FocusED: An educational leadership podcast that uncovers what is working in our schools.

This is Season 4, Episode 1 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Jessica Cabeen. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Education, the Delaware Academy for School Leadership, and The School House 302. Don't miss what Jessica says in this episode about leading with grace while maintaining high expectations…and so much more. _______________________________________ Jessica Cabeen Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jessica is the Principal of Alternative Educational Programs and Austin Online Academy in Austin Minnesota. Prior to that, she was the principal at Ellis Middle School as well as the “Happiest Place in Southeastern Minnesota,” the Woodson Kindergarten Center. She has been an assistant middle school principal, a special education assistant director, and special education teacher. Jessica was awarded the NAESP/VINCI Digital Leader of Early Learning Award in 2016; in 2017, she was named the Minnesota National Distinguished Principal; and in 2021, she was named DIVE Principal of the year. She is a NAESP Middle Level Fellow and a Future Ready Principal. Jessica is the author of Hacking Early Learning, Balance Like A Pirate, Unconventional Leadership, and Lead with Grace: Leaning into the Soft Skills of Leadership. But by far her favorite space is the one that involves being with her husband Rob, two sons Kenny and Isaiah, and of course the family dog-Herman. Jessica can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @JessicaCabeen and on her website: jessicacabeen.com. ________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Jessica Cabeen Jessica talked about going from one level to another and learning how to communicate effectively. Don't miss what she says about vulnerability. Jessica talked about letting go of the perception that you have to lead with perfection. Leaders need to celebrate errors…what she called normalizing errors. Jessica talked about balancing grace with high expectations, what it means to have a tough conversation with people who you care about. You'll love what she says about setting up a crucial conversation. The sandwich set up makes it so that people get their carbs but they miss the protein…you'll know what we mean when you listen to the show. Leading with grace is not always leading gracefully. Jessica talks about what leaders need as they grow and the skill of grace. Leaders need to practice self-regulation by checking their energy and attitude each day. Listen to what Jessica says about her “miracle morning.” Don't miss what Jessica says about having an “open door policy.” Jessica wants to see the student voice elevated in schools—seen, heard, valued in schools. Jessica talks about brain development research and resources. Check out The Power of the Adolescent Brain by Thomas Armstrong She mentions learning more about career pathways so that students can see themselves beyond schools. Book number five is on its way: Principal in Balance. Quotes from Jessica Cabeen Breath, smile, take a break, and have a life. ~ Jessica Cabeen No one needs to be May-tired in October. ~ Jessica Cabeen It's not what you say but how you say it. ~ Jessica Cabeen Value people before their positions. ~ Jessica Cabeen _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district. Let us know who you would like to hear from next.

This is Season 3, Episode 14 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Joe Sanfelippo. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Dr. Sanfelippo says about what it means to lead from anywhere and how leaders build intention, connection, and direction in schools. _______________________________________ Joe Sanfelippo Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Joe Sanfelippo is 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. 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 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. Joe started the #1minwalk2work Leadership Challenge, and co-authored The Power of Branding-Telling Your School's Story, Principal Professional Development: Leading Learning in a Digital Age, Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students and Parents Love, and his new book is Lead From Where You Are: Building Intention, Connection, and Direction in Our Schools. He 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!! ________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Joe Sanfelippo Joe wrote his new book as a legacy piece. Listen to what he says about his kids and leaving something behind. His insight about leading from a position of isolation is powerful. Joe sees a lot of leaders asking the same questions, that often have answers, but that everyone is asking in their own bubbles. Joe recommends balance in your emotional state when making decisions. You have to hear what he says about the highs and lows of school leadership. Joe talked about better student ownership through adult learning. When adults like what they're learning, they're more likely to translate that for kids. When it comes to “resources,” Joe says that teachers and leaders should have a core group to go to for reflection and support. Don't miss what Joe says about amplifying your school's message. Joe's final message about treating everything like it matters is inspiring. _____________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 3, Episode 13 of FocusED, and it features our guest, John Almarode. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Dr. Almarode says about the importance of clarity for learning, evidence of learning, the science of teaching…and so much more. _______________________________________ John Almarode Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners John is an Associate Professor of Education in the College of Education at James Madison University and works with preservice teachers and graduate students across multiple teacher preparation programs. John is a bestselling author (of 11 books) and has worked with schools, classrooms, and teachers all over the world on the translation and application of the science of learning to the classroom, school, and home environments, and what works best in teaching and learning. Today, we discuss John's book, Clarity for Learning and what that means for teachers and students as well as school leaders who are looking for instructional excellence in the classroom. ________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with John Almarode Don't miss what John says about clarity of learning for teachers but also students. What do we want our students to learn? How do we want them to learn? How will they know if we've learned? Relaying feedback to learners is important but it's also important for learners to relay feedback to us. Having learning intentions and success criteria is one thing, but they can't just be practices on the board. Teachers need to pay attention to the verbs in the standards: “compare and contrast” versus “explain” and other behaviors that we want students to communicate and display. Don't miss the secret that John tells us about what separate teachers who have the highest degrees of learning and growth. The science learning has been around since 1885. Once you learn something, if you don't practice retrieving it, you'll forget it. Unfortunately, we don't always use the science. Our work now: how do we support teachers with the science of learning to apply it in the context of the classroom so that we can learn more about the science of teaching. John talked about his other book, How Learning Works, as a place to go to support teachers now in terms of where we might start with the science of learning. It is very difficult to learn in an environment where you don't feel like you belong. ~ John Almarode Listen to John describe what happens in a threatening environment; students will simply not care about what the teacher planned for them to learn. John ends the episode with a message about focusing on what really matters most versus what we don't have any control over. _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email.

