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The Dean's List with Host Dean Bowen – A federal judge rules that Oklahoma cannot reject a Jewish charter school's application solely because of its religious character. The preliminary injunction allows Ben Gamla's application to proceed without approving the school, reinforcing First Amendment religious freedom protections and challenging religious exclusions in the state's publicly funded charter school program...
Mike Caldwell talks with Nanette Merrill, executive director of the Idaho Charter School Association, about her path from stay-at-home mom to teacher, principal, and now state-level leader. They swap rapid-fire favorites (leadership books, reading habits, best advice), then dig into what makes strong schools stand out—clear mission, visible leadership, and a culture of belonging. Nanette shares insights from visiting dozens of charter schools this past year, the value of mentorship and coaching for school leaders, and her new coaching initiative supporting Idaho's charter leaders. We're proud to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
On this edition of The Federalist Radio Hour, EdChoice CEO and President Robert Enlow joins Federalist Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to dissect Nikole Hannah-Jones' harrowing confession that she compromised her child's educational future by sending her to a failing school. Enlow and Kittle also discuss the damage race-obsessed ideologues like Hannah-Jones have done to the school choice movement and explain why funding students is the solution to the broken education system.The FDRLST Media Foundation is a nonprofit, and we depend entirely on our listeners and readers — not corporations. If you value fearless, independent journalism, please consider a tax-deductible gift today at TheFederalist.com/donate. Your support keeps us going.
Lawmakers are calling on one of their members to resign.A Jewish Charter School in Oklahoma moves a step closer to reality.The number of black bears in our state is increasing.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.
In this podcast, Pamela shares Revolutionary War stories and first hand accounts.https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-diary-of-moses-sleeper.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/stories.htmRadio.NewHeightsEducation.orgInfo@NewHeightsEducation.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/new-heights-show-on-education--4114185/support.
An online charter school that started the year with 200 students is on track to become one of the country's biggest schools next year. Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Guyon Espiner.
In this podcast, Pamela shares Revolutionary War stories and first hand accounts.https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-diary-of-moses-sleeper.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/stories.htmRadio.NewHeightsEducation.orgInfo@NewHeightsEducation.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/new-heights-show-on-education--4114185/support.
In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of Center for Strong Public Schools and Prof. Albert Cheng of Ohio State University speak with Owen Stearns, CEO of Excel Academy Charter Schools. Stearns discusses his more than two decades of experience in charter school leadership and education reform. He shares how his formative educational experiences and background in strategy consulting shaped his approach to leading Excel, which now serves nearly 2,000 students across six schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He explores Excel's academic expectations, distinctive school culture, teacher leadership, and focus on strong outcomes in reading and math. Stearns also discusses serving urban students and families, supporting students at risk of falling behind, and managing the network's expansion while maintaining academic quality. Finally, he examines Massachusetts' charter school landscape, the political challenges facing the sector since the 2016 ballot initiative loss, and what policymakers and charter leaders can do to support high-performing schools.
Pamela shares Revolutionary War stories and first hand accounts.https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-diary-of-moses-sleeper.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/stories.htmRadio.NewHeightsEducation.orgInfo@NewHeightsEducation.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/new-heights-show-on-education--4114185/support.
There are SO many ways to customize learning, and this program is a great example!In this episode, we're welcoming Brieana DeMelo, an Agriculture Sciences teacher at our schools, to hear about all the exciting things happening in Ag Science. In just a short time, Brieana has created a vibrant, hands-on program for students in grades 6–12—and it's still growing!Listen in to discover the many ways students can learn where their food comes from, explore careers in agriculture (hint: it's SO much more than farming!), and connect with other students who share their interests.There's a whole world of agriculture to dig into!Show Notes:Ag Pathways Flyers - Contains graphics outlining the two agriculture pathways and course descriptions for all of the agriculture courses offered. Also lists the course rotation.Agriculture Website on The Bridge - Has a program overview and links to agricultural scholarships at the bottom.Ag Club Google Classroom Join Link - Open to students grade 5-12 to join. Class Code is: x3ecs7fiSGCA Article - An article about the agriculture program that was recently added to the bridge.brieana.demelo@sequoiagrove.org - Email me to get added to the monthly agriculture newsletter, give me feedback, or ask questions!SGCA Agricultural Club - Wednesdays @ 3pm, 6th-12th grade
In this podcast, Pamela shares Revolutionary War stories and first hand accounts. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/revolutionary-war-diary-of-moses-sleeper.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/americanrevolution/stories.htmRadio.NewHeightsEducation.oregInfo@NewHeightsEducation.orgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/new-heights-show-on-education--4114185/support.
