In this episode of Cool Coffee with Kansas principals, host Rick Sola engages with two accomplished principals, Inga Esping and Heather Calvert, as they share about the session they will lead at the KPA Conference on November 5th and 6th, 2025. They also discuss their educational journeys, the importance of data-driven instruction, and the role of social-emotional learning (SEL) in building a positive school culture. They also highlight the significance of community engagement and collaboration among educators, especially in the context of the upcoming KPA conference.
Register to attend the 2025 KPA Conference!
2025 KPA Conference Presenters:
Dr. Heather Calvert
- Principal, Grant Elementary School
- KCKPS
- heather.calvert@kckps.org
Inge Esping
- Principal
- McPherson Middle School
- inge.esping@mcpherson.com
Chapters (timestamps do not include intro music)
00:00 Introduction to the Principals 02:22 Career Paths in Education 06:57 Data-Driven Instruction and Collaboration 14:44 Building Belonging and SEL Initiatives 20:39 The Importance of Community in Education
The mission of the Kansas Principals Association, an organization committed to educational excellence and the lifelong success of all students, is to develop and support all principals through optimized learning, collaborative leadership, networking, and service. Read more about the KPA HERE.
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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT (timestamps do not reflect intro music)
Rick Sola (00:01.719) Hello and welcome to Cool Coffee with Kansas principals. Today I am joined by two phenomenal principals who will both be presenting at the upcoming KPA conference November 6th, November 5th and 6th, Ms. Inga Esping of McPherson Middle School, USD 418 and Dr. Heather Calvert, principal of Grant Elementary School and USD 500 in the Kansas City, Kansas School District. Welcome Inga and Heather.
Inge Esping (00:27.67) Thank you.
Heather Calvert (00:28.66) Thank you, good morning.
Rick Sola (00:30.283) Good morning. And it is a good morning. It's a bright and early morning and I am in conference week. Inga, you're in conference week and you actually have a day off and it is just after 7 a.m. So thanks for joining us. And Heather, you have a normal school day but conference is next week.
Inge Esping (00:43.918) you
Heather Calvert (00:47.803) Yes.
Rick Sola (00:49.213) It's that time of year and kind of the grind. And before we begin, I do want to call your attention to the notes of this show, which include information on the KPA conference. We'll be discussing that today and also invite you to give this show a like and a follow. Leave a comment on your podcasting platform if you are so inclined or leave us feedback and suggestions at the forum in the show notes. So it is awesome to be joined by two very accomplished principals here today and
Inga, you were recently named the KPA's middle level principal of the year through KPA.
Inge Esping (01:25.602) Yes, yeah, just what an exciting honor. I was certainly shocked and it's definitely a testament to the hard work that our staff and students are putting in here at MacPherson Middle School.
Rick Sola (01:37.845) That's awesome. Congratulations to you and a plug as well. And I don't know if you knew this, but as of recording, which is October 16th, but your principal's perspective was actually dropped today, this morning. And so, thank you for your contribution on that. and then Heather, you are published. You've had a book out and within the last year, along with, with your husband co-authored, I think with your husband, is that correct?
Inge Esping (01:50.403) you.
Heather Calvert (02:04.702) Correct, yes.
Rick Sola (02:06.487) And Topeka's top 20 under 40 named a few years ago. So awesome thi
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