Robyn Jackson Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Robyn Jackson is passionate about building better schools. As the CEO of Mindsteps Inc.®, she has helped thousands of K–12 administrators and teachers develop the clarity and confidence to turn their classrooms and schools into success stories. Jackson combines her experience as an English teacher and middle school administrator and her work in thousands of schools and districts to help teachers and administrators develop rigorous instructional programs that provide students with the support and motivation they need to reach or exceed the standards and helps refocus vision, mission, and core values to build better schools. She is the author of 10 books, host of the School Leadership Reimagined podcast, and an internationally recognized keynote speaker and consultant. ________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Robyn Jackson Robyn talked about the failed leadership models that we all learned but that aren't working since they are designed to maintain. Don't miss what she says about doing the work of leadership in schools without a new program, without firing people, without adding…by building. Don't miss the 4 things that Robyn teaches in her builders' lab. Robyn talked about vision statements being promises for our students. There's great power in the way that Robyn describes teacher development, growing them one level in one year. Picking one thing to develop and targeting that area. We need to know the most critical areas of instruction to set as our focus for teacher growth. Robyn talked about this mantra: Bosses say “you go.” Leaders say “let's go.” Builders say “come.” The leader dictates the vision but that staff should put boundaries around their own behavior by setting the core values. This is the purpose stage that Robyn teaches. Don't miss what Robyn says about every teacher becoming a master teacher. Listen to what it means to interrogate your teacher evaluation system. What's one thing that teachers need to do to get to the next level? Books mentioned by Robyn Jackson on FocusED Never Work Harder Than Your Students by Robyn Jackson Robyn mentions books outside of education, including the book Upstream by Dan Heath. She talked about trying to solve problems at the source. Robyn Jackson Quotes Being successful is boring. Being really successful is really boring. ~ Robyn Jackson The best gift you can give every student is a master teacher in every classroom. ~ Robyn Jackson We need staff to grow in both their skillset and their willset so that they're not just better teachers but also that they feel safe to try new things, take risks, and improve practice. ~ Robyn Jackson _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 3, Episode 11 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Thomas Hoerr. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Tom says about leading for empathy…and so much more. _______________________________________ Thomas Hoerr Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Tom Hoerr led schools for 37 years and is currently a Scholar In Residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, teaching in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program. His newest book, The Principal As Chief Empathy Officer: Creating A Culture Where Everyone Grows, shows the role of empathy in relationships in leadership. Hoerr believes that we can all grow our empathy. Hoerr currently writes a monthly leadership blog for ASCD and wrote a monthly column, “The Principal Connection,” from 2004 to 2018. His previous two books focused on the importance of SEL to students and staff (Taking Social Emotional Learning Schoolwide and The Formative Five: Fostering Grit, Empathy, and Other Success Skills Every Student Needs). Hoerr has written four other books, more than 170 articles, and has presented at schools and conferences around the world on grit, leadership, multiple intelligences, faculty collegiality, empathy, and the Formative Five. ___________________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Thomas Hoerr People value their leader, not because of what they know, but because of the relationship they have. Joe asked about strategies that leaders can employ to become more empathetic. Don't miss the three things that Tom talks about. Leaders should always explain why they're doing something, not just what they're doing. Part of growing your empathy is knowing what you don't know. ~ Tom Hoerr Tom emphasized the power in creating scenarios for professional dialogue. Don't miss how Tom defines “empathy conversations” and the need for them. Dr. Hoerr addresses the problem with our political and social bubbles and how they prevent empathy. Let's talk about the bubble! Naming it is the first step to widening perspective. You want to hear what Tom says about the 5:1 positive interaction ratio…for adults and students. Tom talked about writing empathy goals at the start of every year. Dr. Hoerr belongs to a book group, and he's the only educator. A major theme from the podcast is about getting out of your comfort zone and gaining perspective as a school leader. _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 3, Episode 9 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Janelle McLaughlin. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Janelle has to say about the need for leadership at every level in schools…and so much more. _______________________________________ Janelle McLaughlin Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Janelle McLaughlin is an education consultant, presenter, coach, keynote speaker, and trainer. Over the years she has been a classroom teacher and district administrator. Today, Janelle is also an entrepreneur, author, social media strategist, and tech geek (She can definitely geek out over Google Drive workflow solutions). These passions and experiences led her to begin her own company, Innovative Education Solutions. She is now a coach at Advanced Learning Partnerships. She gets to use her teaching talents by working with schools and other businesses to make their jobs easier and more efficient, while focusing on the people. Specialties include: Blended Learning, 1:1 implementation, technology integration, G Suite, Chromebooks, process management, and organizational leadership. Her new book is called Leadership at Every Level: Five Qualities of Effective Classroom, School, and District Leadership. ___________________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Janelle McLaughlin Janelle started by addressing the problems with silos between levels of leaders, including the classroom teacher, the school administrators, and those at the district office. She wants these roles to be transparent so that everyone knows why the decisions are being made the way they do. Janelle lands on five key areas of leadership that make the biggest difference. Her book is set up to do a book study. Get your copy today. Janelle talks about fostering what you're already good at but also maximizing the time we spend on our areas of need. She recommends ranking the five traits and then choosing which one feels right to tackle first. Growth always starts with reflection. ~ Janelle McLaughlin Reflection questions to start with: “what's working well right now?” and “what is not working and why?” Use a voice note to yourself. Janelle talked about the fact that reflection doesn't have to be complicated. 3 things I learned recently 2 questions I still have right now 1 action step that I'm going to take next Joe points out what Janelle says about an accountability buddy…listen to how Janelle responds. When asked about silos, mishaps, and themes in what leaders are missing, Janelle says that people want and need opportunities for growth. She's finding that administrators are saying that teachers can't handle more professional development right now but the teachers are craving it. There's a miscommunication between the two groups. Enrico Learner Profile Progression Janelle mentions Todd Henry who wrote Herding Tigers and, of course, Brene Brown. Janelle wants to write a book about driving purposeful growth--owning your own professional learning plan. We can't wait to get our copy. _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 3, Episode 9 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Joshua Stamper. