NewTech High--It is Personal!

NewTech High Podcast June 24, 2026 This morning, I hosted Dr. Joe Hill,  speaker, author, educational leadership consultant, and founder of the Higher Performance Group, whose career spans nearly three decades as a campus and district leader in K–12 and higher education, including HS Principal at  Alexandria, Assistant Superintendent in Duluth, and Superintendent at Sartell.  Podcast Link A first-generation college graduate and two-sport collegiate athlete, Dr. Hill rose through the ranks as both a principal and superintendent before turning his focus to a challenge he observed repeatedly throughout his career: brilliant individuals forming average teams. At age 45, a pivotal personal life event prompted him to redirect his lifework toward solving what he calls the "Individual Brilliance Ceiling" — the phenomenon where a team's smartest members inadvertently become the ceiling on its collective performance. Drawing on research across nearly 1,000 leadership teams, he deve...

NewTech High Podcast June 16, 2026 Brandon Wait Podcast (Paladin PCTHS) I had the good fortune of hosting Brandon Wait, Executive Director of Paladin Career and Technical High School. Brandon has been at Paladin for 18 years under several iterations. You can't get a full flavor of his work until you hear this podcast, as well as a site visit. Even a visit to his office was instructive, which is briefly talked about in this podcast. I really enjoyed the session. He is uniquely thoughtful about his counseling approach to students. His skills in that area have certainly parlayed toward his leadership of this really unique high school.  Today's Podcast w/Brandon Brandon really does a great job of explaining his belief and practice around the idea of learner-centered. In fact, he corrects me when I mention student-centered. This is like Brittany Griffin from LCC, Bill Sommers and Jay Haugen. When you think of learner-centered, you are embracing the idea that everyone in the building...

NewTech High Podcast June 3, 2026 Today's Podcast w/Steven Rippe      Today, we held our podcast with Steven Rippe, Executive Director of EdVisions.  Steven has 30 years of experience working with individuals and teams to build and implement innovative learning and workplace cultures that are in alignment with their mission and vision.  His passion is helping each individual become their best.  A successful science teacher, school principal and university administrator, Steven works with students and educators to create nationally recognized schools, led by teams who transform themselves into high performing, joyful, learning organizations grounded in Hope Theory.  EdVisions website Podcast Link:  (click here) In this podcast, Steven shared information on so many terms and topics. He also corrected me during the podcast when I made some distinction between public schools and charter schools. Of course, they are both public.  Steven has a grea...

NewTech High Blogpost Tuesday, June 1 “The legitimate object of government,” he wrote, “is to do for the people what needs to be done, but which they can not, by individual effort, do at all, or do so well, by themselves.” Abraham Lincoln Wednesday's Podcast Tomorrow's Podcast: Steven Rippe, Executive Director, EdVisions, 1pm on the Zoom Link Steven has 30 years of experience working with individuals and teams to build and implement innovative learning and workplace cultures that are in alignment with their mission and vision.  His passion is helping each individual become their best.  A successful science teacher, school principal and university administrator, Steven works with students and educators to create nationally recognized schools, led by teams who transform themselves into high performing, joyful, learning organizations grounded in Hope Theory. EdVisions website The End of Another School Year I am looking out over a beautiful playful morning and early afternoon here...