On The Way To School

Good morning, and welcome to another episode of On the Way to School. Host Dr. Chris Dennis celebrates College Tuition Deposit Day, shares excitement about visiting his alma mater after 25 years to speak with students, and reflects on personal stories, from being a teenage parent to playing college football, to inspire young people. He also marks the podcast's 200th episode and thanks listeners for their support.

Episode 200!  Dr. Dennis celebrates a personal family milestone, reflects on end-of-year school rhythms, and then focuses on the importance of authentic recognition and rewards for faculty.
Using survey findings and classroom visit anecdotes, he emphasizes low-cost, meaningful practices—sincere thank-yous, supervisor acknowledgment, and intentional presence—and urges schools to include recognition in strategic planning and budgets.

On The Way To School host Dr. Chris Dennis breaks down how to approach raises and promotions, especially for educators navigating step scales and limited negotiation windows.Learn what percentage counts as a good raise, how to identify the exact number you want, use industry comparables, and weigh whether a job change is worth the disruption.

Dr. Chris Dennis explores how crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to power outages and wildfires, serve as an informal curriculum for school leaders, revealing lessons in decision-making, responsibility, and community care.
He shares personal experiences, the costs of crisis leadership, and practical advice on building support systems and self-care strategies to sustain resilience in educational roles.

Host Dr. Chris Dennis reflects on the silence that follows graduation and offers practical encouragement for graduates and parents. He reframes post-commencement uncertainty as transition, not failure, and suggests breathing room, self-reflection, and community support.References include his book Lonely Graduation and journal prompts to help graduates process next steps and steady their transition into post-school life.

Dr. Chris Dennis offers a short check-in for educators and administrators, acknowledging the unseen work leaders do, the complexity behind decisions, and the importance of recognizing effort across teams.He encourages listeners to finish April strong, celebrate small wins, and take care of themselves as they head into May.

Dr. Chris Dennis explores how racial identity and other invisible identifiers shape decision-making in K–12 independent school boardrooms and why boards cannot simply set identity aside when governing.He introduces the idea of culturally affirming board governance, outlines how identity affects participation and policy, and offers practical considerations for training and equity-focused oversight.

Welcome to On The Way To School with Dr. Chris Dennis — a quick episode for educators to reflect on career and leadership. Dr. Dennis argues that leadership is not a future promise but a responsibility in the present, urging listeners to evaluate how they communicate, document, and take accountability in their current roles.He offers practical reflections on temperament, communication, and holding others accountable, and leaves educators with the question: How are you leading right now?

In this episode of On The Way To School, Dr. Chris Dennis launches the new "Dear Graduate" segment and focuses on the idea of the finish line as a real but recurring transition. He encourages graduates to view completion as a handoff to the next version of themselves, to be intentional, ask questions, and use available resources without striving for perfection.He also reflects on life after advanced degrees—how research can be applied through practice, consulting, or publishing, and how the boundaries of academic work change after graduation as you move into new phases of professional life.

As the school year ends, leaders face heightened accountability—contracts, budgets, enrollment, and outcomes drive tough conversations across independent schools.Use data and clear policy, anticipate questions, and explain context rather than react defensively. Dissect power dynamics, avoid stonewalling, and be willing to find answers to build trust and keep staff engaged.