What if education was less about memorizing information and more about experiencing it?On this episode of What in East Dallas Is Going On?!, Camille and Rich sit down with Museum School of East Dallas founder and superintendent Loren Colman to talk about a very different approach to K through 8 education coming to Far East Dallas.The Museum School model takes learning beyond the traditional classroom by connecting students with real places, real people, cultural institutions, hands on experiences, and real world purpose. The goal is not simply for students to know the material. It is for them to understand it, experience it, and become curious enough to keep learning.Loren shares why she believes education has to evolve as our world evolves, why different learners need different approaches, and why a child's zip code should never determine the quality of education available to them.This is a conversation about more than opening a school. It is about rethinking what school can be and preparing kids not just for the next grade, but for the world they are actually going to live in.Connect with us! Instagram - Facebook www.visiteastdallas.comPartner with us! connect@visiteastdallas.com
It's Monday, August 24. Here are today's top stories around Central Indiana. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org and follow us on social media to get local news every day. WFYI News Now is hosted by Barb Anguiano and produced by Zach Bundy. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Stephanie, Omar, Abby, and Rob dig into the ongoing standoff over evidence-sharing in the Corey Ruiz shooting investigation — breaking down City Attorney Michael Haas's 11-page memo on why police records can't go to the Office of Independent Monitor yet, and why we aren't entirely buying the reasoning. Plus: an upcoming Common Council Q&A on the cleared memorial site, a visit to new Filipino food truck Las Islas Filipinas, free breakfast and lunch coming to 19 MMSD schools, and an impromptu debate on charter schools' role (and limits) in Madison. Then a crossover treat: Rob and Ethan's 608 Soccer Show interview with Forward Madison PA announcer Christopher Pennant on pronunciation prep, his "Lord of the Rings" bit and what he brings to the job from his training as a journalist. Don't miss the Sept. 12 Madison365 Night at Forward Madison ticket deal, and stick around for the window-vs-aisle roundtable debate. Get your Forward Madison tickets here!
New charter school to focus on agriculture.
Andrew Camp and Collin Hitt join Mike Petrilli and David Griffith to discuss Moving Target: The Success and Failure of Missouri's Charter School Funding Surge, a new Fordham report by David, Andrew, and Collin. They examine Missouri's effort to close the charter funding gap, how schools used the additional money, and why true funding parity remained out of reach. They also discuss the effects on staffing, teacher retention, and student achievement.Then, on the Research Minute, Amber Northern reviews new research from Ohio on whether the threat of third-grade retention can improve reading achievement by prompting schools to provide struggling students with additional literacy support.Recommended content:Moving Target: The Success and Failure of Missouri's Charter School Funding Surge —Andrew M. Camp, Collin Hitt, and David Griffith, for the Thomas B. Fordham InstituteThe Impact of Increasing Funding for High-Performing Ohio Charter Schools: The Quality Community School Support Fund, 2019–23 —Stéphane Lavertu, Thomas B. Fordham InstituteCharter School Funding: Inequity's Next Frontier —Sheree Speakman, Chester E. Finn, Jr., and Bryan C. Hassel, for the Thomas B. Fordham InstituteWhy Ohio's third-grade retention law worked (until lawmakers killed it) —Vladimir Kogan, Thomas B. Fordham InstituteThe Effect of Retention Threat on Student Learning Gains: Evidence from Ohio —Sarah Souders and Robert Bifulco, EdWorkingPapers (July 2026)Feedback Welcome: Have ideas for improving our show? We would love to hear them. Send them to thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org
California's AB 126 introduces significant changes to charter school oversight and authorizer responsibilities. In this episode, host Sloan Simmons connects with Lozano Smith's Charter Practice Group Co-Chairs, Ed Sklar and Erin Hamor, to discuss the background behind these reforms and what they mean for charter schools and authorizers. The conversation explores key changes, including expanded oversight requirements, enhanced fiscal monitoring obligations, fraud reporting responsibilities, and further clarifications to California's Charter Schools Act. The discussion provides practical insights to help authorizers prepare through policy updates, strengthened protocols, and improved documentation practices. Show Notes & References 1:22 – Background on Assembly Bill (AB) 126 and the implementation of increased oversight for charter schools 1:55 – A3 Charter Schools 5:52 – Moratorium on online non-classroom-based charter schools 7:33 – Oversight requirements now in place for charter authorizers 11:40 – Financial impact on school districts overseeing charter schools 13:12 – Looking ahead to July 1, 2027 17:08 – Auditing obligations for authorizers 18:14 – Other significant trailer bill provisions 19:18 – The erosion of the “mega waiver” 20:17 – Looking ahead to practical concerns and impacts on authorizers For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast Disclaimer: As the information contained herein is necessarily general, its application to a particular set of facts and circumstances may vary. For this reason, this podcast episode does not constitute legal advice. We recommend that you consult with your counsel prior to acting on the information contained herein.
The Osage Nation is closing services amid a budget emergency.A judge is considering arguments for a Jewish charter school in Oklahoma.A new state law allowing data center developers to build their own power plants has its doubters.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.
