Episode 260: Leading with Heart, Hustle, and Pride with Mark Bagley
This is the Wired Educator Podcast, Episode 260! I am so excited for you to hear this conversation. I’m sitting down with a good friend, a colleague, and a truly great leader in Ohio: Mark Bagley, the Superintendent of Van Wert City Schools.
In this episode, we learn exactly what it takes to lead a district with authenticity and how to make a real difference in the lives of both colleagues and children. Mark is a “servant leader” in the truest sense of the word. Whether it’s picking up trash, helping in a classroom when there are no subs, or standing out at the bus hub every single morning, Mark leads from the trenches.
You are going to love this interview. Buckle up!
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A Great Week to be a Wired Educator
Before we dive into the interview, I have to tell you—it has been an amazing week.
I was recently invited to Gibsonburg Schools to share my book, Unthink Before Bed, for their Literacy Night. It was a blast. I shared the books I loved as a kid, talked about the “why” behind reading, and even did some live drawing of the characters. But the real star was my dog, Jedi. He showed up in a tie, met the kids, and did a few tricks! Gibsonburg even pre-ordered copies for the families. It’s moments like these that remind me why we do what we do.
I also want to give a huge shout-out to Joe Miller for organizing the third annual SEL Symposium at Port Clinton City Schools. We had world-class speakers, and the energy was incredible. If you haven’t heard it yet, go back a few episodes and listen to my interview with Joe about how he built that event.
Coming Soon to the Podcast:
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Casey Cooney: We recorded a live broadcast about Rigor and Relationships in the Age of AI.
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Mark Perna: Author of Answering Why, talking about career and life skills.
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Ben Johnson & Bobby Dodd: Discussing their book Intentional Influence and cultural mapping.
Key Takeaways from Mark Bagley
Mark and I covered a lot of ground in this interview. Here are a few “nuggets” that every educator needs to hear:
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The Power of “E + R = O”: Mark is a firm believer in the Focus 3 system: Event + Response = Outcome. We can’t always control the events, but we can control our response. That response dictates the outcome for our students and staff.
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“What Happened to You?”: Instead of asking “What is wrong with you?”, we must ask “What happened to you?” Understanding trauma is the first step toward regulation and learning.
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The CEO Program: Van Wert is doing something revolutionary with their seniors through the Career Education Opportunities program, getting kids into the workforce to learn real-world skills.
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The “Thankfulness Walk”: Mark starts his day with gratitude. In a job that is 24/7, finding that space to be grateful is essential for longevity.
“The culture of your school will never be higher than the highest adult. We have to make sure we keep on raising our adults.” — Mark Bagley
Work with Kelly Croy
Leadership matters, and let’s give the world something worth following! If you enjoyed what you heard today and would like to bring some of these conversations to your campus, I am available to speak at your next event, your kickoff, or your opening day. I love working directly with teachers, staff, and administrators to help you level up.
Reach out to me at: [email protected] or visit www.KellyCroy.com
Support the Show
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Partnerships: If you’d like your book, product, service, or website highlighted in the pre-roll, email me at [email protected].
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Reviews: I love them! Please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. I read every single one and might share yours on the next episode.
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Share: Please share this podcast with your staff, colleagues, and family.
Thank you for taking time from your busy week to listen and make a difference in the lives of students. You’re awesome. Have a great week!
Mentioned in this Episode
Books & Authors
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Unthink Before Bed by Kelly Croy
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Along Came a Leader by Kelly Croy
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What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey
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Answering Why by Mark Perna
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Intentional Influence by Ben Johnson & Bobby Dodd
Websites & Resources
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Wired Educator Official Website – Your hub for all things level-up.
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KellyCroy.com – Book Kelly for your next speaking event.
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Van Wert City Schools – Learn more about Mark Bagley’s district.
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Focus 3 (E+R=O) – The leadership system mentioned by Mark.
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Project Lead The Way (PLTW) – The engineering and computer science curriculum discussed.
To learn more about having Kelly Croy speak at your event, visit his website to connect.

Thank you for listening and for being part of this community. It is always a great day to be a Wired Educator.
You are awesome!
Kelly
I would like to speak at your event!
I love opening day keynotes to school districts and conferences, workshops with leaders and any opportunity to help educators reignite their passion, build stronger connections with students and colleagues, improve instruction, and level up as leaders. I hope YOU will reach out to ME!
Order Kelly’s books, Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library.
Educator, Author, Keynote Speaker
Instagram: @kcroy
Website: kellycroy.com and wirededucator.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kelly_croy
Podcast: The Wired Educator Podcast Twitter: @kellycroy and of course: Facebook.
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You are going to love and laugh at the backstory of how this interview came about. It’s hilarious.
Kenneth C. Williams shares his experience and expertise as a nationally recognized trainer, speaker, coach and consultant in leadership and school culture. A practitioner for nearly three decades, Ken led the improvement efforts at two schools by leveraging the Professional Learning Communities at Work process. Skilled in joining the why of the work to the how of the work, Ken is known for his powerful and engaging combinations of “heart, humor, and hammer.” He is an expert at helping schools build capacity in the collective commitments required of learning for all cultures.


An educator with many years of experience within the classroom. She has taught on the elementary and secondary levels. LaTezeon worked as an education consultant in MS where she assisted several school districts with professional development and education support in the classroom. Her skills vary from communication, computer, and interpersonal.
Todd Stanley is a National Board teacher and the author of many teacher-education books including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students (2nd edition), Promoting Rigor Through Higher Level Questioning, and his latest How the Hell Do We Motivate Theses Kids? from First Educational Resources. He served as a classroom teacher for 18 years where he worked with all grade levels in all subject areas in all types of service. He is currently the gifted services coordinator for Pickerington Local Schools in Ohio where he lives with his wife and two daughters. You can follow him on Twitter @the_gifted_guy or visit his website at 

Kevin Honeycutt is a technology integrationist, staff developer and keynote speaker