you’ll learn in the podcast episode, one important part of becoming a discerning leader is knowing when and where to seek wise counsel. By joining our Owner's Only HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs, you’ll have access to a welcoming community of peer school leaders who can share their real-world experience and advice, whenever you need. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Some of my biggest coaching Aha! moments happen when I talk to my kids. Earlier this summer, my son came to my husband with a question that was bothering him. His friend hadn’t been accepted into summer camp, and he wanted to understand why. My husband answered that, unfortunately, our son’s friend didn’t have anyone to advocate for him. “What does it mean to ‘advocate’ for someone?” he asked. My husband explained that advocating for someone helps them get the things they need, usually because they’re unable to do so on their own. It can look like talking to a teacher about homework, buying supplies for a school project, or—in the case of my son’s friend—applying for summer camp. Without intending to, my husband had provided a crystal clear example of how children differ from adults when it comes to advocacy. When kids are still growing and learning, they need parents or other adults to advocate for them. Without this support, they can’t get what they need, because they don’t yet have the tools to do so on their own. But adults are different. Although they may still be growing and learning, adults are capable of accessing the skills and resources necessary to advocate for themselves and others…even if it takes some practice. That goes for your staff, too. When you’re running around giving your time and energy to solving all the problems throughout your center, it may feel like you’re doing a good thing—after all, you’ve got the answers and want to keep people happy! But the reality is that this causes two major issues: Leader burnout: Giving 100% of yourself with the expectation that it will make everyone happy and keep them at your center isn’t generosity—it’s emotional horse trading, and it’s exhausting. Hindered development: Solving others’ problems for them robs them of the opportunity for self-development, which prevents growth in your center. In this week’s episode, which is the third of my B.R.I.D.G.E. series about developing critical meta-skills as a 21st century leader, we’re talking all about individual advocacy and how it can transform your center. By practicing your own advocacy skills and modeling them for your staff, you’ll help them learn to communicate their own needs, solve problems on their own, and develop stronger relationships amongst themselves. This is a conversation about: What individual advocacy looks like Why it’s an important meta-skill The benefits of helping your staff learn to self-advocate At the end of the day, YOU are your greatest advocate. With individual advocacy skills, both you and your staff will be more self-aware, balanced, and able to handle whatever life throws at you—whether there’s an SOP in place or not. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Take your first step in practicing self-advocacy by joining our Owner’s Only HQ or Director’s Inner Circle programs. There, you’ll connect with a community of fellow school leaders who have valuable stories, insights, advice, and feedback to offer you as you build your school of excellence. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

One of the hallmarks of a great leader is how you understand and respond to emotions, and, then in turn, how that understanding helps you cultivate relationships. Have you ever encountered these kinds of scenarios with your leadership team after staff meetings and retreats? Someone on your leadership team was too afraid to mention something they didn’t agree with. Some members had questions but felt too intimidated to ask them. Someone with a dissenting opinion buried it because they didn't want to “rock the boat.” If so, you’re not alone. These are common and challenging scenarios. I know because I’m coaching members in my Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs who are facing them right now. And I’m sure you’ve experienced at least one with your own leadership team. When your team reacts with feelings of fear, intimidation, and withdrawal, there’s a larger issue going on. It usually means your team doesn’t feel enough trust or connection with you and the rest of the team to say what’s really on their minds. As the school leader, improving this begins with practicing a meta-skill I call relational intelligence. Relational intelligence refers to your ability to connect with others, understand their emotions, and ultimately form relationships. Relationally intelligent people recognize body language, have the ability to be vulnerable, and are unafraid of difficult conversations. In the stressful, emotionally-charged environments within early childhood centers, relational intelligence is an incredibly important meta-skill for you to have and to model for your team. It’s the second meta-skill of the six I’m introducing in my latest podcast series on the B.R.I.D.G.E. Concept. You’ll want to make time for this week’s podcast episode if you’re looking to initiate productive conversations with your leadership team, break down silos, and encourage effective teamwork. Join me for a conversation about: The importance of reflecting on your own relational intelligence skills Creating a leadership team based on trust, connection, and vulnerability Questions to ask your team to get them to open up and be honest with you The difference between professional relationships and dysfunctional codependency You’ll get clear on how to use relational intelligence to encourage your leadership team to share information freely, experiment with new ideas, and think outside the box. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic As a school leader, you must first be in tune with yourself before your leadership team can be in tune with their own emotions, feelings, and needs. This kind of inner work is challenging, and you’ll likely have questions along the way. Right now there’s a group of like-minded school leaders grappling with this very same meta-skill. You can connect with them and find support inside our Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs. Together, you’ll work on relational intelligence as well as the other five meta-skills you need to build and sustain your school of excellence. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Starting off the new school year on the right note will set up your school for excellence. As a school leader, the last thing you’d want is overloading your staff with content, hence the reason why you need to break it down into segments. And the segments are divided based on how the brain processes information. In today’s episode, I share a segment of training that took place inside our Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ flagship program. I created this training to teach our members how they can lead and prepare for their first staff meeting. And as our amazing podcast listeners, we are sharing this section as a special gift to you! Tune in to learn more about: How to lead your first staff meeting. What to talk about during your first staff meeting. How to divide the time blocks during your meeting. Some of the exercises to do and the questions to ask your teams. Staff meeting headline ideas and tips for choosing them. How to tell if you and your team are getting results and growing your mindset Why you should be specific about the kind of results you are after as the school leader. Ideas for helping your staff lean on each other. And how to wrap up your staff meeting. Sign up for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day that impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Recently, I was reflecting on my parenting style and how it’s evolved over time. As much as we think we’ll parent in our own unique way once we have little ones, we often do things just like our parents. Can you relate? There was a time, as a new mother, when I used blame and shame just as my parents had to set boundaries with me and my siblings. I used their approach on my own children because I had weak boundaries at that time. This approach is effective for controlling little ones, but it doesn’t produce responsible, happy children with high self-esteem. Eventually two things happened: I became more self-aware of my boundary setting style, and I learned healthier boundaries. Eventually, I replaced blame and shame with peace and confidence to set healthy boundaries. This has made all the difference with my children, improving my relationship with each of them. It’s also helped me professionally as an executive director who was responsible for a leadership team. If you’ve been struggling with setting clear boundaries inside your center—with other leaders, teachers, or even parents, this is the podcast episode for you. It’s the second episode in my new B.R.I.D.G.E. series that’s all about helping you gain the critical meta-skills you need as a 21st-century school leader. This week’s focus is on raising awareness of boundary setting styles in order to help you develop healthy boundaries within your center. Join me for a conversation about: How and why you need to overcome rigid black-and-white thinking The different types of boundary setting styles and why yours may not be working Trading ineffective boundary setting styles for ones that are both assertive and respectful It’s your turn to stop setting boundaries from a place of anger, blame, excuses, or apologies and start practicing them from a place of calm, confidence, peace, and serenity. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic The truth is, you’ll never fully master boundaries. No one ever does, especially because boundaries can change depending on the season of your life. But here’s the good news: Schools of Excellence can help you strengthen your boundary-setting muscles. I invite you to take a closer look at our Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs, where you’ll connect with a welcoming community of peer school leaders who can share their real-world experience with setting boundaries in their early childcare center and so much more. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

