The Interview Chair

In this heartfelt interview, Amy Harksen shares her journey as a school counselor, leader, and advocate for students and staff. Discover practical strategies for building trust, leading teams, and connecting with families to create a positive school culture.

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with former school Athletic Director Stephen Speck. Whether you are an AD, school leader, or parent of a student athlete, this interview offers meaningful insight to help all of us build a community where our players, performers, parents, coaches, and administrators experience the joy of competition and the benefits that comes from being a part of a team. 

In this episode, Jimmy reflects on challenges that come with leading a school in the last month of the calendar year, causing us sometimes to move quickly and create undercurrents that impact staff morale in negative ways. He also shares his views on hiring, evaluations and reinforces a powerful leadership lesson that every leader needs to remember when dealing with difficult staff decisions.

In this episode, Jimmy calls for educators to lead with empathy, recognizing that students and colleagues often carry unseen pain that influences their behavior. Rather than reacting to actions alone, schools should create a “soft place to land” by building trust, showing compassion, and intentionally supporting both the emotional and academic needs of everyone in the community. By doing so, educators can foster stronger relationships, improve school culture, and help others move forward despite their challenges.

Avoiding tough conversations can turn small issues into major conflicts. In this episode, Jimmy shares practical strategies to help you initiate those conversations and build a culture of open communication and trust.

In this episode, Jimmy reminds decision-makers that the more staff and students who have their “fingerprints on the sculpture” to determine the vision, design, and implementation for the culturized classroom and school, the more likely we are to get the positive results we desire. A positive school culture is the collective responsibility of everyone within the school community.

In this episode, Jimmy challenges listeners to reflect on how they are responding to disruptive student behaviors and provides several practical examples for you to consider. 
 
 

Most educators feel overwhelmed by challenging behaviors — but what if changing the approach could turn chaos into connection? Dr. Bethany Bilidou, an expert in human behavior and creator of the "Ease the Pain in the Classroom" framework, shares surprising strategies that empower teachers to defuse crises in seconds and build resilience in even the most difficult students.

In this episode, Jimmy shares how educators are facing fatigue as they enter the final stretch of the school year. He reminds us that if we want students to stay focused and continue to work hard, then we, as educators, need to do the same. Jimmy shares specific steps that we can take to regain momentum and continue to move forward so we no longer feel like we are just hanging on. 

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with his wife, Kheila Casas, to reflect on her journey and passion for education. Together, they discuss the value of giving others permission, the importance of instructional clarity, and offer insights on balancing leadership and family life with intention and purpose.