Send us Fan MailI Banned Phones Before My State Did. Here Is What Actually Happened.Twenty-six states now have laws requiring schools to ban or restrict student cellphone use, and twenty-two of those laws passed in 2025 alone. Florida passed the first one in May 2023. Utah's bell-to-bell ban took effect July 1, 2026. New Jersey's statewide policy takes effect this September. Public support is strong and bipartisan, with 74 percent of American adults backing phone bans during class according to Pew Research.And a 2025 University of Southern California study found that most students are still using their phones during the school day anyway.M.A. Aponte is the executive director of a charter school in Gainesville, Florida. He wrote and implemented a phone policy at his school before the state of Florida required one, which means he has been living with this longer than almost anyone covering it.In this episode he makes an argument that is almost entirely missing from the national conversation: phones are not primarily a distraction problem. He watched students pressure other students into physical fights specifically so the fights could be recorded. Those fights did not happen and then get filmed. They happened because they could be filmed. The phone did not divert behavior. It created behavior that would not otherwise have happened.That reframes a phone ban from an academic policy into a safety policy.WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERSThe current state of school phone legislation, including which states have bell-to-bell bans, which leave it to districts, and what the early research from Harvard Kennedy School actually shows.The three distinct problems phones create in a school building: attention, integrity, and incentive. Why the third one is the most serious and the least discussed.Why phone bans fail. Rules with holes that students find in the first week. Inconsistent enforcement, where one adult who does not enforce does not create one weak classroom but a weak school. Consequences that exist on paper and never in practice. And confusing removing the option with building the skill.THE BELL TEST, a four-question framework for evaluating any school phone policy: B. BOUNDARY. Does the rule have holes students can find? E. ENFORCEMENT. Does every adult enforce it identically, every time? L. LEVERAGE. Are consequences real, escalating, and actually executed? L. LEARNING. Are we building self-regulation or just removing the option?Aponte also addresses the most common parent objection directly, which is emergency communication, and explains what he got wrong in his own school's first year of enforcement.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: How many states ban cellphones in schools? A: As of 2026, twenty-six states have laws requiring school districts to ban or limit student cellphone use, with twenty-two of those laws enacted in 2025 alone. Florida passed the first statewide school phone ban in May 2023. States with the strictest bell-to-bell bans, meaning phones must be off and stored for the entire school day, include Texas, New York, Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Nebraska, and Utah. Other states including California, Minnesota, and Ohio require districts to create policies but allow local flexibility. New Jersey's statewide policy takes effect in the 2026-27 school year. Q: Do school phone bans actually work? A: Early evidence is mixed. Harvard Kennedy School researchers report that preliminary findings suggest possible long-term benefits for learning outcomes and absenteeism, and teachers consistently report improved focus and fewer disruptions. However, a 2025 University of Southern California study found compliance remains uneven and most students continue using phones during the school day regardless of restrictions. According to charter school director M.A. Aponte, the determining factor is not the ban itself but whether enforcement is consistent across every adult in the building and whether consequences are real and actually executed. Q: Why do school phone bans fail? A: Four common reasons. First, the rule has holes, such as allowing phones between classes or at lunch, which teaches students the rule is situational. Second, enforcement is inconsistent, and because students identify which adults enforce and which do not within days, a single non-enforcing adult undermines the policy building-wide. Third, consequences are not real or are written but never executed, which proves to students that the policy is theater. Fourth, schools confuse removing the phone with teaching self-regulation, leaving students unprepared when they graduate into environments where no one takes the device away. Q: Are phones a safety problem in schools, not just a distraction? A: Charter school director M.A. Aponte argues the distraction framing is incomplete. He has observed students pressuring other students into physical fights specifically so the fights could be recorded, meaning the phone did not divert existing behavior but created an incentive for violence that would not otherwise have existed. Phones also enable exam cheating at scale, since a photographed test can be distributed to every student taking it later that day. This reframes phone policy from an academic issue into a safety issue. Q: What about emergencies? Should students have phones to contact parents? A: This is the most common parent objection to school phone bans. The counterargument from school leaders is that during an actual emergency, students on phones spread panic and misinformation and divert attention from the adult giving safety instructions. A student on a phone during a crisis is generally less safe, not more. Schools implementing bans are expected to maintain a reliable direct channel for communicating with families during emergencies that does not depend on student devices. Q: What questions should parents ask about their school's phone policy? A: Five questions. Is the rule bell to bell or are there times phones are allowed? What is the actual consequence for a first, second, and third violation? Is it enforced identically by every teacher? What does the school teach about self-regulation rather than only what it forbids? And in an emergency, how will the school communicate with families without relying on student phones?Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
July 31, 2026 - New York Focus education reporter Melissa Manno explains the debate between education stakeholders over the authorization of new charter schools in the Empire State.
