SchoolCEO: Recent Episodes
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SchoolCEO Conversations takes a deep dive into the minds and hearts of the country’s most successful and innovative school leaders. Join us as we sit down with superintendents to discuss how they’re changing education.
Experiential marketing started with flash mobs and has since become the cutting edge of advertising. Live branded events that are interactive, multi-sensory and emotionally resonant have a much greater pull on audiences than other forms of marketing. That’s why it’s so important K-12 leaders think about how they can adapt experiential marketing tactics for their own use.
In this episode, we’ll share what experiential marketing is exactly, why it’s so effective, and ways schools can use it to improve their brands.
Featured in this episode are Layne Braunstein, William D. Parker, Zhecho Dobrev and Sherese Nix.
Max Lenderman is the author of Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World.
Listen to William D. Parker’s podcast, Principal Matters on Apple Podcasts.
Zhecho Dobrev is the author of The Big Miss: How Organizations Overlook the Value of Emotions.
Visit SchoolCEO’s website for more information about our research
A Seat at the Table
and
Layers of Leadership
.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
Organizational culture has become a buzzword like AI, NFT or Bitcoin—everyone is talking about it but very few people know how it actually works. In this episode, we explain what organizational culture really is, and how it shapes the success of individual employees and your company as a whole.
We’ll take a look at real world examples of excellent organizational culture at work, hear expert opinions on the science of employee motivation, how to shape a strong company culture and actionable steps you can take to start transforming yours.
Featured in this episode are Neel Doshi, Margaret Heffernan, Dr. Curtis Jones and Karen Borchert.
Visit SchoolCEO’s website for more information about our research What Do Millennial Teachers Want and 2023 Teacher Satisfaction Survey.
To read more of Neel Doshi’s research on the science of motivation, visit https://www.factor.ai/about and read his book, “Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation.”
Read Margaret Heffernan’s book, “Beyond Measure: The Big Impact of Small Changes.”
To learn about Alpaca’s work to change school culture and measure how teachers and staff experience it, check out https://www.alpacapacks.com/.
Toyota/NUUMI story excerpts taken from This American Life episode 561.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
How does effective communication shape your schools? What are the best practices to keep your community informed & to allow them to know that you’re listening to their concerns? Schools communicate all the time which means families are inundated with information, but schools need to listen to know what’s actually important to their families.
In this episode, we’ll explore exactly how to engage with effective communication and the importance of listening to your community. Listen to hear from experts who provide insights into communication strategies, how to listen to your community, and the tools to shape a community's perceptions and expectations of a school.
Featured in this episode are Jeff Horton, Lesley Bruinton, Greg Turchetta, and others.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
What is marketing? How can you take the best marketing ideas from the private sector and implement them in your schools? Marketing has evolved over time to become more brand & identity focused. Having a strong set of values & consistent core messaging is the pathway to developing a strong marketing strategy.
In this episode, we’ll explore exactly how marketing has changed and what you can do to strengthen your school’s identity. Listen to hear from experts who provide insights into marketing, branding, positioning, and storytelling to shape a community's perceptions and expectations of a school.
Featured in this episode are Jack Trout, Dr. Carmen Simon, Dr. Jonah Berger, Neal Foard, and others.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
Every great school district’s heart lies in its identity What is the identity of your district? What is it known for? What is uniquely true about your schools? Your district’s identity is made up of its values, strengths, and culture. These, along with your community’s direct interactions with your district, ultimately shape your community’s perception and reputation of your brand. School marketing begins and ends with establishing a brand that is true to itself and delivers a consistent experience to students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and the larger community.
In this episode, you’ll be reminded why your district’s brand should be of paramount importance to you as a school leader. Listen to hear from experts who provide insights into branding, positioning, marketing, and storytelling to shape community perceptions and expectations of a school.
Featured in this episode are Laura Ries, Dr. Julie Sweetland, Dr. Pete Hannigan, Dr. Jonah Berger, Karen Eber, Neal Foard, and others.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
School marketing has gone from a rarity to a necessity for public schools. From public opinion to family engagement, capturing and keeping the attention of your school community is a must to leading and running a successful school district.
In each episode of Season 3, SchoolCEO explores some of the most important and foundational concepts to change how others think and feel about your schools. We talk to experts, share stories along the way, and equip you with a framework that can help you build a strong, thriving identity for your district. Welcome to Season 3!
In this introductory episode, you’ll get a taste for how season 3 is different from our past seasons. You’ll also get a sneak peek into how storytelling can transform a community and how you can learn as much from another industry about your job as you can from within K-12.
Featured in this episode are Michael C. Bush, Neel Doshi, Margaret Heffernen, and Joe Sanfelippo,
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of our resources on our About page. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12 communications and brand management platform.
In Season 2 of the SchoolCEO podcast we have had some of the brightest school leaders tell us about their work, inspiration, and strategies. Along the way, experts in influence, storytelling, culture building, hiring, and more from outside of K-12 have joined in to share additional perspectives.
We’ve curated some of the very best comments and insights on how to build a high performing culture, the best way to reach your community, working with and across different generations, becoming a great leader, and how to hire teachers and staff. These insightful segments come from some of the most popular and most shared episodes.
Links to the full SchoolCEO Conversations Episodes:
E65: Neel Doshi
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E66: Jeff Mayo
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E70: Jonah Berger
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E72: Dr. Jeffrey Collier & Coty Kuchinsky
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E73: Julie Lythcott-Haims
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E76: Karen Eber
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E77: Jennifer Hines
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E78: Donald Killingbeck
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E80: Aurora Meyer
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E82: EDU Openings
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E84: Melissa Thompson
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E86: Michael C. Bush
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E89: Debbie Critchfield
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E90: Margaret Heffernan
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E91: Dr. Joe Sanfelippo
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E92: Andrew McPeak
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E94: Kim Lear
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E96: Paul Coakley
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
E97: Greg Turchetta
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this episode, Dr. Rafal-Baer discusses her work in addressing the gender gap in education leadership and various initiatives such as the Forum for Educational Leadership and Women Leading ED, a national network of women education leaders she founded. She also highlights the importance of supporting current and aspiring education leaders, providing comprehensive project management and implementation support, and creating a powerful network to promote gender equality at the top of education systems.
You can learn more about the ILO Group and Dr. Rafal-Baer’s work at https://www.ilogroup.com/. You can learn more about Women Leading Ed at https://www.womenleadinged.org/. You can learn more about the Forum for Educational Leadership at https://www.tffel.com/.
You can also follow Dr. Rafal-Baer on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @juliarafalbaer.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, we speak with Greg Turchetta, the Senior Chief Communications Officer for the Richland Two School District in South Carolina. In this conversation, we discuss the importance of storytelling, how every school staff member can contribute to your district’s story, and the power of transparency in schools.
Greg and his team are responsible for district-wide communication, marketing, media relations, and strategic partnership management for the 29,000 student school district. Before he began his K-12 career, Greg spent 4 years as Executive Director of Marketing and Media for Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, Florida were he executed a half million dollar brand campaign. Then, before even that, Greg had an award-winning 21-year television news career where he spent 12 of those years managing newsgathering efforts in some of the most prestigious newsrooms across the country including in Fort Myers, Atlanta, Orlando, Seattle, and Austin.
Follow Richland Two School District at https://twitter.com/RichlandTwo and Greg Turchetta at https://twitter.com/NewsBoss
Main Discussion Points:
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How every school staff member can contribute to storytelling and branding [00:31:54]
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Using social media and websites to share the "extraordinary" stories happening daily in schools that the public doesn't see [00:41:34]
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De-escalation training for teachers as a teacher retention strategy to deal with difficult parent confrontations [00:51:23]
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Creating an "environment that's more Ritz Carlton than it is DMV" for families [00:42:18]
Quotes:
“Our job is to move the needle and to move it fast, because honestly, in the education space, there's no time to waste.” [05:38]
“Transparency has to be your calling card. You have to do it at all cost. You cannot no comment things. The public takes that as an implied guilt.” [13:20]
“If parents are that fickle, that means we're doing a horrible job of proving the quality of what we do every day.” [41:37]
“Deescalation training is probably one of the best things you can do for teachers right now to keep them in your building.” [51:30]
“Urgency and quality. You have to use urgency to prove the quality of your district. You don't have time anymore.” [52:25]
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Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, we speak with Dr. Paul Coakley, the Superintendent of Multnomah ESD in Oregon. Dr. Coakley has spent a lifetime as an educator and as a school administrator. He shares how he united a community to pass the first successful bond in nearly two decades. He also shares his insights on the importance of leaving a legacy, building a personal brand, and knowing when to transition in your career.
Dr. Coakley discusses topics such as: how to brand yourself effectively to gain community trust, when the right time to pass on the leadership baton is, the importance of knowing your “WHY” as a leader, and so much more.
Dr. Paul Coakley has over 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, principal, human resources director, and superintendent and is currently the Superintendent of the Multnomah Education Service District (ESD) in Oregon. Dr. Coakley holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and recently published his memoir, "A Reason for Every Season: Memoirs of a Black Superintendent” which we discuss in this episode.
You can pick up your copy of “A Reason for Every Season: Memoirs of a Black Superintendent” from Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Main Discussion Points:
Shifting Your Why Over Time (04:43)
Building Relationships to Lead an Organization (21:11)
Making Difficult Decisions as a Leader (29:46)
When to Transition in Your Career (40:40)
Advice for Superintendents Feeling Isolated (53:53)
Key Quotes:
“One of the most important things for all school leaders and educators in general is to know your why and to understand what it is.” (02:44)
“If we are constantly working and we don’t make time for ourselves, we actually are less effective than when we’re rested.” (26:06)
“One of the things that I always say is the way you measure a healthy culture is: it’s how long does it take for a group of people to stop talking about a problem and start addressing it?” (48:05)
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations we speak with Julie Sweetland, a sociolinguist and senior advisor at the Frameworks Institute. She shares how leaders and advocates can use strategic framing and communications to have more productive conversations around complex issues. You’ll learn practical strategies for framing issues, understanding different audiences and viewpoints, avoiding common communications pitfalls, and making conversations with your community more constructive.
Julie Sweetland, Ph.D. (@jsw33ts) serves as a senior advisor at the FrameWorks Institute, a nonprofit organization that studies how issues are framed in public conversations and how that impacts outcomes. She has over a decade of experience in education as a teacher, instructional designer and teacher educator focused on issues of language, race, learning and professional development. Julie holds an MA and PhD in Linguistics from Stanford University.
FrameWorks has a number of valuable, actionable resources on their website including these:
- Framing 101
- Changing the Narrative on Public Education
- Reframing Family, School, and Community Engagement
- Reframing the Education Conversation through a Core Story Approach
- Talking Teachers and Teachers’ Unions
Main Discussion Points:
- What framing is and why it’s important for driving productive public conversations (07:00)
- Common barriers to communication (e.g. not understanding your audience’s assumptions) (11:15)
- Strategies for overcoming polarization and partisanship (18:15)
- Don’t remind people of misconceptions or problems you want them to forget (25:50)
- Using the “bridge and pivot” technique to redirect conversations (31:10)
- Core framing narratives: individualism, fatalism and otherism (35:45)
- Why crisis framing rarely motivates action and change (40:10)
- Leading with solutions vs introducing problems first (43:47)
- Using stories to illustrate systems, not just individuals (hero vs landscape framing) (48:44)
Key Quotes:
“Framing is about making intentional choices about how ideas are presented.” (7:31)
“Never remind someone of something you want them to forget.” (25:47)
“Crisis framing is not helpful unless it is an action you need somebody to take right that moment, and they only need to do it, like one time.” (39:29)
“People do not generalize from that hero to the support systems around us.” (on hero framing stories) (50:35)
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Generational researcher Kim Lear re-joins SchoolCEO on the podcast to discuss how you can better understand and communicate with the different generations that make up your school community—from students to teachers to parents to members within the community.. Learn about the key events and cultural shifts that have shaped each generation along with their communication preferences.
