Education Leadership and Beyond: Surviving &amp; Thriving

Check out my book:

The Principal: Surviving and Thriving 125 Points of Wisdom, Practical Tips, and Relatable Stories for All Leaders.

Found on andrewmarotta.com, amazon, and all online retailers. Now available in kindle edition. Audible edition found here

Monday, June 18, 2018

#49: Education Leadership & Beyond with guest Paul Rickard: 17 inches or Flexibility?

Education Leadership and Beyond:

Surviving & Thriving with Andrew Marotta

Blog &Podcast #49: 17 Inches or Flexibility? with guest
Paul Rickard

This weeks sponsor: !1106 Design Website for 1106 Design

Thanks to Michele DeFilippo and her company 1106 Design. They did a great job helping me get my book off the ground and into print, online, and ready to go at all sellers. She provided awesome customer service to me, especially as someone who was brand new to all of this: book writing, websites, etc. They specialize in all things self-publishing: book formatting, editing, cover design, website creation, etc etc...& most important honesty, fairness, and integrity! Give her a shout out and let her know you found her by listening/reading on Education Leadership & Beyond and she'll take care of you!

I recently read an article entitled Stay at 17 Inches & the gist of the article is about holding people accountable--holding kids accountable to the letter of the law...That a strike is a strike in baseball and that we have to stop making accomodations for different situations. No deviations from rules or laws...It is what it is.

The article generated a lot of conversation with educators about rules, accountability, and standards. I feel strongly about these aspects of my job as Principal as well as my job as a college basketball official. I am charged with enforcing the rules and the consequences that go along with those rules. While I agree with many aspects of the article, I feel strongly that life is not that simple...I feel people deserve a chance, and maybe even a second chance sometimes. I believe in progressive discipline where someone who does not get into a lot of trouble may not get the same punishment as someone who has a lot of discipline. This is similar to a copy who may NOT give someone a ticket who has a clean driving record and someone with many tickets and such may get that ticket. I believe in the concept of treating everyone fairly, not exactly the same. A student who has a family member with a severe illness deserves some compassion and understanding with a dose of flexibility, while maybe someone who does not have those life circumstances does not.

I discuss this concept and more with Chief of Mt. Hope Police and College Sports Official Paul Rickard. He balances enforcing the rules as written vs. the life scenarios that come his way...in real life and on the courts and fields

He shares stories about his role as a leader, father, police officer, and a college basketball & lacrosse official.

Enjoy the Podcasts: Facebook Link #49 with Paul Rickard
Itunes Link

Book Recommendation: Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run

Quote: You can't misquote silence!

**Contact me if you are interested in sponsoring the show & blog!

Enjoy the podcast. Order your copy of The Principal: Surviving and Thriving today! Click here

LOOKING TO BOOK ANDREW FOR YOUR NEXT ADMINISTRATIVE RETREAT?: Click here for more information.

Go out and change the world for the better!

Andrew Marotta

Check out my book:

The Principal: Surviving and Thriving 125 Points of Wisdom, Practical Tips, and Relatable Stories for All Leaders.

Found on andrewmarotta.com, amazon, and all online retailers. Now available in kindle edition. Audible edition found here

Sunday, June 10, 2018

#48 Education Leadership & Beyond: with OC Legend Tony DiMarco

Education Leadership and Beyond:

Surviving & Thriving with Andrew Marotta

This weeks sponsor:
The Coaching & Leadership Journal edited by Dan Spainhour: order your 12 month subscription today with a 20% discount for Ed Leadership & Beyond listeners: use code ELB20. This is fantastic resource for all leaders with over 20 stories, articles, quotes,and reflections. Leadership Publishing Team Website

Blog #48: Go with your gut!

So Mr. DiMarco asks me, "If I called your supervisor, what would he or she say?" I was honest with Tony and said that she and I did not see eye to eye on things and probably would not speak too highly of me. It was a tough answer but the honest one.