Send us Fan Mail27 States Are Writing AI Rules for Your Kid's School. I Run One. Here's What They're All Missing. Twenty-seven states have active AI-in-education bills in 2026. Five are already law. Ohio's House Bill 96 required every public, community, and STEM school district in the state, more than 600 of them, to adopt a formal board-approved AI policy by July 1, 2026. California released a statewide model AI policy for districts on June 25. Virginia's law took effect July 1. And on August 5, the Florida State Board of Education takes up a rule that would require public and charter schools to address artificial intelligence in their internet safety policies. M.A. Aponte is the Executive Director of a charter school in Gainesville, Florida. That Florida rule governs his building. So this is not policy analysis from the outside. This is a practitioner explaining what happens when a mandate lands on a real school: what he has to tell teachers, how he answers parents, and what he does when a student turns in an essay a machine wrote. His concern is simple and uncomfortable. A mandate produces a document. It does not produce a change in practice. And if districts confuse those two things, the next two years will be spent celebrating paperwork while nothing improves for a single student. WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS The full national map of school AI legislation, including Ohio's July 1 deadline, California's model policy, Idaho's AI literacy standards, Oklahoma's parental opt-out provision, Maryland Senate Bill 720 requiring teacher professional development, Connecticut's AI instruction mandate, and South Carolina House Bill 5253, which would establish the strongest guardrails in the country. What is happening in Florida specifically, including the Department of Education's internet safety directive, the August 5 State Board workshop, and the AI Bill of Rights that passed the Florida Senate 37 to 1 before dying in the House. The strongest argument against moving this fast. MIT professor Justin Reich has said that writing a guide for AI in 2026 is like writing a guide for aviation in 1905, before there were airlines, airports, or commercial flight. Aponte takes that seriously and explains where he lands anyway. The four things most school AI policies get wrong: 1. They regulate tools instead of teaching thinking. The real question is not whether a student used AI. It is whether AI helped them think or thought for them. 2. They assume detection works. AI detection tools flag authentic student work at rates that make them unusable as the basis for a disciplinary finding. 3. They do not fund the training. Teachers repeatedly report having to navigate AI entirely on their own. 4. They confuse having a document with having made a change. RESOURCES Free AUDIT Framework worksheet, including a parent version with five questions to bring to a school board meeting: maaponte.substack.com School AI policy consulting and advisory services: link in description. Sources cited include the FutureEd 2026 State AI in Education Legislative Tracker, Stateline, the California Department of Education, the Florida Department of Education, the OECD Digital Education Outlook 2026, UNESCO, and research from the University of Florida Education Policy Research Center.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: Which states require schools to have an AI policy in 2026? A: As of mid-2026, 27 states have active AI-in-education bills and five have enacted laws. Ohio House Bill 96 required every public, community, and STEM school district to adopt a board-approved AI policy by July 1, 2026. Idaho requires districts and charter schools to create AI policies and ensures AI cannot replace a human teacher. Oklahoma requires age-appropriate AI tools, teacher review of AI output, and parental opt-out. Maryland Senate Bill 720 requires state-provided teacher professional development on AI. Virginia Senate Bill 394 directs its education department to issue guidance. Connecticut mandated AI instruction. California released a model AI policy for districts on June 25, 2026. Q: What should a school AI policy include? A: According to the AUDIT framework developed by charter school director M.A. Aponte, an effective school AI policy must address five areas. Assumptions: does it reflect how students actually use AI, including gradual over-reliance rather than only deliberate cheating. Usability: can a teacher apply it in real time without stopping instruction. Detection: does it acknowledge that AI detection software produces false positives, and does it rely on process artifacts and oral defense instead. Instruction: does it teach AI literacy rather than only restricting tools. Training: is there a funded, dated, ongoing professional development plan for teachers. Q: Is Florida requiring schools to have an AI policy? A: The Florida Department of Education has directed school districts to add artificial intelligence use to their existing internet safety policies. A rule development workshop was held June 22, 2026, and the Florida State Board of Education scheduled a workshop for August 5, 2026 on a proposed rule requiring public and charter schools to include AI in their internet safety guidelines. Separately, Florida's proposed AI Bill of Rights, which would have restricted student access to AI instructional tools before sixth grade, passed the Florida Senate 37 to 1 but died in the House. Q: Do AI detection tools work in schools? A: AI detection tools produce false positives at rates that make them unreliable as the basis for academic dishonesty findings, flagging authentic student work as AI-generated. Education leaders recommend assessment design strategies instead of detection strategies: requiring drafts and revision history, conducting device-free in-class writing, and asking students to orally defend submitted work. A student who wrote the work can explain their reasoning. A student who outsourced it cannot. Q: What questions should parents ask their school about AI? A: Five questions. Does our school have an AI policy, and can families read it? Has a classroom teacher reviewed it for whether it is usable during instruction? What happens if a student is wrongly accused by AI detection software? What are we teaching students about AI, not just what are we forbidding? When are teachers trained on this, how often, and who pays for that time? If a school cannot answer the last question, that is the gap that determines everything else. Q: Why do most school AI policies fail? A: Four reasons. They regulate tools instead of teaching thinking, so they cannot distinguish between a student using AI to learn and a student using AI to avoid learning. They assume detection is possible when detection software is unreliable. They do not fund teacher training, leaving educators to navigate AI on their own. And they confuse producing a compliant document with changing classroom practice. A mandate produces a document. It does not produce a change in practice. Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
