What actually changes a school—policies on paper or people in the building? We sit down with Jay Floyd to map the moments that matter, from his first days as a biology teacher and coach to leading large high schools and a district. Jay is candid about the hard parts of leadership, the joy of seeing students thrive, and the simple rule that guides his decisions: love students enough to set clear standards and follow through.

We explore the high-velocity world of the assistant principal, where relationships are everything and consistency earns trust. Jay shares how the principal’s chair shifts the view: every decision, big or small, rolls uphill. He lays out a practical playbook—hire 100 percent better each cycle, treat discipline as caring structure, and build teams that outlast any one leader. His approach to instructional growth is hands-on and respectful: classroom cameras owned by teachers, district-level academic coaches with real authority, and a culture where colleagues swap videos and feedback because teaching is a craft.

When Jay returns home as superintendent, strategy becomes system. With a unified board and a clear plan, he anchors a College and Career Academy on the high school campus and ties attendance and graduation to purpose. Students plug into pathways and organizations that give them a reason to show up, from game design to industry certifications, and results follow—higher engagement, stronger scores, and a community that feels the impact. Threading through every chapter is a question printed on a t-shirt and embedded in the culture: Do you love them enough?

If you lead a classroom, a school, or a district, this conversation offers a grounded, repeatable blueprint. Subscribe, share with a colleague who’s stepping into a new role, and leave a review to help more educators find these tools and stories.