The Power of a Fist Bump: Creating a Place Where Students and Staff Want to Be - Zac Bauermaster

Today our guest is Zac Bauermaster the Principal at Providence Elementary School in New Providence, PA.

Zac went viral after a hallway video of his daily high fives and fist bumps reached millions, but what’s even more powerful is the culture behind it. We talk to Zac about how he’s creating a school where students and staff want to be, not have to be. He shares how simple daily rituals like “Fist Bump Fridays” (every day), greeting at arrival and dismissal, quick classroom hellos, hallway presence, and cafeteria time, build trust, connection, and belonging. Zac also explains his “yellow light leadership” approach, how he organizes his day using green, yellow, and red zones, and why proactive visibility beats reactive follow up. He highlights a powerful ripple-effect story from a quick doorway interaction and a schoolwide win: 100% of students can name a trusted adult. His reminder? Prioritize PEOPLE: Prioritize, Empathize, Observe, be Purposeful, Love, and Encourage, every single day.

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Zac Bauermaster is an educational leader, speaker, and author who lives by the word encourage. As a school principal, he leads teachers, staff, families, and the next generation, but his greatest joy is helping people of all ages discover their gifts, use their talents, and live encouraged in their daily lives. With a people-first approach to leadership, Zac strives to see, value, and build others up before anything else.

Before his current role as an elementary school principal, Zac served public education in various K–12 roles, such as a high school assistant principal, district administrator of online learning, teacher, and coach. In addition to his role as principal, Zac is the author of four books: Leading with a Humble Heart, Leading with People, and Lemon-Aid: Spreading Kindness One Cup at a Time, which he co-authored with his daughter, Olivia. Most recently, his fourth book, Day by Day: 180 Days of Hope and Encouragement, was released in July. Most importantly, Zac is a husband to his wife, Carly, and father to three kids. One of his favorite leadership roles is coaching his children alongside other youth in the community in baseball, basketball, and softball. He’s a firm believer in leading his family first.