A conversation with Marisol Gomez, FCSA Charter School Hero Award winner 2026 For more than 25 years, Marisol Gomez has been a valued leader within the Mater Academy network of charter schools. She started as a classroom teacher at Mater East in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, working with immigrant students and families. In XXX, she was asked to serve as the founding principal of Mater Beach Academy, guiding the K–6 school to high-performing status and establishing it as one of the top schools in the state. We spoke with Ms. Gomez about her leadership journey and what drives her to continue to serve students. The Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) is a member-driven organization focused on influencing legislative policy and environments with unrivaled success in advocating for and protecting charter schools and parental choice. The FCSA advocates for, defends, supports, and collaborates with public charter schools that serve close to 400,000 students statewide. #FloridaCharterSchoolAlliance #FCSA www.flcharteralliance.org
Are you ready to unlock your child's full creative potential? In this episode of the Homeschool Yo Kids podcast, Jae welcomes Janine Gomez to discuss how she transitioned from being a school principal to launching a mobile dream studio on a converted bus. It is time to rethink what education looks like when we prioritize imagination and passion over standardized testing. Janine shares her incredible journey from electrical engineering to founding a charter school and ultimately realizing that children need a dedicated space to explore their dreams outside the traditional system. We dive deep into the concept of dream time and how it helps children reclaim their identity and sense of freedom. Janine explains how she co-creates learning plans with parents to blend academic skills like math and literacy with a child's unique interests. We also discuss the challenges of the current educational landscape and why homeschooling offers a unique opportunity to keep the light of creativity burning bright. Janine provides practical advice for parents who feel ill-equipped, reminding us that teaching is an art and that the world is our curriculum. From the funny story of a childhood lightning bug experiment to the vision of a fleet of dream buses, this episode is packed with inspiration for anyone looking to break free from the status quo and support their child's natural genius. https://www.thedragonflydreams.com/Janine Gomez | LinkedInBIO: Results-oriented, accomplished leader and educator with 33 years of broad experience in public and charter schools. Expertise includes coaching, leadership development, staff development, workshop design and facilitation, and team building. Strong project management and interpersonal skills. Enjoys collaborative, fast-paced, professional environments in non-profit or educational organizations.Chapters0:00 Introduction to Janine Gomez and Dragonfly Dreams4:15 From Engineering to the Classroom: Janine's Journey9:10 Closing a Charter School to Chase a New Vision14:30 Inside the Mobile Dream Studio: How the Bus Works19:00 Co-Creating Learning Plans with Families24:15 Why Dreaming is a Form of Freedom28:30 The Impact of Traditional Schooling on Creativity33:15 Navigating the Politics of Education and Micro-Schools38:50 Homeschooling Without a Rigid Curriculum43:10 Future Vision: Expanding the Fleet of Dream Buses47:55 Self-Care Tips for Dreamers and Final Advice
Today we'll start off in hour one with the new principal of the Nikolaevsk's Charter School to discuss the upcoming year and what the community needs. Then in the rest of the hour and in hour two we'll dissect what happened at the end of the special session and what the next steps are. We may take some phone calls as well.
In this episode, Mike Caldwell interviews Mike Huguelet, Executive Director of the Iowa Coalition of Public Charter Schools, about building Iowa's charter school movement from the ground up. Huguelet shares his path from teaching in Chicago (co-founding Noble Schools) to leading counseling programs in Des Moines Public Schools, and eventually launching the Iowa Coalition in 2023 — a state with one of the newest charter laws in the country (passed 2021). We're proud to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments
Send us Fan MailHow Jamie Dimon Thinks — And What a Former JPMorgan Banker Wants You to Know I worked at JPMorgan Chase as a banker, under Jamie Dimon. I wasn't in his inner circle, but I was close enough to watch how that organization thought, moved, and made decisions under pressure. And it changed how I think about money, leadership, and risk forever. In this episode, I break down the five mental habits behind Dimon's 20-year run as the most powerful banker in the world, the same habits that let JPMorgan not just survive the 2008 financial crisis, but profit from it while every other major bank was collapsing or getting bailed out. Right now, while every headline celebrates JPMorgan's record $16.5 billion Q1 profit, Dimon is warning about tectonic shifts in the global economy, a possible credit recession, and risks that most people aren't preparing for. There's a reason he sees what others miss. Today I'm going to show you how. In this episode: • Why Dimon plans for scenarios instead of making predictions — and how to apply this to your own decisions • The military OODA Loop he uses to make faster, better decisions than his competitors • Why he dedicates Sunday mornings to thinking — and why you should too • His 'cognitive diversity' practice: actively seeking people who will tell him he's wrong • The fortress balance sheet philosophy — and what it means for YOUR financial life • What Dimon's 2026 warnings actually mean for regular people — and what to do about them These aren't Wall Street habits. They're thinking habits. They work at JPMorgan because they work everywhere.Show notes: Q: How does Jamie Dimon make decisions? Jamie Dimon uses a system of scenario planning, the military OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act), and weekly Sunday thinking sessions to make decisions under pressure. Rather than predicting outcomes, he prepares for a wide range of possibilities and maintains what he calls a 'fortress balance sheet' — holding more reserves than necessary so JPMorgan is never caught unprepared. Former JPMorgan banker M.A. Aponte breaks down Dimon's five thinking habits in this episode of Thinking 2 Think. Q: What is Jamie Dimon warning about in 2026? In his 2026 annual shareholder letter, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warned of 'tectonic shifts' in the global order, including rising inflation risk, geopolitical instability from the Iran conflict, trade uncertainty, and a possible credit recession. He issued these warnings despite JPMorgan reporting a record $16.5 billion profit in Q1 2026, saying he prefers to 'hope for the best and plan for the worst.' Q: What is the OODA Loop and how does Jamie Dimon use it? The OODA Loop — Observe, Orient, Decide, Act — is a decision-making framework created by military strategist John Boyd. Jamie Dimon applies it to banking: continuously gathering new data, updating his understanding of the situation, making decisions, and checking how reality responded before cycling through again. This approach allowed JPMorgan to acquire Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual during the 2008 crisis while competitors were still assessing the damage. Q: What is Jamie Dimon's leadership philosophy? Jamie Dimon's core leadership philosophy centers on five principles: brutal honesty in assessment ('facts, analysis, detail — repeat'), scenario planning over prediction, cognitive diversity (actively seeking people who will disagree with him), separating optimism from preparation (hoping for the best while planning for the worst), and long-term thinking over short-term optimization ('we're not here to hit the quarter — we're here to build a business that lasts decades').Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
