In episode 143 of the Leader of Learning Podcast, Dr. Dan Kreiness (@dr_kreiness) interviews Allyson Apsey (@AllysonApsey), a principal, state leader on the executive board for the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association (MEMSPA), district leadership coach, and author of the new book, “Leading the Whole Teacher.” In the episode, Allyson discusses the six pillars of how leaders can support the whole educator, how to not make teacher evaluations feel so punitive, and creating a professional environment free from gossip.

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About Allyson Apsey

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for 24 years; an award-winning school leader for 19 of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable, and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the answers.

Despite the fact that she never wanted to set foot in a school again after high school graduation, there is nowhere else she’d rather spend her days than in classrooms. In fact, she didn’t even have a chair at her desk because she was moving around the school all day long. The challenges and delights of being a principal filled her days with joy. She enjoyed nothing more than helping others be the very best they can be.

After 19 years as a school, district and state leader, Allyson is an associate with Creative Leadership Solutions, where she works with districts and schools across the nation to improve performance at every level from the classroom to the boardroom with evidence, passion, and results. She also travels to spread her #SerendipityEDU message across the country.

Recognizing the significant impact trauma has had on many of our students, staff and families, Allyson became a Certified Trauma Practitioner in Education. The supports students affected by trauma need are beneficial to all students because they are grounded in a foundational core of strong, positive relationships based on trust. Allyson is also a leadership coach and an educator wellness coach.

She was honored to serve on the Executive Board of Directors for MEMSPA (Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association) as both the State & Federal Relations Coordinator and the Professional Development Chairperson.

Allyson writes on a blog called Serendipity in Education and has authored several books–The Path to Serendipity, the picture book The Princes of Serendip, and Through the Lens of Serendipity: Helping Others Discover the Best in Themselves and a middle-grades chapter book called The Serendipity Journal. She also loves speaking to passionate groups of educators as everyone works to be happy and effective people for the benefit of everyone.