Top 6 of 2026 | Season 2 Compilation

Featured Episodes & Draft Picks Pick Guest & Leadership Role Featured Highlight & Episode Link #1 Dr. John VanWagoner (Superintendent, Traverse City Area Public Schools) Innovating Mid-Flight with Dr. John VanWagoner Randy’s top pick emphasizes the necessary rhythm of shifting between active work on the "dance floor" and systemic foresight from the "balcony." #2 Michelle Barry (Director, Ignite Pathways) Upskilling the Future and Closing the Engagement Gap with Michelle Barry Ben highlights a powerful lesson from rural Iowa on leading with vulnerability and treating iteration as your continuous growth curve. #3 Dr. Sean Williams (Superintendent, Eaton RESA) Authentic Leadership: Moving from Knowledge to Wisdom with Dr. Sean Williams Randy highlights why leaders must reject "code-switching" and focus on building high-trust environments rooted in a shared purpose. #4 Janelle Duffey (Principal, Fruitport Schools) School Culture By Design | Janelle Duffey | Fruitport Schools Ben revisits what real culture looks like—moving it off the poster boards and turning it into something palpable that you feel the moment you walk inside. #5 Joshua Smith (Principal, Orchard View Middle School) Lead with Belonging | Creating School Culture Where Every Student Thrives Randy brings back the vital "plate capacity" analogy, challenging administrators to actively take things off an overwhelmed teacher's plate. #6 Paul Klimza (Principal, Reeths-Puffer Elementary) Trauma-Invested Leadership: Moving from Unseen to Empowered Ben closes out the draft with a beautiful reminder of the sheer weight, responsibility, and opportunity found daily in public education. Never miss an episode of School Leadership Insights. Subscribe to Standing Tall: Voices in Leadership on Simplecast or your favorite podcast app!