As a school leader, you’re likely a pro at creating systems, processes, and checklists. You’ve trained your leadership team on them so things run more smoothly at your center—both inside and outside of the classroom. With these resources in place, you’re prepared for the school year and your team has what they need to handle issues that arise with students, parents, and co-teachers. Or so you think. But it’s actually more complicated than that. Yes, systems, processes, and checklists are all important and necessary, but they aren’t the be-all and end-all in your center. They don’t guarantee that things will run smoothly day in and day out. No matter how detailed your operational resources are—and I’m sure yours are very thorough, {{ subscriber.first_name }}!—there will always be confusing, ambiguous, or uncomfortable moments at your center that weren't covered in your training. What will your team do then? How will they respond? In order to handle confusion, ambiguity, and discomfort, you and your leadership team need a special set of 6 meta-skills. They’re actually SUPER skills to help you lean into uncomfortable situations and make decisions more calmly and with greater confidence. The 6 meta-skills I’m teaching over the next 6 weeks form an acronym, B.R.I.D.G.E., and they include: Boundaries Relational Intelligence Individual Advocacy Discernment Generosity Emotional Regulation In many ways, these meta-skills are more important to running a center than technical skills. And, as the school leader, you must develop and practice these skills. They’re required to build and sustain your own school of excellence. This week on the podcast, you’ll get a special introduction to the 6 meta-skills that make up the B.R.I.D.G.E. They’re the same skills I’m teaching in my members-only Owner’s HQ and Director’s Inner Circle programs. There’s so much to explore around these meta-skills that I’ve also decided to dedicate an entire podcast episode to each one. I want to help you gain the skills that I believe are absolutely essential for 21st-century school leaders like you. Join me as I introduce the B.R.I.D.G.E. concept and break down how you can: Examine and start to overcome your own all-or-nothing thinking Connect more effectively and establish trust with your team (Hint: It’s not the same thing as emotional intelligence) Overcome feelings of stress and overwhelm to reach your goals Learn to anticipate what’s coming next and make wise decisions Resist the temptation to step in and fix things at your center (This one’s the hardest!) Respond to stressful events in a rational, regulated way It’s time to put your systems, processes, and checklists down for a moment and focus on how you can be more intentional about how you show up and approach school leadership. I’ll be here every step of the way to support you on that journey. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. Other Resources: School leadership is always demanding—even more so at the start of the school year. You’re challenged to give extra support to your team, your staff, and your school community. Now it’s time that you received the support you need. We’ve compiled a series of resources to help you as a school leader. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This week I'm sharing a new 3-episode podcast series, How to Prepare for the New School Year, to give you strategies for navigating the first few weeks and months of the academic year. You'll learn how to take better care of yourself, your team, and your school community. We'll explore the importance of prioritizing your daily routines to stay grounded and finding greater peace during the chaos of the new school year. We'll also take a look at the special kinds of activities that require everyone's full attention this time of year. One of the greatest joys of working with children is watching their precious faces light up as they grow and learn with their peers. But it's not always discoveries, breakthroughs, and camaraderie. Each September, as the new school year kicks off, your staff doesn't need a new checklist from you. Instead, they need you present both mentally and emotionally. And they need to see you modeling how to ride the waves of discomfort, chaos, and uncertainty that inevitably rise up. And it doesn't stop there. As a leader at the start of the school year, you must manage your own emotions and use discernment to handle each new situation—each parent question, each new hire training, each crying child. The good news, is you don't have to do it alone. Join me for a 3-part conversation about: - Practicing and cherishing the meaningful daily habits, or "anchors," in your life - Overcoming perfectionism to find greater creativity and innovation - Relaxing expectations and appreciating what's "good enough" for this time of year - Supporting staff and admin at the start of the new school year (Hint: It has nothing to do with creating another checklist!) - Re-assessing when to turn your attention back to other projects at your school This series will remind you of the importance of self-care, offer up proven leadership strategies, and help you prioritize what matters most in September. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. Other Resources: School leadership is always demanding—even more so at the start of the school year. You’re challenged to give extra support to your team, your staff, and your school community. Now it’s time that you received the support you need. We’ve compiled a series of resources to help you as a school leader. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This week I'm sharing a new 3-episode podcast series, How to Prepare for the New School Year, to give you strategies for navigating the first few weeks and months of the academic year. You'll learn how to take better care of yourself, your team, and your school community. We'll explore the importance of prioritizing your daily routines to stay grounded and finding greater peace during the chaos of the new school year. We'll also take a look at the special kinds of activities that require everyone's full attention this time of year. One of the greatest joys of working with children is watching their precious faces light up as they grow and learn with their peers. But it's not always discoveries, breakthroughs, and camaraderie. Each September, as the new school year kicks off, your staff doesn't need a new checklist from you. Instead, they need you present both mentally and emotionally. And they need to see you modeling how to ride the waves of discomfort, chaos, and uncertainty that inevitably rise up. And it doesn't stop there. As a leader at the start of the school year, you must manage your own emotions and use discernment to handle each new situation—each parent question, each new hire training, each crying child. The good news, is you don't have to do it alone. Join me for a 3-part conversation about: - Practicing and cherishing the meaningful daily habits, or "anchors," in your life - Overcoming perfectionism to find greater creativity and innovation - Relaxing expectations and appreciating what's "good enough" for this time of year - Supporting staff and admin at the start of the new school year (Hint: It has nothing to do with creating another checklist!) - Re-assessing when to turn your attention back to other projects at your school This series will remind you of the importance of self-care, offer up proven leadership strategies, and help you prioritize what matters most in September. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. Other Resources: School leadership is always demanding—even more so at the start of the school year. You’re challenged to give extra support to your team, your staff, and your school community. Now it’s time that you received the support you need. We’ve compiled a series of resources to help you as a school leader. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This week I'm sharing a new 3-episode podcast series, How to Prepare for the New School Year, to give you strategies for navigating the first few weeks and months of the academic year. You'll learn how to take better care of yourself, your team, and your school community. We'll explore the importance of prioritizing your daily routines to stay grounded and finding greater peace during the chaos of the new school year. We'll also take a look at the special kinds of activities that require everyone's full attention this time of year. One of the greatest joys of working with children is watching their precious faces light up as they grow and learn with their peers. But it's not always discoveries, breakthroughs, and camaraderie. Each September, as the new school year kicks off, your staff doesn't need a new checklist from you. Instead, they need you present both mentally and emotionally. And they need to see you modeling how to ride the waves of discomfort, chaos, and uncertainty that inevitably rise up. And it doesn't stop there. As a leader at the start of the school year, you must manage your own emotions and use discernment to handle each new situation—each parent question, each new hire training, each crying child. The good news, is you don't have to do it alone. Join me for a 3-part conversation about: - Practicing and cherishing the meaningful daily habits, or "anchors," in your life - Overcoming perfectionism to find greater creativity and innovation - Relaxing expectations and appreciating what's "good enough" for this time of year - Supporting staff and admin at the start of the new school year (Hint: It has nothing to do with creating another checklist!) - Re-assessing when to turn your attention back to other projects at your school This series will remind you of the importance of self-care, offer up proven leadership strategies, and help you prioritize what matters most in September. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. Other Resources: School leadership is always demanding—even more so at the start of the school year. You’re challenged to give extra support to your team, your staff, and your school community. Now it’s time that you received the support you need. We’ve compiled a series of resources to help you as a school leader. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This week on the podcast, I talk with Dr. Sherry Walling about how to find wholeness after loss and the ways you can support your team to overcome grief. You’ll learn how to offer connection and provide a glimmer of hope in the midst of sadness. With Rosh Hashanah right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about some of my family’s cherished High Holiday rituals. We light candles while reciting meaningful prayers. We savor challah bread dipped in honey. We try out new activities. These treasured rituals bring us together to celebrate the New Year and create a special sense of connection among my family. Rituals have the power to ground us during holiday celebrations. But rituals aren’t just for celebration. They can also serve us when we’re experiencing grief and loss. Rituals are a powerful tool that can bring you peace and help you navigate a loss—either a personal one or a collective loss experienced by your school community. Whether it’s the death of a colleague or saying goodbye to a favorite family who’s leaving your school, you can create a special ritual to honor them and acknowledge that they will no longer be present at your center. It’s so important to acknowledge any loss because avoiding it will only cause more shame and suffering for everyone. As the school leader, you play a key role in helping your staff navigate the inevitable ups and downs of your center. And I want to support you in that journey. We’ll also take a look at the importance of understanding your own capacity to listen. You’ll learn when and how to defer a conversation to another time when you can be completely present and listen fully. Join us for a conversation about: Understanding why avoiding the loss is worse than confronting it Recognizing the importance of rituals and traditions in overcoming grief Redefining what it means to be present when you’re grappling with a loss Knowing when and how to share access to mental health resources If you need ideas for creating a safe space that will invite your school community to share their stories of loss, you won’t want to miss this episode. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic School leaders like you will always be challenged to model healthy behaviors for your staff. It’s not easy, but it's possible—especially when you have a community of like-minded leaders and directors to lean on. If you’re ready to connect with a community of your peers who know what it’s like to lead early childcare centers, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs. Inside you’ll find the support and guidance you need to grow as a school leader. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Connect further with Dr. Sherry Walling at: Website: www.touchingtwoworlds.com Instagram and Twitter: @sherrywalling More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Are you prioritizing your mental wellbeing? If you’re anything like the many directors and owners I’ve worked with, your answer probably depends entirely on the season. Student enrollment? Staff hiring? “Forget about it, Chanie.” I know—I understand how it goes. When we’re caught up in a constant state of hypervigilance, we find it diffucult to slow down, rest, and take in life’s little pleasures. For me, I experience this struggle more than ever when I’m out in nature with my family. Instead of taking in the sights, breathing the fresh air, and appreciating the small moment of peace, I’m worrying about which of my kids needs to eat and whether I packed the sunscreen. But as I’m sure you realize, it’s when you’re busiest that you need to focus the most on your mental wellbeing. This week’s podcast dives into the topic of learning how to prioritize your mental wellbeing. In this special bonus episode, I sit down with members of our Director's Inner Circle & Owner's HQ to find out where they’re struggling and offer strategies for bringing more mindfulness into their lives. We talk about: The connection between fear and control How trauma affects your present reactions Avenues for regaining composure under high anxiety and stress …and more! When you learn to prioritize your own mental wellbeing, the benefits don’t stop with you. By changing the way you operate during stressful seasons, you transform the way you show up for your staff and your school. This creates a positive ripple effect throughout your school culture, impacting not only the commitment, accountability, and loyalty of your teachers and staff, but also the quality of your partnerships with parents. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Creating a school of excellence starts with you. To support you on this journey, we’ve compiled a series of resources aimed at helping you be the most effective leader you can be. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/school-leadership-tool-kit/ The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Has a difficult conversation with someone at your school ever left you feeling guilty? Me too. I can recall times when the guilt was so intense that I just couldn’t shake it. As a school leader, you can’t avoid difficult conversations. Whether it’s with teachers who aren’t getting along, admin staff falling short of their performance goals, or something else, avoiding the problem is worse than confronting it. When those conversations get uncomfortable or don’t go well, it’s so easy to take it personally and feel isolated—as if you’re the only school leader out there who can’t hold your staff accountable and handle difficult situations. That’s when guilt creeps in, with shame and self-criticism following right behind. These feelings will only drain you emotionally, lead to burnout, and stifle your ability to navigate through the kinds of challenges you’re bound to face. That’s not what I want for you. You deserve support to let go of those feelings. It will take time, but it's possible—especially when you have a community to lean on. With the power of community, you will be supported by a powerful grounding force. An aligned community can relate to your challenges, elevate your mindset, and show you grace when you fail. With the right community, you can trade isolation for belonging and anxiety for peace. You’ll be able to handle the challenges and tolerate the discomfort that inevitably comes with school leadership. You’ll become a more resilient and empathetic leader, too. This week I’m opening up a conversation about how to overcome the challenges of leading a team with three incredible school directors and owners—all of whom are members of our Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs. In the third and final episode of my podcast series, You Are Not the Only One, we’ll explore how being part of a like-minded community can help you show up differently as a leader and transform the culture of your center. This is a conversation about: Navigating tough situations with the staff at your school Overcoming perfectionism and the urge to people-please Trading self-reliance for a genuine community of belonging Surrounding yourself with people who can remind you of your greatness This episode is for you if you need help with difficult conversations at your center and are looking for ideas for approaching them more boldly, honestly, and confidently. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