Join this conversation and learn about:
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Understanding the societal events and cultural moods that shape each generation’s values and perspectives (00:06:21)
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How baby boomers are aging differently with more vibrancy, energy and tech adoption (00:11:44)
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The rise of skepticism and desire for transparency among Gen X (00:14:39)
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How overwhelmed and anxious millennial parents feel about “doing what’s right” for their kids (00:18:23)
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Communication preferences for reaching different generations (00:27:55)
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Delivering feedback that motivates (instead of paralyzes) (00:42:00)
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Being clear about desired outcomes when gathering input to avoid mismatched expectations (00:35:11)
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Fostering mentor relationships by spotting potential and proving yourself as a mentee (00:46:57)
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And so much more
About Kim Lear:
Kim Lear is a writer and researcher who explores how emerging trends impact the future of our workforce and marketplace. She is known for her ability to use a mix of data, storytelling, humor, and actionable takeaways to discuss the trends that most impact the bottom line of organizations. Previously, Kim was the content director at a research firm dedicated to generational and Millennials trends. Her undergrad research is around Baby Boomers and longevity. Her post-grad work is around Millennials and social media networks.
Kim has written whitepapers on the topics of generational wealth transfer in the finance sector, retirement trends in the hospitality industry, and Gen Z’s impact on higher education.
A researcher to the very core, Kim employs eye-opening statistics to accentuate her points and mixes them with stories and case studies to make her message come alive. She is a sought-after expert and has been featured on NPR as well as national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, USA Today, TIME Magazine and more. Kim is currently in her fifth year of a longitudinal study on leadership.
You can follow Kim Lear on X/Twitter @KimLear or subscribe to her exceptional newsletter "Kids These Days."
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Dr. Pete Hannigan, Superintendent of Hawthorn School District 73, and Samantha Cook, Communications Director, discuss generational differences in the workplace, effective communication strategies to engage their community, and the importance of strong school culture. Join a light-hearted conversation with practical suggestions about bridging generational divides, leveraging social media, and creating a positive school experience.
Follow Hawthorn 73 at https://twitter.com/District_73 and Dr. Hannigan at https://twitter.com/petehannigan
And be sure to check out the latest Hannigan's Shenanigan video here.
About Dr. Peter Hannigan
Dr. Peter Hannigan is an accomplished educational leader with a strong commitment to ensuring quality education for all. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Administration, an Educational Specialist degree, and a Master of Science in Education, all from Northern Illinois University. He began his career as an elementary school teacher, and his passion for education led him to assume various leadership roles.
Dr. Hannigan's administrative experience includes serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in the Schaumburg Consolidated Community School District 54. In this role, he oversaw a district with 15,000 students and 28 schools. Prior to that, he held principal positions at schools ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade.
As the Superintendent of Hawthorn School District 73, Dr. Hannigan is dedicated to the mission of 'Ensuring learning for all.' He leads a diverse student population of approximately 4,200 students across nine schools, providing equitable opportunities and a world-class, whole-child education. Hawthorn District 73 has earned recognition for its academic and extracurricular achievements, including National Blue Ribbon Awards and the 'Whole Child Award' from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
About Samantha Cook
Samantha Cook is the Communications Specialist at Hawthorn School District, responsible for overseeing communications for all nine elementary schools within the district. She plays a vital role in supporting the District's mission through effective internal and external communications, including the creation of impactful videos for Hawthorn School District as a key component of her work. With a background as a former television reporter specializing in delivering stories on education, Samantha brings a wealth of media expertise to her current role. She holds a degree in communications from DePaul University.
As a Communications Specialist, Samantha values families and believes in fostering a love for education. She is passionate about ensuring that Hawthorn students receive a quality education while forming meaningful, impactful relationships with the amazing teachers in the district.
Samantha is a proud bilingual Black Latina. Her goals goals include showcasing students' achievements, celebrating the district's dedicated staff, and fostering a sense of community among parents and community members. With her dedication and creative communication skills, she plays a crucial role in making Hawthorn School District a welcoming and vibrant educational community.
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Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Andrew McPeak is a millennial speaker and Vice President of Content for Growing Leaders. His experiences as a researcher, speaker, and content designer have led him to become well versed in communicating to and about the next generation. In this conversation, he discusses Generation Z and how educators can better prepare their students for real life.
As part of a mini-series on generations, Andrew explores how school leaders can think critically about what is best for students today and beyond their K-12 years. Andrew is the author of Ready for Real Life: Unpacking the Five Essential Soft Skills Great Leaders Instill in Their Students and the co-author of Generation Z: Unfiltered. Both books are practical and academic— or as he puts it “prac-ademic.”
This episode is centered on students and yet still highlights an opportunity for school leaders to market their schools to their community from parents to businesses as they prepare students for the right soft skills to be successful in real life.
Follow Andrew McPeak on X/Twitter here and learn more about him, his writing, and the Growing Leaders organization here:
https://readyforreallifebook.com/
https://growingleaders.com/
https://www.andrewmcpeak.com/
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Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this conversation with SchoolCEO, Dr. Sanfelippo discusses how he changed the narrative within his school district, keys to culture, and how to lead authentically.
Dr. Joe Sanfelippo is a frequent keynote speaker at education conferences around the country because of his passion, energy, and experience. He spent the last 12 years as the Superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Fall Creek, WI. The Fall Creek School District was named an Innovative District in 2016 and 2017 by the International Center for Leadership in Education.
He co-authored The Power of Branding-Telling Your School's Story, Principal Professional Development: Leading Learning in a Digital Age and Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students and Parents Love.
As mentioned in the interview, you can watch Dr. Sanfelippo’s 1 Minute Walk to Work on YouTube.
Dr. Sanfelippo was selected as 1 of 117 Future Ready Superintendents in 2014 and 1 of 50 Superintendents as a Personalized Learning Leader in 2016 by the US Department of Education. He attended summits at the White House for both distinctions. Education Dive named Joe 1 of 5 K-12 administrators to watch in 2018 and their National Superintendent of the Year in 2019. He has been a featured speaker in multiple states in the areas of Advancing the Use of Social Media for School Leaders, Telling Your School Story, Creating a Culture of Yes, and Personalized Professional Growth for Staff. Go Crickets!!
Joe holds a BA in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from St. Norbert College, a MS in Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a MS in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Leadership, Learning, and Service from Cardinal Stritch University. Joe is also an adjunct professor in the Educational Leadership Department at Viterbo University. Joe has taught Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade. He was also a school counselor and high school coach prior to taking on an elementary principal position in 2005. He has served as a principal in suburban and rural Wisconsin.
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Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Join one of the best episodes of Season 2 with author, CEO and TED speaker Margaret Heffernan.
This episode can help any school leader that is looking to better drive change, build a stronger culture, and ultimately to build the best possible district and school.
- How small, frequent changes can be more effective for organizations than big, sudden transformations
- The importance of constructive conflict and different perspectives within collaborations
- Strategies for open communication and honesty within organizations
- The value of social connections and relationships (social capital) in schools and businesses
- Why efficiency can sometimes undermine effectiveness in complex human systems
- Preparing students and organizations to be adaptable, resilient, and manage uncertainty
Key Quotes & Timestamps
"What truly changes organizations are small choices made by everyone." [00:04:04]
"Collaboration often requires constructive conflict and debate to reach the best ideas." [00:07:21]
"Taking 5 minutes to talk to somebody before or after a meeting can really help you get to know people in the round." [00:29:40]
"The teacher or executive that takes a personal interest in somebody - it is probably the most potent tool they have." [00:40:11]
Guest Bio:
Dr. Margaret Heffernan produced programs for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the U.S. where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard & Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter.
The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Willful Blindness : Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. In 2015, she was awarded the Transmission Prize for A Bigger Prize: Why Competition isn’t Everything and How We Do Better, described as “meticulously researched…engagingly written…universally relevant and hard to fault.” Her TED talks have been seen by over 13 million people and in 2015 TED published Beyond Measure: The Big Impact of Small Changes.
Her most recent book, Uncharted: How to map the future was published in 2020. It quickly became a bestseller and was nominated for the Financial Times Best Business Book award, was one of Bloomberg’s Best Books of 2021 and was chosen as the “Medium Best of the Best” business book. She is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute’s Responsible Leadership Programme and, through Merryck & Co., mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organizations. She chairs the board of DACS and is a parish councillor. Learn more about Margaret and her work at www.mheffernan.com
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Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
Debbie Critchfield joins SchoolCEO and shares her experience in school communications and her current role as the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Idaho.
If you’re an avid listener, you know that SchoolCEO so often goes deep into organizational culture and how you can craft effective communication that reaches your intended audience. This episode combines those two topics as we dive deeper into internal communication and explore:
- Internal communication
- Tactics and strategies for better internal communication
- How to work better with school boards and external partners
- What superintendents can craft a better working relationship with their communication directors
- How communication directors should spend their time to become even more effective in their work
- And so much more.
Debbie Critchfield was sworn in as Idaho’s Superintendent of Public Instruction on January 2, 2023. She previously served for seven years on the Idaho State Board of Education and was appointed to education task forces by Governors Brad Little and Butch Otter. Debbie served as an elected school board member in Cassia County for ten years and was on the executive committee of the Idaho School Boards Association. She is a former local library trustee and Oakley Valley Arts Council president. She worked as the public information officer for Cassia School District for nine years. Debbie and her husband Dave live in Oakley, where they raised their four children. They have three grandsons.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, we speak with Scott Curran, an expert in impact storytelling. He discusses what impact storytelling is, how it can engage and inspire staff, bring communities together, and help nonprofits and schools alike achieve their missions. Listeners will learn practical frameworks for crafting stories and be inspired to craft their own stories.
Join this conversation to learn more about:
- The power of storytelling to shape community and culture
- Defining "impact storytelling" and how it differs from typical storytelling
- Overcoming common hesitations in identifying impact stories
- Using the "GPS framework" (Goal, Problem, Solution) to craft impact stories
- Understanding benefits of impact storytelling: achieving "big, bold goals," navigating change and rallying to overcome challenges
- Telling impact stories as a leadership practice - lessons from working with presidents
Scott counsels leaders of social enterprises in developing social impact strategies, growing organizational capacity, and creating projects, programs, and partnerships that achieve measurable results.
Scott founded Beyond Advisers to work with social innovators, nonprofits, philanthropists, governments, and private sector leaders to design and build their organizations and initiatives for impact. He teaches and lectures on the role of lawyers in social innovation, advises law schools in developing social impact clinical practices, and consults with law firms to develop social impact practice groups. Crain’s Chicago Business called the class he teaches one of “the coolest classes for law students.”
Prior to starting Beyond Advisers, Scott served as General Counsel for the Clinton Foundation. During a decade of service to the Clinton Foundation, Scott established, grew, and led the legal team that supported a global operating charity with over 2,000 staff and volunteers working in 36 countries on more than a dozen initiatives. Scott led the team of in-house professionals and outside firms that created the organizational and operational structures that supported the Clinton Foundation’s board, enterprise systems, and program teams during their most prolonged and intensive period of growth.
Tom Burton has been an educator for 35 years including a superintendent for 8 years at Princeton City Schools in Ohio. In July 2023, he retired and shared his insights and expertise with SchoolCEO.
In addition to this episode, you can watch Tom Burton’s TEDx talks. Watch “Sometimes the Apple Bounces” about breaking the cycle of poverty and “Finding Resolutions: Questions the Answers” about developing the mindset to confront ourselves and make progress.
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Leaders need to challenge the status quo and get comfortable with dissent and disagreement to spark new thinking. Ask "why" repeatedly to dig deeper.
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Model the behaviors and mindsets you want to see. Consistency between beliefs and actions builds culture.
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Stay positive and solution-focused. Don't let setbacks derail you. Reflect but don't dwell on mistakes.
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Implement programs and changes systematically. Evaluate frequently and course correct.
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Collaboration and transparency lead to better ideas and outcomes. Value all voices.
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Gratitude and recognition motivate teams. Look for authentic ways to say thanks.
Want more from SchoolCEO? Subscribe for free to our newsletter! We’ll send you ideas to get you thinking, resources you can use within your schools, and share original research that is published exclusively in SchoolCEO magazine.