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Joshua has to say about aspiring leadership, leadership development, and so much more. _______________________________________ Joshua Stamper Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Joshua Stamper initially used his artistic talent, creativity, and original ideas as a professional graphic designer. He then transitioned to inspiring students to use their imagination and creative expression in public education. Being unsuccessful as a student growing up, Joshua never expected to be back in the classroom as a teacher, athletic coach, or administrator. His struggles as a student spawned a passion to change the education model, push the boundaries of traditional learning, and explore new innovative ideas. Joshua has been a middle school Assistant Principal in North Texas for the past eight years, where he's served at four campuses in two school districts. In addition to his current administrative position, Joshua is the host of Aspire: The Leadership Development Podcast, leadership coach, education presenter, and Podcast Network Manager for the Teach Better Team. He's also the author of the 2021 book, ASPIRE to Lead. Joshua lives in the Dallas, TX area with his wife and five children. You can stay connected by following @Joshua__Stamper on Twitter and Instagram, or by visiting his website www.joshstamper.com. ___________________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Joshua Stamper Josh talked about how leads often obtain knowledge but then rarely do anything with it to grow and change. The “activate” part of self-development is the use of knowledge in practice, especially for leaders who want to move up to the next level. Josha talks about how it goes a long way to be able to explain experiences as a leader when interviewing for positions versus just explaining what you might do. Josh tells aspiring leaders to seek support wherever you can, even if it's not on your campus. There's no winning or losing, only learning. ~ Joshua Stamper The model came to Josh because he was tasked with building an aspiring leaders program in his district. In his work with aspiring leaders, he was inspired to help others and write the book to add value as a resource in education. Josh is working on supplemental material for the book so that readers get more stories and more depth into their journey as an aspiring leader. Josh recommended The Ten Minute Leader by Evan Rob and Thrive Through the Five by Jill Siler. He mentioned the Teach Better Team. Check them out. Josh leans heavy into Voxer groups to stay connected with others. We talked about the fact that the greatest leaders of all time are always aspiring. Josh talked about simply wanting to make an impact and help education in as many ways as he can. Josh talked about a future topic in education, maybe a book called The Necessary Evolution of Education in America. Can't wait for him (or someone) to write it. _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 3, Episode 8 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Eric Sheninger. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Dr. Bunting says about the ways that administrators can remain focused on the most important aspect of teaching and learning during a crisis and much more. _______________________________________ Dr. Susan Bunting Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners After teaching in Maryland for several years, Dr. Susan Bunting joined Indian River SD in 1977 as a middle school language arts teacher, later teaching gifted education. She was named Indian River's Teacher of the Year in 1985. She served as Supervisor of Elementary Instruction and then Director of Instruction before taking the position as superintendent in 2006. Dr. Bunting was named Delaware's 2012 Superintendent of the Year, and she was one of four finalists for the American Association of School Administrators' (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year award. Susan went on to serve as Delaware's Secretary of Education from 2017 until just recently in 2021. She is also a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware and Wilmington University. She has a number of degrees in education, including her Bachelor of Arts in K-8 education and psychology from the American University in Washington, D.C., a master's degree in education from Salisbury State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. ___________________________________________________ FocusED Show Notes with Dr. Susan Bunting Dr. Bunting opens with the need to focus on students first, academic as well as social and emotional. Dr. Bunting has faith in our leaders in Delaware, and she expressed that in the interview. Don't miss what she says about the “7 Cs.” She reminds us that we need to cut to the chase and get to the core of Dr. Bunting talks about needing to use data to analyze what our students need so that we can move the work forward. She's a big believer in early childhood programming. You'll want to hear what she says about long-term thinking and planning. An expert on curriculum and instruction, she calls for a revision to our curriculum that narrows down what gets taught to a core set of standards so that we can do them well. Dr. Bunting talks about losing sleep and not “letting it win” when it comes to our hurdles. Her recommendation to do something each day that isn't education related is powerful. Don't miss what she says about being able to focus every school by designing and engineering what we do in schools by using data. “We need a lot more training in SEL work.” ~ Dr. Susan Bunting She mentions her favorite book, Lincoln on Leadership. Get your copy today. To lead better and grow faster, Susan recommends connecting to people through organizations like AASA, NASSP, NAESP, and local associations. She tells our listeners to go back to school, get a doctorate if you don't have one already, and continue to learn as a leader. #LifeLongLearner A friend told Susan to write a book called Grace Under Fire, and we hope she does. You Can't Deal with Crazy. _________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 3, Episode 7 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Horacio Sanchez. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Horacio says about overcoming the impact of poverty in schools, specifically what teachers and leaders can do to build an environment that promotes resiliency. _______________________________________ Horacio Sanchez Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Horacio Sanchez is a highly sought-after speaker and educational consultant, helping schools learn to apply neuroscience to improve educational outcomes. He presents on diverse topics such as overcoming the impact of poverty, improving school climate, engaging in brain-based instruction, and addressing issues related to implicit bias. He is recognized as one of the nation's leading authorities on resiliency and applied brain science. Horacio has been a teacher, administrator, clinician, mental health director, and consultant to school districts across the United States. Horacio sits on the True Health Initiative Council of Directors, a coalition of more than 250 world-renowned health experts, committed to educating on proven principles of lifestyle as medicine. He is the author of the best-selling book, The Education Revolution, which applies brain science to improve instruction, behaviors, and school climate. His new book, The Poverty Problem, explains how education can promote resilience and counter poverty's impact on brain development and functioning. ___________________________________________________ Show Notes from FocusED with Horacio Sanchez Horacio talks about the connection between what we know about the brain and how poverty impacts the functioning of the brain, including memorization and learning. Horacio wastes no time jumping into the practical use of evidence-based strategies. Maximizing sensory inputs during learning leads to better retention. Daily music practice and repetition in older students can increase their brain function. We have to incorporate movement in our lessons. It's one of the most powerful sensory inputs that we can group together with the content of the lesson. When we teach teachers how to teach using brain research, we must model the practices, not just talk about them. Truly believing that you have a competency is a protective factor. The only academic protective factor is reading. Schools need to design the environment with every protective factor possible, like getting along with others. Students from poverty observe negative queuing more than positive queuing. Teachers need to be more intentional with positive queuing. Try to make every aspect of the school experiential, even lunch. Sanchez mentions the need to read research, not just books. Empathy is the foundation for… Horacio suggests more unplugging and single-task activities. Horacio plans to write a book called, The neuroscience of Leadership. We can't wait for that one. __________________________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

