E59-Paul Neubauer (Teamworks) Podcast

NewTech High Podcast
October 21, 2026

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NOTE: All NewTech High podcasts are now on Spotify. If you use Spotify, you can just search NewTech and it will be the first thing that comes up. We are working on getting the podcast on YouTube as well. There is one on our YouTube Channel right now, Ric Dressen and Quantum Bridge Solutions. Search NewTech High Podcast w/Patrick Walsh

Today, we welcomed Paul Neubauer, a Senior Consultant from Teamworks on the NewTech High podcast. Paul started by talking about how his entry into education was influenced by a childhood of frequent moves (13 times during K-12) and a desire to help students who, because of their experiences, may not be as well-connected to school.

Paul served as an English/German teacher for 16 years in Mandan and Devils Lake, ND and then in Princeton. He then did a plethora of different roles in his 28 years administrative career in St. Francis ending with 8 years as Superintendent at Foley. Paul has been with Teamworks the last three years. 

Paul Neubauer Podcast

The conversation centered on Paul’s career in education and his current work with TeamWorks, a consultancy that helps school districts implement strategic change. Paul detailed a process that starts with identifying Desired Daily Experiences for students, staff, and parents, then building three-year continuous improvement plans with measurable strategies. He emphasized a growth mindset and intellectual curiosity as essential for both students and educators to improve outcomes.

While hosting Paul on this podcast, I was reminded of so many of those attributes that have made him successful in all walks of his educational career. He is thoughtful and eminently patient. If we were to award points for effective word choice in his communications, Paul would be a poster child for that. He has a clear communication style and strong interpersonal skills. He is another one of those people that I have watched who was successful in navigating the transitions from coaching students and athletes to adults and systems.

Summary of TeamWorks Podcast

• Experience-First Approach: Paul discussed how TeamWorks begins by conducting focus groups and surveys with students, parents, and staff to identify the desired daily experiences they want in school, rather than starting with administrative strategies.
• Alignment and Scope: He clearly advocates for well-aligned systems where skills and expectations are sequenced logically (e.g., a scope and sequence for basketball or math) so students can navigate the system effectively.
• Three-Year Continuous Improvement Plans: Strategic actions are organized into three-year cycles, allowing districts to evaluate if a strategy is working, discard it if it isn't, or integrate it into standard practice if it is successful.
• Implementation Tools: TeamWorks uses action cards to align strategies with desired experiences and core values, assigning responsibility, timelines, and success measures. Vision cards are used to anticipate and evaluate outcomes.

Data and Measurement

• Mantra: Paul operates on the principle that "if it can happen, it can be measured."
• Formative and Summative Data: Strategies are measured both during implementation (formative) and at the end of the year (summative) to allow for quick adjustments.
• Contextualizing Data: Paul shared an example where heart rate monitors showed that high school students playing tennis in PE were not reaching target heart zones, leading the school to reframe tennis as a skill/coordination activity rather than a primary fitness tool.
• Outcome Evaluation: Patrick and Paul discussed the need to determine if specific metrics (like MCA scores) truly define success or if other outcomes are more relevant for certain students.

Growth Mindset and Core Values

• Growth Mindset: Paul believes that while nature and nurture both play a role, schools must provide the conduits for students to amplify their natural abilities.

• TeamWorks Core Values:

  • Abundance: Seeing strengths, opportunities, and assets in every person and organization.
  • Growth: Being inquisitive and focused on continuous improvement.
• Intellectual Curiosity: Paul highlighted the importance of educators remaining curious about how to improve their practice, citing a retiring teacher who discovered a more effective way to teach accounting in his final two weeks.