One of the most explored topics at SchoolCEO magazine in our research, interviews, and perspectives is employee culture. Our original research on teacher satisfaction (February 2023) looked at 1,000s of teachers from more than 300 districts to find out what they want in a job, how they find opportunities, and more. And in 2019, we published the largest study of its kind on millennial teacher recruitment and retention in schools.
In this podcast, we speak to Great Place to Work CEO Michael C. Bush. Great Place to Work leads worldwide in employee satisfaction surveys and helping leaders improve the employee experience and workplace environment. Join this conversation and gain a new understanding about creating the best work environment for teachers and staff:
- A great place to work is defined by a high level of trust, respect, transparency, fairness, equity, and caring about one another.
- It is a place where people feel like they can work well as a team and achieve more together than individually.
- Pride in a great place to work is defined as care, where people feel cared about by those around them, and they reciprocate that care.
- Trust is the most crucial factor in creating a great place to work.
- Fairness is the key lever that impacts trust the most.
- Working for a leader who treats everyone with equal disrespect is better than a leader who treats different groups unfairly and unequally.
- And so much, more...
About Michael C. Bush:
Michael C. Bush is CEO of Great Place To Work, the global research and analytics firm that produces the annual Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, the World’s Best Workplaces list, the 100 Best Workplaces for Women list, and dozens of other distinguished workplace rankings around the world. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, Michael joined Great Place To Work as CEO in 2015, bringing 30 years of experience leading and growing organizations. This includes serving as CEO of Tetra Tech Communications, which he grew from $40 million to $300 million in revenue. Michael is a former member of President Obama’s White House Business Council and a founding board member of the private equity seed-fund, Fund Good Jobs, which invests in small inner-city businesses. Michael was a member of the Board of Directors at Workday, Inc. until September 2021 when Great Place To Work was acquired by UKG, Inc.
Neal Foard has spent 25 years in advertising and marketing, creating award winning campaigns for global power brands like Budweiser, Lexus and Sony. Most recently, Neal has gained a following on social media for his inspirational videos about the better side of everyday people.
You can find more of his stories on:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nealfoard
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nealfoard/
Website: https://www.nealfoard.com/
For his work on Toyota, Neal ranked among the top ten most awarded creative directors in the world in 2002. As the author of an innovative coaching series, Neal was named Worldwide Director of Creative Learning for global ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. He has consulted on creative messaging for Fortune 500 companies and universities and been a featured speaker at TEDx conferences.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and storytelling.
Learn more about Apptegy and how Thrillshare can you tell better stories across your website, social media, and beyond at https://www.apptegy.com/thrillshare/
Dr. Melissa Thompson explores how she built an onboarding program for school board members that prepares potential board members to serve. Her work and onboarding system also gives board members-elect the information, context, and tools necessary to start their positions well. In this practical episode, superintendents and school board presidents will learn how to truly develop their board members to benefit their entire school community.
Dr. Melissa Thompson is the former superintendent of Swallow School District in Wisconsin where she served for 12 years. Dr. Melissa Thompson now serves as the Director of Education Strategy at PRA (Plunkett Raysich Architects) following 25 years in the field of education.
A twelve-year veteran of the superintendency, during Dr. Thompson’s tenure at the Swallow School District accolades from the Wisconsin Department of Instruction included being the Top Scoring District on state report cards (2020-21), the top score in the state for eight-grade mathematics achievement (2018-19), and being one of eight schools statewide to earn recognition as both a High Progress and High Achieving Title I School (2014-15) along with School Health and three Promising Practices Character Education awards. The district was also named a National Blue Ribbon School in the Closing the Gaps category (2016) by the U.S. Department of Education.
During this same period, significant Long Range Planning efforts coupling Strategic Planning and Master Planning efforts lead to the passage of an $8.3M referendum in 2018 with all project facets completed on time and under budget. Communications campaigns and community engagement during the pre-referendum and design processes earned state and national recognition with ongoing School Board workshops and community engagement around the district’s finances and nexus with school funding in Wisconsin.
Dr. Thompson is a frequent presenter at conferences, facilitator of strategic planning efforts for school districts and organizations, mentor to aspiring and new administrators, search consultant for districts seeking new superintendents, and member and past President of the Hartland-Lake Country Rotary Club where she was also named Rotarian of the Year.
Join SchoolCEO Conversations in an interview with Dale Scott on practical advice and smart thinking about how to set up your next bond to succeed.
Dale Scott is the President of DS&C in San Francisco, which has provided municipal advisory and election consulting services for California schools and community colleges for over 35 years. Consistently ranking among the top municipal advisors in California, Dale and his team have helped hundreds of school districts address their funding challenges.
Dale is widely viewed within the bond industry as one of its most innovative thinkers. In partnership with Jefferson Union High School District (San Mateo County), he created the nation’s first voter-approved general obligation bond to construct below-market rental housing for teachers and staff in the district. This unique approach went on to receive Bond Buyer’s Small-Issuer Deal of the Year award in 2018. Dale and his team have also received Inc. Magazine’s Best in Business award, given to companies that have had a “superlative impact on their industries, their communities, the environment, and society as a whole.” In 2022, Inc. Magazine also named DS&C one of the 5000 fastest-growing private businesses in the United States. Dale holds two patents from the United States Patent and Trademarks Office for debt financing mechanisms. He is the author of Win-Win: An Insider’s Guide to School Bonds. He has appeared before numerous taxpayer organizations and statewide school district symposiums as a frequent guest speaker on school district finance and elections. Dale holds degrees from San Francisco State University and Harvard University.
Learn more about Dale Scott & Co. here.
Visit EduOpenings.com to post jobs within your schools and/or find new opportunities for yourself and others.
SchoolCEO speaks with two educators from St. Louis who founded the website EduOpenings.com. The platform helps districts find and attract educators to their schools AND makes it easier for those same educators to find new opportunities within K-12.
Dr. Howard Fields is an Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in St. Louis County. He’s also an award-winning leader, author, creator, and adjunct professor. Follow Dr. Fields on Twitter at @HeFields3
Dr. Darryl Diggs Jr. is an educator and advocate for diversity and inclusion in education with over 15 years of experience. In his current role as Director of Equity, Dr. Diggs oversees the district’s DEI initiatives, which include professional development for staff, training for students, and support for all St. Louis County school districts. Follow Dr. Diggs on Twitter at @Achievement4ALL
Learn more about SchoolCEO's resources and research on recruitment & retention here. SchoolCEO Conference also dives deep into employee culture and reaching teachers and staff of all generations. Learn more about SchoolCEO Conference here.
Chapter Markers:
(0:00) Opening Quote
(1:08) Episode Intro
(3:20) Dr. Howard Fields Intro
(4:30) Dr. Darryl Diggs Intro
(6:10) About EduOpenings
(9:25) Creating A Better Job Search
(11:30) The Role of A.I. & Analytics
(13:40) Teachers & Private Sector Jobs
(16:15) Diversity & Recruitment
(16:55) Research Into Teacher Recruitment
(18:50) Pivotal Career Moments
(25:25) Word Of Mouth
(31:00) Creating Better Job Descriptions
(37:00) Active Recruiting
(44:00) Recruiting Is Competitive
(47:30) How You Can Use EduOpenings
(50:49) Outro & Credits
Have you ever noticed a gap between what people say they will do and what they actually do after you talk to them? How do you know if you’re sharing stories people will remember and act on? Are all stories memorable and actionable?
As a superintendent, principal, or communications director you want to be both memorable and credible. To become true leaders and influence others’ actions, you must ask: What makes a story memorable? And what is the optimal amount of narrative to use when you speak about technical and complex content?
Dr. Carmen Simon, Ph.D., is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, cognitive neuroscientist, and renowned keynote speaker for sales and marketing audiences. Carmen offers a groundbreaking approach to creating memorable messages that are easy to process, hard to forget, and impossible to ignore―using the latest in brain science. Dr. Simon is the author of Impossible to Ignore: Creating Memorable Content to Influence Decisions.
You can find Dr. Simon on Twitter at @areyoumemorable and read her book on Amazon or at Bookshop.org
In this conversation Aurora Meyer at Columbia Public Schools in Missouri explains and explores a different approach to their district communications including rethinking the role of social media, the value of print communication, and promoting the very best of your schools with the larger community. We discuss the importance of establishing a connection over specific data and metrics.
Aurora Meyer is the President of the Mid-Missouri PRSA chapter, APR Chair for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) St. Louis Chapter and previously served as the Mid-State Director for the Missouri School Public Relations Association. She currently serves as the Communications Manager for Columbia Public Schools.
Over her 19-year career, Aurora has developed an impressive track record of increasing both the size and engagement of relevant audiences and campaign outcomes by using analytics to guide strategic decision-making. She is recognized by her industry peers with multiple awards for social media strategy and campaigns in addition to a MarCom Gold award in 2019 and several National School Public Relations Association awards for her work in 2020 and 2021.
Aurora is a regular speaker and workshop presenter on campaign analysis, social strategy, community engagement, crisis communication and analytics. A PRSA-accredited public relations professional, Aurora is entitled to use the APR professional designation.
Follow Aurora Meyer on Twitter at @aurorameyer
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on communication, newsletters, and more.
The article Where Social Media Falls Short from the Summer 2022 edition of SchoolCEO pairs nicely with this episode. Read it and more here.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter @school_CEO
Dr. Deborah Gist’s education career spans from the elementary classroom to being listed in 2010 as one of the 100 Most Influential People. She served as the first State Superintendent of Education for Washington, D.C. and then as Commissioner of Education for the State of Rhode Island.
Read SchoolCEO’s article featuring Dr. Gist in January 2021 here.
Today Dr. Gist leads Tulsa Public Schools in Oklahoma, which has recently become the largest district in the state. During Superintendent Gist’s tenure, the district has seen sustained increases in high school graduation rates, novice teacher retention, employee engagement, and the percentage of students meeting projected reading and math growth. Tulsa Public Schools has expanded its dual language programming, opened the only three public Montessori programs in the state, implemented the Seal of Biliteracy for high school students demonstrating proficiency in at least two languages, launched a unified enrollment system, and successfully passed a five-year $415 million bond that will transform teaching and learning experiences across the city.
Follow Dr. Gist on Twitter at @deborahgist and Tulsa Public Schools at @TulsaSchools.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and collaboration.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter @school_CEO
Dr. Don Killingbeck, aka "The Gladiator," is an educational leader with a wealth of experience from classroom teacher to the superintendency. He boasts advanced degrees in educational tech and leadership from Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University, and Central Michigan University. In addition to educational research, Don has co-authored a children's book about teamwork and resilience called Warriors of Widgeon Way and has co-authored 43 Ways to Be Less Lame as an Educator, and has another book in the pipeline about school finance.
When he is not leading his school district (Hemlock Public School District) or making people laugh, in his spare time, he enjoys being a professional beard judge and a world-class jump roper. Dr. Killingbeck mentions 43 Ways to Be Less Lame at the end of the episode. You can find the book and other “Less lame” content at: https://www.lesslame.org/
Follow Dr. Killingbeck on LinkedIn to read the stories he’s sharing for yourself.
Learn more about Hemlock Public School District at https://www.hemlock.k12.mi.us/ or on Twitter at @hemlockps
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter @school_CEO
Jennifer Hines is the Chief Communications Officer for Tyler ISD. She is a communications strategist, writer, podcast host, and mentor. An award-winning journalist and news anchor, Jennifer spent 20 years in the media business, most recently at KLTV, before switching to School Public Relations in 2019. She has dealt with everything from the name change of the district’s two flagship high schools in record time and COVID-19 to, most recently, a bond election. In May 2022, Jennifer helped her district pass an $89M bond package.
Read about Tyler ISD’s bus driver campaign in Vehicles for Change in SchoolCEO magazine
Follow Jennifer on Twitter @jennifer_hines and Tyler ISD @TylerISD
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter @school_CEO
More about Jennifer Hines:
Jennifer recently received a gold award from the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) for her Tyler ISD Strategic Communications and Community Engagement Plan. It was recognized for its innovative approach to engaging with the community and improving communication with parents, students, staff, and the community. In addition, she won two silver awards, one for writing and one for a published news release or feature.
