Podcasts about miami dade county public schools

What does it really take to lead the third-largest school district in the country?

Meet Michelle Singh, an extraordinary entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in education, ranging from classroom teaching to district leadership. As a former classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, and current adjunct professor, Michelle possesses an in-depth understanding of the intricacies within the education system. Currently pursuing her doctoral degree in organizational leadership at Nova Southeastern University, she is driven to excel in her field. Michelle's expertise is unparalleled, boasting multiple certifications, including the esteemed National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. With nearly five years as a district leader and 15 years of dedicated service in the fourth largest school district in the USA, Michelle has made an indelible impact on the world of education. Her versatile roles, from nurturing gifted students to leading departments and training teachers in technology integration, have bestowed her with a profound comprehension of the needs of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and district leaders. Throughout her career, Michelle encountered the challenge of meeting assessment benchmarks amidst limited resources. Her ability to transcend these obstacles, catering to the needs of all students and propelling their achievements beyond district and state assessment scores, distinguishes her as a true educational pioneer. This drive and passion led to the creation of LCT-E Learning Solutions™ and the groundbreaking EQUAL Methodology™. By placing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront, Michelle transforms classrooms into innovative spaces that cultivate a profound appreciation for learning. ​Michelle's expertise is sought after by notable clients and organizations, including Microsoft, Renaissance Learning, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and Miami Dade College, among many other prominent corporations and educational institutions. Her insights have also enriched the minds of international educators across the Caribbean and the Middle East. A best-selling author, Michelle's book "Educational Continuity During Uncertainty: Online Learning Considerations for Educators" has proven invaluable, especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and teachers alike have found solace in her guidance for achieving continuity in virtual learning environments. Adding to her impressive repertoire, Michelle's latest book, the "Equity & Excellence in Teaching Reflective Journal," is a go-to resource for creating inclusive spaces and addressing educational disparities. Passionate educators striving to empower all students will find this journal a key to unlocking their full potential and fostering a brighter future.  

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by the National Math Improvement Project. You can access the webinar recording here.Algebra I is a critical gateway to advanced mathematics and future academic success, yet systemic barriers continue to limit access and opportunity for many students, particularly those from historically underserved communities. Listen to this illuminating discussion with leaders from three of the nation's largest school districts who are pioneering innovative approaches to ensure all students can thrive in Algebra I.Drawing from a new case study examining successful district initiatives, this edWeb podcast brings together academic officers from Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools who discuss how districts can transform Algebra I from a gatekeeper into a gateway of opportunity. Don't miss this chance to hear directly from district leaders about concrete strategies for:Creating multiple on-ramps to algebra successBuilding teacher content knowledge and instructional expertiseExpanding early access programs and acceleration pathwaysFostering positive math identity and student belongingUsing data to inform and improve algebra readiness effortsListen to this edWeb podcast about making Algebra I success achievable for all students. This edWeb podcast is of interest to middle and high school district leaders.National Math Improvement ProjectNMIP elevates best practices in support of academic outcomes, educator capacity, and math mindsets. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

The Taste of Education 30 Miami Dade County Public Schools culinary teams' competition. Linda Gassenheimer talks with winning team teachers Marilyn Victores and Frederika King and students Erika Mederos and Alexander Cairo. Hear about their top-rated recipes. Jacqueline Coleman speaks with Elena Carretero of Viña Santa Rita in Chile. Learn about the wine and winery's hotel, Casa Real, ranked in the top 40 hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure

Last time Cora Opsahl was on the show, Michelle Bernabe, RN, KAT, wrote a comment on LinkedIn I thought encapsulated the gist of it all so well. She wrote, “[Cora] first became a mentor/ally through Relentless Health Value episode 372. … It opened a doorway to a whole group of very relentless people.” For a full transcript of this episode, click here. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter to be a member of the Relentless Tribe. I want to start there because it's a nice comment, but it's also a call to action. Think about this and think about it not in the context of being a “stakeholder” and not in the context of being an organization but in the context of humans who work at these various organizations who, combined, comprise the bucket of companies that we lumped together using the old stakeholder word. All of these individuals are making choices every day, and all of these choices, they could be made with integrity and with the patient or member in mind … or not. In real life, right now, the overwhelming majority of members/patients in this country get their clinical care and the pleasure of paying for that care or drugs within the current ecosystem we have here in the USA. For any of us, or all of us who work within that traditional ecosystem, it is up to us to choose our own legacy here. It's probably why you listen to this show in the first place, actually. There are so many RHV (Relentless Health Value) listeners who are pushing for patients against the riptide that is the profit motives of the organization that they work for. It's hard. But yeah, it's all about finding our people and supporting each other. Okay, so let's get to the “between a rock and a hard place” portion of this discussion. Hospitals and ASOs (administrative services organizations)/carriers/TPAs (third-party administrators) often enter into or sometimes enter into what amounts to anticompetitive contracts with each other. Listen to episode 395 with Brennan Bilberry for the rundown on that one. But meanwhile, the CAA, the Consolidated Appropriations Act from 2021, holds employer plan sponsors accountable and responsible to ensure that plan assets are spent prudently, that costs paid are reasonable, and that there's no conflict of interest (COI). This is the definition of what a fiduciary is supposed to do, by the way—prudent, reasonable, and no COI. Anticompetitive contracts between a carrier and a hospital are the very definition of COI. And when that COI results in higher, maybe unreasonable, prices and non-prudent spend, well, plan sponsors are put between a rock and a hard place if they stick with their existing vendors. Rosa Novo from Miami-Dade County Public Schools put this really succinctly on a panel at a 32BJ event recently. She said what amounts to, I have no choice but to actually do the right thing here, for many reasons, but one of them is I do not look good in orange. She said, my personal butt is on the line here. And furthermore, who do class action lawsuits make look bad when their company or CEO or CFO are personally sued over conflicted benefits? See the Wells Fargo lawsuit, J&J lawsuit, etc. It sucks that employers or plan sponsors get put into this pickle by their own vendors. And that's what we're talking about today. This is a conversation that starts out talking about rates (ie, prices), edges into rights (ie, plan sponsor rights), and ends up all about power. And by the way, if you're a plan sponsor, especially in New York City, maybe doing the right thing here means hatching a plan to steer and tier in your benefit design, figuring out how to, for reals, help support the efforts of 32BJ to advantage pretty much every patient near and far. The pushback I often hear to doing something like this often involves the perception that plan members are too rich to care about reasonable prices, prudent plan spending, and COI. And yeah, to state the obvious, these same people are also sophisticated enough to smell a fine opportunity for a class action lawsuit; and also, they probably do care, as more and more studies suggest. Sorry if I just stumbled onto a sacred cow. Cora Opsahl, my guest today, is the director of the 32BJ Health Fund, serving over 200,000 folks. Their ability to kick NewYork-Presbyterian, a big, consolidated, very expensive hospital, out of their network in 2018 enabled them to offer maternity benefits for $40 in total out-of-pocket for members. And also, employees got their biggest raise ever; employers got a premium holiday and a 3% rate increase for a bunch of years after that; and yeah … this is where we start the conversation today. And yeah, it's a freakin' tangled web we weave; and this tale is a perfect case study of it. It makes me even more invested in remembering my own manifesto (that was episode 400) to ensure that I can feel good about what I personally have accomplished and what I have been a part of and the net impact of my own personal actions, since I, too, very often work in the belly of the beast. Furthermore, you will find links to a template health savings calculator for plan sponsors and also a template contract (again for plan sponsors) that 32BJ has made available. More on that in the show that follows. Also mentioned in this episode are 32BJ Benefit Funds; Michelle Bernabe, RN, KAT; Brennan Bilberry; Rosa Novo; Marilyn Bartlett; Cynthia Fisher; Zack Cooper, PhD; Claire Brockbank; Andreas Mang; Chris Deacon; Elizabeth Mitchell; and Purchaser Business Group on Health.   You can learn more at health.32bjfunds.org and by following Cora on LinkedIn.   Cora Opsahl is the director of the 32BJ Health Fund, a self-insured Taft-Hartley benefit fund that sets comprehensive design parameters to ensure the 200,000 members and families of Service Employees International Union 32BJ have easy and sustained access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Since becoming director of the Health Fund in 2021, Cora has prioritized a data-driven approach to healthcare, focusing on reducing trend; solving the affordability challenge on behalf of union members; and most important, keeping members at the center of every decision. Under her leadership, the 32BJ Health Fund has saved more than $35 million annually—which it has reinvested in new and better benefits, including the first fertility benefit for members—by removing NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals and physicians from its network, transitioning to a new pharmacy vendor and pharmacy group purchasing coalition, and establishing an expanded Centers of Excellence program. Most recently, Cora conducted an innovative medical request for proposal (RFP), stipulating that all finalists must have a signature-ready contract drafted by the Health Fund prior to award. By including the Health Fund–drafted contract in the RFP process, the Fund was able to negotiate an agreement that brought unprecedented visibility and increased accountability to the 32BJ Health Fund benefit. Cora is regarded as an expert in pharmacy benefit management and previously worked at Express Scripts, where she held a variety of roles, ranging from Medicare Part D to operations to strategy and acquisitions. She earned an MBA from Saint Louis University.   06:16 Why is it imperative for employers to do something differently when it comes to being plan sponsors? 09:22 How analyzing claims data allowed 32BJ Health Fund to reshape their benefit design. 12:09 What anticompetitive rights did 32BJ run into that limited 32BJ Health Fund from managing their benefit design? 14:12 How do these anticompetitive rights have quality implications as well as cost implications? 18:43 How did 32BJ Health Fund remove NewYork-Presbyterian from their network, and how much did it save 32BJ Health Fund per year? 19:46 What did the healthcare savings allow the unions and employers to do? 20:46 Study by Zack Cooper, PhD. 21:26 Why rising healthcare costs has pushed 32BJ Health Fund to move beyond benefit design to manage healthcare spend. 24:15 Why 32BJ Health Fund wants to control the contracting process. 26:00 EP419 with Andreas Mang. 27:18 What are 32BJ Health Fund's four non-negotiables? 33:17 Wall Street Journal article on health insurance contract. 35:30 Upcoming episode with Claire Brockbank. 36:14 What is the challenge that exists in our current healthcare environment? 37:43 Cora's advice on how to get high-quality healthcare at an affordable price.   You can learn more at health.32bjfunds.org and by following Cora on LinkedIn.   @CoraOpsahl discusses #fiduciaryresponsibility in #healthcare on our #healthcarepodcast. #podcast #financialhealth #primarycare #patientoutcomes #healthcareinnovation   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Dan Nardi, Dr Spencer Dorn (EP451), Marilyn Bartlett, Dr Marty Makary, Shawn Gremminger (Part 2), Shawn Gremminger (Part 1), Elizabeth Mitchell (Summer Shorts 9), Dr Will Shrank (Encore! EP413), Dr Amy Scanlan (Encore! EP402), Ashleigh Gunter, Dr Spencer Dorn (EP446)  

Episode Description: In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Martin Karp, an esteemed educator and dedicated public servant, who is running for the Miami-Dade School Board. Dr. Karp brings a wealth of experience from his previous 16-year tenure on the board and his current role as Dean of Academic Affairs and Community Engagement at the Talmudic University consortium.Key Discussion Points:Background and Experience: Dr. Karp shares insights from his extensive career in education and administration. He discusses his multiple degrees from the University of Miami and Syracuse University and his professional roles, including his time as Business Manager for Southern Playbill Publishing and Circulation Director for Miami Beach Magazine.Previous Achievements: Highlighting his significant contributions during his previous terms on the School Board, Dr. Karp talks about his initiatives for students with disabilities, dropout prevention programs, and enhancing science education. A standout achievement is the 300% increase in participation in the South Florida Regional Science Fair under his leadership.Vision and Goals: Dr. Karp outlines his motivation for running again, emphasizing the opportunities presented by a new superintendent and a changing board. His strategic goals include expanding after-school programs, ensuring students graduate with practical skills, supporting physical education, promoting field trips, and advocating for augmented intelligence. He aims to transform Miami-Dade County Public Schools into a technology hub through enhanced teacher training and grant pursuits.Non-Partisan Decision Making: Emphasizing the importance of keeping politics out of education, Dr. Karp discusses his commitment to evaluating each item based on its educational merit. He shares examples of how his initiatives, like the implementation of fruit vending machines in schools, were driven by research and stakeholder feedback.Community Engagement: Dr. Karp talks about his approach to building strong relationships with parents, teachers, and community members. He shares how his responsive communication style and being present in schools earned him a Lifetime Legacy Award from the county PTA/PTSA.Addressing Challenges: Dr. Karp addresses current challenges facing Miami-Dade schools, such as declining enrollment and the need for affordable workforce housing for teachers. He discusses his plans to repurpose facilities and offer programs that attract parents and students.Future Vision: Dr. Karp outlines his strategic vision for Miami-Dade schools, focusing on providing a top-tier education and a safe, unbiased learning environment. His plans include coordinated efforts with staff and community stakeholders to build on successful initiatives and identify areas needing improvement.Conclusion: Dr. Karp's extensive experience, proven track record, and unwavering commitment to education position him as an ideal candidate for the Miami-Dade School Board. Tune in to hear more about his vision for a brighter future for all students in Miami-Dade County. For more details, visit martinkarp.com

Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. is a lifelong educator, having begun his career in education teaching Social Studies and coaching baseball in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system in 1994. He then served as an Assistant Principal from 2007 to 2013 until becoming the Chief Operating Officer at Doral College. He was appointed Commissioner of Education […]

Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. is a lifelong educator, having begun his career in education teaching Social Studies and coaching baseball in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system in 1994. He then served as an Assistant Principal from 2007 to 2013 until becoming the Chief Operating Officer at Doral College. He was appointed Commissioner of Education by the Florida State Board of Education effective June 1, 2022.Commissioner Diaz received his Bachelor's degree from St. Thomas University, a Master's degree in education from Nova Southeastern, and completed a Harvard Graduate School of Education program for principals.He served with distinction in the Florida Legislature, originally elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, where he quickly became known as an expert and champion of education. During his tenure in the Florida House of Representatives, he served as Chairman of both the Education Choice and Innovation Committee and the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee. In 2018, he was elected to the Florida Senate where he served as Chairman of the Education Committee. During his legislative career he sponsored numerous educational initiatives to support Florida's students, families, and public-school teachers.A devoted husband and father of four, he understands the importance and value of providing students with a world-class education and is honored to continue serving Florida as the Commissioner of Education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Taste of Education 30 Miami Dade County Public Schools culinary teams' competition. Linda Gassenheimer talks with winning team teacher Melanie Mann and top winning students Sophia De Leon and Tyler Diaz. Hear about their top-rated recipes. Jacqueline Coleman's talks with Bryan Connors of FIU about Celia, the robot bartender.

Rosa Royo is the Director of Worker's Compensation and Loss Prevention at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. A graduate of Barry University, Ms. Royo has been a Risk Manager for over 30 years and has specialized in Worker's Compensation for the last 20 years. She is employed by Miami-Dade County Public Schools and supervises a high-volume customer-service-driven worker's compensation program. In 2016, she relaunched the Rebuilding Me program to include providing athletic trainers, meditation, and cooking demonstrations to the district's transportation yards, resulting in a reduction in claims of 61% over three years. In 2018 and 2022, Ms. Royo was recognized by Risk and Insurance magazine as a Risk All-Star. In 2019 she was a Comp Laude honorable mention and a Business Insurance Woman To Watch. She was awarded the Rosa Royo Legacy Award in 2023 by Bloom magazine. Under her leadership, the program was honored with its second Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy) award in 2023. In today's episode of the In The Know podcast, Chris Hampshire and Rosa discuss the role that effective risk management plays in one of the nation's largest school systems, the importance of incentives and education in employee engagement, and key components of the bright future of the insurance industry.

Dr. Jennie Trocchio shares how developmental therapy can help autistic individuals, and how it differs from behavioral methods. Dr. Jennie Trocchio is an autism educator, speaker, Developmental Therapist, and Vice President of Clinical Operations at Positive Development. Positive Development's mission is to “…help people with autism and other developmental differences build connections and shape their futures.” Positive Development follows the Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention (DRBI) model. Jennie is a Maryland native located in sunny South Florida. With a Bachelor's from University of Miami in Special Education and Creative Writing and a Master's in Exceptional Student Education and Reading, Jennie worked in special education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. During this time she developed a focus on autism and was introduced to DIR/Floortime approach. This model was put into practice at CasaBlanca Academy, a non-profit school for students with autism, where Jennie became the lead teacher, Director of Education and later the President of the Board of Directors. In 2013, Jennie graduated with a Ph.D. from Barry University in Special Education and Leadership with a focus in Autism. Her research included a collaboration with Dr. Rick Solomon, the Medical Director of the P.L.A.Y Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2014, Jennie left her role at the school, and is currently teaching the autism courses at Barry University and Lynn University. She is certified in DIR/Floortime, PLAY Project and Teaching PLAY. For more about Jennie's work: https://www.positivedevelopment.com/ https://www.drjennie.co/ Follow Different Brains on social media: https://twitter.com/diffbrains https://www.facebook.com/different.brains/ https://www.instagram.com/diffbrains/ Check out more episodes of Exploring Different Brains! http://differentbrains.org/category/edb/

Deana Butler-Rahming a native of Miami. She is the proud mother of Alexia Deshay Porter and married to Bishop Gus L. Rahming. Deana graduated from Miami Carol City Sr. High and received her Bachelor's Degree from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio in Music Education, a Master's of Science in Computing Technology from Barry University, Specialist Degree in Reading from the University of Miami and a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Barry University. Mrs. Rahming has been a Music Teacher with the Miami Dade County Public Schools for thirty years and is currently teaching at Palm Springs Elementary. Deana's accolades includes selection by the Jubilate Committee to be the Directress of the Gospel Chorale in Barcelona Spain, crowned Miss CSU in 1992 (appearing in the 1992 edition of Ebony magazine), current member of the Miami Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, Modern Mason Free & Acceptance Eastern Stars, Noble Lady Zethel 220, the 2016 Women of Worth Award in Music by the Board of Directors of Bethel Temple Community Development Corporation. She has performed in numerous events throughout South Florida and Nationally! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bj-murphy9/support