As a mom of four, it often feels like I’m supposed to have all the answers. Whether it’s a homework problem, an argument with a friend, or making the monster under the bed go away, my kids trust that I’ll know exactly what to do. When people look to you as a leader, it’s easy to put pressure on yourself to get it right every time. You may even fear that getting it wrong could have disastrous consequences. But in reality, decision-making is a skill that you build over time. And that means two things: The first is that you’re going to make mistakes. Trust me, I know—I make them all the time! But the second is that, like any skill, there are things you can do to become a better decision maker and show up for your team in a more impactful way. In this week’s bonus podcast episode, I explore different ways you can learn to make better decisions, so you can continue building a school of excellence. We’ll talk about: How the way you frame problems affects your decisions Why you shouldn’t rush into decisions The power of reflecting on your choices The benefit of seeking wise counsel Becoming a better decision maker isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning the strategies that will lead you to make more informed decisions. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Decision-making and other types of mindset development are something that everyone on your team can benefit from. Help teachers think about their work in a new way with our Reflective Questions for Teachers: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/reflective-questions-for-teachers/ The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

How do you respond to difficult situations with parents? I know many resourceful school leaders just like you who Google solutions. But this approach is limited by what you can find on your own, and there’s always some trial-and-error involved with going it alone. When I need new ideas and solutions, I prefer to lean into the power of community. Instead of going it alone, I ask, “Who can help me?” It’s not always easy to ask for help, but it’s worth it. Seeking community opens me up to broader support to navigate difficult situations. Plus, I gain insight from wider perspectives—including people who have gone before me. I want you to have community support too. You need it to build a school of excellence. And in this current “cancel culture” society, community is more important than ever. This week I’m opening up a conversation with two school leaders about creating a safe space to talk about anything with parents. In the second episode of my new podcast series, You Are Not the Only One, we’ll explore how you can speak up to guide parents, share your center’s values, and communicate the unique vision you have for your school. This is a conversation about: Overcoming self-criticism and the urge to self-censor Navigating tough situations with parents Leaning on a community of like-minded school leaders If you’re looking for support to navigate tough conversations and uphold your school’s values, you won’t want to miss this episode. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

