Cool Coffee with Kansas Principals
Welcome to Cool Coffee with Kansas Principals! By and for school administrators, this podcast is intended to promote candid discussion and offer insight from a building leader’s perspective. The goal is to bring timely, interesting, comical, and/or relevant conversation for the building principal to enjoy. Brew your coffee and take a sip before it cools...this is Cool Coffee with Kansas Principals.
Episodes
Topic: Common Sense and the Little Things
PreK-8 Principal
Clifton-Clyde Grade and Middle School
USD 224
REGISTER FOR THE 2026 KPA CONFERENCE
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Re...
Perspective Topic: Scoreboards
- Stefanie Lane
- Building Principal
- Lincoln Elementary
- USD 379/ KS
- https://www.facebook.com/lincolncubpride
REGISTER FOR THE 2026 KPA CONFERENCE
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, n...
Episode Summary
Sarah Thomas, 2026 Kansas Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year and current AP at Ross Elementary School in Dodge City, Kansas, shares her journey, insights, and the rewarding challenges of educational leadership. Discover how her dynamic approach and community focus drive success and foster a positive school culture.
Connect with the guest: Sarah Thomas
USD 443 - Dodge City
Topic: Make It Easy to Do the Right Thing
Principal
McPherson Middle School
USD 418 McPherson Public Schools
X - @Mac Middle Pups
FB - @MMSBullpups
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Read m...
Topic: The Almost Mentality
Principal
Olathe Public Schools - USD 233
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Read more about the KPA HERE.
Topic: Maximizing Your Building Leadership Team
Principal Frank Bell
USD231
REGISTER FOR THE 2026 KPA CONFERENCE
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Read more about th...
Topic: The Importance of Trust
Danielle Ambrosia
Assistant Principal - State College Area High School, Pennsylvania 2026 APOY
State College Area School District
@apambrosia on IG
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking,...
Topic: Inspire Greatness
Travis Rogers
Principal
USD259 Wichita, KS
X - @travisrogers83
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Read more about the KPA HERE.
2026 Ohio Assistant Principal of the Year, Deanna Elsing, Associate Principal of Mayfield High School in Mayfield, Ohio*, discusses the innovative "Learn and Earn" program employed at Mayfield High School. This program provides students with paid work experiences in various trades and industries, emphasizing soft skills, career exploration, and real-world readiness. Recorded over the summer, conversation also gets into the differen...
Episode Summary
Principal Justin Coffey from Ulysses High School, USD 214, shares his journey from a high school teacher to a principal, emphasizing the importance of leadership balance, intentionality, and community in education. Discover practical insights on managing school responsibilities and fostering a strong school culture through Justin's "dance floor vs balcony" analogy.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Leave a like and leave a ...
Episode Summary
In this engaging interview, 2026 Louisiana Principal of the Year, Justin Wax of Denham Springs Junior High School, shares insights on leadership, school culture, community engagement, and effective communication strategies that foster a thriving educational environment.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Leave a like and leave a comment for this episode and Cool Coffee with Kansas Principals on your favorite podcast platform...
In this episode, Ariel Jankord shares her insights on building strong PLCs, establishing effective routines at the start of the school year, and creating a positive school culture. She discusses practical strategies for principals to foster collaboration, set expectations, and support staff development.
Connect with Principal Jankord:
Email: Ariel Jankord
More Cool Coffee Episodes Featuring Ariel Jankord:
CC#58: "Leading from the E...
In this episode, Kelly Whitaker, president of the Kansas Principals Association, shares insights on leadership, advocacy, and building community within the educational sector. She discusses upcoming conferences, the importance of networking, and how principals can serve their profession effectively. In addition, Kelly answer fun, quick-hitter questions from host Rick Sola.
Connect with Principal Whittaker:
Email: Kelly Whitaker
In this episode, Kansas Principal and Cool Coffee Host, Rick Sola, wraps up season two of "Cool Coffee," sharing insights on current trends in education technology and AI, while also inviting principals nationwide to engage with the podcast for its upcoming season 3rd season. Connect with our host using the links below!
Cool Coffee Episodes Featuring Discussion on AI: Cool Coffee #31: Artificial Intelligence with Trevor Goertzen
In this episode of Cool Coffee, 2026 Pennsylvania Assistant Principal of the Year, Dr. Danielle Ambrosia, shares her insights on implementing and evolving PBIS in a high school setting. Discover how her team has successfully fostered a positive school culture through innovative strategies like mental health summits, recognition coins, and transparent leadership. Yes, PBIS works in the high schools too!
Connect with the Dr. Ambrosia
...SHOW SUMMARY:
In this heartfelt conversation, two seasoned educators, Mike Wiley, Principal of California Trail Middle School of Olathe Public Schools (USD 233) and Dr. Mark Schmidt, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education in the Blue Valley School District (USD 229), both retiring at the end of the 2025-26 school year, share insights on their careers, leadership, and the evolving landscape of education. They reflect on impac...
In this insightful interview, Dr. Michael Martin, a high school principal and AI enthusiast, shares his journey with AI, its impact on education, and practical strategies for integrating AI responsibly in schools. Discover how AI can be a powerful tool for teachers and students alike, and learn about the innovative approaches at Buckeye Central High School. Principal Martin is also the 2024 Principal of the Year from Ohio and publi...
Principal Derek Cantrell is the 2026 Virginia Principal of the Year from Alleghany High School in the Alleghany Highlands Public School District located in Covington, Virginia. He is also author to the book Better Together: Building One School, One Culture, and One Community from Two Rivals. In this episode of Cool Coffee, Principal Cantrell shares insights on school consolidation, community engagement, and leadership strategies. H...
In this episode of Cool Coffee, Kansas principal Stacey Green shares her journey to retirement, insights on leadership, decision-making, and the importance of self-care in educational leadership.
Connect with the guest: sgreen@usd271.com
Connect on X: @usd271sgs
References from the show: Emily P. Freeman - The Next Right Thing Emily P. Freeman - How to Walk into a Room
In this episode of Cool Coffee with Kansas Principals, host Rick Sola engages with a panel of aspiring administrators from Kansas. They share their motivations for pursuing leadership roles in education, the challenges and excitement they anticipate, and the importance of mentorship and networking in their journeys. The conversation highlights the transformative power of education and the vital role of school leaders in shaping pos...
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