Author Eric Sheninger Joins FocusED to Discuss What it Means to Prepare Learners for Their Future This is Season 3, Episode 6 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Eric Sheninger. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Eric says about comfort being the enemy of growth and so much more. _______________________________________ Eric Sheninger Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Eric Sheninger is an Associate Partner with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this, he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement. His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures. As a result, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best selling author, and sought after speaker. His main focus is using research and evidence-based practices to empower learners, improve communications with stakeholders, enhance public relations, create a positive brand presence, discover opportunity, transform learning spaces, and help educators grow professionally in the digital age. Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward's Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar. He has authored and co-authored the following books: Learning Transformed: 8 Keys for Designing Tomorrow's Schools Today Uncommon Learning: Creating School That Work for Kids Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times What Principals Need to Know About Teaching and Learning Science BrandED: Tell your Story, Build Relationships, and Empower Learning Communicating and Connecting with Social Media: Essentials for Principals Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future ___________________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 3, Episode 5 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Marck Abraham. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Marck says about creating cultures of success for all students. _______________________________________ Marck Abraham Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Abraham is a transformational leader with a wealth of experience in urban education. He is committed to providing a world-class educational experience that ensures all students achieve their goals of post-secondary college and fulfilling careers. His mission has been to create environments that assist students to reach their maximum potential in life. With more than ten years of experience in education, he currently serves as the principal of McKinley High School. He successfully oversees the daily workings of the largest CTE schools in Buffalo, which is the second largest urban school district in NY. At McKinley, he has shown success by increasing graduation rates, decreasing negative behaviors within the school, raising teacher expectations, providing instructional focus to schools, and increasing parental involvement. Marck's school has been recognized as a NYS Black Male Graduation Rate Model School and NYS CTE Model School. He was named Principal of the Year in 2018 and established the first Buffalo Urban Teacher Academy. He's the author of What Success Looks Like: Increasing High School Graduation Rates among Males of Color. ------------------------------------------------------------- Show Notes from Our FocusED Episode with Marck Abraham Marck started by talking about the crisis with black male graduation rates and how his book is meant to help others achieve the results that he did when he was a high school principal. Marck talked about seeing students through the lens of culture rather than color. You have to have a clear understanding of your data. ~ Dr. Marck Abraham Marck talks about setting high realistic goals using the data. The resistance that we must overcome is when our educators say things like “we care about the kids, not the numbers.” Marck says we need to be hard on the data and easy on the people. If Marck was going to improve the student experience in every school, he would increase student voice and make sure that school is fun. Marck talked about a goal to have black males graduating at the same rates as their counterparts. Dr. Abraham mentions Reframing Organizations as a book that every educator should read. Don't miss what he says about understanding different theoretical frameworks. It's hard to know anyone else if you don't know yourself. ~ Dr. Marck Abraham ___________________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

Lorea Martinez Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Lorea Martínez Pérez is the award-winning founder of HEART in Mind Consulting, a company dedicated to helping schools and organizations integrate Social Emotional Learning in their practices, products, and learning communities. She has worked with schools, districts, and organizations to guide SEL implementation efforts, including training teachers and leadership teams, and provided guidance to educational technology and media companies to help them integrate SEL in their products. An educator who has worked with children and adults internationally, Dr. Martínez is a faculty member at Columbia University Teachers College, educating aspiring principals in Emotional Intelligence. She has conducted extensive research in the SEL field with a focus on SEL implementation, principals' Emotional Intelligence, teacher preparation, and school climate. She frequently blogs about how to incorporate SEL in teaching practices, leadership, and parenting. She received her Doctor of Philosophy, magna cum laude, in Quality and Innovation in Education from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. In 2014, she was awarded the American Education Research Association Graduate Student Award for Excellence in SEL Research from the SEL Special Interest Group. Dr. Martínez started her career as a special education teacher and administrator. A native of the Costa Brava in Spain, she currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two daughters. Buy her book, Teaching with the HEART in Mind: A Complete Educator's Guide to Social Emotional Learning. ------------------------------------------------------------- Show Notes from Our FocusED Episode with Lorea Martinez Lorea talked about being a special education teacher and all that needs to be done to support students, including their coping skills. She wrote the book because she realized that we're not spending enough time on social and emotional learning to support students. She talked about how SEL is often misunderstood in terms of implementation. Joe asked about the entry point for SEL work. Lorea said it must be entered in any way possible. Lorea explains the HEART acronym and its alignment to CASEL. She lays out three easy steps to infuse SEL into any lesson plan. Every teacher can use this information. Don't miss what she says about brain breaks and movement for our learners. Always have an SEL goal for your lesson plan in addition to your academic goal. ~ Lorea Martinez We need a common understanding in our education community in terms of exactly what we mean by SEL when we're planning for ourselves and our students. Lorea talked about nurturing students' strengths to help them discover their path forward in life. She discussed the false dichotomy about relationships and academics and that they aren't two things but rather one together. Lorea mentioned The Learning Policy Institute as a place she goes for practical research. She also pointed to Facing History and Ourselves as a resource for teachers and leaders. Lorea mentioned two books that she's reading: Once I Was You by Maria Hinojosa Fierce Self-Compassion by Kristen Neff She wants to see a book written that compiles educators' success stories with SEL. We cannot teach what we do not practice. ~ Lorea Martinez ___________________________________________________ Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email.