There are few things more heartwarming than seeing a child beam with confidence after overcoming a challenge. You can see the shift happen almost instantly—their eyes light up, they smile widely, and they stand just a little bit taller. It’s as if they believe that from that moment forward, they can do anything they set their mind to. Whether a child in the classroom or a staff member on your team, the key to building a person’s confidence is showing them that they’re capable of doing hard things. In this week’s bonus podcast episode, I provide several tips to help you start creating and nurturing a confident team. We’ll talk about: My go-to strategy for encouraging independent decision-making Why you should start talking less (counterintuitive, I know!) The role of gratitude The best confidence shortcuts (HINT: There aren’t any!) It’s time to start nurturing your staff’s confidence, so you can build a team that wants to stick around for the long-term. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: P.S. I dive even further into nurturing confidence in my 90-minute, on-demand Confidence & Resiliency training, which shows school leaders how to support their staff and build cultures of excellence. You can learn more here: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/confidence-resiliency-training/ The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

As a leader, you need to learn how to separate yourself from your team. Because if you try to stay at the same level as your teachers or the other staff, your business will implode. In this special three-part series titled You Are Not the Only One, we open the closed doors to real stories of real people so we can start to normalize the struggle, the joy, the grief, and the milestones of what it takes to build a school of excellence. I hope that through this series, you'll be able to release some of the shame and guilt that you have associated with leadership. I hope that you can laugh and connect, and find relevance in some of the similar challenges. Links mentioned: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic It’s lonely at the top. PERIOD. But thankfully, you no longer have to go it alone. We’ve compiled a series of resources to shorten the learning curve and support you on your leadership journey. Learn more about our School Leadership Tool Kit here. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

When was the last time you felt truly seen? I’m talking about the type of connection where you feel heard, validated, and unafraid of being judged—where you feel safe enough to be fully vulnerable. For me, it was when I met up with my friend from high school during a conference in Dallas. We rented an Airbnb, ordered takeout, and hung out just like the old days. We spent 18 hours in that Airbnb, but only 5 of them were spent sleeping. For the other 13, we connected on a level that had me opening up about things I hadn’t talked about in more than a decade. Why? Because I trusted that not only could I be honest with her, but she would also be honest with me. Having relationships that are mutually vulnerable is essential to developing self-awareness, which is a core component of building schools of excellence. In this week’s bonus podcast episode, I offer a series of tactical tips for building self-awareness for yourself and your staff. These are the same strategies I use with members inside my Director's Inner Circle & Owner's HQ, where school leaders learn how to support their staff and build cultures of excellence. In addition to the impact of genuine friendships, this episode covers: The importance of knowing your priorities Why you should get comfortable with receiving feedback Self-awareness as a skill (that takes lots and lots of practice!) When you increase your capacity for looking inward, you create a ripple effect of change outward. And that is the mark of an effective school leader. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: While self-awareness is an important aspect of school leadership, it’s not the only one! Check out our Time Management and Accountability Bundle to improve your time management skills and learn how to hold staff and parents accountable. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Today’s episode will help enlighten you on planning the school year with discernment and wise decision-making filters. Because if we don't filter, everything becomes important, we then lack focus, and it's difficult to plan and be prepared. This invites chaos, uncertainty, and a lot of ambiguity into the day or year and doesn't allow us to follow through and be accountable. Understanding your business objectives, setting clear financial goals, investigating the impulse of projects and stress testing the calendar for this upcoming school year will certainly put you in good form throughout the school year. Tune in to learn more about: Understanding the business objectives Setting clear financial goals Auditing your expenses Defining and scoping projects Stress testing the calendar …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Join the conversation in our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolsofexcellencelounge To download the worksheet, and PDF to guide you through the whole process of planning the new school year with wise decision-making filters HERE. The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This episode is from a live training where I share with you an interesting topic of the paradox of self-reliance and community. Full schedules are not full lives. As leaders, we have to recognize that no one is coming to check on us or manage our workload. When we are stuck in our stories, our minds are trying to protect us and the ego wants to make our story unique to us; nobody has this level of difficulty. We need to lean on a community and realize that we are not alone, but we also need to know how to rely on ourselves. Schools that stand the test of time are those that can evolve and reinvent themselves, and self-reliance and community are integral pieces to the long-term sustainability of your school. Tune in to learn more about: Thinking independently and embracing your individuality Why self-reliance and community are integral pieces to the sustainability of your school How to create a community of self-reliance with your team Coaching the concept of self-reliance and building community Difference between being needy and asking for support …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Join the conversation in our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolsofexcellencelounge I invite all of you interested in leaning into the community to our owner's group, our legacy mastermind for our highest tier of owners: http://chanie.me/jointhedic The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

In today's episode, I share a compelling practice of self-love and self-recognition; writing a letter of gratitude to yourself. Writing this letter to yourself is a radical opportunity to pause and appreciate who you are and where you've been while providing inspiration for your next stage of growth. Gratitude is a huge part of the School of Excellence Framework and as a director or owner, it is important that you realize that it is very different from gratitude for others. When we show ourselves gratitude, we give ourselves permission to reflect on and accept everything that we've been through. In a nutshell, I talk about: Why it is important to show gratitude to yourself, for things that you have done or have to do Leaning into your emotions, fully expressing them to get space for other beautiful emotions The 6 incredible steps on how to write a gratitude letter to your former self …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Access the free resource to write your letter of gratitude and appreciation here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IjWtyucqwAyXRGYHy8bLwnsPn9wBoGEv/view?usp=sharing Join the conversation in our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolsofexcellencelounge The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

In this episode, we dive into how you can help your staff to start thinking of the big picture by understanding the bigger context. Seeing the big picture, getting into the details, seeing the details, and connecting it all back to the bigger picture can be a beautiful dance. Helping teachers to start thinking about the big picture is essential because that is how you create a consistent alignment that is connected with your company’s mission and culture. Tune in to learn more about: Intentional time blocking within staff meetings for the big picture Unshackling yourself from assumptions and biases, and inviting new ideas Strategies to get teachers to start thinking in alignment with the big picture (especially if they're nervous to share their ideas) Why our teams need to start thinking about the big picture and linking it with their daily habits …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Access the free resource to help your staff think big picture here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SHOM_54mOs0_3MIIrnrrUOn080HAgsId/view Want your staff to be more confident? Grab the Confidence and Resiliency Training here: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/confidence-resiliency-training/ Ever wish you knew EXACTLY what to say to a Teacher, Parent, or Admin Team in a Hard Moment? You can now with the Scripts Workbook here: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/script-workbook/ The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

May is an incredible time for reflection regardless of whether you run a 10-month or a 12-month academic school year. End-of-year reflections serve two important purposes - a gauge for determining how we can continuously improve on our processes and a reminder of the kind of mistakes we've made so that we can avoid making them in the subsequent years. The only way to have awareness of how far you've come is by being reflective of what you've done in the past academic year. In today's, from the archive, episode, I will take you through how to run an end-of-the-year staff meeting. I share with you some of the critical questions you should ask your staff, and how to use their feedback as a resource for future improvement. If you've been wanting to know how schools of excellence conduct their end-year staff meetings and why these meetings are usually very productive, this episode is for you! Remember, part of being an educator and building a school of excellence is wanting to consistently get better. And understanding how to wrap up the year really well is important in ensuring that your September is set up for success. In a nutshell, I speak about: The 3 reasons why an end-year review is so critical for your staff. The top 5 questions you need to ask at your end-year staff meetings. How to deduce meaningful information from the responses your staff give to the questions you ask. Strategies for helping your teachers own their development, become more accountable and believe that they have what it takes to teach in a school of excellence. ...and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Access the End of Year Reflective Questions Workbook for $9 HERE Access the School of Excellence Time Management Bundle for $47 HERE More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life.

