Summer Reading (and Listening!) List for School Leaders
- Sarah Hébert
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
Summer isn't just a break; it’s a vital window to step back, decompress, and fill your own cup.
To help you recharge, we’ve curated a Dare to Care Summer List! This year, we’re focusing entirely on school leaders. And because we know the best professional development sometimes happens while you’re walking the dog, commuting, or finally tackling the weeds in the garden, we’ve included a few must-listen podcasts alongside our top book picks.
Whether you prefer the tactile feel of a paperback by the water or a deep-dive conversation in your earbuds, these picks are designed to inspire, challenge, and recharge you for the upcoming school year.
The Bookshelf
Turn This World Inside Out: The Emergence of Nurturance Culture By Nora Samaran
This book advocates for a radical shift away from punitive culture and toward a "nurturance culture" rooted in deep accountability and collective healing.
Why school leaders like it: This is your blueprint for moving past traditional discipline. Samaran teaches how to maintain a "circle of belonging" that humanizes everyone. It’s an essential guide for administrators looking to foster an emotionally safe, restorative school environment where both students and staff can truly thrive.
🔗 Find it on GoodReads
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact By Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Why do we remember certain brief experiences for the rest of our lives while others fade away? The Heath brothers reveal that our most memorable positive moments are driven by four key elements: elevation, insight, pride, and connection.
Why school leaders like it: Stop leaving meaningful school memories to chance! By understanding how the human brain retains the best, worst, and final moments of an experience, you can intentionally design unforgettable milestones that deeply engage students, celebrate teachers, and unite your entire school community.
🔗 Find it on HeathBrothers.com
The Bullied Brain By Jennifer Fraser
For the leaders who love to know why things happen, this book explores the profound, measurable neurological impact that bullying has on both students and staff.
Why school leaders like it: Don't let the heavy topic fool you, this book is incredibly hopeful. By highlighting the brain's natural ability to heal (neuroplasticity), Fraser gives administrators an actionable roadmap to consciously build a high-performing school culture focused on psychological safety, recovery, and deep connection.
🔗 Learn more at BulliedBrain.com
The Podcast Playlist
No Stupid Questions
Hosted by Angela Duckworth & Mike Maughan
This show operates on the belief that no question is too basic to ask. They explore the quirks of human behavior with data, humor, and heart.
Why listen? It’s a great way to foster your own curiosity and better understand the social-emotional dynamics driving your students, staff and yourself!
The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast
Hosted by Danny Bauer
This is a top-ranking weekly show explicitly designed for K-12 administrators who want to break away from the status quo and "Do School Different."
Why listen? It’s the perfect blend of high-level visionary inspiration and "in-the-trenches" survival tactics for modern school principals.
Sporting Change
Hosted by the Dare to Care Team
Want to listen to something that gets you away from the school desk for a minute? Check out Dare to Care’s very own podcast!
Why listen? Drawing from their extensive backgrounds in sports, our co-hosts and incredible guest speakers dive into how sport leaders have a responsibility to be positive shift-makers in their communities. Come listen to their stories, get inspired, and see how the lessons of the game apply to leadership everywhere.
We hope you have a wonderful summer filled with opportunities to recharge, reflect, and be inspired by new ideas. Whether you're looking to deepen your leadership practice, explore fresh perspectives, or simply enjoy a great book, we hope this reading list offers something meaningful for your journey. Happy reading, and we look forward to hearing which titles resonate most with you.
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