¡Conozcamos a Rosa Royo en Miami! Now, in English...Let's get to know Rosa Royo in Miami!Rosa Royo is one of the brightest leaders in the risk and insurance industry. Native to the Miami area, she loves the Miami culture, food, music, and art. She is Director, Workers' Compensation and Loss Prevention at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. It is the fourth-largest school district in the country and the second-biggest public employer in Florida. So, as you can imagine, there is a lot to know and do when managing her day-to-day responsibilities. Come along with us as we chat with Rosa to learn about what she studied in school, how she landed in the risk and insurance industry, as well as what she sees coming next. It's an interesting journey for sure!¿Estan listos para visitar Rosa? ¡Vamanos!For more about Rosa and her work with Miami-Dade School District follow these links: Risk + Insurance All Star 2022https://riskandinsurance.com/rosa-royo-all-star-2022/2019 Women to Watchhttps://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20191202/STORY/912331840/Business-Insurance-2019-Women-to-Watch-Rosa-Royo-Miama-Dade-Schools¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Developmental therapist Dr. Jennie Trocchio shares how DRBI therapy can help autistic individuals thrive and build great connections. Dr. Jennie Trocchio is an autism educator, speaker, Developmental Therapist, and Vice President of Clinical Operations at Positive Development. Positive Development's mission is to “…help people with autism and other developmental differences build connections and shape their futures.” Positive Development follows the Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention (DRBI) model. Jennie is a Maryland native located in sunny South Florida. With a Bachelor's from University of Miami in Special Education and Creative Writing and a Master's in Exceptional Student Education and Reading, Jennie worked in special education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. During this time she developed a focus on autism and was introduced to DIR/Floortime approach. This model was put into practice at CasaBlanca Academy, a non-profit school for students with autism, where Jennie became the lead teacher, Director of Education and later the President of the Board of Directors. In 2013, Jennie graduated with a Ph.D. from Barry University in Special Education and Leadership with a focus in Autism. Her research included a collaboration with Dr. Rick Solomon, the Medical Director of the P.L.A.Y Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2014, Jennie left her role at the school, and is currently teaching the autism courses at Barry University and Lynn University. She is certified in DIR/Floortime, PLAY Project and Teaching PLAY. For more about Jennie's work: https://www.positivedevelopment.com/ https://www.drjennie.co/ Follow Different Brains on social media: https://twitter.com/diffbrains https://www.facebook.com/different.brains/ https://www.instagram.com/diffbrains/ Check out more episodes of Exploring Different Brains! http://differentbrains.org/category/edb/

The defense in the Parkland sentencing trial abruptly decided to rest their case, surprising everyone, especially Judge Scherer. Miami-Dade County Public Schools denied students from attending the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Anna in the Tropics" by Nilo Cruz

In this episode, Tynee Talks to veteran Educator and Reading Coach for Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami, Florida. Together we discuss the urgency of literacy, the “summer slide”, and what you can do to ensure your child's academic success this school year

Intersections. Where Diversity, Equity and Design Meet. This Fall, The National Building Museum is bringing together leading Black voices in design, art, and architecture for INTERSECTIONS, a series of dynamic discussions about culture, equity and representation through the lens of design. Launching September 16th and running through December 14th, Intersections engages nationally recognized Black architects, designers and artists in conversations focused on social justice in the built environment. Through interactive lectures and hands-on workshops, this series is designed to provoke new thinking, spark conversation, enlighten and empower. Jacquelyn Sawyer is a fourth generation teacher and dedicated education professional with over 16 years of curriculum and program design, project management and partnership development experience. Jacquelyn began her career in the classroom as a middle and high school Social Studies, Environmental Science and Economics teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools. After welcoming her first son, Jacquelyn transitioned to the non-profit sector, where she worked with organizations like The Baltimore Urban Debate League, WE Charity and the National Aquarium to improve the educational opportunities of students in underserved schools and communities. In addition to her non-profit work, Jacquelyn has also had the opportunity to serve as a curriculum developer, administrative coach and teacher evaluator for school systems across the country, including District of Columbia Public Schools, Dallas Independent School District and Miami- Dade County Public Schools. Jacquelyn currently serves as the Vice President of Education and Engagement at the National Building Museum. Jacquelyn Sawyer received her undergraduate degree in Urban and Suburban Studies from George Mason University and her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Johns Hopkins University. She is the proud mother of two boys, Thomas and George. In her time away from work she is an avid reader, jazz enthusiast and enjoys hiking, biking and all things outdoors. Sept 8 BLACKSPACE...AT THE INTERSECTION OF BLACK FUTURES, AGENCY, AND DESIGN Sept 16 DEMAR MATTHEWS...AT THE INTERSECTION OF IDENTITY AND COMMUNITY Sep 20 HARRIET TUBMAN...AT THE INTERSECTION OF LEGACY AND LANDSCAPE Sept 23 MABEL WILSON...AT THE INTERSECTION OF REPRESENTATION AND TRADITION Oct 18 BLACKSPACE...AT THE INTERSECTION OF BLACK FUTURES, AGENCY, AND DESIGN Oct 21 AMANDA WILLIAMS...AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART, ARCHITECTURE, AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY Nov 10 GERMANE BARNES...AT THE INTERSECTION OF STORYTELLING, ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURAL NARRATIVE Nov 19 BLACKSPACE...AT THE INTERSECTION OF BLACK FUTURES, AGENCY, AND DESIGN Nov 29 LARGE FIRM ROUND TABLE...AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY, ADVOCACY AND INDUSTRY Dec 14 CORY HENRY...AT THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY

Conversations with Ms. Avice Warren of MoodMent LLC. Avice Warren has trained extensively in the areas of Jazz, contemporary modern dance, ballet, and African Diaspora Dance Movement forms. She is an independent guest lecturer and independent performer. She has performed and presented throughout the United States and Europe.  She was previously the Arts Integration Specialist in Dance for Hearts and Minds at Robert Russa Moton Elementary, Adjunct Professor for Barry University and Florida International University Dual Enrollment. She currently teaches at Miami Dade County Public Schools. Her works have been presented throughout Miami-Dade County as an experienced performer, choreographer, and educator.  Ms. Warren holds a Master of Arts degree in Dance Performance/Education from the State University of New York at Brockport.  In addition to her MA, she has an undergraduate degree in Media Production from Florida State University, an associate degree from Florida A & M University, and a Master's in Business Administration/Sports Administration from St. Thomas University. Ms. Warren is also a certified 200-hour yoga teacher and MDCPS-Mindfulness Champion. Avice designed and directed the St. Thomas University Dance Team from 2010 until 2013. Additionally, she has the distinct honor and pleasure of performing with the Read Me A Story Visa National Tour, Dance Esais, Black Door Dance Ensemble, and Urban Bush Women Community Outreach.  A strong advocate of the arts and mental health care, Ms.Warren is a recruited and featured presenter for various functions, churches, and organizations.  In 2020, Avice officially launched Taking Up Space: It's A Moodment, a self-care and movement-based company. She also partners with her sons in the operation of their small business, Turbo and Trill Candle Company. Avice resides in Miami, Florida with her family, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Top Ladies of Distinction Southern Pearls, Yoga Alliance, and the Dade Association of Dance Educators. She loves to spend time with family and friends.  She also likes new adventures, bowling, skating, eating great food, and traveling. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/educationconcierge/message