Send us Fan MailThe scariest manipulators aren't the ones who look like villains. They're the ones who look normal, sound polite, and make you feel unreasonable for asking a basic question. We start with a true late-night subway call that taught me how easily a smooth story can hide control and harm, and why “surface-level instincts” can fail when someone is managing the space, the narrative, and the other person's voice.Then we zoom out to the modern manipulation landscape: AI-generated war videos, stolen accounts dressed up like news outlets, coordinated influence networks, and the most overlooked trick of all, real images paired with false captions. We talk about how misinformation spreads at scale on social platforms, how rage bait monetization works, and why the hardest lies to catch are the ones built on something real. If you care about media literacy, critical thinking, propaganda detection, and protecting yourself from online scams, this is the core skill set.Finally, I teach the RADAR method, a practical framework inspired by Robert Cialdini's persuasion research and sharpened through real-world experience. You'll learn to spot reciprocity traps, fake authority, manufactured urgency, anchoring and framing, and reframing or gaslighting. We run a quick RADAR scan on a viral post and end with simple homework you can use for three days online and in one relationship that feels off. If this helps, subscribe, share it with someone you care about, and leave a review so more people can build a stronger radar.Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
Send us Fan MailArtificial Intelligence is already transforming education, business, leadership, and society. But while schools debate AI cheating, plagiarism detection, and classroom policies, they're missing a far bigger problem: AI illiteracy. In this episode of Thinking 2 Think, Executive Director and High-Stakes Decision Advisor M.A. Aponte explores why the future belongs not to people who avoid AI—but to those who know how to think with it. The question is no longer whether students should use artificial intelligence. The question is whether they can evaluate it, challenge it, verify it, and build upon it. You'll discover: ✅ What AI literacy actually means—and why most people misunderstand it✅ The difference between AI fluency and AI literacy✅ Why AI cheating is the wrong conversation✅ The four cognitive skills every student must develop in the AI era✅ How schools can teach critical thinking alongside AI tools✅ Why prompt engineering alone is not enough✅ How parents can prepare children for an AI-driven future✅ The connection between AI literacy, leadership, and decision-making✅ Why organizations that develop AI-augmented thinkers will outperform competitors This episode explores the future of education, critical thinking, workforce readiness, leadership development, and artificial intelligence through the lens of one essential question: Are we teaching students how to use AI—or how to think with AI? Whether you're a parent, teacher, school administrator, entrepreneur, CEO, or lifelong learner, this conversation will challenge how you think about education and human intelligence in the age of artificial intelligence. Because in the future, the most valuable skill may not be knowing the answer. It may be knowing how to ask better questions. Think Clearly. Lead Boldly. Stay Logical. Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
A law change means charter school sponsors will be able to run more than one school, it also gives flexibility for state schools that convert into charter schools to switch back if a sponsor pulls out. Jude MacArthur, Senior Lecturer in Education and Social Practice at Auckland University spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
Todd Ziebarth, Chief of State Policy and Advocacy for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, joins The Dan Yorke Show. Ziebarth responds to calls demanding that Governor Dan McKee's 2009 charter school champion award be rescinded, and provides national context on the ongoing political and policy debates surrounding Rhode Island's public charter systems.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us Fan MailWhy do intelligent leaders make disastrous decisions? It happens in corporations, schools, governments, nonprofits, startups, and even military organizations. The problem is rarely a lack of intelligence, experience, or information. More often, leaders unknowingly build systems that filter reality before it reaches them. In this episode of Thinking 2 Think, Executive Director, leadership advisor, and former NYPD officer M.A. Aponte explores The Leadership Failure Nobody Names—the hidden organizational dynamics that cause smart leaders to make catastrophically bad decisions despite having access to vast amounts of data and expertise. You'll discover: ✅ The Intelligence-Failure Paradox and why power often reduces information quality✅ How organizations create leadership echo chambers✅ The dangers of sycophancy, groupthink, and yes-men cultures✅ Why executives often receive filtered or distorted information✅ The psychology behind premature certainty and cognitive closure✅ Real-world examples from education, business, military leadership, and finance✅ The Honest Signal Audit framework for improving decision-making✅ How pre-mortems, dissent, and disagreement improve organizational outcomes✅ Practical tools leaders can use to avoid blind spots and strategic failure Whether you're a CEO, superintendent, principal, entrepreneur, executive, manager, board member, military leader, or aspiring leader, this episode will challenge how you think about information, influence, leadership, and decision-making under pressure. Because the greatest threat to leadership is often not what you don't know. It's what your organization prevents you from seeing. Think Clearly. Lead Boldly. Stay Logical. Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
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Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Here’s a structured summary of the Nandi Edouard interview with Rushion McDonald from Money Making Conversations Masterclass, including its purpose, key takeaways, and notable quotes.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Here’s a structured summary of the Nandi Edouard interview with Rushion McDonald from Money Making Conversations Masterclass, including its purpose, key takeaways, and notable quotes.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Here’s a structured summary of the Nandi Edouard interview with Rushion McDonald from Money Making Conversations Masterclass, including its purpose, key takeaways, and notable quotes.