This is part 2 of this exclusive inside look at a members-only call on Priorities Reset: Reflect, Restore and Recast. In today's episode, we're digging into the third phase of the priorities reset call, where we recast our commitments into a real calendar and decide what we want to invite back and what we can eliminate. We share insights into the habits that we need to stop doing, besides checking emails, but to stop the thoughts in our minds that are not serving us, that are being toxic for our life, our relationships, and the goals that we want to hit in our life. What do you want to invite back into your life and what will you no longer be doing? What do you want your new priorities to be? What habit do you want to stop doing and what will be the reminders to stop this habit? In a nutshell, we talk about: What you are no longer doing for the next 90 days. An insight on the physical things you need to stop doing and thinking about Choosing what makes sense for you and what makes sense as your next step. The transforming leadership drill of accountability Stress testing your commitments Opening a brand new Google Calendar and then start recasting your school commitments …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This episode is an inside look at a members-only call on Priorities Reset. This session is divided into three core parts; reflect, restore and recast. In part 1, we are going to reflect on our last 90 days and then restore ourselves to what our current priorities are. Part 2 will look at the commitments we'll recast in our next 90 days. 20% of your time (and your budget), is your margin. And margins aren't created by default - you have to be honest, give yourself grace and create one. As a school director, it's all about setting the right practices. What story is your calendar telling you? You need to reflect on your commitments, restore yourself in their alignment, and recast into a life that you want for yourself. In a nutshell, we talk about: How you can filter where your time should go Current commitments that you can completely let go off Becoming aware of invisible labor by taking an inventory of your commitment …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Welcome to the final part, part 4, of the Build to Last workshop series. From improving our mindsets and inviting calm to learning about theme days, time blocking, and calendar creation to our previous episode: building a culture of excellence, it has been a transformational experience. In today's episode, I share tips on inner team conflicts and understanding how to navigate these conflicts. As directors and owners, we spend an average of 4 hours a day fielding interruptions and navigating conflicts with teachers. How do we understand, show up and navigate conflict while discerning that different types of conflict require different solutions without getting overwhelmed? In a nutshell, we talk about: Types of interchain conflict and understanding how to navigate them How to hold your staff accountable without being overwhelmed Avoiding hints and encouraging the use of direct, clear, and kind approaches to conflict resolution The 6 key performance assessments How to show up in difficult conversations Important strategies for navigating conflicts with confidence and grace More about our flagship programs the Director’s Inner Circle & Owners Only HQ …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Download the workbook here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mzS7qxZksrvGkDlAI7ji58nPwakPEZlk/view?usp=sharing To get 40 other scripts in our scripts workbook: http://chanie.me/scripts The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Gratitude and appreciation need to be a habit - a constant in your life. And having a week in a year that is focused on key stakeholders that drive success in your school, is really special. It shows that you value them, and reinforces a culture you'd want to see in a school of excellence. While we may not remember every single detail of what happens in our lives, we will always remember specific moments of experiences. In this week’s episode, I share ideas on how you can make your teachers feel valued and appreciated this Teachers Appreciation Week. Tune in and get ideas on how you can be intentional with your appreciation this coming week! In a nutshell, I speak about: Why I love teacher appreciation week so much, and its similarities with mothers day Why your calendar is part of your identity The 3 things that teachers need now more than ever The 5 questions you should ask yourself before choosing any fun or creative ideas No matter the situation your school is in right now, there is still room to be creative. As you think about all the work you will be doing in order to make this week special for your teachers, what moments do you hope stays in their brains forever? Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Get your FREE workbook for the Teacher Appreciation Week HERE. Sign up for the Ideal Week for High Achieving Owners Workshop HERE. This workshop is ideal for you if you are looking to: Know what the next stage of growth looks like for your school Learn how to build out a calendar that serves your lifestyle and stage of life that you're in Identify the top priorities that you need to focus on to move your school in the right direction Learn what is working for other high achieving school owners in their stage of growth in the season that they're in right now Stop doing diffuse energy in a bunch of different directions that aren’t moving your school forward Sign up for the Ideal Week for High Achieving Owners Workshop HERE. If you are ready to take your school to the next level of growth and are looking for support, community and accountability to make that happen - then would love for you to apply for our directors inner circle or owners HQ program. Apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life.

Welcome to part 3 of the 4-part series, the Build to Last workshop series. During each episode in this series, we’re going to be digging into specific areas that will uplevel and give you the confidence, decision-making skills, and practical strategies and mindsets for your center from the field of play. In today's episode, I'm joined by Sara Schreiner and Susan Sholar, members of our inner circle who are from Sunshine Academy in Montana. They share with us their specific habits and routines of how they built a culture of excellence. As a school owner or director, understanding that school culture is not a project but an effect of your daily behavior, actions, and routines is a salient leadership drill. The strategies that work today, don't necessarily work tomorrow, so you need to constantly work on your culture. The moment you turn away from this foundational skill, your school becomes toxic, there's gossip, there's backtalk, there's complacency, and there's resistance. In a nutshell, we talk about: The foundation of building a beautiful culture of excellence Why culture is an effect of the leader's daily routine, behavior, and actions Showing up as the leader - the habits you need to adapt to create this amazing culture The culture of innovation and risk-taking - how you feel, and what you need to hear to know that you have achieved it Culture revolving around values, difficult conversations, and boundary setting The biggest challenge school leaders have about their culture Today's challenge: the Gratitude challenge! …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Download the workbook to get tons of resources and 10 freeways on how to build a culture of excellence here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mzS7qxZksrvGkDlAI7ji58nPwakPEZlk/view?usp=sharing The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Welcome to part 2 of the 4-part series, the Build to Last workshop series. During each episode in this series, we’re going to be digging into specific areas that will uplevel and give you the confidence, decision-making skills, and practical strategies and mindsets for your center from the field of play. In today's episode, I'm joined by Jo David, a director who is a member of the Director’s Inner Circle and is a time blocking practitioner. Jo shares with us strategies of how to work on calendars that serve us. As leaders, understanding where our time goes is a sensitive leadership drill and when we believe that we must always be available, we underperform, we over-index, we get overwhelmed, and we feel stressed out. Stay tuned for a mind-boggling session as we discuss stimulating information on building a calendar that serves us and helps us to design priorities that we need to continue building our legacy with our school culture. In a nutshell, we talk about: The 3 myths of the school leaders' time - why they're myths and busting them Drafting out your theme days Unmuting rejection to unmute helping hands The skill of time blocking and theme days Delegating out things that aren't helping your center Investing time to train your staff to avoid survival mode …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Download the Build to Last workbook here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mzS7qxZksrvGkDlAI7ji58nPwakPEZlk/view?usp=sharing The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence. You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Welcome to part 1 of the 4-part series, the Build to Last workshop. Every single week, over the next four weeks, we're going to be digging into specific areas that will uplevel and give you the confidence, the decision-making skills, and practical strategies for your center. In this episode, I am joined by Sharon Hopson. She is the owner of the Bella Vita Montessori in Omaha, Nebraska. We share tips on understanding what you tell yourself, the thoughts that you believe in, and how these create your reality. As a school director, equipping yourself with the pragmatic leadership drills we walk through today will help you uplevel your mindset, and get better, smarter, faster, stronger, and wiser. With a positive mindset, you can acknowledge and tackle every challenge without it affecting your own mental and emotional well-being, your staff, or the school's culture. In a nutshell, we talk about Leveling up your mindset and approaching things with positivity How to manage your time more efficiently Creating, embracing, and practicing your boundaries and knowing when to violate them Releasing stress and inviting calm and rest Inviting someone into what you are thinking, given that you are not a machine and can't do everything by yourself …and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ is the #1 community & training program specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

