Jessica Johnson is the 2014 Wisconsin Elementary School Principal of the Year, where she is still a school Principal and District Assessment Coordinator. She is passionate about school leadership and supporting leaders to be the most impactful leader of their school possible. She has previously taught in Minnesota, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree at Bemidji State University. She taught and worked as an instructional coach and assistant principal in Arizona, earning her master’s degree at Arizona State University. Jessica is also an adjunct professor in the Educational Leadership Department at Viterbo University.

She is the co-author of several books: Balance Like a Pirate (Burgess, 2018), The Coach Approach to School Leadership (ASCD, 2017) , Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader (Corwin, 2015) and has a self-published childrens novel, Adventures in Blockworld: A Novel for the Young Minecraft Fans . She co-moderates the #CoachApproach chat on Twitter and also co-hosts the # PrincipalPLN Podcast . You can follow Jessica on Twitter as @PrincipalJ or contact her at jessica@principalj.net.

Jessica has presented nationally at ASCD and the National Principals Conference and also in school districts, both rural and urban. Jessica’s engaging keynotes will leave you inspired and equipped with practical strategies to improve your leadership today.

Sarah Johnson has been an educator in Northwest Wisconsin since 2004, first as an English Teacher and then as a building principal at all building levels. Sarah is passionate about leadership and developing leaders into the best version of themselves to lead at home, work, and life. Sarah seeks this balance in her own life by pursuing passions such as running and writing, focusing on family with her two young daughters, and honing leadership skills through networking, teaching, and learning. To seek balance in her own life, she has maintained a daily running streak since July 11, 2014 and developed into a marathon runner over that time. She is known to burst out into song both in daily conversation and during meetings, so be prepared to want to join in. Sarah believes that leadership is a calling and she is proud to answer every day!

As a classroom teacher, Sarah was honored as being designated twice as The Most Influential Teacher. She has facilitated sessions in partnership with K-12 and technical college instructors around assessment practices. In 2015, her leadership was recognized as the building she led was designated as a Title I School of Recognition. In 2018, she was a Kohl Foundation Leadership Award State Finalist.

Sarah is a co-author of Balance Like a Pirate , was a featured speaker at the National Principal Conference in 2018, and contributed to Peter DeWitt’s Collaborative Leadership: Six Influences that Matter Most and Adam Welcome’s Run Like a Pirate. She has appeared on the Principal PLN and Better Leaders Better Schools Podcasts. Sarah holds an unwavering belief in the importance of the message she shares with participants and readers about seeking balance and building resiliency and transformation within their own lives to be the best leaders they can be at home, work, and life.

Like a PIRATE™ Speaking Series

Sessions below can be presented as a keynote, breakout session, or extended into a full day workshop.

Balance Like a Pirate: The Magic Behind Discovering Work/Life Balance

There’s no question that every school leader faces challenges on the job with ever increasing demands that lead to stress and put us all at risk for burnout. School leaders often define themselves through servant leadership, tending to put others’ needs above their

own and even end up sacrificing much of their personal time for their careers.

This keynote session will inspire school leaders to examine where they are pouring energies and draining themselves out as well as where they can make room to reignite flames in their lives that have fizzled. Want to reallocate your time and become the best version of YOU? Let’s Balance Like a Pirate. Attendees are sure to leave feeling re-energized and empowered to intentionally lead a more fulfilling balance at work, home, and life.

Women Seeking Balance to Thrive in Leadership and Life

Women carry a variety of titles and those of us in leadership understand how competing they can be. Wife, Mom, School Leader, Sister, Daughter, CarPool Chauffeur, and Friend…Let’s be real…even if we are fortunate to have partners who also work, it seems women tend to carry a substantial and heavy load at work and home.

Too often we find ourselves spinning through life and suddenly realize we have forgotten the title that preceded all of the rest. Self.

Being a school leader is a challenging role for anyone, yet trying to balance it all as a woman in leadership is a layer that only women fully understand. This keynote session on seeking balance to thrive in leadership and life will leave attendees feeling rejuvenated and ready to rock those titles!

Resilient Leaders: Why We Need to Be Champions for All Students

We all have personal stories that ink the pages of our lives and develop the plotline for how we came to be in our profession. With the same last name, but not related, Jessica and Sarah, highlight how kids who grow up in homes with abuse and neglect can become resilient leaders.

During this keynote, we share our personal stories, relationship building tips, research, culturally responsive practices, and bold acts of caring encouragement to inspire attendees to become the champion for their students and encourage them to become future resilient leaders.