“Before recording this episode, I was very uncertain about how it would come out. Identifying strategies for doing professional development on the cheap had the potential to be disjointed and unactionable. Thankfully, I love how this discussion came out. There are some coherent themes running through the show, and doing great PD with few resources isn’t actually that difficult.”

~ Frederick Buskey, Show Notes from The Assistant Principal Podcast, Episode 266, “Rich PD on Pauper’s Wages” with NSRF’s Executive Director, Michele Mattoon

In a podcast shared August 12, 2025, NSRF Executive Director Michele Mattoon connected again with Frederick Buskey, strategic leadership consultant and founder of APEx, a dynamic community and group mentoring for assistant principals, to discuss effective professional development (PD) strategies on a budget. Their discussion highlights the importance of knowing teachers’ pain points and leveraging existing expertise within the school.  Michele emphasizes the need for follow-up and structured support, such as Critical Friend Group^® learning communities.  She suggests creating systems and plans for professional development to ensure implementation and impact and stresses the importance of aligning PD with teachers’ goals and providing institutional support. Creating time for teachers to collaborate and share best practices is priceless!

Key points:

• know your people,
• leverage expertise,
• follow up,
• and provide proven structures (like Critical Friends Group work)!

Notable Quotes

“When we have professional development of any sort, and if, as leaders, we don’t follow up in supporting teachers with implementation, then I’m not sure if it matters how great the PD was. I think leaders have to be partners in professional development.” – Frederick

“If you’re just focusing on tasks, you’re in management mode, but if you’re focusing on people, you’re in leadership mode.” – Michele

“If you’re trying to figure out how to do the best PD possible on the least amount of money, number one is: know your people.” – Frederick

“A lot of a PD can happen if you provide time for teachers to get together and actually talk about what’s important [or how to problem-solve as a team] … providing that time and structure … is something free that you can do.” – Michele

“The most successful programs are ones where there is actually time built into the schedule … [Instead of spending] a bunch of money for professional development, maybe just pay some money for a sub, so that teacher can go in and really observe how the another teacher is doing things [following the Peer Observation Protocol, for example] … ” – Michele

Listen to the entire podcast below through Spotify, on Apple Podcasts, or on The Assistant Principal Podcast website. 

Contact us using this form or send Michele a direct email at michele@nsrfharmony.org, if you’d like to know more about bringing NSRF professional development trainings to your school or organization. If you’re interested in becoming a certified CFG coach skilled in leading developmental meetings and the understanding of Critical Friends Group work, check out upcoming open CFG Coaches trainings for individuals here. For questions or other inquiries, email nsrf@nsrfharmony.org or call 812-330-2702.