We all need a sense of belonging. And when new teachers come in, they come with this innate human need to belong to a community. So how do you, as a school leader, facilitate this? In this episode, I share tips on how you can create a culture of belonging at your school. Remember, just because your new teachers are on the payroll, and they have a spot in the teacher's room, doesn't mean they belong. They are still trying to fit in. Connecting them with people who've walked this path before will create a culture that will look dramatically different. Because creating a culture of belonging is powerful. This all begins with mentoring your veteran staff. In a nutshell, I talk about: How to design an environment where both veteran and new teachers are part of leveling up and raising the bar of excellence within the organization. The 4 common struggles that new staff have. Strategies on how your veteran staff can model and create a community for new staff. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ are the #1 community & training programs specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make everyday which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve everyday.

It’s the 1 year anniversary of the Schools of Excellence podcast! What a perfect time to reflect on how far this show has come, because this is a huge milestone at the Schools of Excellence. We just wrapped and returned from the Summit of Excellence which was held at the beginning of March. As I unpack and process everything that happened over the 2-day in-person event, I find myself reflecting and am so grateful for so many of the things that happened at the event. This inspired me further to make this episode where I can officially celebrate the achievement of the 1st anniversary of the podcast. In today's episode, I talk about: The initial drive as to why I started the Schools of Excellence podcast a year ago. Insights into how I create the show's content and choose the topics I talk about. The growth we've seen in the show over the last year. How and why we need to celebrate milestones. Some of our goals as we enter the second year of the Schools of Excellence podcast. ... and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ are the #1 community & training programs specifically designed for early childhood school leaders and owners who are committed to building schools of excellence You get 24/7 access to exclusive templates & training to help you motivate your staff and build a collaborative culture that positively impacts the lives of children. Plus the support & accountability you need to create massive momentum. Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make everyday which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve everyday.

You pride yourself on how freely your staff can come to talk to you, right? As a school leader, you always want to be seen as an approachable and available director or owner that makes your staff feel heard. The “open door policy” has trickled into our school culture, because we think that it makes our staff feel valued and appreciated since they know they can come to talk to us at any time, for anything. In corporate, the open door policy means that all employees can bring their concerns, desires, or problems to company leaders at any time. This was intended to show that the leaders and executives care about what their employees have to say. The intention here is GREAT. The end result isn’t You want to be available and approachable. You want your staff to feel heard and seen. You want your teachers to feel appreciated and valued. But know this: “The leader who is always available, isn’t truly listening.” This podcast episode is a reair of one of the first and most important topics where I speak about: The myth of the open door policy How the application of this myth is likely to negatively impact your school What you should be doing instead Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Access the School of Excellence Time Management Bundle for only $47 here: http://chanie.me/time Access the Scripts Workbook here: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/script-workbook/ Download the free door sign here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IXZpXOMoNNnedkkUyfAZWSoLIfBkGtFt/view?usp=sharing More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This is a re-air of one of the most downloaded episodes in my special summer series that originally aired last year. I wanted to bring this back for those who are newer listeners. This summer series was all about the different ways that you can prepare yourselves for an upcoming school year. After nearly two decades in this field and speaking with hundreds of school owners and directors. There are very specific patterns of behavior I have noticed in successful school leaders. In this episode, I share the top 5 signs of a thriving school leader and how you can incorporate them as you continue to build your school of excellence and leave your legacy. In a nutshell, I speak about: Communication and how a thriving leader is one that builds time into their calendar to speak to their teams. The importance of celebrating wins and success even though it is very easy to get pulled into hardships and what is and isn't working. The biggest mindset shift that school leaders need to make by investing in their people. How strategy can be likened to planning a trip and how it plays a key role in successful school leadership. How radical self-awareness will change your entire life. … and so much more! To listen to the other episodes in the 2021 Summer Series listen to episodes #39 - #44. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Access the Reflective Questions Workbook for only $9 here: http://chanie.me/reflectivequestions More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This is a re-air of one of our most downloaded episodes in the Schools of Excellence Podcast. As one of the first episodes I ever released, I wanted to bring this back for those who are newer listeners. I hope you enjoy and get value out of this episode. Like it or not, schools are home to a number of difficult conversations. Discussing topics such as... Pay and benefits Inappropriate behavior Underperformance These can be uncomfortable. But having successful one-on-one conversations is what separates great school leaders from ineffective ones. Difficult conversations may not be fun, but school leaders who navigate them successfully can build stronger relationships with their staff and provide needed guidance and correction on workplace performance or behavior - which fosters staff engagement. Today’s episode is on one of the four shields of difficult conversations: Blame. As a leader, it is your responsibility to take note of when your team is using these shields and take the necessary steps towards having those difficult conversations. It is only by doing this that your team will feel heard, supported, and held accountable. In this episode, I talk about... The concept of self-protection and how it shows up in our day-to-day life. The 3 strategies for removing blame from your school’s culture. The questions to ask yourself when your staff start blaming each other Identifying the 4 shields that school leaders and teachers bring up in conversations when difficult conversations come up When there is blame, there is no learning. You can create a friendly school environment for your staff to thrive where finger-pointing won’t become the name of the game. To listen to the other episodes in the Difficult Conversations series listen to episodes 15, 18 & 20. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The Four Shields of Difficult Conversations - BLAME: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/blame?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=soe&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=blame School Leadership Toolkit: chanie.me/toolkit More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

In this episode, I discuss how by implementing the Gratitude Matrix, you can achieve higher retention and a more collaborative culture for your school. After 30 days of implementing the Gratitude Matrix, one of the executive directors in our Membership Program, Kerstin, went from 17 callouts in September to 4 callouts in August. What did she do? She implemented the Gratitude Matrix in her school, and saw an almost immediate shift because her staff felt valued and appreciated. This is why I am so excited to share the Gratitude Matrix with you; a very powerful, yet very simple system, that I teach to all of the owners and directors that I work with. This is a re-air of one of our most downloaded episodes for the Schools of Excellence Podcast. As I mentioned in the last episode, during this time I am committed to creating valuable content for the upcoming Summit of Excellence that will be taking place on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. While I do that, I’d love to bring back some important conversations and also practice what we preach: focusing on our priorities, creating margin for things that come up, and creating space to do what matters most. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Schools in Transition: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/schools-in-transition/ Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