This is Season 3, Episode 3 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Jethro Jones. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Jethro has to say about students learning faster, better, and more. _______________________________________ Jethro Jones Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jethro Jones is the 2017 NASSP Digital Principal of the Year, former principal, and current host of the Transformative Principal podcast. He is also the founder of The Center for Cyberethics, an independent, non-partisan educational institute dedicated to the study and promotion of cyberethics. Jethro is the author of the book, SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves! He currently helps principals, schools, and districts find simple solutions to complex problems. Jethro has worked as a principal at all K-12 levels, and he has served the profession in several roles, including his work in a prison school, as a district coach, as the distance learning team lead, and as an English teacher. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 3, Episode 2 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Jeffrey Benson. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Jeffrey has to say about improving the student experience in every classroom. _______________________________________ Jeffrey Benson Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jeffrey Benson has worked in almost every school context with over 40 years of experience in the field of education: as a teacher in elementary, middle, and high schools; as an instructor in undergraduate and graduate programs; as an administrator in day and residential schools. He has studied and worked side-by-side with national leaders in the fields of special education, learning theory, trauma and addiction, school reform, advisory programs, math curriculum, adult development, and conflict resolution. His books include Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL, Hanging In: Strategies for Working with the Students Who Challenge Us Most, and Ten Steps for Managing Change in Schools. The core of Jeffrey Benson's work is in understanding how people learn, the starting point for everything that schools should do. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 3, Episode 1 of FocusED, and it features our guest, Basil Marin. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Basil has to say about treating all students with high expectations and some of what we get wrong when we schedule students into lower level courses. _______________________________________ Dr. Basil Marin Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Basil Marin hails from the Central Virginia area. He is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He later earned a Master of Teaching in Special Education from Liberty University. After moving to the Virginia Beach area in 2014, he pursued an Educational Specialist in Administration & Supervision from Old Dominion University. Dr. Marin recently earned an Executive Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University in 2020. Dr. Marin is one of the proud assistant principals of Chamblee Charter High School, a diverse high school located in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Marin brings an authentic and refreshing perspective to the field of education. As an administrator, he works hard to foster equitable opportunities and inclusive learning environments where ALL students and teachers are valued and respected. Dr. Marin works daily to build meaningful relationships with students and desires to be the administrator he needed when he was growing up yet did not have access to. As a former struggling student himself, Dr. Marin is humbled to be able to give back to students who historically have fallen through the cracks of education and have not been given a second chance. Dr. Marin has been afforded some incredible opportunities through the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) organization such as being selected as a 2017 Emerging Leader and being appointed as a “featured speaker” at the 2019 Empower Conference in Chicago. In addition, he met with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy Devos and her executive team to speak on behalf of marginalized and underserved students and he explained how the lack of funding has impacted their educational experiences. Currently, Dr. Marin is the President for the Emerging Leaders ASCD National Affiliate. Dr. Marin is a contributing author in several books including Personal, Authentic, & Unconventional Leadership, Modern Mentor, Forces of Influence, and It's Me. And today we're talking about 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Teachers Should Stop Doing. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 11 of FocusED, and it features guest, Dan Domenech. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Dan says about developing others, stepping in when we need to, managing competing priorities, and so much more. _______________________________________ Dan Domenech Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Daniel A. Domenech has served as the executive director of the AASA, The School Superintendents Association, since 2008. Domenech has more than 45 years of experience in public education; for twenty-seven of those years, he served as a school superintendent. Prior to joining AASA, Domenech served as senior vice president for National Urban Markets with McGraw-Hill Education. In this role, he was responsible for building strong relationships with large school districts nationwide. Before he took the position at McGraw-Hill, Domenech served for seven years as superintendent of the Fairfax County, Va., Public Schools, the 12th largest school system in the nation with 168,000 students. Domenech began his teaching career in New York City, where he taught sixth grade in a predominantly black and Hispanic community in South Jamaica, Queens. He then became program director for the Nassau Board of Cooperative Educational Services, which is the largest intermediate school district in the State of New York. Following this, he was first named superintendent of schools for Long Island's Deer Park Schools and then became superintendent of schools for the ethnically diverse South Huntington School District, also on Long Island -- a position he held for 13 years. From 1994 to 1997, he was district superintendent of the Second Supervisory District of Suffolk County and chief executive officer of the Western Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services. Domenech, an AASA member since 1979, served as president of AASA from July 1998 to June 1999. He is also a past president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, the Suffolk County Superintendents Association, and the Suffolk County Organization for Promotion of Education. He was the first president and cofounder of the New York State Association for Bilingual Education. In addition, Domenech has served on the U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment Governing Board, the advisory board for the Department of Defense schools, the board of directors of the Association for the Advancement of International Education, the Board of Overseers for the Baldrige Award and the boards of the Institute for Educational Leadership, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Sea Research Foundation, and Education Policy Institute. Currently, he serves on the boards of the Learning First Alliance, National Student Clearinghouse, Center for Naval Analyses, Horace Mann Educators Corporation, ACT, USAC, and board chair for Communities in Schools of Virginia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hunter College in New York City and a Ph.D. from Hofstra University in Uniondale, N.Y. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 2, Episode 10 of FocusED, and it features guest, Starr Sackstein. