ABOUT elevateED
Helping principals reduce drama, protect priorities, and build thriving schools.
Hi, I'm Tim Schwarz, a Leadership Coach for Principals
I help principals move from reactive survival mode to intentional, proactive leadership so they can build healthier school culture, reduce emotional waste, and move their schools forward with greater clarity and steadiness.
Most principals do not come to this work because they need another strategy.
They come because:
they spend too much of the day putting out fires
important leadership work keeps getting squeezed out
staff dynamics feel heavier than they should
leadership feels increasingly reactive instead of intentional
they know their school is capable of more, but cannot seem to create sustained forward movement
Over time, many principals end up carrying an increasing share of the organization's emotional and operational weight.
And I’ve come to believe something very simple: Most school principals aren't having a tough time because they lack leadership skills.
They are struggling because the culture and urgency around them have quietly trained them to absorb what the organization is not resolving on its own.
THE CONVICTION
That realization became the foundation of my work.
I believe school culture forms around:
how adults communicate
how leaders respond under pressure
how accountability gets modeled
how conflict gets handled
what leadership behaviors become normalized
how time, attention, and energy get directed each day
My work is not simply about helping principals navigate staff dynamics or strengthen school culture. It's also about helping them break free from the cycle of constant reactivity that defines so much of school leadership today.
Most principals already know what matters most and what kind of school they want to build. The challenge is protecting those priorities when urgent issues, competing demands, and unexpected challenges constantly pull for their attention.
Over time, strategic work gets postponed, important conversations get delayed, and leadership becomes increasingly reactive. And that is the heart of my work with elevateED.
Through The Proactive Leadership Method™, I help principals strengthen culture and the leadership habits that shape it so they can lead more intentionally, build healthier teams, and move their schools forward sustainably.
HOW I GOT HERE
I came to this work the long way. I began my career as an educator, teaching at both the middle and high school levels in public schools that served low-income communities. Spending nine years in that setting really showed me just how tough school leadership can be on your emotions.
After that, I transitioned into coaching and leadership development, initially working directly with schools and then expanding to larger systems, where I could make a broader impact on education.
Over seven years with organizations like Leading Educators and Achievement Network, I worked alongside principals navigating:
difficult staff dynamics
leadership exhaustion
reactive school environments
overwhelming operational pressure
nonstop interruptions and competing priorities
And what I kept seeing was this: Most principals already knew the kind of school they wanted to build. A thriving, drama-free school where students succeed, and staff enjoy their work.
The harder challenge was:
protecting strategic priorities under pressure
leading difficult conversations clearly and calmly
preventing urgent problems from consuming every hour of the day
maintaining intentional leadership instead of reactive leadership
That's the issue I created elevateED to tackle head-on.
THE PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP METHOD
The Proactive Leadership Method™ was designed to address the emotional and operational complexity of school leadership.
Not generic executive coaching adapted for education. And not productivity coaching disguised as leadership development.
At the center of the work is a concept I call “Emotional Waste” … the energy lost through:
unresolved conflict
avoided conversations
complaint routing
passive communication
reactive leadership patterns
unnecessary interpersonal friction
constant urgency and interruption
You know, it's funny, in a lot of schools, certain things can become so routine that people just get used to them and stop paying attention. But principals feel them every day.
Most leaders try to solve these issues through:
stronger systems
new initiatives
more professional development
Those things can help. But sustainable change starts deeper than that.
It starts with leadership behavior. How leaders:
respond under pressure
protect priorities
hold boundaries
redirect urgency
communicate clearly
stay grounded under pressure
Because when leadership behavior changes consistently, school culture changes alongside it.
WHO I WORK WITH
I mainly work with heads of school, such as principals, who are in charge of charter, private, and independent schools.
Most of the leaders I work with are deeply committed to their schools and their people.
They care deeply. They work hard. They are capable.
But many are experiencing a growing gap between the leader they want to be and the reality they face every day.
Many feel:
reactive more often than intentional
emotionally drained more often than energized
trapped in nonstop urgency
disconnected from strategic leadership work
School leadership requires the:
strategic thinking of an executive
emotional steadiness of a counselor
relational capacity of a community leader
...often within the same hour!
Most school leaders aren't getting the support they need to address the tough challenges they face every day.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS TO ME
I believe it takes more than motivation to make a school better. It develops through leadership behaviors repeated over time.
How a leader responds under pressure.
Whether difficult conversations happen directly or indirectly.
Whether priorities stay protected or are constantly abandoned.
What leadership behaviors quietly shape the culture every day.
When those patterns shift consistently, schools change.
Not because people became perfect. Because leadership became more:
intentional
grounded
proactive
emotionally steady
aligned with what moves schools forward
That is the deeper transformation this work is built around.
PERSONAL
I reside in Kings Beach, California, with my family, which includes my wife and two kids, and we're lucky enough to be situated on the beautiful north shore of Lake Tahoe.
In my free time, you can find me outdoors, whether that's on the water, hiking in the mountains, or just somewhere peaceful where I can clear my head and think things through.
Those simple things in life are what really help people feel better, and we often make things more complicated than they need to be. Sometimes, it's the easy stuff that can make a big difference, and we should remember that.
EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND
I spent seven years doing leadership coaching with two organizations, Leading Educators and Achievement Network.
Six years — Founder and Lead Coach, elevateED
Three years — School-based instructional coaching
Nine years — Middle and high school teacher in low-income public schools
IF ANY OF THIS RESONATES…
READY TO LEAD MORE INTENTIONALLY?
START WITH CLARITY.
Get Your FREE Copy of the “Putting Out Fires Trap” Guide
Most principals do not struggle because they lack commitment. They struggle because urgency takes over. The Putting Out Fires Trap reveals how reactive leadership pulls time, energy, and attention from work that actually moves schools forward.
In this guide, you'll discover:
why urgency becomes
the culturethe 3 shifts from reactive
to proactive leadership5 practical strategies you
can implement this week
A practical guide for principals who want to lead with greater intention, alignment, and impact.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
Book a Complimentary Principal’s Proactive Leadership Reset
In this confidential 60-minute conversation with Tim, you will:
identify the leadership patterns most affecting your school
uncover where reactive dynamics or communication breakdowns may be forming
clarify where your leadership time and energy are getting pulled off course
reconnect with the priorities that actually move your school forward
leave with practical next steps for leading more intentionally
gain greater clarity, confidence, and direction in your leadership