Jennifer has been recognized by the Texas AP Broadcaster's Association for her spot news, features, and health stories. In 2007, Jennifer's story on Central Catholic Elementary's chess team in Corpus Christi won an award for Best Feature. While working in Austin, she was part of a team selected by the USC Annenberg School of Communication as winners of a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for Best Continuing Coverage and a Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism. The University of Texas in Austin is Jennifer's alma mater, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Business. The College of Communication's Journalism program is among the country's most highly respected journalism programs.
Karen Eber is global leadership consultant and keynote speaker. Her talk on TED.com: How your brain responds to stories – and why they’re crucial for leaders has 2 million views. As the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group, Karen helps companies build leaders, teams, and culture, one story at a time.
Karen works with Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Facebook, Kraft Heinz, Kate Spade, and Microsoft. She guest lectures at universities including the London School of Business, MIT, and Stanford. She is a former Head of Culture, Chief Learning Officer and Head of Leadership Development at General Electric and Deloitte and is a frequent contributor to Fast Company.
Join a conversation about:
- Using stories to turn No into Yes
- The common mistakes of storytelling,
- Better ways to get your community to really hear what you’re telling them,
- Drawing out better everyday stories from teachers,
- How you can approach storytelling to increase your influence and inspire your school community.
Follow Karen Eber on Twitter at @kareneber1 or visit her website: https://www.kareneber.com/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
William D. Parker is the host of Principal Matters, a popular podcast and blog for building leaders. With more than 300 episodes, a decade of writing, and three published books, he offers open and honest dialogues about the challenges and opportunities that principals face around school culture, leadership and communication.
We discuss how superintendents and principals can work better together, the shared experience of leading others, and how together school leaders can play offense to help everyone in their schools win by celebrating the successes within their organizations.
Will currently serves as executive director of Oklahoma’s Association of Secondary Principals and Oklahoma’s Middle Level Educator Association. His solutions and strategies can help education leaders motivate students, inspire teachers, and reach their communities.
Learn more about Will on his website here: https://williamdparker.com/ and be sure to listen in and subscribe to Principal Matters on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Learn more about SchoolCEO’s work, magazine, podcast, and other resources here: https://www.schoolceo.com/
Decades ago Jamie Vollmer’s career was transformed when he was invited to speak to a group of teachers. His three big assumptions about what is wrong with schools were turned upside down. The result of that presentation and Jamie’s willingness to change his mind is a lesson for everyone. Since that day Jamie has gone on to present and entertain tens of thousands of educators, board members, parents, and community leaders from coast to coast.
His enthusiastic defense of public education, educators, and superintendents has been praised. He is insistent and confident that schools cannot do it alone. In particular, Jamie provides insights that can help school leaders change the false narratives that persist about public education.
Toward the end of the episode, Jamie Vollmer presents two frameworks to help schools shift the conversation within their schools and in their communities: the first framework is “every day evidence” and the second is “The Five S’s.”
The Five S’s
- Stop
- Shift
- Share
- Sustain
- Start Now
We also discuss the importance of brand representation by teachers and staff, and cite SchoolCEO’s research from January 2022 on Who Speaks for Your Brand.
Learn more about Jamie Vollmer’s work and presentations here: https://www.jamievollmer.com/
Learn more about SchoolCEO’s work, magazine, podcast, and other resources here: https://www.schoolceo.com/
Julie Lythcott-Haims believes in humans and is deeply interested in what gets in our way. For over a decade she served as Stanford University’s dean of freshmen. With more parents controlling their students’ experience, relationships, academic work, and decisions, her message is something that will resonate with every educator, student, and parent.
She is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Raise an Adult which gave rise to a popular TED Talk; her second book is the critically-acclaimed and award-winning prose poetry memoir Real American; her third book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult, has been called a “groundbreakingly frank” guide to adulthood.
Julie holds degrees from Stanford, Harvard Law, and California College of the Arts. She currently serves on the boards of Black Women’s Health Imperative, Narrative Magazine, and on the Board of Trustees at California College of the Arts. She serves on the advisory boards of LeanIn.Org, Sir Ken Robinson Foundation and Baldwin For the Arts.
Follow Julie Lytchott-Haims on Twitter at @jlythcotthaims
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and engaging your school community.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter @school_ceo
This episode is a look inside how to grow a reputable district brand. While storytelling is often preached about, Saginaw ISD is actively telling its story with the help of hundreds of voices within the district in what Dr. Collier calls “Collective Authorship.” It's a powerful framework that can help you and your schools rethink how to share, celebrate, and communicate the stories of achievement with your stakeholders.
In this conversation we answer these questions and more:
- How can you share different perspectives across your district?
- How do you get teachers and staff to be your district’s ambassadors?
- Can storytelling impact your district's culture?
- Is culture more important than tools and tactics?
- How can you make your district’s strengths more visible?
Saginaw ISD isn’t a typical school district, it’s actually an educational service agency providing services, resources, and programs to local school districts throughout Saginaw County. In total, Saginaw ISD serves 12 local school districts, 5 public school academies, and 22 non-public schools, with a total enrollment of approximately 27,000 students.
In addition, SISD operates multiple educational programs to meet the unique needs of students ages birth to 26 across Saginaw County, including: Hartley Outdoor Education Center, Head Start/Early Head Start and Great Start to Readiness Programs, Great Lakes Bay Early College, Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center School, and Special Education Center Programs.
Follow our guests on Twitter at @JeffreyJCollier, @CotyKuschinsky, and @SaginawISD
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
For research, articles, and perspectives visit SchoolCEO.com
SchoolCEO has written about the role of communications director throughout our issues for a simple reason: the role is critical to the success of superintendents and the district. In articles like Championing Your Comms Director and Super Team we make the case for how the role brings schools closer to their communities and how it supports the larger efforts of the school district in significant ways. In past SchoolCEO podcast episodes like Marketing Your Employer Brand we’ve discussed how the role can even influence recruitment and student engagement
Listen in as we speak together with:
- Erica Chandler at Affton School District in Missouri ( @ericajchandler and @AfftonSchools )
- Christy McGee at Fountain Fort Carson School District in Colorado ( @christy_mcgee and @FFC8schools )
- Meagan Dorsey at Dothan City Schools in Alabama ( @MeaganDorsey17 and @DCSdothan )
- Andrew Robinson at Arlington Public Schools in Virginia ( @RobinsonReports and @APSVirginia )
Learn more about SchoolCEO Conference on March 6 & 7, 2023 here: https://schoolceo.com/conference
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
How can we increase the pace of innovation? How do we become more effective at changing minds and influencing? Why do only some products, ideas, and behaviors catch on? Dr. Jonah Berger has spent more than 15 years researching and answering these questions to explain why certain things become popular and why some companies are more innovative than others. He blends behavioral science with his own research to help leaders fuel growth within their organizations while operating in our rapidly-changing environment.
A regular guest at SchoolCEO Conference, Berger engages in a practical conversation about how we can all better guide and influence our communities—all without coming off as pushy.
Berger is a world-renowned expert on change, influence, consumer behavior, and how products, ideas, and behaviors catch on. He is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and has published over 50 articles in top-tier academic journals. He is also the internationally bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst, with more than a million copies of his books sold worldwide.
Berger has a BA from Stanford University in Human Judgment and Decision Making, and a PhD from Stanford in Marketing.
Follow Jonah Berger on Twitter at j1berger
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on leadership, influence, and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
This episode is a look inside what it takes for leaders to have courageous conversations with their stakeholders across the community. In this conversation we answer these questions and more:
- How can you transform hurt to hope?
- What role do accountability and vulnerability play in the superintendency?
- Can active listening and open conversations change a district’s story and even its finances?
- How can you give your community a reason to believe in your schools and your district’s future?
Dr. Jeff Horton joined GFW School District as superintendent months before the pandemic arrived, schools closed, and change was forced upon businesses and organizations. This is a story of transformation and rallying support to change a community that had 81% voting “No” on a past bond referendum to supporting a new operating levy in less than 50 days and 63% voting “Yes.”Join the conversation to start thinking differently about how you can shape your community’s perception of your district.
Learn more about GFW Schools on their website or follow GFW on Facebook.
For more Superintendent Voices & Perspectives visit: https://www.schoolceo.com/superintendent-voices/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on teacher recruitment, culture and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/schoolceo/
Few school leaders are rarely trained to handle crises. And yet, at some point in their career they will be expected to lead during and after the unexpected strikes. Dr. Robert Hunt has experienced personal and professional crises as well as published research on how school leaders can effectively lead in the aftermath of a crisis. From that experience and his own work, he has a perspective that can help school leaders, especially superintendents better plan and prepare for something few are trained on.
In this conversation we discuss:
- How superintendents should communicate with their stakeholders amidst difficulty and sensitive information
- Preparing school administrators by talking about crisis before it happens
- Post Traumatic Growth and being able to acknowledge the things you are better at because you were present in a crisis and went through difficult times
- How communities can work together to become stronger after crisis—instead of trying to get back to “normal”
- How to handle difficult situations when there is a lack of control, uncertainty and urgency
Read Dr. Hunt’s perspective in SchoolCEO Magazine here.
For more Superintendent Voices & Perspectives visit: https://www.schoolceo.com/superintendent-voices/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on teacher recruitment, culture and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/school_ceo
Your schools already have great people and stories. But too often those stories don't get shared, and, when they do, we can forget them too easily. An effective school event does far more than share information, it changes how people think and feel.
Sherese Nix, Executive Director of Communications at Garland ISD, shares how her district used an event as a platform to share their best stories and bring teachers and staff together. She goes into detail how she planned Garland’s Convocation, how it was different and unexpected from past years, and how it brought their entire community (even parents and students) closer together.
Nick Gray speaks from his experience leading events in museums and in smaller events like cocktail parties to show how structure and intentionality can transform an average event into something worth remembering and talking about.
After you listen, we invite you to go online to schoolceo.com and sign up for our email updates for more resources. When you sign up, you can also ask to receive our quarterly print magazine which includes original research, interviews, and marketing guides. Visit schoolceo.com
Follow Nick Gray at @nickgraynews, Sherese Nix at @sherese_nix and Garland ISD @gisdnews on Twitter and search the hashtag #TheGISDEffect. As promised, you can also find a handful of the MANY photos and videos shared about Garland ISD’s convocation event here: Tweet 1, Tweet 2, Tweet 3, Tweet 4, Tweet 5, Tweet 6, Tweet 7
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For more K-12 marketing resources visit: https://www.schoolceo.com/marketing-101/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on teacher recruitment, culture and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
Employer brand, recruitment, and retention can often feel difficult to navigate. Arlington Community Schools’ leaders give a framework for not only recruiting employees, but retaining them through culture, climate, and care—all while building a unique employer brand.
Arlington Community Schools’ Superintendent Jeff Mayo, Chief of Human Resources Dr. Allison Clark, and Director of Communications & Planning Tyler Hill reference their experiences in HR, communications, and journalism to dive into employer brand, recruitment, and retention for schools.
They’ve found solutions to solving recruitment and retention through a strong online presence. Their careers page and Instagram have made their district attractive to potential employees, highlighting their community, location, student and employee involvement, and school leadership.
Join this conversation about how employer brand doesn’t just start with the people coming in, it’s the continuous conversations with both the students and people who are there to support them. Superintendents and school leaders should utilize marketing and creative tools, like storytelling, to differentiate their districts from others.
Follow Arlington Community Schools on Instagram @arlington_schools and view their Career page here.
For more K-12 recruitment and retention resources visit: https://www.schoolceo.com/recruitment-retention/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on teacher recruitment, culture and marketing.
Follow SchoolCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/school_ceo
Neel Doshi, coauthor of Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation, calls on his decades of research understanding what is at the heart of motivation and what drives high performance at schools, companies, and other organizations.
