About

Josh Way began his work in schools as the summer school custodian of a middle school and has since served as a high school teacher, coach, activities advisor, assistant principal, and currently serves as a high school principal in Carlsbad, Ca. After earning a doctoral degree from San Diego State University in Educational Leadership in 2019, Josh continues to have the same sense of joy and wonder in the exploration of human learning and personal potential. Whether someone is cleaning campus or creating its policies, it is human connection and collaboration that fuels human growth.

 

As a new leader, Josh sought out opportunities for his own personal and professional growth and quickly realized “when we teach, we learn…when we lead, we grow.” This led him to work groups like Quantum Learning Network and the Boomerang Project. It was then Josh began learning about leadership development, accelerated learning, and brain-based holistic approaches to learning. Most recently, Josh has moved into a more system-wide approach to learning by serving as a regional facilitator for the National Institute of School Leaders (NISL), where he leads professional development for school site and district administrators. NISL works with school leaders to develop high-performing schools by using research-based practices and benchmarking the highest achieving educational systems around the globe.

 

At an early age Josh learned the timeless contemplative practices of yoga and meditation from his mother, a yoga instructor. In fact, Josh was teaching yoga classes long before he ever taught a high school class. His own personal practice, steeped in the style of Karma Yoga and a meditation practice of Shamatha, a Tibetan tradition, has been consistent throughout his professional career. True to the Karma Yoga belief, Josh’s devotion is in service to others. Off campus, Josh is leading guided meditation for school administrators and hosting wellness retreats for site and district leaders.

 

“It’s through teaching that we learn and through leading that we truly grow.”