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Andrew Toffoli is living one of his many dreams, which is illustrating, writing, and publishing his own children's book series. He is a graduate of Florida State University in 1993 with a degree in Graphic Design. Andrew combined this degree with a love of teaching and began his career in the as a graphic design teacher in Miami Dade County Public Schools, where he has motivated students for over 24 years. Andrew's inspiration comes from his love of family, art, history and teaching. Find out more at https://www.andrewtoffoli.com Thank you for watching. Please remember to like and subscribe for more awesome content. ♥️ Jenny Link to our socials: https://linktr.ee/miamilit #miamilitpodcast #booktube #authortube --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/miami-lit-podcast/support

On this special Get To Know the candidates on these upcoming elections. I interview Sandra Manzieri running for Miami Dade County School Board Member District 6. Sandra is a teacher, a mother and for more than two decades, Sandra has been a Miami Dade County Public Schools teacher in District 6. Guest Information IG & FB @sandramanzieri6 https://www.sandramanzieri.com

Today's guest Sandra Manzieri is a teacher. A mother. A product of public schools. An informed citizen willing to roll up her sleeves and work for our children, our families, our teachers, and accountability.For more than two decades, Sandra has been a Miami Dade County Public Schools teacher in District 6. Teaching is not a career she fell into or stumbled upon—education has been and continues to be her passion. She took a pay cut to become a teacher.Sandra sought out opportunities to serve—in the PTA, as a mentor, on the Educational Excellence School Advisory Council—and, like many parents of special needs children, she had to learn to advocate for unmet needs. She believes in parental rights, in fair pay and improved benefits for teachers, in meeting the needs of our most vulnerable students, in transparency and holding decision makers accountable. This year Sandra is running for Miami-Dade School Board District 6 and she is ready to serve you! Buckle Up! You can find Sandra on IG & FB @sandramanzieri6 and on www.sandramanzieri.com Let's connect! Subscribe to buckleUp! podcast and follow @nataliaearle on all social media platforms and on FB @thenataliaearleWould you like to be a guest on buckleUp! podcast and share your story? Please email us at buckleupne@gmail.comThis episode is brought to you by iprotectUSA  www.iprotectusa.com

April D. Graham worked over twenty-two years with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She started in the position of Teacher Assistant and worked her way to Assistant Principal and then resigned to open up her own preschool. Mrs. Graham has had her share of obstacles and has persevered through many hardships. In fact, those who know her inquire about the possibility of her success when considering the odds that were stacked against her. Mrs. Graham didn't have parents who were college educated; causing her to become a first-generation college student. She struggled financially her entire childhood and early adulthood. She had no support and even less resources to prepare her for success. Which is why she made it a mission to coach ladies to lead and soar through adversity! Mrs. Graham established the America's Leading Ladies Academy, a nonprofit with the 501(c3) designation and then launched the Levolution Coaching program. In her coaching program, she has proven success strategies and resources that will transform the lives of the ladies who are ready to reach their fullest potential in the field of education and leadership. Her no nonsense, no excuses, won't take no for an answer approach to helping you “break free” has empowered so many ladies to get unstuck. She has earned four college degrees, owns and operates a successful childcare business, is a John Maxwell Coach, best-selling author, and has earned a host of recognitions and distinctions in the field of education. Mrs. Graham is also dubbed The Educator's Coach because of her passion to coach teachers, and school leaders how to “leveloutionize” their school's environment using her signature 3M Model to increase student success, gain higher test scores, reduce teacher turnover, and experience fewer challenges in overall school operations. April D. Graham is married with 2 daughters and a step-daughter raised by her. Her mantra is Leveling Up gets you there, but Leveling Up and Evolving keeps you there!

Alberto Carvahlo – For 14 years he served as Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the 4th largest school system in the country. Imagine being in charge of 346K students and 52K employees, from multiple countries , languages and cultures! No es fácil.  And all without moving a single hair on his impeccably groomed head. The man is a leader in education and in swag! Perhaps that's why NYC first wanted to lure him away from South Florida and ultimately LA did, and now he will be in charge of the 2nd largest school district in the nation. Also known for his dedication and support of students and teachers above any political pressure, he assures he's more than ready to face-off with any entity who doesn't put them first. His lesson plans yield results and for that we all say, gracias por todo Alberto Carvahlo (and Go Rams!). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alberto Carvahlo – For 14 years he served as Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the 4th largest school system in the country. Imagine being in charge of 346K students and 52K employees, from multiple countries , languages and cultures! No es fácil.  And all without moving a single hair on his impeccably groomed head. The man is a leader in education and in swag! Perhaps that's why NYC first wanted to lure him away from South Florida and ultimately LA did, and now he will be in charge of the 2nd largest school district in the nation. Also known for his dedication and support of students and teachers above any political pressure, he assures he's more than ready to face-off with any entity who doesn't put them first. His lesson plans yield results and for that we all say, gracias por todo Alberto Carvahlo (and Go Rams!). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newest member of Congress comes from South Florida. Finding a new Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent is happening fast — too fast for some. And Miami Beach's Ocean Drive will open up again soon for cars.

The newest member of Congress comes from South Florida. Finding a new Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent is happening fast — too fast for some. And Miami Beach's Ocean Drive will open up again soon for cars.

What's next for Miami-Dade County Public Schools with Superintendent Carvalho's upcoming exit? Pembroke Park wants to police itself and break away from BSO. And A former WLRN intern is the Harvard Crimson's first Latina president.

Alberto Carvalho announced today that he's leaving his job as the head of Miami-Dade County Public Schools to become the next superintendent of LA Unified School District. He's taking the job as hundreds of LAUSD employees were fired for failing to meet the vaccine mandate, and nearly 35,000 students have yet to receive their first dose. In Tripoli, Libya, old warehouses have been turned into secret prisons to hold thousands of Europe-bound migrants, sometimes indefinitely, and under the most inhumane conditions. Film critics review the newest releases: “West Side Story,” “The Unforgivable,” “Don't Look Up,” “Being The Ricardos.” And Good Food host Evan Kleiman talks about warming spices and gives a recipe for chocolate gingerbread with lemon curd.

