Anne Schaefer-Salinas is a 3rd year administrator and 20+ year educator who currently works at an all-girls high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Anne currently serves as the Associate Principal, directing all curricular programs including educational technology. She works hard to be a connected educator herself and to keep up with ed tech trends in order to model and lead for the faculty, students, and parents. Anne is also passionate about integrating Design Thinking and problem-based learning (PBL) into the classroom. To this end, she regularly presents at CUE (Computer Using Educators) and Google Apps For Education (GAFE) events working to share her message with other Administrators. When not visiting classrooms, learning about the latest Google hack, or connecting with her awesome PLN, Anne can be found watching baseball with her son, binge-watching tv with her husband, or reading at her local Starbucks, chai tea in hand.
Anne shares a little about her background, family, and choosing education as a second career as an outgrowth of her volunteer efforts working with teenagers, and how moving into administration was the best decision she ever made (2:13)
Anne talks about the gift she gave herself when she completed her master’s degree – going skydiving! And the two powerful insights she gained from that experience (6:20)
Deciding to move into education from a first career in hospitality management (15:34)
The joys of substitute teaching Spanish for a year with a master’s in history (19:38)
Why Anne’s background in business was a strong foundation for school administration (21:56)
Some of the biggest struggles Anne faced in the early days of her admin career and what she learned from them (23:43)
A supportive spouse is critical to success for school leaders, especially in the early years (30:25)
One of Anne’s proudest moments from her career in education administration (34:23)
Two keys to maintaining a close connection to students after moving into administration (43:07)
Why moving from teaching to administration is worth the hard work and struggles (46:04)
The best leadership advice Judy has ever been given (47:43)
You’ve got to be passionate about educating kids to succeed in school administration (48:10)
Anne recommends her favorite books (48:48)
Ann’s favorite quote – Better mistakes than paralysis (49:44)
Her advice for school administrators on working with students (50:42)
Tips for school admins on working with the teachers in your building (51:28)
If Anne had a time machine, here’s the advice she would go back and give her younger self when she was just starting out in school administration (54:46)
Books mentioned in this episode
Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change
Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times
Connect with Anne Schaefer-Salinas
About EducatorsLead:
Educators Lead is a podcast created to help launch educators into the next level of leadership. This show is for you if you are interested in educational leadership as an assistant principal, principal, superintendent, teacher or someone who hopes to be a school leader one day. Educators Lead offers inspiration and practical advice to help you lead more effectively. Jay Willis interviews school leaders weekly to discuss why and when these educators made the decision to move into school leadership, challenges along the journey, and stories that made it all worthwhile. Educators Lead is a great resource for any educator looking to make a greater impact.
Educate. Inspire. Lead.
