Episode #77
#73 - Patricia Riley (New Jersey 2026 NJPSA POY) - Every Single One!
Every Single One Featuring Patricia Riley, Principal of Hopewell Valley Central High School, New Jersey. Patricia Riley has dedicated over twenty years to education, including a decade as a high school administrator, supporting students and staff with a focus on growth and excellence. Driven by a lifelong passion for learning, Patricia holds degrees from The College of New Jersey and Rider University and is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about service learning and fostering meaningful community engagement. Known for her relationship-based leadership, Patricia prioritizes connections, collaboration, and celebration as she strives to ensure that every member of her school community feels seen and valued. Every Single One - Show Notes What happens when a principal makes it her mission to ensure that every single student feels seen, valued, and connected? In this episode of the Proud Principals Podcast, I sit down with Patricia Riley, Principal of Hopewell Valley Central High School in New Jersey and the 2026 NJPSA Visionary Secondary School Leader of the Year. With approximately 1,100 students, Patricia understands that creating a strong school culture doesn't happen through one big initiative. It happens through intentional behaviors, repeated consistently, that communicate to students and staff that they matter. In This Episode, Patricia Shares Positive Phone Calls Patricia challenges herself and her staff to make positive calls home, including a 100 calls in a day challenge, to make sure families hear about the good things their students are doing. Positive Praise Referrals Creating opportunities to recognize all students, not just those who traditionally receive recognition. Birthday Cards for Every Student A simple gesture that creates a personal connection and helps students feel known and valued. Notes of Appreciation Patricia uses faculty meetings as opportunities for staff to write notes of appreciation to students. The Bigger Mindshift At the heart of Patricia's approach is a simple but powerful shift: training ourselves to look for what's going right. Rather than waiting for students to make a mistake or for something to go wrong, Patricia challenges herself and her staff to intentionally look for the positive. When we change what we're looking for, we often change what we see. And when students and staff consistently experience being seen, valued, and connected, culture begins to change. In This Episode The importance of making every student feel seen and valued The 100 Positive Phone Calls challenge Positive praise referrals Birthday cards for every student Creating a culture of appreciation among staff The power of intentional leadership behaviors Shifting from looking for problems to looking for the positive Building connection in a school of 1,100 students Why small gestures can have a big impact Creating a culture where every single one matters Every Single One is a reminder that school culture isn't just about reaching the majority. It's about making sure every single one knows they matter. Patricia Riley Instagram - @hopewell_valley_central_hs @patriciariley Email - patriciariley@hvrsd.org
