The CharacterStrong Podcast

Brandon Bakke has spent the last 23 year in education, a career that has spanned five different high schools in two different states. He taught history, government and coached basketball for the first seven years before becoming an assistant principal for 15 years in Tacoma and Sumner WA. Brandon is currently in his first year as Principal of Fife High School in Washington State. We talk with Brandon about starting out as a new principal and the unique way that he began his time at Fife High School serving his staff and students as well as a unique idea he brought to promoting his school wide culture and climate.

Lauren Ambeau is the principal at Brookside Intermediate in Clear Creek ISD, former elementary school principal, strong advocate for increasing SEL in secondary schools, and passionate about servant leadership. She was the Clear Creek ISD Secondary Principal of the year in 2016-2017 and shares her journey of school transformation in her blog titled Vulnerable Leadership. We talk with Lauren about some intentional strategies that she uses to lay a strong foundation for the staff & students at her school.

David is the Principal of the Bolivar HS Liberators a Nat'l Blue Ribbon School in Bolivar Missouri. He is a Nat'l Digital Principal of the Year, a Speaker and Author of #FutureDriven - Will your students thrive in an unpredictable world? We talk with David about how we all need to feel hope, meaning and purpose in what we are doing.

David is the Principal of the Bolivar HS Liberators a Nat'l Blue Ribbon School in Bolivar Missouri. He is a Nat'l Digital Principal of the Year, a Speaker and Author of #FutureDriven - Will your students thrive in an unpredictable world? We talk with David about how character is more important than compliance. So many schools are so focused on compliance, we want students to learn to do the right things, for the right reasons, not just because someone else told them to.

David is the Principal of the Bolivar HS Liberators a Nat'l Blue Ribbon School in Bolivar Missouri. He is a Nat'l Digital Principal of the Year, a Speaker and Author of #FutureDriven - Will your students thrive in an unpredictable world? We talk with David about why non-academic "soft skills" are so important as they support the academic skills of students. David speaks on how these human-only traits are becoming even more valuable as technology becomes more integrated in our lives.

David is the Principal of the Bolivar HS Liberators a Nat'l Blue Ribbon School in Bolivar Missouri. He is a Nat'l Digital Principal of the Year, a Speaker and Author of #FutureDriven - Will your students thrive in an unpredictable world? We talk with David about the roles that non-academic factors play in the future success of students. Change is happening so fast in today's world and it's important to help students to be able to develop "human only factors".

David is the Principal of Bolivar HS Liberators a Nat'l Blue Ribbon School in Bolivar Missouri. He is a Nat'l Digital Principal of the Year, a Speaker and Author of #FutureDriven - Will your students thrive in an unpredictable world? We talk with David about how relationships are the foundation of everything educators do, and gives some tips on how to be intentional about building better relationships.

Danny Steele is in his 26th year of education, and this school year marks his fifth year as the principal of Thompson Sixth Grade Center in the Alabaster City School System, just south of Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to this position, he served as a high school principal, as an assistant principal, and as a teacher and coach. He has written two books with Todd Whitaker which were released last month. (Essential Truths for Teachers and Essential Truths for Principals) In the fall, Steele will begin teaching full time at the University of Montevallo in the department of Instructional Leadership. He resides with his wife and three children in Birmingham, Alabama.

Danny Steele is in his 26th year of education, and this school year marks his fifth year as the principal of Thompson Sixth Grade Center in the Alabaster City School System, just south of Birmingham, Alabama. Prior to this position, he served as a high school principal, as an assistant principal, and as a teacher and coach. He has written two books with Todd Whitaker which were released last month. (Essential Truths for Teachers and Essential Truths for Principals) In the fall, Steele will begin teaching full time at the University of Montevallo in the department of Instructional Leadership. He resides with his wife and three children in Birmingham, Alabama. We talk with Danny about his book Essential Truths For Teachers, how he helps teachers connect with students, and how he champions for the teachers at his school.

John & Houston have some fun and talk about the first thing that comes to mind on different School Culture & Climate topics. Topics: Hallways, Cafeteria, Custodian, Spirit Swag, Funniest speech moment.