Episode 408

full
Published on:

7th Jun 2025

On The Bathroom Floor Looking For Contraband - Authenticity and Values In Action As A Principal

Summary: Join C.T. and guest Sean Priest, Principal of Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California, as they explore how a historic school embraces diversity, tradition, and innovation to foster student growth. This insightful conversation delves into Sequoia’s rich legacy as one of the oldest high schools in the Bay Area, its stunning campus, and its commitment to serving a diverse student body with rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.

Key Takeaways:

  • School & Community-Sequoia High School is a historic, architecturally stunning campus serving a highly diverse student body, including multigenerational local families and recent immigrants.
  • Tradition & Innovation-The school balances its rich traditions and history with a commitment to adopting innovative, research-based teaching practices.
  • Curriculum & Learning-As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Sequoia offers rigorous, inclusive programs that emphasize critical thinking and knowledge exploration.
  • Staff Culture-Lifelong learning, collaboration, and embracing diversity are core values for both staff and students.
  • Technology & Change-The school continually adapts to technological changes, from debates about Wikipedia to integrating AI, focusing on authentic and equitable learning experiences.
  • Leadership & Values-Sean leads with moral authority and personal reflection, using shared values to communicate goals and foster community.
  • Student Engagement-Students take pride in their unique campus, demonstrating responsibility and a strong sense of belonging.
  • Leadership Philosophy-Sean adapts his leadership style to different roles and situations, encouraging risk-taking, authenticity, and growth.


Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

00:35 Meet Sean Priest: Principal of Sequoia High School

01:07 Exploring Sequoia High School's Unique Campus and Community

04:49 Balancing Tradition and Diversity in Education

08:25 Challenges and Changes in Education

14:10 Core Values and Leadership Philosophy

29:17 Creating Goals and Accountability in Schools

35:29 Advice for Aspiring Educational Leaders


Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Sean Priest: linkedin.com/in/sean-priest-0176b7b2



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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.