Christi Fraga was born and raised by a hard-working Cuban American family within Miami-Dade County Public Schools' District 5, the district where she now serves as School Board Member. In 2012, she ran for the Doral City Council and was elected as the youngest person in the City's history to serve on the Council. The following year, Christi was appointed by her colleagues to serve as the City's Vice Mayor, a position she held for three out of the eight years that she served on the Council. She is also an entrepreneur a strong community advocate raising funds and awareness for the Women's Breast Health Initiative (WBHI), the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and organizations that helps people with disabilities, battle domestic violence, and provide gratuitous healthcare services for the community.

In this episode we have a conversation with Rosa Royo from Miami Dade County Public Schools. Sign up for the BLOOM Community: https://www.justbloomcollective.com/share/jtxR3bNwyBJIzEqW?utm_source=manual

The superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto Carvalho, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the district has supported school choice, which includes spreading choice options to communities and creating new programs that meet the needs of students and demands of parents.

President Joe Biden said the U.S. is on track to complete its evacuation mission by August 31 and doesn’t plan to have troops stay in the country past that date. The President also said the U.S. has helped more than 70,000 people evacuate Afghanistan in the last 10 days. Leon Panetta is the former Defense Secretary under President Obama. He tells Anderson Cooper we made a promise to U.S. citizens who are in Afghanistan and to Afghans who helped us that “we would do everything we could to evacuate them. I think we’ve got to still keep that promise.” Plus, a new Quinnipiac poll shows Floridians largely support mask mandates and oppose Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to block them in schools. Dr. Aileen Marty is an infectious disease expert at Florida International University and a Miami-Dade County Public Schools medical task force member. She joins AC360 to discuss the important of masks in schools and says “the governor” and “all leaders should be working with us to do everything possible to slow down transmission.” Airdate: August 24, 2021 Guests: Leon Panetta Dr. Aileen MartyTo learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Admn. Peter Vasely, is leading the effort to negotiate with his Taliban counterpart to maintain security at the Kabul airport and ensure the safety of both Americans and Afghans hoping to escape. Ryan Crocker is a former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria. He tells Anderson Cooper he thinks the Admiral is “doing the right thing.” Plus, Miami-Dade County, Florida’s largest school district, voted 7-1 in favor of a mask mandate, in defiance of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order that blocks mask mandates in schools. Alberto Carvalho is the superintendent of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He joins AC360 to explain why he thinks he’s doing the right thing and says he will wear the consequences of his decision as a “badge of honor.” Airdate: August 19, 2021 Guests: Amb. Ryan Crocker Alberto CarvalhoTo learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

“Creativity is thinking new things. Innovation is doing new things. If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” Tune in to hear Miami-born attorney, small business owner, mother, and District 8 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins discuss the future of digital currency, plans for transportation advancements in Miami-Dade, sustainable economic development, the challenges of balancing beauty and brains, and more! How Will Cryptocurrency Transform The Future of Business Forever? If you haven't quite yet warmed up to the idea of cryptocurrency, you are certainly not alone. Only about 15% of Americans currently own some form of digital currency like Bitcoin or Ethereum. And a large portion of these investors bought in the past two years. Regardless of your investment stance, however, there is a strong possibility that cryptocurrency will be impacting you and the future of business transactions. The daughter of Jamaican immigrants who came to the United States in search of better opportunities, she was born at Jackson Memorial Hospital and spent part of her early years living in what is now a Section 8 housing complex called Milton Manors. Commissioner Cohen Higgins knows the importance of a quality education and is a proud product of our Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where she graduated at the top of her class and earned a scholarship to the University of Florida. She became the first in her family to graduate from college and went on to attend law school at Florida State University. After completing her education, she joined prestigious national law firm, before branching off on her own to start her own firm, dedicated to serving small businesses and individuals in our community. She is proud to call South Dade home with her husband, two young children, and their two dogs. #BrittHappens #MiamiDadeCounty #BrittanySharpton #DanielleCohenHiggins Host: Brittany Sharpton

Welcome to Episode 3 of Prints Unedited with Yamile Lima! We had a wonderful chat about teaching theatre with a social justice focus and some of the tools that Yami uses herself in her classroom. Yamile is a firm believer in the need to bridge the gap between education and the community, and the power of language to help uplift students and community members. Yami Lima is a Latinx Middle School Theatre Arts and Language Arts Educator for Miami Dade County Public Schools, one of the largest urban area schools in the United States. She holds her M.S. Ed. In Education and Social Change from the University of Miami and her B.F.A. in Musical Theatre Performance from New World School of the Arts Conservatory through the University of Florida. She has been a performing artist, designer, production assistant and director for over two decades in educational theatre, local theatres, private studios, films and voice over studios in Miami, FL. Her belief is that in education, as teachers, we need to integrate social justice, and SEL practices within the classroom to assist in affecting change in society. As a teacher-activist Yami believes that you must assist the community to help bridge the gap between what is done within the schools that works and implement it within the community. As Paulo Freire stated, “Teaching is a political act, no pedagogy is neutral.” Book Recommendations that Yami recommends in our video: Radical Possibilities by Jean Anyon Theatre of the Oppressed by Augusto Boal Everyday SEL in Middle School by Carla Tantillo Philibert (Also available for Elementary, Early Childhood and High School) Reading, Writing and Rising up: Teaching about social justice and the power of the written word by Linda Christensen Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire Edited by: Rachel Post Intro & Outro Music by: Marc Young Transcript: TBA --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/prints-unedited/support

