Mark White is in his 34th year in education. He started off as a teacher, then moved into the role of principal of Hintgen Elementary School in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where he has served for the past 26 years. Mark has been a member and has served in many different leadership roles in the National Association of Elementary School Principals (or NAESP) since 1988 and was even elected president of that organization for the 2014-2015 school year. Mark has served as a State Representative, on the Resolutions Committee, and as a Federal Regulations Coordinator. In addition, as Director of Zone 6, he represented principals from Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Mark is also a longtime member of the Association of Winconsin School Administrators, also serving that organization as president in 2003.

 

Mark shares a little about his family, background, and hobbies, including being the youngest full-time principal in the state of Iowa (26 years old) when he started his first principalship, and the fact that he currently oversees 17 different sites as part of his job (2:46)

Mark describes his career path from aspiring lawyer in college to where he is today, and discusses when and why he decided to go into education (6:05)

Moving from teacher to administrator, and some of the challenges along the way (8:40)

Perseverance, a positive attitude, and confidence in your abilities are critical to success in your first few years in school administration (12:30)

Advice for new and aspiring admins who are busy with work, family, pursuing master’s degrees, etc., and are feeling overwhelmed by it all (13:38)

Mark describes one of things he’s most proud of in his decades of educational leadership (15:38)

What Mark learned traveling across the US meeting with school principals (21:35)

Trading places with a principal in China for a couple of weeks, and going to Ireland to attend a national convention of principals from all over Ireland (23:18)

How your impact on a school will change when you move from teaching into administration, and why it’s worth making the move (29:12)

How your relationship with teachers will change after you move into administration (31:15)

Mark’s best leadership advice – keep your work relationships professional (40:19)

Two books Mark has gotten a lot out of and highly recommends (41:47)

Mark’s advice for school administrators on working with students (43:00)

His advice for school administrators on working with teachers (43:49)

The advice Mark wishes he’d gotten before moving from teaching to administration (49:16)

 

Books mentioned in this episode

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t

Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom

 

Connect with Mark White

Twitter

 

 

About EducatorsLead:

Educators Lead is a podcast created to help launch educators into the next level of leadership. This show is for you if you are interested in educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, superintendent, teacher or someone who hopes to be a school leader one day. Educators Lead offers inspiration and practical advice to help you lead more effectively. Jay Willis interviews school leaders three days a week to discuss why and when these educators made the decision to move into school leadership, challenges along the journey, and stories that made it all worthwhile. Educators Lead is a great resource for any educator looking to make a greater impact.

Educate. Inspire. Lead.

www.educatorslead.com