This was during my interview for Assistant Principal with Tony DiMarco, the Principal of Port Jervis HS at the time. I was hoping that my answer did not seal a negative fate for me. What happened next was astonishing. A few days later, Tony called me and offered me the position and off we went. He shared later, that my former supervisor did indeed give me a negative review. So negative in fact, that Mr. DiMarco finally said to her sternly, do you have anything positive to say about him because I'm going to hire him? She told him that I come to work on time!!!!

The point of the story and of this blog is that sometimes you have to trust your gut...Most times I would say because it is usually correct. Tony trusted his instincts in that moment did not go with what the lady was saying about me. He believed in me, he believed in his judgement, and went with it. I am so grateful to Tony that he had the fortitude to trust his gut and make the decision that has shaped my life the past 14 years!

As a leader we have to make decisions often, sometimes very quickly. Use your gut. Trust your instincts. Take input from others, ask around, listen, ask questions--but at the end of the day, when it is decision time, go with your gut! You will be right most times!

Podcast #48: Go with your gut:Facebook Live Link
Itunes Link

Quote: The dog may bark but the caravan moves on.

Hubie Brown

Book Recommendation: Throw the Ball High by Mickey Crowley

Enjoy the podcast. Order your copy of The Principal: Surviving and Thriving today! Click here

LOOKING TO BOOK ANDREW FOR YOUR NEXT ADMINISTRATIVE RETREAT?: Click here for more information.

Go out and change the world for the better!

Andrew Marotta

Check out my book:

The Principal: Surviving and Thriving 125 Points of Wisdom, Practical Tips, and Relatable Stories for All Leaders.

Found on andrewmarotta.com, amazon, and all online retailers. Now available in kindle edition. Audible edition found here

Sunday, June 3, 2018

#47 Education Leadership & Beyond" The Greatest Showman with guests Tessa & Matthew Marotta

Education Leadership and Beyond:

Surviving & Thriving with Andrew Marotta

Blog &Podcast #47: The Greatest Showman with guests Tessa & Matthew Marotta

Super excited to have on my too younger children on the show: Matthew 11 & Tessa Marotta 7. They watch Dad each week on the podcast and it was finally their turn! They are both fun loving, bright kids. My family is so blessed to have such great children along with their big sister Claire. Shout out to their teachers at Shohola Elementary in Milford, PA: Mr. Justin Bowman is Tessa's 1st grade teacher and Mrs. Ann Fagan is Matthew’s 3rd grade teacher. Both are fantastic educators for my children and the children of our community. They challenge them, engage them, and help them love to learn. #greatteachers! Happy birthday Tessa & Matthew!

One of our family traditions is Friday night pizza and movie. We love to just chil-lax and watch a great movie together as a family. Now that the kids are getting older, there are more top movies we can watch together. A few weeks ago, we selected the Greatest Showman starring Hugh Jackman. It highlights the story of PT Barnum and his rise and fall and rise up again to fame and glory. He was a dreamer, and innovation, and someone who brought out the best in others.

As soon as the movie was over, I jotted down some thoughts about the movie—life lessons from the movie that we could all use to make us better—make us believe more in ourselves, and reach for things and places we never dreamed possible:

1. Chase your dreams

2. Don’t be embarrassed by where you came from: PT’s Dad was a poor seamstress who did not have much. When he passed PT was homeless for a while until he worked his way to stardom.

3. Be loyal: PT picked out his staff and they went on to do great things. When, PT strayed and chased a different dream, his friends remained loyal to him and gave him another chance.
4. Don’t lose sight of your family—Keep them # 1.
5. Don’t be afraid to task risks, afraid of failure: PT failed over and over in the film—he reinvented, and did it again better than the first.
6. Believe in yourself—If you don’t, then who will?
7. See the good in others.
8. There is such a thing as true love.

It is a fantastic movie so I recommend spending two hours to watch it. It is time well spent!

Enjoy the Podcasts: Itunes Link
Facebook live link

Book Recommendation: 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad by Jay Payleitner

**Contact me if you are interested in sponsoring the show & blog!

Enjoy the podcast. Order your copy of The Principal: Surviving and Thriving today! Click here

LOOKING TO BOOK ANDREW FOR YOUR NEXT ADMINISTRATIVE RETREAT?: Click here for more information.

Go out and change the world for the better!

Andrew Marotta