Culture can often feel soft, undefinable and difficult to create. Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor’s work gives a framework and a way of measuring motivation and, by extension, culture. Doshi examines direct and indirect motives and explains “why we work determines how well we work.”
Join this conversation about how motivation and culture influence schools, teachers, and recruitment and retention. Superintendents and other school leaders should rethink motivation and see your responsibility as creating the conditions where everyone within the organization understands that you’re trying to create a motivating environment. And, it’s up to everyone to create that environment that offers an opportunity for all to do their best work together.
Follow Neel on Twitter @neelvf
To take the survey Neel Doshi mentions go to: https://www.vegafactor.com/survey
For more K-12 recruitment and retention resources visit: https://www.schoolceo.com/recruitment-retention/
Subscribe to SchoolCEO Newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ for more strategies on teacher recruitment, culture and marketing.
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When Jenna Rhodes entered the classroom, she admits that she knew more about biology than pedagogy. But as she began her teaching career, she became fascinated how she could become a better teacher, using biology— brain science in particular.
Jenna’s quest for understanding led her to NeuroTeach, a book based on the work Glen Whitman and Dr. Ian Kelleher. Jenna was amazed at what she learned— and started a quest to partner with NeuroTeach to bring neuroscience-based teaching to her district in one of Georgia’s most impoverished counties.
In this episode of SchooCEO Conversations, Jenna discusses how neuroscience has impacted her work as an educator and what school leaders can do to better teach in concert with their students’ brain development.
Follow Jenna at @rhodes_jj
Learn more about Neuroteach Global at https://neuroteach.us/.
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Dr. Philip Lanoue has always been interested in the big ideas in public education, and after serving as an educator for over 40 years, he has the experience to back up his ideas. Because of his work as a superintendent in Georgia’s Clarke County School District, Dr. Lanoue was recognized as AASA’s 2015 National Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Lanoue has authored multiple books on public education including The Emerging Work of Today’s Superintendent and Navigating the Unknown in Education.
In this episode of SchooCEO Conversations, Dr. Lanoue discusses his experiences as a lifelong educator, his current research, and what he is looking forward to in the ever-changing landscape of American public education.
Follow Dr. Philip Lanoue at: @pdlconsultants or at https://pdlconsultants.com/’
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Nearing the one-year anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol, we explore US public education’s history and its relationship with democracy. Joining us, Dr. Johann N. Neem, the author of Democracy’s Schools: The Rise of Public Education in America, shares insights from his research and how many of the debates today mirror those in the early republic
Dr. Johann N. Neem is a professor of history at Western Washington University and an editor for the Journal of the Early Republic. Dr. Neem’s most recent book What's the Point of College? Seeking Purpose in an Age of Reform explores the debates around higher education and its value.
Dr. Johann N. Neem (@JohannNeem)
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Approaching the one-year anniversary of AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Latino and Latina Leaders, Dr. Lupita Hightower joins us to share the amazing stories from their very first cohort.
Dr. Hightower previously joined us on the podcast to discuss her experiences as superintendent of Arizona’s Tolleson Elementary School. She coteaches the academy with Dr. Gladys Cruz, superintendent of New York’s Questar III BOCES.
If you are interested in applying to one of AASA’s Aspiring Superintendents Academy or know someone who should apply, check out aasa.org/aspiring.
Dr. Lupita Hightower (@LupitaHightower)
AASA (@AASAHQ)
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The pandemic has shown many school districts how important school nurses are to a successful school district. Despite everyone knowing about school nursing, many educators don’t realize all that school nurses do for students on any given day.
In this episode, Donna Mazyck, the Executive Director of the National Association of School Nurses, shares her own experiences as a school nurse and the real impact school nurses have on students. Donna further shares how district leaders can fund school nursing through health care funding instead of education funding.
Check out the Healthy Schools Campaign to learn how to leverage COVID relief funds and Medicaid to establish long-term school nursing and school health programs.
Donna Mazyck (@DonnaMazyck)
National Association of School Nurses (@schoolnurses)
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For Dr. Jeremy Owoh, listening has always been a cornerstone of his leadership philosophy. Now superintendent of the recently established Jacksonville-North Pulaski Schools, Owoh is striving to establish a district that has authentic educational equity at its heart—and a big part of that is built on the practice of deep listening and honest conversations.
In this episode of SchooCEO Conversations, Owoh discusses authentic educational equity, the unique voice inherent in student advisory councils, and how to make PLCs a space where failure is understood as a part of growth.
Dr. Jeremy Owoh: @DrJay_06
Jacksonville/North Pulaski Schools: @JNPSD1
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Chris Cipriano, Ph.D., is an Applied Developmental and Educational Psychologist whose research has focused on Social-Emotional Learning, especially as it relates to marginalized student and teacher populations.
In this episode, Dr. Cipriano shares insights from her research around SEL and her own personal experiences as a parent of a child with special needs.
Dr. Cipriano currently serves as the Director of Research for the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence and is an Assistant Professor at the Yale Child Study Center at the Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Chris Cipriano (@drchriscip)
You can reach out to Chris at christina.cipriano@yale.edu or on her website at drcriscip.com. Check out ycei.org for more information about the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
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Danielle Dreilinger is the North Carolina Storytelling Reporter for the USA Today Network and the author of The Secret History of Home Economics: How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of Home and Changed the Way We Live, which was published in 2021. Prior to researching her book, Danielle covered the charter school movement for NOLA.com.
In this episode, Danielle discusses her book and the surprising impact that the home economics movement has on the way we live today. Danielle also shares home economics impacts on public education, from paving the way for free school lunches to teaching generations of students about food safety and home maintenance.
We then dive into the future of home economics classes and how they might be poised for a resurgence given the rising importance of social-emotional learning and students’ interest in sustainable living.
Danielle can be reached via Twitter at @djdreilinger or through her website at thedailyreason.com.
Superintendents interested in learning more about home economics should reach out to the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (https://www.aafcs.org/) which has chapters in every state.
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The charter school movement has exploded since the first ones opened in Minnesota in the 1980s. But when the first charter school moved in near Dr. Shon Hildreth, then a principal in North Carolina, he didn’t know how to respond.
After experiencing the impact on his school’s enrollment, Shon decided to explore in his dissertation how a charter school opening impacts a local district.
He was familiar with the enrollment changes, but he decided to dig deeper into whether the districts changed their practices in response to the charter school and if the charter school led to improvement and innovation in the local districts.
In this episode, Shon shares his insights from his research and his own experiences working in districts impacted by charter schools.
Randolph County Schools (@RandCoSchools)
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Dr. Andy Crozier became a superintendent when he was 28. At the time, he was the youngest superintendent in the state of Iowa. Despite his age and the dreaded label “millennial,” Dr. Crozier simply focused on what all good superintendents do—building trust.
There have been many misconceptions pushed about millennials. Even now, many don’t realize that the youngest millennials graduated college years ago, and the oldest are hitting their 40s. With millennials now making up the majority of the workforce—including in schools—more superintendencies will be filled by millennials. In this episode, Dr. Crozier shares his own experience as a millennial superintendent and speculates on how the superintendency might change with generational shifts.
Dr. Andy Crozier (@acrozier22)
Central Lee Community School District (@CentralLeeCSD)
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By the time a student graduates high school, they’ll have spent about a year of their education under the supervision of a substitute teacher. Unfortunately, for most schools, the only requirement to “sub” is a negative TB test. It's a lose-lose system—kids miss learning; administrators, paraprofessionals, and teachers are frustrated; and the substitutes themselves often have no context for the schools they're walking into.
In light of these issues, Central Falls School District decided to rethink the traditional substitute teacher model.
In this episode, Jay Midwood, the district’s Chief of Human Capital, shares how the small Rhode Island district built its Warrior Teaching Fellowship to ensure quality instruction for students and a robust talent pipeline for the district.
If you would like to connect with Jay about the Warrior Teaching Fellowship, you can email at midwoodj@cfschools.net or reach him on Twitter.
Jay Midwood (@JayMidwood)
Central Falls School District (@CFSchoolsRI)
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If you’ve been in the education field for some time, you’ve probably heard people championing the need for social and emotional learning in schools. And once the pandemic hit, the cries for more SEL—not just for your students, for you and your staff as well—became even louder.
But not everyone sees the value in greater social-emotional supports. Many educators were surprised when some conservatives began speaking out against SEL in schools, connecting it with critical race theory and Marxism. Now, school boards and district leaders are dealing with yet another ideological uproar.
In this episode, we chat with Adam Tyner, Associate Director of Research for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, about his recent report, How to Sell SEL: Parents and the Politics of Social-Emotional Learning, in which he explores the connection between political party affiliation and support for SEL.
Adam Tyner (@redandexpert)
Thomas B Fordham Institute (@educationgadfly)
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School shootings have been on the rise in recent years. For obvious reasons, any measure about school safety usually gets a lot of attention and strong opinions. One proposal in the school safety discussion is having armed personnel on school grounds.
While many districts now have resources officers in buildings, some have proposed arming teachers and other non-law enforcement members of the school team. In his recent dissertation, Dr. Mark Lenhian from Wayne Community Schools in Nebraska researched school emergency management planning, including arming teachers.
Mark surveyed superintendents from Nebraska, some of whom are in the unique position of being miles away from any form of professional emergency response, about their perceptions of arming their staff to protect students.
In this episode, Mark shares how his research has surprised him and how he is working to continually better understand how to keep schools like his own safe places to learn.
Dr. Mark Lenihan (@MarkLenihan61)
Wayne Community Schools (@WayneSchools)
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When Dr. Julie Vitale was growing up, she wanted to be a nun, an actress, or a teacher. Because of the impact teachers had on her own life, teaching won out. Now at the helm of California’s Oceanside Unified School District, Vitale has brought her passion for making students feel loved, cared for, and welcome to the extremely diverse district. Thanks to the work she and her team have done, Vitale was named the 2021 Equity Champion by the San Diego County of Education.
In this episode, Vitale shares how Oceanside has become a leader in addressing equity challenges and how this work is at the core of her love for education.
Dr. Julie Vitale (@OsideSup)
Oceanside Unified School District (@OsideUSD)
Click here to access the LGBTQ+ Youth Standards of Care, which are mentioned in this episode.
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Dr. Julie Stamm grew up loving sports—from the three she lettered in throughout high school to her beloved Wisconsin Badgers football. This passion led her to a career in athletic training, where she eventually witnessed a high school football player suffer a traumatic concussion that affected all aspects of his life.
Wanting to understand more about the brain and how to keep it safe, Stamm went on to become a researcher at the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center and the Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory at Harvard Medical School. Now, she's an expert on brain development and how contact sports can impact the brains of young athletes.
In her recently published book The Brain on Youth Sports: The Science, the Myth, and the Future, Stamm explores the benefits of sports for youth and what we need to know about protecting young athletes' brains. In this episode, she shares not only her research and recommendations, but also the personal experiences with sports that shaped her life and education.
Dr. Julie Stamm (@JulieStammPhD)
You can find Dr. Stamm's book The Brain On Youth Sports: The Science, The Myths, And The Future on her website or wherever you get your books.
Check out the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings to see unbiased reports on helmets and other safety equipment for sports.
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Until 2019, Liz Kirby had spent her entire education career in Chicago, moving from a teacher to a superintendent-equivalent position in the country’s third-largest school district. When she decided to “come home” to the Cleveland, Ohio, area, she thought Chicago had prepared her for just about anything.
But after taking the helm at Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, Kirby realized there was a big difference between leading in Chicago and being the superintendent of a smaller school district in a state rife with school choice legislation.
Early on, Kirby recognized that she would need to take on more roles than she ever expected—including that of a politician. In this episode, Kirby shares how she balances her district duties with her political advocacy at the state and local level, working to provide the best possible education for her students.
Liz Kirby (@CHUHSupt)
Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District (@CHUHSchools)
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When the pandemic hit, districts across the country had to rely on their technology teams like never before. Thanks to the pandemic, technology is irrevocably intertwined with education, and superintendents have to be technologically literate. Luckily for his district, Dr. Doug Brubaker, Superintendent of Texarkana ISD in Texas, served as a technology director before ever reaching the superintendency, helping him and his teams respond to the tech demands the pandemic brought.