This episode is a re-air of an episode I did a few months back and I wanted to do a throwback to it for a couple of reasons. Because I've been getting so many questions from leaders around how to stop the cycle of excuses Because creating a culture where people really level up and take personal responsibility for their actions is the premise of everything that we're doing at the Summit of Excellence. In this episode, I discuss breaking the cycle of excuses. Everyone makes excuses. We've all made excuses, and we will continue to make excuses. But what does it take to break this cycle of excuses and encourage personal responsibility in our schools of excellence? It's not about eliminating, it's about learning how to break the cycle. Allowing the cycle of excuses to continue is normalizing behavior and work ethic that is completely against our values, morals and ethics. If you (or your staff) spend most of your time giving justifications rather than leaning in and learning, it’s time to break the cycle of excuses for your center. Listen in, as I share tips on how to do this. In a nutshell, I speak about: How genuine reasons and excuses get mixed up - and how to differentiate the two. Tips for breaking the cycle of excuses and why it is important to do so. How to shift the culture of giving excuses in your school of excellence. … and so much more! To listen to the other episodes in the Break The Cycle series listen to episodes 56 & 57. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: The School Leadership Toolkit: https://chanie.me/toolkit Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Training and coaching your staff to navigate conflict takes work. It requires attention and it’s not an overnight event. As the leader, you need to constantly be able to pour into yourself, uplevel, and recognize the skill gaps in your team. Only then can you lead from a place of bravery and courageousness, so that you can guide your team to level up in the same way. In this episode, I talk about how you can help your team look at conflict from a different perspective. I also share a few great suggestions to help your teachers navigate different types of conflict scenarios. The tips shared here will help you get an idea of how you can build this core skill set in your team and make it a practice. In a nutshell, I talk about: How to understand your team’s default response to conflict. Your staff’s reflex for how they currently self regulate. How your teachers’ responses to conflict indicate their level of emotional maturity. How to uplevel your team and invite them to respond to conflict in a different way. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Scripts Workbook on how to navigate conflict with leaders, staff, and parents: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/script-workbook/ Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

We spend so much time talking about how to discipline children and how to work on child behaviors, yet there's very little training on how adults need to be self-disciplined. Just because you're a grown-up, it doesn't mean you enter adulthood knowing how to be self-disciplined and regulate your emotions. This episode is part one of a two-part series on how to coach your staff to navigate conflict. Because when they avoid the slightest disagreement, they’re compromising their true feelings, and they’re storing up frustration that can end up negatively affecting their health. If you are building sustainability within your organization, you can't avoid conflict, because it seeps into the culture. I want you to tune into this episode with an open mind, and understand that just dealing with conflict is a very reactive approach. And just like with anything that's important, we want to take a proactive measure in creating a culture where conflict is managed. In a nutshell, I speak about: Powerful insight and data into the impact of conflict on organizations. Understanding where the root of conflict comes from. Why so many staff struggle with navigating conflict. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Scripts Workbook on how to navigate conflict with leaders, staff, and parents: https://discovered.thrivecart.com/script-workbook/ Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-6 Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments When we're constantly seeking fireworks, extraordinary wins, and giant momentum, we exhaust ourselves. We burn ourselves to the ground, and we can't be in business forever. We are putting too much effort into giant, extraordinary things and it will take a lot of discipline, self-awareness, and confidence to find joy in ordinary moments. In this episode, I speak to a longtime client who's become a dear friend over the last several years, Sharon Hopson. Sharon is the owner of La Bella Vita Montessori in Omaha, Nebraska. We talk about her transition to owning her legendary status as a leader and the need for instant gratification versus understanding how to play the long game in life. Sharon also shares some really personal stories of the power of delayed gratification, and how that's helped her play a larger long game in her company. In a nutshell, we talk about: Instant gratification versus delayed gratification from the lens of a school leader. Some of the transition points that made Sharon operate from a place of benevolence and generosity for her team. How Sharon redefined herself as a CEO of an early childhood center. The power of celebrating small wins. The importance of having a community of like-minded people to talk to. What it means to get support as a school owner. How Sharon fuels herself. Ordinary moments that bring Sharon joy and give her life meaning. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-6 The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-5 Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Are you a childcare owner or director who is a parent raising kids? This conversation is for you. In this episode, I speak to Mandy Moore, the owner of Steadfast Academy - a daycare center in Pasadena, Texas. Mandy sheds light on choosing work-life integration, choosing both family and business. We dig into a lot of the messiness and behind the scenes around leadership as a parent. Mandy also highlights how she and her husband navigate financial conversations and decisions together. As a business owner and as a mother of three young children, this conversation is rich with reflective questions, deep dive into what it really takes to consistently be in pursuit of excellence. Tune in to learn more about: Mandy’s family experiences that drove her decision to start a childcare company. Some of the infant and toddler years, and what that looked like to Mandy as a business owner. How Mandy created a seamless transition from being the person who is responsible for every result to becoming the person that coaches for results. How money conversations with Mandy’s husband pan out. Some of the ordinary experiences for Mandy as a result of effective delegation. How to develop the practice of not being distracted when sharing quality time with family. Some of the grief associated with not seeing what's going on and not being part of every decision. What the next phase of this work-life integration looks like for Mandy. Some things you can think about and journal on as a school owner. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-5 The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-4 Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Do you find yourself constantly operating in survival mode and making excuses for your busyness? In this episode, I speak to Aliya Roberts, the owner of Pratt Street Learning Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Aliya and I connect on a lot of different things, one of them being the concept of excuses. She shares some insight into the fact of her highest turnover that she had during a particular season and the shifts that she needed to move through. Aliya had to uncover the lies that she was telling herself about being busy, needing to work all the time, needing to show up, and not feeling like she was doing enough. The leadership mindset of letting go of showing up for the team really came through for her during that season. Through another episode of this Ordinary Moments series, I hope that you will walk away with true insights into what it takes to lead an extraordinary center. In a nutshell, we talk about: Pratt Street Learning Center’s history and the concept of its foundation. Some of the systems that Aliya had to put in place for her to free her plate. How Pratt Street Learning Center has adopted the mindset and practice of gratitude. The identity shift process that Aliya and her staff went through. How Aliya dealt with the mixed feeling of not being the hero of everyone's life anymore. Some of the ordinary moments that Aliya is enjoying as a mom and a business owner. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-4 The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team... Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-3 Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments If you struggle with letting go, giving up control, and trusting the process, then this episode is for you. Today's episode is the third of my six-part series, where I'm interviewing and having conversations with owners of childcare centers across the nation, on how they are building their schools of excellence. And they're sharing their real and raw stories with all of you. In this episode, I sit down with Kathy Cameron, who has been part of the Schools of Excellence community since July of 2020. She shares her journey of letting go, she talks about her struggle of wanting to control the outcomes, and the processes that she's gone through to take a step back. Kathy is honest and vulnerable about her real retention numbers, and how bad it got. Tune in to learn more about the highs and lows of running a school of excellence, including cultivating the culture of having difficult conversations. In a nutshell, we speak about: How Kathy’s definition of excellence has changed since she joined the Schools of Excellence community. Some of the systems that Kathy has put in place to sustain excellence. The gratitude matrix - a system and process that Kathy has really embraced in her institution. The messiness around what gratitude looks like in Kathy’s organization and how that's really shifted her retention. How Kathy gets over the challenge of embracing the routine of connecting with her staff. Habits and trigger points that have helped Kathy stay consistent. Kathy’s first experience with delegating and how it went. How Kathy embedded the culture and courage of having difficult conversations with her staff. How delegating has made Kathy’s life better and richer. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments-3 The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Owning a school of excellence is a constant practice and process. It isn't something that's one-and-done. Today’s episode is another episode in my six-part series of what it takes to build and sustain a school of excellence. I get to interview school leaders from across the nation to share the real, the raw, and the messy. Tune in to hear Jessica Kelley, a Childcare Center Owner, and I talk about the cost of doing it all. Jessica takes her time to share about her company organization chart and the process that she went through to create her team. We talked about some of the hard moments in her family life where she was forced to make some really difficult decisions and how you can learn from them. Through this series of Ordinary Moments, I hope that you will walk away with true insights into what it takes to lead an extraordinary center. In a nutshell, we talk about: What it means to carry the mental load of a director, but for someone else to carry out the execution. Some of the shifts that happened when Jessica realized certain tasks were taking too much of her time. Some of the ways in which Jessica’s Center was running her life. How to unlearn the disease to please and create healthy boundaries. The guilt and grief phase of not being the person who “does it all”. How Jessica successfully transitioned from being the “doer” to being the “designer’’. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit If you would like to have a conversation about if the Summit of Excellence is right for you, your team, and your center, please email me at [email protected]. More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Get all the details about the 2022 Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments Are you a school leader who wants to remove yourself from the day-to-day, and truly into the visionary CEO role? Do you want to hear the real, the raw, and the messy of what it takes to become such a school leader? Today’s episode is the first episode in my six-part series of what it takes to build and sustain a school of excellence. I get to interview school leaders from across the nation to share the real, the raw, and the messy. Tune in as I speak to Sara Schreiner, the owner of Sunshine Academy in Montana. Sara has a very unique upbringing from most entrepreneurs and owners that I've connected within this field - she was raised by a stay-at-home mom. Over the course of our relationship and working together, she has had a slow but powerful evolution into the leader that she is today. Sara talks about how her upbringing catapulted many of the decisions that she made in her own in her career, how she continues to navigate her leadership as she shifts from being a manager to being a leader, and the phases of grief that she needed to reflect on as she stepped out of the day to day operations. Through this series of Ordinary Moments, I hope that you will walk away with true insights into what it takes to lead an extraordinary center. In a nutshell, we speak about: Some of the big, audacious goals that Sara had for her company. Why Sara chose the path of becoming a school owner. How Sara defines the difference between manager and CEO. Lightbulb moments that started to come up for Sara when she realized that people wanted her to slow down and listen. What grief looks like as one transitions from the manager of the day-to-day to being the C.E.O. How the dreams of the company can be held hostage by your own abilities. Some of the beautiful ordinary moments that Sara gets to enjoy now, both as a mom and as a business owner. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Watch the video interview of this episode: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/ordinary-moments The Summit of Excellence is a two-day in-person experience on March 1-2, 2022 in Boca, Florida. Learn how to master interpersonal dynamics, foster kindness, and establish your school as a beacon of light in your community. If you want to… Drive more impact in your community. Be inspired by a network of peers. Deliver higher quality care. Or build a team of leaders. Imagine your team… Doing and thinking “outside the box,” and trying new methods. ​Pushing out of their comfort zones without anxiety. ​Feeling a sense of community and connection at work. ​Treating conflict and change as an opportunity for growth. … all so you can be equipped to tackle any challenging situation that comes your center’s way. Let’s be honest: To truly impact our kids and create a healthy, engaged, and successful next generation, we need to be better leaders. And that requires real collaboration—moments where we come together to share our wisdom in order to create healthy, productive learning communities. Sign up for the Summit of Excellence here: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Want to be a great school leader? Stop being nice. Being nice works well with strangers, but leaders who care about the long-term growth of their teams are not nice. They are kind. Niceness is the short game. And when you're a leader, you're always playing the long-term vision game. Today's episode is a conversation that I had with Lori Buxton, who's the Managing Director at Association for Early Learning Leaders. Lori and I have monthly conversations on leadership on our social channels. And I felt that this conversation was really important and needed to be brought onto the podcast as well. Besides being a great conversation with a lot of strategies, it is one that will incite great conversations among your leadership team members. In this episode we talk about: The difference between being nice and being kind. Why there’s so much more niceness and people-pleasing among leaders. Why you should choose temporary discomfort over long-term resentment. How to hold your staff accountable and still be kind. Steps for leaders that are looking to start shifting from being the nice leader to the claimed leader. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Sign up for the Summit of Excellence: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

