Start the new year with a clean slate and a smarter plan for leading your school. We kick off season two by inviting members to share their best campus ideas on the show and by laying out concrete support you can plug in right away. From statewide cohorts to targeted coaching and a literacy series that finally gives writing the airtime it deserves, the focus is practical help that saves hours and moves student learning.

We explain how our February needs assessment guides next year’s professional learning, then dig into two pillars: the Aspiring Principals Academy and the New Principal Institute. Splitting cohorts north and south opened access across the state, while new leaders in years one through four get a durable network plus face time with voices from the Department of Education, PSC, and GOSA. That mix of peer support and agency insight turns policy into practice and makes it easier to navigate certification, accountability, and reporting with confidence.

Leadership coaching takes center stage next. Our one‑day training with three short follow‑ups walks you through a full coaching cycle focused on adult growth, not compliance. You’ll build listening and questioning skills, practice in a safe setting, and leave with tools you can use with APs, teacher leaders, and teams. We also share time management tactics principals can start tomorrow: time blocking for morning presence and classroom visits, reverse time blocking to reveal hidden patterns, and email sprints that stop constant inbox checking. Round it out with our spring literacy webinar series on writing, plus a weekly Capitol update that keeps you ready to advocate on funding and policy.

Ready to lead with more clarity and less chaos? Subscribe for season two, share this episode with a colleague who needs these tools, and leave a quick review so more school leaders can find us.

Ready for a clear look at what leaders need next? We close the fall season with Cindy Flesher and a practical preview of Winter GAEL, our three-day gathering in Athens that puts member voice at the center. From the first survey response to the final agenda, every session is built to solve problems you face right now—recruiting talent, leading change, raising student outcomes, and reclaiming time.

We dig into four focused strands that make the conference easy to navigate and hard to forget. Building the bench shares how districts grow great educators and future leaders with real systems, not slogans. Leading forward highlights innovation, agility, and strategic change, with examples you can adapt. Driving student outcomes brings proven leadership moves you can use on Monday. Reclaiming time explores practical tools, including AI, to reduce friction and keep attention on what matters most. You’ll also hear why we expanded breakouts in response to your feedback, how we selected 39 sessions from a record 88 proposals, and what materials will be available afterward.

Keynotes bring depth and humanity. Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis focuses on resilience and moving forward after crisis. Joe Sanfelippo, former national superintendent of the year, shares how to champion people and culture. Brandon Fleming, author of Miseducated and a Harvard debate coach, offers a powerful story of second chances and high expectations. We also preview live Q&A opportunities with the presenters from our popular finance webinar series, plus anticipated updates from state leaders and the Department of Education.

If you’re new, we’ve got your back. We talk through how to make the most of affiliate meetings, hallway conversations, and the Sunday reception to build a network that actually helps when the job gets tough. Registration is open, and hotel rooms at the Hyatt and the new Marriott near the Classic Center go fast—book early to stay close. Subscribe, share with a colleague who needs this community, and leave a quick review to help more Georgia leaders find us.

If leadership is a muscle, this conversation is the workout plan. We sit down with the team from UGA’s Fanning Institute to unpack Youth Lead Georgia—a statewide program that starts with a three‑day kickoff in Athens and expands into a year of hands‑on learning, industry immersion, and post‑secondary exploration. From team building and self‑awareness to a multi‑day bus tour across Georgia, we trace how students grow from curious participants into confident contributors who can read a room, read a community, and take action.

What makes this model stand out is its intentional mix of access and relevance. Selection hinges on short‑answer reflections, not GPAs, opening the door to students with emerging potential. Each session pairs leadership skills with local context: visits to technical colleges and universities, insights from the military, and on‑site industry experiences that reveal the jobs powering Georgia’s economy. The Phoenix Air visit in Cartersville—a company that transported Ebola patients and handled a high‑profile repatriation—shows students that global impact can start right here at home.

We also get practical. Hear how Oconee County High School tailored modules, shifted to student‑led group interviews, and balanced grade levels to keep momentum strong. Learn how districts around the state adapt schedules to avoid class conflicts, run leadership councils that span middle and high school, and even introduce K‑5 students to age‑appropriate leadership. The Youth Lead Georgia Summit takes it further by inviting representation from all 159 counties, elevating youth voices on the issues they face today and turning those insights into direction for schools and communities.

Ready to bring this to your campus or district? Connect with UGA Fanning on LinkedIn and social at @UGAFanning, and reach out to Lauren and Jason via the UGA Fanning website to set up a Zoom. If this conversation sparked ideas, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators and community leaders can find it.