Lauren Matlach Deputy Director, RI League of Charter Public Schools joins the show to react to Governor Dan McKee's decision to sign a charter school pause.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us Fan MailWhy are so many students disengaged in school? Why are employees doing the bare minimum at work? Why do organizations struggle to build initiative, innovation, and genuine commitment?In this episode of Thinking 2 Think, Executive Director, leadership advisor, and former NYPD officer M.A. Aponte explores what he calls The Compliance Trap—the hidden system that rewards obedience, discourages intellectual risk-taking, and produces disengaged students, quiet quitting employees, and stagnant workplace cultures.Drawing from research on intrinsic motivation, employee engagement, psychological safety, organizational culture, and modern education systems, this episode examines how schools and workplaces often reward compliance instead of critical thinking, initiative, creativity, and ownership.You'll learn:✅ Why rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation✅ The unintended consequences of PBIS and behavior-based systems✅ The real causes behind quiet quitting and workplace disengagement✅ How compliance culture affects schools, businesses, and families✅ The connection between student behavior and employee behavior✅ Why psychological safety is essential for innovation and performance✅ How CEOs, managers, principals, teachers, and parents can build cultures that encourage thinking instead of obedience✅ Practical strategies for developing proactive students and engaged employeesWhether you're a parent, teacher, school administrator, CEO, entrepreneur, manager, or simply someone interested in leadership, psychology, education, and organizational culture, this episode will challenge how you think about motivation, performance, and human development.Think Clearly. Lead Boldly. Stay Logical.Support the showAbout the host: M.A. Aponte is a former JPMorgan banker, former Merrill Lynch wealth manager, former NYPD officer, Army Officer, and Executive Director of a Charter School in Florida. He is the author of The Logical Mind and host of Thinking 2 Think. Join My Substack for more content: maaponte.substack.comConsulting/Advisory Services: MAAponte.comProfessional LinkedIn Page: www.linkedin.com/in/maaponteFinancial Budget/Wealth Management app (FREE): https://centsora.com/CHECK OUT OUR NEW CRITICAL THINKING GAME APP! Currently in BETA: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.appWeb: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.base692af669b00f0dc8d8ad6653.app*Coming soon to Apple Store
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nandi Edouardo. Guest: Nandi EdouardoHost: Rushion McDonald (Money Making Conversations Masterclass)Focus: Education innovation, entrepreneurship, and building Simple View Academy (SVA) Nandi Edouardo, founder of Simple View Academy, shares her journey creating a charter school in Georgia designed to integrate entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and project-based learning into traditional education. Her mission centers on empowering students—especially Black and brown youth—to become creators, innovators, and financially literate leaders.
Achievement and attendance gains are being celebrated at some charter schools for disengaged students. Annual reports show four of the seven that opened last year met Government attendance or achievement targets. Associate Education Minister David Seymour says Christchurch's Mastery School is the standout performer, despite missing achievement targets. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was established for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, and they're close to ticking boxes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nandi Edouardo. Guest: Nandi EdouardoHost: Rushion McDonald (Money Making Conversations Masterclass)Focus: Education innovation, entrepreneurship, and building Simple View Academy (SVA) Nandi Edouardo, founder of Simple View Academy, shares her journey creating a charter school in Georgia designed to integrate entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and project-based learning into traditional education. Her mission centers on empowering students—especially Black and brown youth—to become creators, innovators, and financially literate leaders.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nandi Edouardo. Guest: Nandi EdouardoHost: Rushion McDonald (Money Making Conversations Masterclass)Focus: Education innovation, entrepreneurship, and building Simple View Academy (SVA) Nandi Edouardo, founder of Simple View Academy, shares her journey creating a charter school in Georgia designed to integrate entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and project-based learning into traditional education. Her mission centers on empowering students—especially Black and brown youth—to become creators, innovators, and financially literate leaders.
Spoiler: none of us can teach our children everything they'll need to know before they leave home. So what can we give them? A love of learning, the confidence to try new things, and the curiosity to keep growing long after graduation.In this special episode, Rebecca explore the idea of lifelong learning—not just for our kids, but for us as parents too. What have you been learning lately? Do your children see you pursuing new interests, taking risks, asking questions, and growing?Featuring fun sound bites and ideas from parents and staff--and even Rebecca's dad--this episode is full of encouragement to stay curious, keep learning, and become more interested in your own life.
