Episode 412

full
Published on:

20th Jun 2025

How to Help High School Students Want to Come to Class — Building a Safe and Welcoming Experience

Summary: Join C.T. and guest Clark Conover, principal of Granada High School in Livermore, California, as they explore the strategies behind maintaining a strong sense of belonging and high attendance rates at a large high school. With 26 years of experience at Granada, Clark shares how the school fosters student engagement through a wide variety of athletics, clubs, and arts programs, encouraging every student to get involved in something meaningful.

Key Takeaways:

  • Strong Sense of Belonging: Encouraging students to get involved in athletics, clubs, or start their own groups fosters a deep connection to the school, which supports high attendance rates above 95%.
  • Teacher Engagement: Many teachers live in the local community and actively participate as coaches or club advisors, strengthening relationships with students beyond the classroom.
  • Student-Centered Decisions: School schedules and activities are designed with student needs in mind, balancing what students want with what is educationally best for them.
  • Flexible and Responsive Scheduling: The school regularly updates its bell schedule based on feedback and research to better support students, including built-in access periods for extra help.
  • Open Communication and Listening: Clark emphasizes one-on-one conversations with staff, students, and parents to gather feedback, address concerns, and maintain a safe, welcoming environment.
  • Presence and Visibility: The principal spends significant time on campus interacting with students, greeting them personally to understand their needs and connect them with resources.
  • Support for Underrepresented Groups: Targeted efforts, including dedicated staff connections and culturally responsive engagement, help ensure all students feel safe and supported.
  • High Post-Secondary Enrollment: About 89% of graduates enroll in post-secondary education, reflecting the school’s commitment to academic achievement and student success.


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Principal and School

00:30 Clark Conover's Background and Achievements

01:06 Granada High School's Student Involvement

02:23 Building a Strong School Culture

04:40 Creating a Safe and Welcoming Environment

05:26 Adapting and Improving School Schedules

08:38 Engaging with Students and Staff

12:37 Supporting Underrepresented Student Groups

13:40 Principal's Weekly Routine and Time Management

15:59 Aligning Staff and Communication

18:13 Community Trust and Leadership Style

20:50 Setting Goals and Using Data


Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Clark Conover: linkedin.com/in/clark-conover-a645a118




Whether you're currently wearing the principal badge, aspiring to the big chair, or teaching while secretly taking notes on what you'd do differently, Principal Office Hours delivers actionable strategies you can implement faster than a student being sent to detention.

Subscribe now and join the faculty lounge conversation that's too real for the school board meeting. New episodes drop every week. Warning: May cause spontaneous leadership growth and occasional inappropriate laughter during staff meetings.


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About the Podcast

Principal Office Hours
Real principals. Real talk. No hall passes required.
Finally—a podcast that proves school principals have personalities (and killer insights, too). Every week, join us for candid conversations with K-12 principals who are navigating the beautiful chaos of educational leadership without losing their minds or sense of humor.

Each 40-minute episode features real principals sharing what actually works in school leadership—from handling helicopter parents and budget nightmares to building school culture that doesn't make everyone roll their eyes. Consider this your professional development that doesn't feel like professional development.

Our guests aren't afraid to share their epic fails alongside their victories. They'll tell you about the initiative that spectacularly bombed during assembly, right before revealing how they turned their school's reading scores around. It's educational leadership with the BS filter turned off.

Whether you're currently wearing the principal badge, aspiring to the big chair, or teaching while secretly taking notes on what you'd do differently, Principal Office Hours delivers actionable strategies you can implement faster than a student being sent to detention.

Subscribe now and join the faculty lounge conversation that's too real for the school board meeting. New episodes drop every week. Warning: May cause spontaneous leadership growth and occasional inappropriate laughter during staff meetings.

About your hosts

CheeTung Leong

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Jim Kanichirayil

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Your friendly neighborhood talent strategy nerd is the producer and co-host for The HR Impact Show. He's spent his career in sales and has been typically in startup b2b HRTech and TA-Tech organizations.

He's built high-performance sales teams throughout his career and is passionate about all things employee life cycle and especially employee retention and turnover.