In this episode, Dr. Brubaker shares how he’s thinking about technology in the Texas district and how superintendents can use technology not to replace educational practices, but to redefine them.
Dr. Doug Brubaker (@DougBrubaker)
Texarkana ISD (@TexarkanaISD)
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Having come from a long line of educators, Jeff Butts always knew he wanted to be an administrator. Now, Butts is the superintendent of MSD Wayne township, one of 11 school districts in Indianapolis.
As the superintendent of a diverse student body, a large percentage of whom qualify for assistance, Butts’ leadership is characterized by visibility and advocacy. Butts is intentional about how he engages with all sectors of the community, believing that a great community makes great schools and vice versa.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, Butts shares how he has worked with his community to support students—from getting coffee with legislators to meeting with health commissioners to borrowing all the coolers he could find in order to safely transport meals to students at the beginning of the pandemic.
Dr. Jeff Butts (@WayneTwpSuper)
MSD Wayne Township (@WayneTwpSchools)
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Coaching girls’ swimming is where Jill Siler first heard the call to education. After that, Siler’s passion for impacting students’ lives has only grown. Now, with 26 years in education, Siler has served nearly 10 years as Gunter ISD’s superintendent, authored the book Thrive through the Five: Practical Truths to Powerfully Lead through Challenging Times, and is transitioning into a new role with TASA (Texas Association of School Administrators).
A proponent of leading with vulnerability, Siler faces challenges head on with openness and honesty. Instead of shying away from the struggles inherent in leadership roles, she considers it a privilege to be trusted with making the hard decisions and recognizes hardship as a key ingredient for growing as a leader.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, Siler shares her passion for effective leadership and discusses major themes from her book, including mentorship, motherhood and women in the superintendency, and how to thrive during seasons of difficulty.
To check out Thrive Through the Five and find book study resources, go to jillmsiler.com/book.
Dr. Jill Siler (@jillmsiler)
Texas Association of School Administrators (@tasanet)
Texas Council of Women School Executives (tcwse.org)
Gunter ISD (@Gunter_ISD)
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Starting his education career as a teacher and soccer coach, Dr. Glenn Robbins learned the power of connection and teamwork early on. Fortunately for the students and staff in Brigantine—the small island community just north of Atlantic City—this was an invaluable asset when the pandemic sent everyone home just one month into Robbins’ superintendence.
Keenly focused on the needs of his district’s stakeholders, Robbins has been able to rally Brigantine together to streamline online learning, make asynchronous instruction more inclusive, and instill a sense of hope and growth into the students and families the district serves.
In this episode, Robbins shares his passion for building connections, bringing people together to achieve the seemingly insurmountable, and growing a learning community where students can design their own futures.
Dr. Glenn Robbins (@Glennr1809)
Brigantine Community School (@brigschools)
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Starting her career as a journalist before moving into school public relations, Lesley Bruinton quickly realized that many schools don’t know how to utilize or value their communications and public relations professionals.
So she set out to discover how she could use her skills and experience as a communicator to effect change for students and families in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Recognizing herself as a content specialist, Bruinton incorporates strategic communications into her work, focusing on the four-step process of Research, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. This has helped Bruinton streamline her work and build capacity in others to be effective communicators.
In this episode of SchoolCEO Conversations, Bruinton shares her thoughts on the field of school communications, the role that PR professionals can and should play in schools, and how they can help leaders in times of transition.
To learn more about NSPRA, the National School Public Relations Association, check them out on Twitter @NSPRA or find your local chapter at nspra.org.
Lesley Bruinton, A.P.R. (@lesleybruinton)
Tuscaloosa City Schools ( @TCSBoardofEd)
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When most people think of Selma, AL, they think of a past associated with images like the Edmund Pettus Bridge, John Lewis, and the Civil Rights Movement. But for Dr. Avis Williams, superintendent of Selma City Schools, her Selma is about the future.
Although Selma has a rich history, when Dr. Williams arrived in the district, the small school district in the Black Belt of Alabama faced many of the same challenges that small school districts across the country experience, including a shrinking teacher and leadership pool.
The lack of available talent was so bad that whenever the district needed to hire someone for a leadership role—whether in the classroom or in administration—they were constantly having to look elsewhere. In order to ensure an even brighter future for Selma, Dr. Williams and her team developed a leadership pipeline in the small district.
In this episode, Dr. Williams shares how the small district of Selma was able to create a robust leadership pipeline for teachers and administrators.
Dr. Avis Williams (@DrAvisW)
Selma City Schools (@SelmaSchools)
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Lisa Elliot has deep roots in her school district—she’s spent over 29 years as a teacher, principal, and now superintendent in Greenfield School District. Nestled in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Greenfield ISD includes a student body that speaks over 40 different languages within just six schools.
To make sure her district is the ideal place to meet the needs of both its students and its teachers, Elliot has reworked the very fabric of her district using the Understanding by Design framework. This has meant rethinking professional learning and intentionally choosing language that is both meaningful and empowering.
In this episode, Elliot shares how her district is backward planning to be a district where teachers and students thrive as leaders and learners.
You can follow Lisa Elliot and the School District of Greenfield on Twitter @Greenfield_SD
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In his long career as superintendent, Dr. Roger Catania has thought continuously about how to lead his schools so that their students become citizens that enrich their communities. In his final years as superintendent, however, Roger began considering something else— how communities, and more specifically businesses, can make schools a better place to learn.
In doing this, Roger has created a set of standards that he believes all businesses should follow—if they want to do business with schools.
In this episode, Roger explores how corporate practices can impact student learning and what schools can do about it.
You can read Dr. Catania's views on ethical school purchasing in the AASA's Journal of Scholarship and Practice.
Lake Placid Central School District
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Growing up in Central Arkansas, Jon Laffoon found his passion for science and education thanks to a teacher who left a lasting impression. Now, he's paying it forward, working to help students in his home state see their own potential.
Now, Laffoon has brought both his background in science and his personal investment in students to his superintendency. Leading Northwest Arkansas' Farmington Public Schools, he’s making sure his community knows not just about the district's great STEM programs, but also the care and concern his staff shows every student.
Jon Laffoon (@laffoon_jon)
Farmington School District (@farmcards)
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Dr. Victor Simon’s own experience growing up in Chicago has driven his approach to leadership. Simon describes himself as “a difficult student,” and teachers usually didn’t take kindly to Simon’s behavior as a child. Simon recognizes that his life would be completely different if it weren’t for the two teachers that did value him.
Wanting to be the change for students that he saw in those two teachers led him to a career in education. Prior to becoming superintendent of Illinois’ Gower School District 62, Simon grew up in and spent his entire professional career in Chicago Public Schools.
In this episode, Simon shares how his personal experiences have informed his need for leadership to be an “or bust” mentality.
Dr. Victor Simon (@drvsimon)
Gower School District 62 (@GowerTweet)
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Prof. Derek W. Black is an accomplished education legal scholar and constitutional law professor whose 2020 book, Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy, interprets the education privatization movement of today within the context of American history. Black’s accolades include publishing over thirty scholarly articles in the nation’s top legal journals and having his work cited by the Supreme Court. Black currently serves as the Ernest F. Hollings Chair in Constitutional Law at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Although he may not be a school leader, Black’s deep roots in education history have helped him become one of the nation’s foremost voices in interpreting today’s current political and educational climate through the lens of history. Derek is especially interested in how a strong public school system is vital to a thriving democracy.
In this special episode, Black illuminates how school leaders can make their way through today’s tumultuous educational landscape by digging deep into their relationships with their community.
Prof. Derek W. Black (@DerekWBlack)
https://www.derekwblack.com/
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Dr. Bob Baldwin had never planned on being a superintendent at Fairhaven, but he had always planned to send his children there. So Bob was shocked nearly a decade ago when his wife, an alumna who "bled blue and white," told him that she didn’t think Fairhaven schools were good enough anymore.
Because of his family’s passion for the district, he knew he had to help make Fairhaven not only a great district, but a district any employee would want to send their kids to. As luck would have it, Bob was already looking for a superintendency, and Fairhaven's was open.
In this episode, Bob shares how Fairhaven is building leaders to make the district a destination that teachers, staff, and students are proud to call home.
Dr. Bob Baldwin and Fairhaven Public Schools (@Fairhevn_PS)
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Dr. Frank Davidson and Dr. Howard Carlson have a lot in common. They’re both educators, they both ended up as academics at Northern Arizona, and they both recently retired from long, well-regarded careers as superintendents. Frank retired from Casa Grande Elementary School District in 2017 after 20 years of leading his district and Howard retired after eleven years at the Wickenburg Unified School District. Following their retirements, Frank and Howard launched a new project researching what felt to them was an under-explored territory that every superintendent experiences: navigating successful transitions between superintendents.
In this episode, Frank and Howard are digging deeper into what can make or break a transition between superintendents, based both on their data and their own invaluable experience. As recent reports suggest an increase in turnover among superintendents and other school leaders, this research is vitally important as we move forward into a period of rapid, industry-wide change.
For more information about the NAU Department of Educational Leadership Rural & Small Schools Resource Center (NAURRC), visit naurrc.org.
Dr. Frank Davidson (@FDavidsonAZ)
Dr. Howard Carlson (@HowardCarlson2)
You can view the research conducted by Dr. Davidson and Dr. Carlson in the Winter 2021 edition of AASA's Journal of Scholarship and Practice.
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Dr. Rocky Killion says he never really liked school, mostly because he was bullied as an elementary student. But one teacher—his high school band director—would change his mind about education. His passion for music and performing arts would light a fire in Killion and set him on his own path to becoming an administrator who leads from the heart.
After being a band and choir director in several small schools, Killion found his way into administration and has served as superintendent of Indiana’s West Lafayette Community School Corporation for the last 14 years. West Lafayette has been a high-performing district during Killion’s time there, with increased graduation and college attendance rates. The district was also named a 2020 Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. In 2021, Niche.com ranked WLCSC as the #1 best school district in Indiana.
In this episode, Killion discusses his 5 C’s of effective leadership and how they’ve helped him make West Lafayette Community School Corporation a place of thriving student enrollment and financial stability.
West Lafayette Community Schools (@WL_RDP)
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Dr. Allyn Roche began his career in education as a college cheerleading coach—a position that would help him develop a lifelong appreciation for the impact that empathy and kindness can have on students.
Now two years into his superintendency at Upper Perkiomen School District, Roche prides himself on the strong sense of community that all stakeholders—students, educators, and families—have within his district, even after a year that kept most people out of physical school buildings. To keep this sense of community going, Roche isn’t afraid to think creatively. He’s facilitated online scavenger hunts and builds regular opportunities for inter-school collaboration for administrators. Most importantly though, Roche has made space to prioritize the relationship building that he believes is essential to keeping his district a positive place to work and learn.
In this episode, Roche explores how his emphasis on employee morale translates to stronger connections for his community.
Dr. Allyn Roche and Upper Perkiomen School District (@UPSDTribe)
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Dr. Jamie Piraino's path to the superintendency started in high school when his wrestling coach encouraged him to mentor younger kids on the team. Through that mentoring, he found that he had a talent for leadership and working with students—and the rest is history.
Now the superintendent of Franklin Regional School District in Pennsylvania, he's working to give his staff and students the encouragement he once received. Whether it's mentoring teachers or partnering with local businesses to provide students with career experience, Piraino is developing leadership in his district, both for the present and the future.
Dr. Jamie Piraino and Franklin Regional School District (@FRSDPanthers)
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Dr. Michael Hinojsa credits his personal sense of dedication to the success of his 41-year-long career in education. Although Hinojosa didn’t know that he wanted to be an educator until a teacher suggested it, he has never looked back.
Now in his second term as superintendent of Dallas ISD, Hinojosa has turned his sense of dedication to using research-based practices to create equitable education outcomes for all students. For Hinojosa, this means leading a community-wide initiative to support families of toddlers so that they are prepared for school well before they enter the classroom. This also means working to instill a sense of ownership in his leaders so that the work continues for decades to come.