“People have lost sight of what education is supposed to be,” said Caylan Ford. In 2022, she founded Canada's first tuition-free classical charter school, the Calgary Classical Academy, with just a dozen faculty members.Since then, it has grown to 1,500 students across three campuses in Calgary and Edmonton, with thousands more on the waitlist, and has changed its name to Alberta Classical Academy.For Ford, classical education is all about, as she put it, “turning around the soul so that it's oriented toward things that are actually eternally true and good and enduring.”Canadian parents crave the classical education Alberta Classical Academy provides. “A lot of the parents who come to us are absolutely desperate. … The existence of this school is like an answered prayer,” Ford said.Surprisingly, Alberta is the only province in Canada that allows charter schools. Just as in America, Alberta's charter schools are public schools that do not charge tuition. They are statutorily barred from having a religious affiliation.Students study Latin beginning in Grade 5, with additional language options like French in high school. Much emphasis is given to the coherent study of history.“Our students read a lot of primary source material; they're not judging the past through current prejudices. They're trying to understand it on its own terms,” Ford said.The school also has a rich world literature curriculum where students memorize a lot, for example, poetry.“We do a lot of memorization work, partly because we want to help them furnish beautiful inner worlds. We want their minds and their souls to be places into which they can retire and find themselves refreshed and renewed,” Ford said.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and the guest, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
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Most of us think in terms of 24 hours in a day, but what if we started thinking in terms of 168 hours in a week? Suddenly, time feels a little different. So where does all that time go?In this episode, we explore how to approach our days with more intention and less overwhelm, drawing on insights from author and time expert Laura Vanderkam and her books Tranquility by Tuesday and Big Time. Discover practical ways to rethink your time, build rhythms that work, and move through your days with a greater sense of calm and purpose.Listen in and discover just how much time you really have.Show Notes:LauraVanderkam.comTranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What MattersBig Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance
A report on selective federal prosecutions of pro-lifers, firefighters' religious discrimination case, an AI-powered charter school, and how daily tasks can reveal the image of God. Plus, Daniel Suhr on the paywalls between sports and their fans, the rescue of a hiker's best friend, and the Thursday morning newsSupport The World and Everything in It today at wng.org/donateAdditional support comes from Boyce College. Boyce College offers a Christ-centered education built on the truth of God's Word. Every student—no matter their major—takes 30 hours of Bible and theology, learning how to think biblically, live faithfully, and lead with conviction. Formed from the 160-year legacy of Southern Seminary, Boyce College prepares students for maximum faithfulness in the world, the workplace, the church, and the family. Learn more at boycecollege.comFrom the Joshua Program at St. Dunstan's Academy in the Blue Ridge Mountains: work, prayer, and adventure for young men. stdunstansacademy.orgAnd from WatersEdge. Strengthening Ministry One Investment at a Time. 4.55% APY on a 13-month term. Watersedge.com/invest WatersEdge securities are subject to certain risk factors as described in our Offering Circular and are not FDIC or SIPC insured. This is not an offer to sell or solicit securities. WatersEdge offers and sells securities only where authorized; this offering is made solely by our Offering Circular.
Late last year, teachers at the Highlander Charter School in Providence, Rhode Island launched the state's first ever strike at a charter school. We have covered a lot of teachers strikes on our show, but strikes at charters have been few and far between. Just as with teachers at traditional public schools, teachers at charters are on the front lines of the struggle not only for their own working conditions, but for their students' learning conditions. So we were super excited to speak with the teachers at Highlander about their struggle, the lessons they've learned, and how teacher organizing can help build stronger communities! Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter, John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee
In this episode of Veteran On the Move, retired Marine Corps infantry officer Eddie Conger shares how he turned a 20-year military career into a new mission in education. After starting out as a math teacher and moving into school leadership, Eddie founded International Leadership of Texas (ILTexas) in 2012 to prepare students for a global world. He explains how his schools use Marine Corps leadership principles and trilingual instruction to serve over 25,000 students, including hosting the largest Marine Corps JROTC program in the country. It's a great look at how veterans can find a second career they are passionate about by applying their leadership skills to help the next generation. Episode Resources: International Leadership of Texas About Our Guest Eddie Conger is the founder and superintendent of International Leadership of Texas (ILTexas). After retiring from a 20-year career as a Marine Corps Major, Eddie created the charter school network with the vision to bolster national security through language instruction (Mandarin, Spanish, and English) and teaching students Marine leadership principles. Conger and the ILTexas team have been recognized for their efforts as the inaugural recipients of the George H. W. Bush Award for K-12 Educational Excellence in U.S.-China Relations, as well as over $7.25M in DoDEA funding to support Chinese language expansion and global competency initiatives. About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union is here to help you dominate your debt with the Platinum Card. Transfer your credit card balance to the Platinum card within your first 60 days and get a zero percent intro APR for 12 months. Visit here to start dominating debt. Join now at Navy Federal Credit Union. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission. Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship. Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com. Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review! Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 600 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship. As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.