One of the things that we teach a lot at the Schools of Excellence is the quality of decision-making. When potential clients or attendees connect with me, I always talk about giving them all of the data and the information so that they can make an informed decision. A lot of times we feel kind of insecure about our decision-making, or we're unsure. And a lot of that comes from just a lack of data. This is why in today’s podcast episode, I take a very unique inside look into what the Summit of Excellence is about. People are checking out the page, reviewing the investment, looking over the details of the event, and we’ve been getting a lot of different questions. So I wanted to share in this episode an inside look at what happens at this event. In a nutshell, I talk about: What we will cover and teach at the Summit of Excellence and how it is different from other conferences you may have been to, Who the Summit of Excellence is for and how we’re curating a specific event with limited tickets available, The guest speakers for this experience, The results you can expect from the event, How you can upgrade to the VIP experience that is limited to 30 registrants, And more! I really look forward to greeting you in-person, welcoming you, and embracing you with a big giant hug! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Sign up for the Summit of Excellence before December 31st to get an Early Bird Discount: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/summit More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

The holiday season can evoke feelings of sipping warm drinks by the fire, reuniting with loved ones, and opening gifts. But for school leaders who already juggle a lot of responsibilities throughout the year, the holiday season can also bring an added layer of anxiety and even stress. In the quest to “do ALL the things,” they may find their holidays not so merry and bright after all. In this episode, I share tips on how to set boundaries during the holiday season, so that you can be where your feet are without feeling guilty. If you are interested in entering the holiday season and being fully present and intentional about wherever you are, this episode is for you! In a nutshell, I talk about: Removing the guilt that many of us experience during the holiday season. Tangible strategies for being present in the moment. Creating boundaries that are associated with protecting that specific thing that you want for the holiday. What connection and disconnection from our learning centers should mean. Assessing the habits you want to engage in for the next few days so that you can get the most out of the holiday season. Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Sign up for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

Everyone makes excuses. We've all made excuses, and we will continue to make excuses. But what does it take to break this cycle of excuses and encourage personal responsibility in our schools of excellence? It's not about eliminating, it's about learning how to break the cycle. Allowing the cycle of excuses to continue is normalizing behavior and work ethic that is completely against our values, morals and ethics. If you (or your staff) spend most of your time giving justifications rather than leaning in and learning, it’s time to break the cycle of excuses for your center. Listen in, as I share tips on how to do this. In a nutshell, I speak about: How genuine reasons and excuses get mixed up - and how to differentiate the two. Tips for breaking the cycle of excuses and why it is important to do so. How to shift the culture of giving excuses in your school of excellence. … and so much more! Resources and links mentioned in this episode: Interested in coming to our in person Summit of Excellence on March 1 & 2 in Florida for School Owners and Directors? Email [email protected] for more information. Early Bird tickets are on sale now for a limited time. Sign up for the Delegate to Elevate Workshop on December 7th: https://schoolsofexcellence.com/delegatetoelevate Sign up for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner's HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and a beautiful quality of life. Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.