In this episode, Hinojosa shares how he is building a legacy of educational equity at Dallas ISD.
Dr. Michael Hinojosa and Dallas ISD (@dallasschools)
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Dr. Teresa Hill has been motivated by educational inequity since she was a student. Although she was tracked into rigorous classes and pushed to attend Ivy League schools, she was frustrated that this wasn’t true for all of her peers. This frustration would lead her to pursue a lifelong career as an educator and author of Combating the Achievement Gap: Ending Failure as a Default in Schools.
Now, as a superintendent, Hill works hard to lead a district where no student encounters what she calls, “failure as a default” or a mindset that accepts that some groups of students are unlikely to succeed no matter how they are educated. Hill believes that all students are capable of success given the appropriate support and that this belief must be non-negotiable for educators.
In this episode, Hill shares how recognizing and dismantling the “failure as a default” mentality raises the bar for student success.
Check out Combating the Achievement Gap: Ending Failure as a Default in Schools by Dr. Hill wherever you purchase your books.
Dr. Teresa Hill (LinkedIn)
South Holland School District #151 (@shsd151)
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After years of being misunderstood, Career and Technical Education has recently seen a resurgence in public schools. Among calls for schools to “prepare students for the real world,” the pendulum of attention has swung back towards CTE.
Dave Deskins has seen the pendulum swing back and forth multiple times. Growing up, he experienced another growth and decline in CTE. Now, as superintendent of Ohio’s Greene County Career Center, he's strengthening not only the career outlook for students but also the economy of the entire region.
In this episode, Deskins shares his experiences leading during different eras of CTE and how programs like these can change a region.
Greene County Career Center (@GreeneCCC)
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Dr. David Vroonland has always believed that the purpose of education is to equip children with the tools they need to become self-determined adults. As the nature of work has changed in the US, Vroonland has spearheaded programs in his district to make sure its students are ready–no matter what paths they choose to pursue once they graduate.
To make this happen, Vroonland celebrates elevating purpose over strategy, both in his district programming and his own leadership. This has fostered an environment where fast-paced innovation serves to support a district where students are able to take ownership over their own highly individualized learning paths.
In this episode, Vroonland shares how decoupling from standardization has made Mesquite ISD a better place to work and a better place to learn.
Dr. David Vroonland (@DrVroonland)
Mesquite Independent School District (@mesquiteisdtx)
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For Dr. Steve Webb, the role of public schools is personal. “I know something first hand about generational poverty,” he tells us. “Poverty is not a learning disability,” he says, “but it presents real barriers to student success in too many classrooms in our country.”
Recently retired as superintendent of Washington’s Vancouver Public Schools, Webb centered his career on putting student and community needs first. VPS serves about 23,400 students and has experienced rapid growth and diversification over the last decade as a result of nearby Portland’s rising costs of living.
To meet the needs of VPS students—especially those living in poverty—Webb and his team established 20 Family-Community Resource Centers (FCRCs)—facilities that remove barriers and connect families with available community resources to increase student success.
In this episode, Dr. Webb shares his success story with FCRCs, his personal connection to public education, and his thoughts on how other districts can develop similar support networks through the power of collective efficacy.
Dr. Steve Webb (@SuptWebb)
To read more about Dr. Webb's work at VPS here, or you can learn more about community schools by checking out the Coalition for Community Schools.
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For Dr. Tammy Campbell, equity could not be more central to her purpose. When she joined Washington’s Federal Way Public Schools in 2015, her work with her board began immediately—building a systemic approach to equity that was woven into each goal of the district. This approach hinges on regarding every stakeholder as a vital participant, responsible for their own “bold and courageous actions” to push the school district to be more socially just.
As an educator of color who grew up in the South, Campbell has pushed to change the narrative of racial equity in education in a way that reflects her own lived experience. This includes celebrating the power of teachers, who Dr. Campbell acknowledges as her own original “sheroes and heroes” and listening and changing course based on feedback from students and families.
In this episode, Campbell shares how equity has served as “the red thread” of large-scale improvement in all of her district’s strategies.
Dr. Tammy Campbell (@SupCampbellFWPS)
Federal Way Public Schools (@FWPS210)
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Dr. Paul O’Malley has always understood the foundational role of education—after all, he still remembers his teachers’ names decades later. When the pandemic hit, O’Malley knew that he would need to lead his district in a way that allowed schools to prioritize safe, whole-child education, even if that meant doing things differently.
To make this happen, O’Malley strategized with his team at Butler 53 and a neighboring district to leave no stone unturned in seeking how to make learning safer. This led him to initiate regular, school-based COVID-19 testing for the entire Butler community, an effort that would earn him recognition from other districts across Illinois—and trust from his community.
In this episode, O’Malley shares how rethinking how his schools served as bedrocks of the community allowed him to lead his district to reopen schools safely in October 2020.
If you would like to connect with Dr. O'Malley about how Butler 53 has implemented testing and other measures, you can contact him below.
Dr. Paul O'Malley (@D53ButlerSupt)
Butler School District 53 (@ButlerSD53)
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Dr. Carol Birks’ start at Chester Upland School District didn’t go quite as planned. Like most entering superintendents, Birks had planned to spend her first months at the Pennsylvania district meeting and listening to her community.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed all of that. Instead of hitting the ground running in July 2020, Birks was forced to alter her entrance strategy. Instead of the standard transition, she found ways to meet people who couldn’t be physically present and navigate school reopening in an area with extremely high transmission rates.
In this episode, Birks shares how she made connections in spite of COVID-19, and how Chester Upland is now returning to the classroom.
Dr. Carol Birks (@drcarolbirks)
Chester Upland School District (@ChesterUplandSD)
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Dr. Kevin McCahill grew up across the Hudson River from the high-rise buildings he’d eventually work in on Wall Street. Despite beginning a lucrative career as a bond broker, he felt unfulfilled and jealous of his fiancee (now wife) and sister—both teachers.
McCahill decided to trade in Wall Street to start his education career earning $100 per day as a substitute math teacher. McCahill eventually became the superintendent of New York’s Nanuet Union Free School District.
In this episode, McCahill shares how his story shapes his understanding of leadership and his role as Nanuet UFSD's CEO—Chief Enthusiasm Officer.
Dr. Kevin McCahill (@McCahillk2013)
Nanuet Union Free School District (@NUFSD)
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Despite his passion for service, Dr. Francisco Escobedo never planned on being an educator. Growing up in New York City, he always dreamed of being a police officer. After attending Yale, Escobedo moved to San Diego to realize his dream.
Despite his lifelong dream and aspirations to move up in the force, a chance arrest of a teenage boy changed everything for him. With encouragement from his patrol partner, Escobedo realized he wanted to serve and help young people before they ever entered the criminal justice system.
Years later, Escobedo is now the superintendent of Chula Vista Elementary School District in San Diego, where he’s promoting innovation through partnerships. Prior to the pandemic, Chula Vista established Stations across San Diego to inspire innovation and creativity among students.
However, when the pandemic hit, the Chula Vista team felt the lessons learned in the stations were too great to not provide them in some way during distance learning.
In this episode, Escobedo shares not only his personal story but how Chula Vista is bringing innovation into students’ homes through Innovation LIVE!
You can connect with Dr. Francisco Escobedo on LinkedIn.
Chula Vista Elementary School District (@CVESDNews)
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Dr. Chris Meyrick knows how important social-emotional learning is. Before developing his own SEL program or writing his dissertation on how to implement SEL, Meyrick learned how to regulate his emotions through his interactions with his teachers and principals growing up.
Meyrick, now the superintendent and principal of New Jersey’s Beach Haven Borough School District, has devoted his career in education to promoting SEL wherever he goes. However, his own everyday experiences growing up showed him that SEL is done best when it’s part of the culture of a district and not an extracurricular.
In this episode, Meyrick shares how he’s built a culture of SEL wherever he’s led and how your students can build social-emotional skills without an expensive program.
Dr. Chris Meyrick (@CSMeyrick)
Beach Haven Borough School District
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During Ken Gutman’s tenure, Michigan’s Walled Lake School District has passed several bonds and secured lots of community support. In 2019, the 13,000 student school district passed a $319 million bond for Building, Infrastructure, and Equity—the second-largest bond ever in the state at the time.
It’s safe to say Gutman knows how to get a bond passed. From gaining buy-in to marketing the outcomes, he has a process for getting even the largest votes passed.
However, it wasn’t flashy mailers that got Walled Lake’s buy-in. Gutman shares how the relationships he’s built over the more than a decade in the role at Walled Lake has ultimately been the key to his success.
Ken Gutman (@kennethgutman)
Walled Lake School District (@WalledLkSchools)
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This isn’t Dr. Joe Ricca’s first pandemic. A decade ago, he also led his district through the H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic. Now, Ricca is building on his previous experience to lead New York’s White Plains School District through COVID-19.
In addition to leading a district through one of the most challenging years in education’s history, Ricca also serves on the New Jersey State Board of Education. From these vantage points, he’s been able to see how the pandemic has impacted not just his district, but education throughout an entire state.
In this episode, Ricca shares how building buy-in long before is the best way to navigate a crisis when it hits. He also dives into what schools and the government need to do before another crisis arrives.
Dr. Joe Ricca (@DrJosephRicca)
White Plains CSD (@wplainsschools)
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Dr. Lupita Hightower always wanted to be an educator. Even before she and her family immigrated to the United States when she was a child, Dr. Hightower knew she wanted to make a difference in the lives of students.
Despite her passion, some teachers and classmates discouraged Hightower along the way, claiming she could never be successful in the classroom. Years later, Dr. Hightower credits the teachers who believed in her—without exception—with the success she’s had for over a decade as superintendent of Arizona’s Tolleson Elementary School District.
In this episode, we discuss with Dr. Hightower how she is using the Kids at Hope philosophy and how her own experiences as a student are shaping her leadership at Tolleson.
Dr. Lupita Hightower (@LupitaHightower)
Tolleson Elementary (@TollesonESD)
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Dr. Jason Andrews has seen school leadership from both sides. Now the superintendent of New York’s Windsor Central School District, he began his career in education as a member of his local district’s school board—three weeks before he graduated from high school.
He’s taken the lessons gleaned from that experience with him through his more than 25 years in education, and now, he uses his expertise to help other school leaders build positive relationships with their boards.
Today on the podcast, we’ll ask Dr. Andrews how supers can work with their boards to produce the best possible outcomes for students.
Dr. Jason Andrews (@WBKANDREWS)
Windsor CSD (@Windsor_CSD)
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Mike Nelson, Assistant Executive Director for Professional Learning at the Washington Association of School Administrators, knows how difficult 2020 was for educators, especially superintendents. When the pandemic hit in March, Nelson was superintendent of Enumclaw School District, the district he grew up in.
With the start of the new year, Nelson and WASA launched a campaign to bring hope to educators across the state after the toughest year they have ever faced.
Every day in January, Nelson and other Washington school leaders shared short videos of hope with their colleagues on WASA’s social media.
In this episode, Nelson shares how he launched “A New Beginning...2021: 31 Days of Hope” to show other administrators and superintendents that despite the challenges of 2020, the work all educators do brings hope to us all.
Mike Nelson (@SuitguyMike)
You can find all entries in the 31 Days of Hope on WASA's Twitter and Facebook.
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Dr. Calvin Watts often says, “My wife and I have 26,000 children, but only one who lives with us.” Needless to say, Watts leads Washington’s Kent School District with unrivaled passion.
The district serves students who speak over 130 languages, making it one of the most richly diverse school systems in the country—a huge source of pride for the Washington native. “There is not a classroom in any of our 42 schools where you will not see someone who doesn't look like you,” he says. “That’s the beauty of diversity. The challenge is ensuring equity, which we define as making sure students and families, and the adults who serve them, get what they need when they need it.”
Since stepping into the superintendency in 2015, Watts has devoted much of his time to promoting and nurturing equity in Kent schools. With a strong focus on community input and bringing students and families to the decision-making table, Watts is leading Kent into a new era of accountability, inclusiveness, and community.