Join Dr. Gonzalez and I as we discuss education as liberation, the power of saying yes and the magic elixir of empathy mixed with high expectations. A truly inspiring look at modern higher education. Dr. Beatriz González serves as the Wolfson Campus President for Miami Dade College (MDC). Previous to her work at MDC, she served as Chief Diversity Officer, Vice Provost, and Professor of Counseling at the University of La Verne in California. As Vice Provost, she led initiatives supporting teaching and learning, with responsibility for sponsored research & IRB, community-based learning, faculty development, student affairs, advisement & registration, interfaith dialogue, career services, and tutoring services. As Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. González led advocacy, education, and policy development for an inclusive, equitable and enriched campus experience. Dr. González taught in the University's graduate education program, bi-national leadership courses, and was selected as inaugural faculty of the Terrence E. Deal Leadership Institute. Prior to La Verne, Dr. González served as the Vice President for Planning and Enrollment at St. Thomas University (STU) in Miami Gardens, FL. While at STU, she also served as an academic dean, a presidential chief of staff, and faculty member for graduate counseling programs. As Vice President, Dr. González was responsible for institutional research and strategic planning, enrollment, marketing and communications, student affairs, and athletics. Dr. González is an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow, an E. Kika De La Garza Fellow (USDA), and was the recipient of the 2017 Woman of Distinction Award for California's 41st Assembly District for her efforts in promoting educational access and quality. Dr. González is a member of the National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE). Dr. González's expertise has been sought by the Metropolitan Universities Journal as guest editor, by The Campaign for College Opportunity as technical report reviewer, by Ellucian as a leadership and strategy speaker, and by the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) and the American Academic Leadership Institute as a presidential panelist. With published works related to cultural competence, diversity, equity, and leadership, Dr. González is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the State of Florida. She holds a Bachelor's in English, a Master's in Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Education, with a concentration in Counseling. Prior to her work in higher education, Dr. González was a certified teacher and counselor, serving Miami Dade County Public Schools for a decade. Contact her at: bgonzo6@mdc.edu or www.mdc.edu Referenced McKinsey Report: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-learning-loss-disparities-grow-and-students-need-help# --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Miami Dade had a virtual visit yesterday from the incoming Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, to a MLK breakfast with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence group, which provides mentorship, scholarships and more for our children. So that was a special treat. The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project is a dropout prevention, mentoring program committed to closing the minority male achievement (access) gap by guiding minority male students along a carefully charted path through grades K-12 and college or ensuring the attainment of other post-secondary credentials, and increasing their employability in higher wage, high skills jobs within high demand industries. Presently, the program serves approximately 8,000 students in 105 schools, including 37 Elementary, 24 Middle, 33 Senior High, and 11 K-8 Centers in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Find out more at www.5000rolemodels.comTomorrow is inauguration day so we are feeling pretty, pretty good about that. After four years of Donald Trump as President, we are looking forward to an administration were at least education advocates, labor unionists, social justice seekers in all fields should be able to have a dialog with the resident of the White House and the people who work with him. So let’s take a minute to reflect, give thanks and celebrate the will of the majority.On this Day in history: January 19, 1966... the Georgia State House of Representatives refused to seat state representative Julian Bond despite his election the previous November. Their stated objection was his endorsement of a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee statement accusing the United States of violating international law in Vietnam. In December 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Bond’s exclusion unconstitutional, and Bond was finally sworn in the following month.

Today on the Drop In CEO podcast, Errol Leandre shares how he stepped into his purpose of serving others after overcoming a speech impediment. Listen in as Deborah and Errol discuss finding inspiration through adversity, being a source of motivation for others, the importance of finding a strong role model, and having an advantage mindset. Errol Leandre grew up in Miami, Florida, where he had big dreams and aspirations of becoming someone special. Each of his dreams turned into nightmares when he was constantly reminded of his speech impediment. Errol decided in April, 2019, to join Toastmasters to help improve his communication and presentation skills. Errol has competed in the Toastmasters Club, Area, Division, District, and Regional Speech Contests, where he won first place. He later competed in the 2020 Toastmasters International Speech Semifinals competition. Errol is currently employed with Miami Dade County Public Schools as an IT Senior Project Manager. He oversees the technology and network infrastructure at over 75 schools.   He is also an ordained minister who loves encouraging others. He and his wife founded a non-profit organization named Family and Marriage Enrichment Alliance, where they host annual Marriage Retreats. You can connect with Errol in the following ways: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/errol-leandre-2b94191b/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/errol.leandre.12   When I began the Drop in CEO Podcast, I knew that the best advice we could ever receive was from people who had been there. Now that we're over 50 episodes in, I thought it was time to pool some of the best advice into a collection that you could use to elevate your leadership and start putting humans first. You can download the full guide here: https://bit.ly/humancentrichero See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

District 7 School Board Member Lubby Navarro invites Maria Martinez, this year's Student Advisor on the School Board to discuss how she earned the role, what representing the entire student body for all Miami-Dade County Public Schools entails, and how a high school student interested in public service can eventually become a School Board Member. You can find Maria on instagram @mdcps_studentadvisor.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools have a start date for in-person classes. The Trump campaign’s strategy for winning Florida. And a new survey shows that young Americans don't know the basics about Holocaust history.

School Board Member Dr. Lubby Navarro discusses the MDCPS Department of Mental Health Services with the Assistant Superintendent, Sally Alayon. The Department of Mental Health Services encourages parents to contact the Parent Assistance Line at 305-995-7100 and to visit mentalhealthservices.dadeschools.net to ensure immediate services, support, and attainable resources. We are here to help. Lubby's Chat is a podcast from District 7 of Miami-Dade County Public Schools hosted by District 7's School Board Member, Lubby Navarro. You can reach us by email at district7@dadeschools.net or email Lubby directly at LNavarro@dadeschools.net. Feel free to call us at 305-995-1334. Please visit our website: district7.dadeschools.net Facebook: facebook.com/LubbyNavarro Twitter: twitter.com/lubbynavarro Instagram: instagram.com/lubbynavarro

Tony Vu, Treasurer of Miami-Dade County Public Schools joins me on the podcast today to give us some really good insight on education from a university and school’s perspective. Education is one of the sector’s that I feel is often overlooked because its complexity from a treasury perspective is not well understood in the market.   In this episode: Why Tony chose treasury as a career. The highlights of his career. Tony shares some of the interesting things he’s involved in at Florida International Union. The contrast of the education and commercial sectors from a treasury perspective. Tony’s approach to networking. Things he knows now that he wished he had known back then. The changes in the treasurer role in the midst of technological advancement. What makes a successful treasurer.

On this Tuesday, May 5, episode of Sundial: Will students return to school in the fall? Miami-Dade County Public Schools is developing plans for graduation, summer school and the new school year starting in the fall.

