What if one of the best ways to support teachers is to experience their day firsthand?

Danieli Parker and Cristi Parsons explore the growing trend of district administrators stepping into classrooms to help address substitute shortages—and why this idea could have a much bigger impact than simply filling a vacancy.

From building staff trust and boosting morale to recognizing classroom interruptions and making more informed leadership decisions, this conversation challenges school leaders to rethink what meaningful support looks like.

Plus, hear real-life stories, practical ways to get started, and why planned professional development days could be the perfect opportunity for district leaders to step in.

🎧 Listen in, reflect, and consider: What could your district learn by getting back into the classroom?

💬 If your district is trying this approach, we'd love to hear what's working!

Remember to embrace your imperfections and celebrate your wins. ❤️

If your PLC meetings feel like endless checklists, paperwork, and time spent filling in boxes instead of collaborating, this conversation is for you!

On this episode of Perfectly Imperfect Principals, we’re talking honestly about what PLCs should be, why teachers are frustrated, and how leaders can create time for meaningful collaboration that actually makes a difference for teachers and students.

🎙️ Our message? Stop checking boxes and start having conversations that move learning forward.

What do you think makes a PLC meeting truly productive?

#PerfectlyImperfectPrincipals #PLC #EducationalLeadership #TeacherCollaboration

What does it really take to transform a school, a team, or an organization?

In this episode of Perfectly Imperfect Principals, Danieli Parker and Cristi Parsons sit down with nationally renowned speaker and author Dr. Regina S. Owens for a powerful conversation about leadership, courage, culture, systems, and the people at the heart of education.

Dr. Owens challenges us to remember that people come before process. We can't simply add another program, initiative, or “bell and whistle” and expect transformation. Real change happens when we transform thinking, develop people, and build systems that actually serve the people within them.

Together, they explore:

✨ Why anyone—not just someone with a title—can be a leader
✨ The powerful ideas of believing, becoming, and belonging
✨ Why people aren't “Rubik's cubes” that we can simply manipulate into place
✨ How technical change and cultural change must work together
✨ Why initiative fatigue is real—and why we don't always need to start over
✨ The courage it takes to listen, reflect, and have the hard conversations
✨ How leaders can create environments where people feel empowered to learn, grow, and speak back to the system
✨ And the powerful reminder that you are the gift—and you can give what you have in your hands

This conversation is a reminder that leadership isn't about having everything figured out. It's about having the courage to keep learning, keep listening, and keep showing up for the people we serve.

🎙️ Join Danieli, Cristi, and Dr. Regina S. Owens for a conversation that will challenge the way you think about leadership—and encourage you to step into the purpose you already have.

Because sometimes the best way to move an organization forward isn't to start over. It's to believe in your people, have the conversation, and courageously take the next step.