In this episode, Dr. Watts discusses his dedication to serving all students, his approach to equity and inclusion in our turbulent times, and how he’s using his leadership role to create lasting change.
Dr. Calvin Watts (@SuptCalvinWatts)
Kent School District (@KentSchools415)
You can check out all of the books and resources Dr. Watts mentions in the episode below.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
Children's Books:
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
I Am Enough by Grace Byers
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
I Promise by Lebron James
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Superintendent Lori Gonzalez knows the value of being “boots on the ground.” That may seem easy in El Nido Elementary School District, a California district with one building and fewer than 200 students.
But cutting her teeth as an administrator in larger districts, she learned how important it was to engage firsthand with students and teachers. By staying present in her community, she’s managed to make enormous strides toward community support of the district.
In this episode, Superintendent Gonzalez shares how she and her small team are transforming lives and changing the future of El Nido—whether it’s through increased access to technology, improved community support, or even building a gym.
Lori Gonzalez (@LoriGonzalezEDU)
El Nido (@ElNidoESD)
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From her childhood onward, Dr. Nisha Patel has understood the power of a good education. Her parents believed it was worth crossing oceans for.
Born in Kenya, Patel is now the superintendent of Fox C-6 School District, an 11,000-student district near St. Louis—and by communicating her district’s collective efficacy, she’s working to make sure all of her students can cash in on the promise of public education.
In this episode, we talk to Dr. Patel about amplifying staff and student voices, particularly through the district’s podcast.
Dr, Nisha Patel (@FoxC6Super)
Fox C-6 School District (@FoxC6Schools)
You can check out the #FoxC6Strong Voices Podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about Dr. Patel's work at Fox C-6, visit SchoolCEO.com/Patel.
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Superintendent Tim Doak knows that community partnerships are crucial to a successful school district. But in rural Maine, where school districts are often the largest employers in the area, how do you find comparable businesses to partner with?
Doak, who was named Maine’s Superintendent of the Year in 2018, is attempting to answer that question, not just for one district, but for two. As superintendent of both Maine School Administrative District #20 and Eastern Aroostook RSU #39, he’s working hard to strengthen not only the districts themselves—but all of Aroostook County.
Tim Doak (@DoakT)
MSAD 20
RSU 39
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When Dr. Kelli Joseph began her superintendency at St. Helena Parish School District, she had her work cut out for her. The Louisiana district was facing a multitude of challenges, from a $1.5 million budget deficit to a desegregation order to a fight for local control. The problems looked almost insurmountable—but Joseph and her team were determined not only to solve them but to grow in the process. And that’s just what they did.
Since Joseph’s start in 2011, St. Helena has passed two tax increases—the first in 20 years. They’ve boosted teacher pay by more than 25%, balanced their budget, and taken back their middle school from the Recovery School District. Now, Joseph is Louisiana’s current Superintendent of the Year.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Joseph about her dedication to progress in the midst of a crisis and how she and her team balanced cuts with growth.
Dr. Kelli Joseph (@sthelenasupe)
St. Helena Parish School District (sthpk-12.net)
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The issue of equity is baked into the history of Oak Park, Illinois. In the 1960s, neighborhoods around Oak Park faced "white flight" and resegregation when they attempted to integrate. But in 1968, the city passed a fair housing ordinance, outlawing discrimination in the housing market.
The result, 50 years later, is an extremely diverse community, socially, economically, and racially. Its schools—including Oak Park Elementary School District 97—are no different. But diversity doesn’t always mean equity.
Enter Dr. Carol Kelley, who has spent her career in education making sure every child gets a quality education. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kelley about the changes she’s made in Oak Park to promote a more equitable, anti-racist culture in the district.
Dr. Carol Kelley (@drKforequity)
Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (@OakPark97)
To learn more about Dr. Kelley's work on equity at Oak Park 97, visit SchoolCEO.com/Kelley.
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Since the first one-room schoolhouses popped up across the country, schools have been the center of rural America.
School facilities are for more than just learning—they’re gathering places where people come together for fundraisers, athletic events, public forums, and more. And while rural schools are often left behind when it comes to education policy decisions, one out of every five public school students attends a rural school district.
Clinton-Massie Local Schools in Clarksville, Ohio, defines itself as a “rural school district that takes pride in our strong sense of community.” It owes that vision in part to Superintendent Matt Baker, who has spent the last four years working to make Clinton-Massie a destination district for teachers and students.
In this episode, we talk to Superintendent Baker about the unique challenges of the rural superintendency and how he’s using school marketing to put Clinton-Massie on the map.
Clinton-Massie Local Schools (@CMFALCONS_NEWS)
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We don’t have to tell you that education is facing a crisis: America just doesn’t have enough teachers. According to an Education Week analysis, all 50 states experienced statewide teacher shortages in at least one subject area in 2018, and 61% of superintendents indicated that they were having trouble finding great educators. It’s a difficult problem, one that we can’t solve overnight—but the solution might just be the kids sitting in your classrooms.
At Rockford Public Schools in Illinois, Dr. Ehren Jarrett and his team are looking to build the next generation of teachers before they even leave high school. Partnering with their local university, they’ve created an education pathway that begins in middle school and ends with discounted college tuition, a guaranteed student teaching position in the district, and a steady teacher workforce for Rockford.
In this episode, we talk about ways Rockford is increasing and diversifying its teaching force, whether through recruitment or—as Dr. Jarrett would say—”eating their own cooking” by developing new cohorts of students interested in education.
Dr. Ehren Jarrett (@rps205super)
Rockford Public Schools (@RPS205)
You can read our study and advice on attracting millennial teachers to your district at www.schoolceo.com/teachers.
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According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 73% of people—nearly three out of every four—have anxiety about public speaking. Some studies even suggest that people are more afraid of speaking in front of a crowd than they are of dying.
That fear doesn’t just make us uncomfortable; it limits us. Fear of public speaking cuts wages by 10% and inhibits promotion to management by 15%.
At California’s Cajon Valley Union School District, Dr. David Miyashiro is working to make sure his students don’t face those limitations. Through a collaboration with TEDEd, he’s introducing public speaking skills into his district’s everyday curriculum, helping kids of all ages get comfortable on stage.
In this episode, we talk with David Miyashiro about this exciting initiative, and how students are blossoming in the spotlight.
Dr. David Miyashiro (@davidmiyashiro)
Cajon Valley USD (@CajonValleyUSD)
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Just along the shores of Michigan’s Lake Huron sits Au Gres-Sims School District. For some leaders, the district’s size—just two schools—might not seem to hold much opportunity. But Jeffrey Collier, who served as the district’s superintendent from 2012 to 2020, knew the district could be what he calls “the gold standard of education."
By instituting what he calls a “communications buffet” to market the district’s unique strengths, he and his team put Au-Gres Sims on the proverbial map. And as Michigan underwent population declines and other demographic shifts, the district’s enrollment actually increased under Collier’s watch.
This year, Collier switched gears, becoming superintendent of Saginaw Intermediate School District. Saginaw ISD isn’t a typical school district, it’s actually an educational service agency providing services, resources, and programs to 12 local school districts throughout the county. While his job looks a bit different today, Collier’s taking the lessons he learned about communication at Au-Gres Sims to boost Saginaw county’s profile as a whole.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Superintendent Collier about school communications: why they matter, what they can achieve, and how to implement them effectively.
Jeffery Collier (@JeffreyJCollier)
Saginaw ISD (@SaginawISD)
Check out how to build your own communication buffet at SchoolCEO.com/Buffet.
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When the COVID-19 pandemic first rocked the country in March, nearly every superintendent was thrown into the hardest decisions of their careers. How can you keep students safe while maintaining high standards of learning? And how can you get the community on board?
Hollis Milton has spent the last nine months considering these questions. As superintendent of West Feliciana Parish Schools in Louisiana, he’s worked harder than ever: building bridges with the community, supporting teachers, prioritizing health, and even overcoming COVID-19 himself.
In this episode, we talk with Superintendent Milton about his approach to the pandemic, and how to strengthen your community in a crisis.
Hollis Milton (@WFPSB)
West Feliciana Schools (@WestFELSchools)
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Thinking back on your own experience in school, when was the first time you had a Black male teacher? If you’re like most Americans, you never did.
We know that students perform better when they have teachers who look like them. According to a 2017 study from the Institute of Labor Economics, when low-income Black students have at least one Black teacher during elementary school, they’re less likely to drop out of high school—and more likely to be interested in college.
But while Black kids make up roughly 15% of America’s K-12 student body, only 7% of teachers are Black. Just 2% are Black men.
At Richland School District Two in Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Baron Davis is working to change those statistics. Davis has been Richland Two’s superintendent for about four years—plus one year as superintendent elect—and throughout his tenure, he’s been working to recruit and retain male teachers of color.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Davis about his transformative work at Richland 2, from his ambitious Premier 100 initiative to recruit 100 men of color, to breaking down barriers to authenticity in the classroom.
Dr. Baron Davis (@DrBaronDavis)
Richland School District Two (@RichlandTwo)
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Every year, around one in five kids in the U.S. experience mental, emotional or behavioral problems, from anxiety to depression to ADHD. But according to data from the CDC, only about 20% of those kids are getting the help they need.
And those stats? They’re from before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In May, a Gallup poll asked parents how social distancing and school closures had affected their child. 29% said their child was "already experiencing harm" to their emotional or mental health. Now, even as some schools are open for in-person classes, kids may be facing continued anxiety about the pandemic and the readjustment process.
When the pandemic closed Lake Oswego School District in Oregon, Dr. Lora de la Cruz knew she and her team had to rethink the role of the school counselor. In the face of COVID-19, kids didn’t need college recommendation letters and academic counseling as much as they needed mental and emotional support.
In this episode, we’ll talk to Dr. de la Cruz about how she’s transforming counseling at Lake Oswego—and how she makes sure students know about those changes. When we connected with Dr. de la Cruz, Lake Oswego was dealing not only with the COVID-19 pandemic but also the 2020 Oregon wildfires.
Dr. Lora de la Cruz (@DrLoradelaCruz1)
Lake Oswego School District (@wearelosd)
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College has become a culturally expected step in a student’s academic journey. In the US, an average of 66% of high school graduates go straight to college. But what about the other 34%?
Not everyone can afford to go to college. Not everyone wants to. In fact, 33% of all young adults—about 10 million people 18 to 24—aren’t going to school. They’re working. But many find that their K-12 education didn’t prepare them for a life outside of school. A 2018 Gallup Poll of 1,500 adults nationwide found that only 5 percent of the respondents think high school graduates are “very prepared” to enter the workforce.
Superintendent Matthew Miller is working to change that statistic. At Lakota Local Schools in Liberty Township, Ohio, he and his team are working to prepare every student for their post-high school pathway—whether that’s college, the military, the workforce, or even starting their own business.
In this episode, we talk with Superintendent Miller about the options he’s creating for students and the unique and exciting ways Lakota sets them up for success.
Matthew Miller (@LakotaSuper)
Lakota Local Schools (@LakotaDistrict)
Click here to learn more about the Lakota 4E Pathways.
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About ten miles south of Seattle sits a school district with a bold promise: to know each and every one of its students by name, strength, and need. This promise may seem hard to keep in an urban school system where the student body speaks over 100 languages, but Dr. Susan Enfield is making it happen.
When she took the helm at Highline Public Schools in 2012, Dr. Enfield began working towards a seemingly impossible goal: virtually eliminating out-of-school suspensions. The year before she began, the district saw around 2,200 suspensions—most of them for students of color. In 2019, there were just 940—out of more than 19,000 students.
But what Enfield calls the Highline Promise is about more than just discipline reform. It’s about seeing every child’s gifts and making them feel welcome in their school community.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Enfield not just about how that promise informs their discipline changes but also how it guides every person and decision in the district.
Dr. Susan Enfield (@SuptEnfield)
Highline Schools (@HighlineSchools)
Check out more about Dr. Enfield's work on Equity at schoolceo.com/enfield.
Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for more advice, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com.