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Starr has to say about grading, assessments, changing practices in schools, and much more. _______________________________________ Starr Sackstein Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Starr Sackstein was a Teacher Center teacher and ELA teacher at Long Island City High School in New York. She also spent nine years at World Journalism Preparatory School in Flushing, New York, as a high school English and journalism teacher where her students ran the multimedia news outlet WJPSnews.com. As a teacher, she completely got rid of grades, teaching students that learning isn't about numbers, but about the development of skills and the ability to articulate growth. Starr also has experience as the Director of Humanities (Business, English, Library, Reading, Social Studies, and World Languages) in West Hempstead, New York. It was from this experience that she wrote From Teacher to Leader: Finding Your Way as a First-Time Leader Without Losing Your Mind. She is the author of many books (I'm not going to list them all). Here are a few of her titles: Teaching Mythology Exposed: Helping Teachers Create Visionary Classroom Perspective Blogging for Educators, Teaching Students to Self-Assess: How Do I Help Students Grow as Learners? The Power of Questioning: Opening Up the World of Student Inquiry Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School Hacking Homework: 10 Strategies That Inspire Learning Outside of the Classroom co-written with Connie Hamilton. Peer Feedback in the Classroom: Empower Students to be the Experts with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) From Teacher to Leader: Finding Your Way as a First-Time Leader without Losing Your Mind in 2019 (DBC). Assessing with Respect: Everyday Practices that Meet Students' Social and Emotional Needs (ASCD), which just came out in March of 2021. Hacking Learning Centers in Grades 6-12: Teaching Choice and Providing Small Group Learning Opportunities in Content Rich Classes co-authored with Karen Terwilliger which is set to come out in 2021. At speaking engagements around the world, Starr speaks about blogging, journalism education, bring your own device, and throwing out grades, which was also highlighted in a recent TEDx talk entitled “A Recovering Perfectionist's Journey to Give up Grades.” In 2016, she was named one of ASCD's Emerging Leaders. Starr has spoken internationally in Canada, Dubai, and South Korea on a variety of topics from assessment reform to technology-enhanced language instruction. She is now a full time consultant with the Core Collaborative, working with teams on assessment reform and bringing student voice to the front of all classroom learning. She is also the publisher with Mimi and Todd Press, helping other authors share their voices around making an impact for students such as Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity: The Keys to Successful Equity Implementation by Cobb and Krownapple. Most recently, Arrows: A Systems-Based Approach to School Leadership by Rosebrock and Henry. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 2, Episode 9 of FocusED, and it features guest, Rachelle Dene Poth. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Rachelle has to say about thriving in education by creating unconventional learning experiences for students and so much more. _______________________________________ Rachelle Dene Poth Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Rachelle Dene Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. Rachelle teaches Spanish and STEAM: What's nExT in Emerging Technology at Riverview Junior Senior High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree and a Master's in Instructional Technology. She serves as the past-president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network and serves on the Leadership team of the Mobile Learning Network. She received the ISTE Making IT Happen Award and a Presidential Gold Award for volunteer service to education. Rachelle is the author of five books, including In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking, Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU, and The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead. Her latest books are Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow's World and True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 8 of FocusED, and it features guest, Derek McCoy. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Derek has to say about leading a revolution in education and engaging with the change we seek to make. _______________________________________ Derek McCoy Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Currently the principal of North Asheboro Middle School in Asheboro City Schools, Derek has over 20 years experience as a middle school principal, assistant principal and middle school math teacher. He's been very fortunate to have been part of difference-making teams and schools that have helped learners and teachers grow and achieve in rural, urban, low-income learning environments. He embraces his mission to create learning environments that serve learners and help adults change practice and beliefs and skill sets to meet the needs of schools. Being the difference for learners by being the leaders we need them to be is a passion point he brings to celebrate and show how we all can be that Revolution@ry! In 2014, Derek was recognized as a National Digital Principal of the Year. As an active PLN builder in North Carolina, he was named 1 of 25 to Follow on #NCED. In 2018 he was asked to join a panel of experts on Capitol Hill to discuss with lawmakers the critical need to rethink middle school education. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 7 of FocusED, and it features guest, Stefani Arzonetti Hite. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Stefani says about leading collective efficacy in schools and so much more. _______________________________________ Dr. Stefani Arzonetti Hite Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Stefani Arzonetti Hite wide-ranging career began as a pre-digital drawing-board marketing designer. She eventually became an award-winning art director, developing unique approaches to marketing by harnessing new possibilities offered by emerging technology solutions in the industry. After a decade, Stef switched careers, earning both a Masters and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Over the years, she has taught students ranging from ages 5 to 75, she became a school administrator, and she headed up an international school in the UK. In 2009, Stef moved into the learning and development field and began to design and facilitate professional learning experiences for a range of organizations. She now works worldwide on process design and change initiatives with a particular focus on building collective efficacy. Stef's customized support enables groups to collaborate and build team capacity to address both small and large-scale improvement needs. We hope you enjoy this episode. Also, don't forget to like, share, and follow. You can always get more by following theschoolhouse302.com. Go to the site, click on follow. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 6 of FocusED, and it features guest, Robert Jackson. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Robert has to say about supporting all students in schools, especially those who are traditionally marginalized. ______________________________________ Robert Jackson Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Robert Jackson began his teaching career almost 25 years ago in Indianapolis Public Schools with a No More Excuses teaching approach with all of his students after being cut from the NFL Minnesota Vikings. As an educator, he didn't allow his students to feel sorry for themselves or let their circumstances define their futures. He set high expectations for his students and expected them to do well. As a coach, the same rules applied. Those same students went from low performing to successful pastors, lawyers, school administrators, teachers, pharmaceutical sales reps, business owners, pro athletes, entertainers and more. He has become one of the most sought-after speakers in the country, delivering keynote addresses and workshops to educators and administrators at national conferences, parents and student workshops, corporate events and churches. Mr. Jackson has written and published 6 books. His new book, Becoming the Educator They Need: Strategies: Mindsets, and Beliefs for Supporting Male Black and Latino Students just won the Gold Excel Award for Technical Writing in July 2020. His “No More Excuses” Curriculum has been featured in publications nationally and is being used in K-12 Schools, Colleges and Universities in the US and Canada. His books include, “Black Men Stand Up”, “A Boys Guide to Manhood”, “A Young Woman's Guide to Womanhood”, “Put a Stop to Bullying” and “Solutions to Educating Black and Latino Males.” He is married to Essence Best Selling Author, Tajuana “TJ” Butler-Jackson and they have 3 children and 1 grandson. “His motto is, “For Every Problem, there is a Solution” ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 5 of FocusED, and it features guest, Vernita Mayfield. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Vernita says about confronting racism in schools and so much more. _______________________________________ Vernita Mayfield Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Vernita Mayfield hails originally from Los Angeles, California, where she began her career teaching elementary school. As a teacher, Mayfield found her first love serving and supporting students who have been historically marginalized. Since then, she has continued to do so through numerous positions of service, including secondary school principal, researcher and lecturer, and educational consultant at state and national levels. In 2012, she founded Leadervation Learning to support organizations seeking to build leadership capacity, particularly in marginalized communities. The company evolved into a vehicle supporting leaders at all levels to understand and dismantle inequitable systems and organizations by building the cultural competency of staff. Don't forget to pick up a copy of her book: Cultural Competence Now: 56 Exercises to Help Educators Understand and Challenge Bias, Racism, and Privilege. