Join host Cate Tolnai on The Bridge as she reconnects with Jay Greenlinger for an inspiring conversation about servant leadership, staying human in administration, and creating climates of care that transform schools! 🌟

🎯 What You'll Discover:

From Summer Camps to District Leadership 📚

• Jay's journey from teacher to dean to principal—and the surprising pivot when his superintendent asked him to lead the district's one-to-one device rollout
• Why he insisted on changing his title to "Director of Instructional Technology" (keeping learning, not just devices, at the center)
• The parallels between the "age of Google" and today's AI explosion—teachers once worried kids would "just Google the answers," now it's "they'll just ChatGPT it"
• How leading through the one-to-one rollout prepared him for understanding today's AI challenges in schools
• Navigating the avalanche of post-pandemic accountability: LCAP, ESSER, ELO-P, LRBG—and presenting massive plans at every board meeting
• Why environmental education isn't political—"Whether or not you agree that we're the cause, you have to agree that we're the solution"

The Art of Humanizing Leadership 🤝

• Jay's secret to hiring great people: reading people quickly and recognizing their "magic piece"
• Why he'd rather lift others up than receive accolades himself—watching people grow hits the same place in the heart as seeing students learn
• The power of "If you were me, what would you do?"—turning disagreements into collaborative problem-solving
• Working in "right-size districts" where you can drive six minutes to any school and build authentic relationships
• How to stay grounded as a leader: don't take teacher frustrations personally, build two-way communication, remember you're picking up dog poop at home too

✨ Key Takeaways:

💫 "Climate of care before outcomes" - Jay's districts prioritized student wellness, environmental education, and what truly mattered to kids—not just test scores
💫 The best way to receive a climate of care is to create it - Even if your district doesn't provide it, you can build it in your classroom, your grade level, your team
💫 Servant leadership works - Lifting others, mentoring future leaders, and getting out of the spotlight creates lasting impact
💫 Stay connected to the work - The farther leaders get from classrooms, the more disconnected they become—Jay's relationships with teachers keep him grounded
💫 Teachers are people too - This mentorship lesson from Leslie Heilbron guides everything Jay does: humanize all the work, extend grace, build authentic relationships
💫 Right-size matters - Working in districts where you can reach every school in six minutes allows for the authentic communication and relationships that transform culture

🔥 Perfect For:

• Educators considering (or avoiding) administration and wondering what the path really looks like
• Leaders struggling to balance accountability pressures with student-centered values
• Anyone trying to build or find a climate of care in their school or district
• Teachers feeling disconnected from district leadership and wondering why
• Leaders who want to stay human as they climb the ladder
• Anyone navigating the AI conversation in schools and looking for historical perspective

Connect with Jay:

🔗 Twitter/X: @JayGreenlinger
🔗 Instagram: @JayGreenlinger
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jay-greenlinger-ed-d-20bb97b/

This conversation is a masterclass in staying human while leading, building systems that last beyond funding cycles, and remembering that education is a humanistic industry—from the kids we serve to the teachers who are people too. Whether you're in the classroom or the district office, Jay's journey reminds us that creating care, not just receiving it, is where transformation begins.

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