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 4 of FocusED, and it features guest Evan Robb. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Evan says about his 6 Pillars of Leadership, self-reflection, figuring out what you believe in, taking control of how you use time in your day, and much much more. _______________________________________ Evan Robb Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Evan Robb is the Principal of Johnson-Williams Middle School in Berryville, Virginia. He has over twenty years of experience serving as a building level principal. Prior to being a school principal, he was an English teacher, department chair, and Assistant Principal. Evan is a recipient of the Horace Mann Educator of the Year Award. In addition, the NCTE Commission on Reading selected him to serve on its national board. A TEDx Speaker, Evan offers inspirational keynotes, workshops, webinars, and on-going professional learning opportunities on leadership, mindset, culture, impactful change, and how to improve literacy in schools. Evan has shared his ideas with thousands of educators at dozens of workshops across the United States and in other countries. His first book titled, The Principal's Leadership Sourcebook: Practices, Tools, and Strategies for Building a Thriving School Community was published in 2007. He then wrote The Ten-Minute Principal released in 2019. Evan and Laura Robb collaborated with Dave Burgess Publishing to write, Team Makers, which was published in August of 2019. His latest book, again with Laura Robb, is called A School Full of Readers. Please explore The Robb Review Blog and Scholastic EDU for more of his thoughts on teaching, learning, and leadership as well as his podcast, The Robb Review Podcast. Finally, Evan has been named one of the top educational leaders to follow on Twitter @ERobbPrincipal. Let's Tweet to him today #FocusED. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 3 of FocusED, and it features guest Todd Nesloney. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Todd says about his experience in schools, teaching kids to shake hands, what it means to have a “kids deserve it culture,” and much more. _______________________________________ Todd Nesloney Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Todd Nesloney is the Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). He has also served as an award-winning principal of a PreK-5th Grade campus of over 775 students in a rural town in Texas. He has been recognized by the White House, John C Maxwell, the Center for Digital Education, National School Board Association, the BAMMYS, and more for his work in education and with children. Todd has written four books, including Kids Deserve It, Stories From Webb, Sparks in the Dark, and his brand new book When Kids Lead. He also recently released his first children's book Spruce And Lucy. He hosts the podcast "Tell Your Story" and is very active on social media under the moniker Tech Ninja Todd. He is passionate about doing whatever it takes for our students and helping others tell their story. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 2 of FocusED, and it features guest, Matthew Joseph. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Matthew says about mentoring programs, leading in schools, and much more. _______________________________________ Matthew Joseph Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Matthew X. Joseph is currently the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Leicester Public Schools. He has been a school and district leader in many capacities in public education over his 27 years in the field. Experiences such as the Director of Digital Learning and Innovation, elementary school principal, classroom teacher, and district professional development specialist have provided Matt incredible insights on how to best support teaching and learning and led to nationally published articles and opportunities to speak at multiple state and national events. His master's degree is in special education and his Ed.D. is in Educational Leadership from Boston College. He is the author of Power of Us: Creating Collaborative Schools and co-author of Modern Mentoring: Reimagining Mentorship in Education. Follow him on Twitter @matthewxjoseph, visit his website at mxjspeaker.com or visit his blog: techinnovation.live. And, don't miss his weekly Sunday series, called Mentor Round Table. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com where we publish free leadership content. Go to the site, subscribe, and you'll get all of our content sent directly to your email. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 2, Episode 1 of FocusED, and it features guest, Jonathan Alsheimer. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Jonathan has to say about taking teaching to the next level in every classroom in your school. ________________________________________ Jonathan Alsheimer Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jonathan Alsheimer is the unorthodox, energetic, and entertaining middle school teacher who refuses to live a life of limitations. Jonathan is often referred to as "my favorite teacher" by his students, and he's the author of NEXT LEVEL TEACHING. As a passionate educator and National Keynote Speaker, Jonathan Alsheimer presents on the idea limitless possibilities for teachers as a driving force and the impact of an infectious classroom and school culture. NEXT LEVEL TEACHING is about every teacher bringing their unique flair to better their school every single day, always reaching for the NEXT LEVEL. Jonathan, teaches at the world-renowned Fred Lynn Middle School, which was featured in two documentaries "Relentless" and "Relentless: Chasing Accreditation." He has been featured as the teacher who forged a partnership with UFC Fighter and light-weight contender Paul Felder to bring the message that students should never give up, fighting for their education, and empowering them to believe in themselves, all principles that Jonathan promotes in his classroom. As Jonathan always says, "Game-changing is not a cliche motto; it is a way of life... some talk about it while others live by it!” ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 1, Episode 9 of FocusED, and it features guest, Don Wettrick. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Don has to say about the future of schools, innovation, and project-based learning. “This is as simple as doing relevant things and then taking it a little bit higher.” ~ Don Wettrick ________________________________________ Don Wettrick Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Don Wettrick is the founder of The STARTedUP Foundation, author of Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level and Innovation Specialist at Noblesville High School, central IN. Don is known for his award-winning work as a middle school and high school teacher; educational and innovation consultant; and educational speaker. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 1, Episode 8 of FocusED, and it features guest, Pete Hall. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Pete has to say about building capacity within the teaching ranks. This is a must listen for all educators. ________________________________________ Pete Hall Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners After a teaching career that spanned preK-8 over three states, Pete served 12 years as a principal in three Title I schools, one of which was the only Title I school in the State of Nevada to earn a “High Achieving” designation; another earned accolades from the Washington State Office of the Superintendent for its growth and achievement; and the other earned a Career & Life Readiness Award from the State of Washington. For his tenacious and courageous leadership, Pete was honored with Nevada's Martin Luther King Jr Award (2005), was appointed to the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education (in Nevada, 2005), and was selected to sit on the National Education Association's Great Public Schools Indicators Advisory Panel (2010-2011). He holds a National Principal Mentor Certificate from NAESP and supports leadership development from the organizational level to the individual level. He now works as a personal consultant/mentor/motivational coach for school leaders, teachers, professional athletes, weekend golfers, stand-up comedians, firefighters, business executives, custodians, and more. He is currently working on his 10th book, Strive: How ordinary people can live extraordinary lives. Don't forget to check out www.educationhall.com. Get your copy of Creating a Culture of Reflective Practice: Building Capacity for Schoolwide Success today. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout. Lastly, join us in the Principals' Club, designed to take your PLN to a PLC so that we can support one another in our growth as leaders. We hope to see you there.

This is Season 1, Episode 7 of FocusED, and it features guest, Jimmy Casas. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don't miss what Jimmy says about culture in schools and so much more. This is a must listen for all educators. ________________________________________ Jimmy Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Jimmy is the author of four books, including What Connected Educators do Differently, Start. Right. Now. – Teach and Lead for Excellence, the best-selling book, Culturize – Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes, and his latest release, Handle with Care. Jimmy currently serves on the Professional Development Faculty for NASSP and also serves as Principal Advisor for Future Ready Schools, a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education. Jimmy served fourteen years as an award-winning Principal at Bettendorf High School in Iowa. His passion for teaching and learning coupled with a vision for developing a community of leaders procured a culture of excellence and high standards for learning amid a positive school culture for students and staff. He continues to give back to his profession by speaking and presenting for state and national organizations and school districts across the country. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can't go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout. Lastly, join us in the Principals' Club, designed to take your PLN to a PLC so that we can support one another in our growth as leaders. We hope to see you there.

This is Season 1, Episode 6 of FocusED, and it features guest, Dr. Pedro Noguera. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don’t miss what Dr. Noguera says about equity in schools and so much more. This is a must listen for all educators. ________________________________________ Dr. Noguera Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Pedro A. Noguera is the Distinguished Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and Faculty Director for the Center for the Transformation of Schools at UCLA. He is a sociologist whose scholarship and research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions as well as by demographic trends in local, regional and global contexts. He serves on the boards of numerous national and local organizations and appears as a regular commentator on educational issues on CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio and other national news outlets. Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA, he served as the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University and the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools (2003 – 2015), the Judith K. Dimon Professor of Communities and Schools at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2000 – 2003), and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley where he was also the Director of the Institute for the Study of Social Change (1990 – 2000). Dr. Noguera has published over 200 research articles on topics such as urban school reform, conditions that promote student achievement, the role of education in community development, youth violence, and race and ethnic relations in American society. His work has appeared in multiple major research journals. Dr. Noguera is the author of several books including: City Schools and the American Dream, Unfinished Business: Closing the Achievement Gap in Our Nation’s Schools, The Trouble With Black Boys, and Creating the Opportunity to Learn. His most recent books are Excellence Through Equity with Alan Blankstein and Race, Equity and Education with Jill Pierce and Roey Ahram. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. This episode was brought to you by GhostBed, a family-owned business of sleep experts with 20+ years of experience. With 30K+ 5-star reviews, you can’t go wrong with GhostBed. Their mattresses are handcrafted, and they come with a 101-night-at-home-sleep trial. For a limited time, you can get 30% by using our code — SH302 — at checkout. And, even if you tell someone about GhostBed, you can earn a $100 referral reward. Go to Ghostbed.com today and use SH302 at checkout.

This is Season 1, Episode 5 of FocusED, and it features guest, Sanee Bell. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don’t miss what Sanee says about being excellent on purpose in a practical way and holding that standard as a leader. Her interaction with the audience at the end was fun and inspiring...and wait to hear the blooper after the final music fades out. Enjoy. ________________________________________ Dr. Sanee Bell Brings Tons of Experience to FocusED Listeners Dr. Sanée Bell is the principal of Morton Ranch Junior High in Katy, TX. She has served as an administrator since 2005 at both the elementary and secondary levels. Sanée was recognized as the 2015 Katy ISD Elementary Principal of the Year. Prior to becoming an administrator, Sanée taught middle school and high school English and also coached girls basketball. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston Clear Lake. Sanée is passionate about authentic, purposeful learning for students and teachers, and also has a strong passion for leadership and its impact on teacher engagement, student learning, and school culture. Sanée recognizes her impact as a leader and uses her role to inspire, motivate, and empower others. Sanée serves as Future Ready Thought Partner on the Future Ready Schools project, and has contributed to several publications and podcasts focused on leadership and its impact on students and teachers. Sanée is co-author and co-editor of the Education Write Now Series, and she is featured in the book Dare to Lead authored by Brené Brown. Sanée is the author of Be Excellent on Purpose: Intentional Strategies for Impactful Leadership. Follow Sanée at saneebell.com and via Twitter @SaneeBell. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 1, Episode 4 of FocusED, and it features guest, Brad Weinstein. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, provided as a professional development experience for Delaware teachers and leaders. Don’t miss what Brad says about doing discipline differently in schools and changing school culture from punitive to restorative. If you listen to the very end, you’ll catch our quick conversation about trying to get Brene Brown to be a guest on our One Thing Series podcast. Enjoy. ________________________________________ Brad is the Director of Innovation at BehaviorFlip (www.behaviorflip.com), the world's first restorative software and app. He helps keep BehaviorFlip on the cutting edge of behavior management through merging research-based best practices with advanced technology. He is a co-author of Hacking School Discipline: 9 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Restorative Justice. Brad is the creator of @teachergoals, one of the most popular educational accounts in the world on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Brad worked as a Director of Curriculum and Instruction in downtown Indianapolis. He also served as principal for two years on the eastside of Indianapolis. Brad is an award-winning teacher who taught for 11 years, including roles as a coach and STEM department chair. He holds a B.A. in Education from Purdue University, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana Wesleyan University, and completed a Principal Licensure Program from Indiana Wesleyan University. ------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 1, Episode 3 of FocusED, and it features guest, Starr Sackstein. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, and you can’t miss Starr's personal story about going gradeless along with everything else she says about leading in schools. If you hang long enough after the outro, you'll get even more from the Q/A she did with our audience. We can't wait to hear from you. --------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 1, Episode 2 of FocusED, and it features guest, Adam Welcome, with a focus on his book, Kids Deserve It. It was originally recorded live for a studio audience in Delaware, and you can’t miss Adam’s candor about what needs to change in our schools. You’ll hear his challenge that “most things don’t get done, because most things don’t get started” and much, much more. --------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next.

This is Season 1, Episode 1 of FocusED, and it features guest, Connie Hamilton, with a focus on questioning techniques and a culture of inquiry in schools. You’ll hear her address how she frames the work of Hacking Questions and much, much more. We hope you enjoy. --------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for listening to FocusED, an educational leadership podcast brought to you by TheSchoolHouse302 @ theschoolhouse302.com. FocusED is your educational leadership podcast where our mission is to dissect a particular focus for teachers and school leaders so that you can learn to lead better and grow faster in your school or district with more knowledge, better understanding, and clear direction on what to do next. Each episode we invite expert guests to join us for a live recording of the podcast, which happens in Delaware. All Delaware educators are invited to attend.