Episode 29 Guest: Tre King, MSW Host: Shimon Cohen, LCSW   www.dointhework.com Listen/Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify Follow on Twitter & Instagram, Like on Facebook Join the mailing list Support the podcast Download transcript Transcription services provided by FIU’s Disability Resource Center   In this episode, I talk with Tre King, who is a Mental Health Coordinator in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Tre explains how he is one of 65 mental health coordinators in the school district’s Department of Mental Health Services, and that he and his colleagues each serve five schools of various grade levels. We talk about the issues affecting students and how Tre works with them. Tre discusses what it is like to work within the same school district he attended, in his own community, and how he sees himself in his students. We explore how marginalized and oppressed communities are talked about in social work classrooms and the profession versus Tre’s reality of his own background and current social work practice. Tre talks about trainings he’s done in the community, such as Mental Health First Aid. Tre also shares how he got into this work. I hope this conversation inspires you to action.   Twitter: @Tre_King_MDCPS http://mentalhealthservices.dadeschools.net/ MDCPS Mental Health Services Twitter: @MDCPS_MHS MDCPS Mental Health Services Parent Assistance Line: (305) 995-7100 operational Monday-Friday 8am-4pm to assist students and their families with Mental Health Support

April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, to remember those who have suffered and died on the job, and to renew the fight for safe jobs. Workers are taking action and fighting back to keep each other safe. Nurses in the Jackson Health System, represented by SEIU 1991, are protesting for N95 masks and appropriate health protections. Transit operators, represented by TWU 291, are suing for safe working conditions, launching the #RideNotDie campaign and daring the authority's director to ride the bus one day with an operator. Karla, Antonio and Mindy interview TWU President Jeffery Mitchell about the struggle his members face. Thousand of Miami-Dade parents are getting information about where school lunches are being distributed at https://freeschoollunch.info, where Miami-Dade County Public Schools are providing free meals to students at 50 locations in the county.

The superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto Carvalho, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss how the county has prepared for the school closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic, including strong investments in digital technology.

Dr. Joy Davis, Clinical Director or Affirming Youth Foundation, Inc., and Guidance Counselor with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and Mr. Anthony Jackson, Guidance Director of Broward County Public Schools, discuss the challenges of delivering virtual education during a pandemic.

Liliam López is the President/CEO of The South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Founder of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation, serving both organizations since 1994. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Political Science from St. Thomas University and a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from the University of Miami. Through her leadership, The SFLHCC has become one of the most important and influential chambers of the U.S. with over 1,450 members. She is charged with planning and coordinating over 20 chamber events annually for the membership of the organization with the objective of providing opportunities for businesses to connect, build and establish relationships. Lopez is actively involved with many organizations, to name a few: Governing Board Member of Larkin Charter School for Health Sciences Serves on the Board of Directors of the Beacon Council Board Member of the Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Board Member of the Small/Micro and Minority/Women Business Owned Enterprise of Miami Dade County Public Schools Serves for The Advisory Council of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the City of Miami Beach Commission on Women Serves for The Advisory Board of Precision Medicine and Health Disparities Collaborative of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Meharry Medical College and the University of Miami President's Council for Florida International University (FIU) Served on the Entrepreneurial Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Regional Economic Information Network (REIN) as the only Hispanic woman on the board Former Board Member of the Alliance for Aging Former Board Member of WLRN and former Chair of the Hispanic Affairs Committee for the City of Miami Beach Lopez implemented a scholarship program through her SFLHCC Foundation in 1995, which has granted over $750,000 in scholarships to financially disadvantaged high school minority students of Miami Beach Senior High School; for those pursuing a career in business and hospitality. She also founded the Education Enhancement Fellowship Program that provides students from Miami Beach Sr. High School and Miami Springs Sr. High School with an opportunity to attend a conference in a different state of the U.S. The objective is to empower students and teach them to become successful business leaders engaged in their communities. This program has served 180 students. Due to the uniqueness and success of this program, the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation was inducted as a Champion of Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Academy of Hospitality & Tourism. Lopez was the producer and host of a weekly television show for 10 years “Panorama con Liliam Lopez” that aired on WLRN Cable-Tap. The program highlighted the career of executives, elected officials, and entrepreneurs at the local, state and national levels. The SFLHCC has also been engaged in international affairs, particularly with Latin America and Spain. The SFLHCC's leadership hosted: The Mayor of Murcia, Spain and his delegation The former President of Ecuador, the Honorable Lucio Gutierrez Two former Ladies of Panama and Honduras His Highness, Prince Abdulaziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi of Ajman, United Arab Emirates Lopez strongly believes in social causes and in giving back to the community. She implemented a program “Help our Children” where children of Centro Mater (an after care and early childcare school for financially disadvantaged families) receive 950 toys annually. This program was established over 15 years ago. López has received numerous awards, including: 2018 Golden Age Award presented by the Latino Center on Aging 2016 NFL/ Hispanic Heritage Foundation Leadership Award 2016 Women of Wealth Award presented by the Women of Wealth Magazine in which she was featured in its cover 2014 Women's Fund “Woman Giving Back Treasure” Award 2014 Thomas Gibson Award 2014 Take a Walk in Her Shoes Award presented by Chapman's Community Partnership for the Homeless 2014 Community Business Leadership Award presented by UNIDAD's New Generation Leadership & Workforce Institute 2014 Women of Impact Award presented by the Miami Dade County Women's History Coalition; the Big Brothers, Big Sisters' 2013 Miracle Maker Award 2012 Broward Women of Distinction Award 2010 Women Extraordinaire presented by South Florida Business Leader 2010 St. Thomas University Global Entrepreneur Award 2008 Induction to Miami Dade College's Hall of Fame 2007 Miguel Cervantes Award presented by Nova Southeastern University 2006 March of Dimes Award in the Education and Training Category 2003 Business Woman of the Year Award” CEO non-profit category presented by the “South Florida Business Journal;” “In the Company of Women” award presented by the Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department 2002 Keys to the City of Miami Beach presented by the former Honorable Mayor David Dermer Lopez is married to Architect/Urban Planner, Alfredo Sanchez, and they have a 19 year- old daughter, Lillian Karina Sanchez, currently attending her first year at The University of Miami School of Engineering.

This exciting episode will test your knowledge of some of the early movers and shakers of Miami, Fla. who opened doors, integrated beaches, wrote legal opinions and impacted the Miami/ Florida political system.   Doctor William B. Sawyer was among the first black doctors to practice in Miami, he was one of the key leaders in raising money to build Miami’s first black hospital, Christian Hospital where he served as Chairman of the Board for almost 3 decades.  He built Miami’s premier black hotel of the time, The Mary Elizabeth Hotel. Doctor Sawyer’s daughter, Gwen Sawyer Cherry became the first black woman elected to the Fla. House of Representatives. Other leaders including Charles Hadley, a political activist known for his organization “Project Big Vote” was a force to be reckoned with in early Miami politics.  Doctor John O. Brown successfully filed suit against Dade County Schools and integrated the segregated System. The Reverend Canon Theodore Gibson of Christ Episcopal Church was a community activist who among many accomplishments served on the Miami City Commission, filed lawsuits that desegregated downtown lunch counters, the county beach and the school system. Dr. Johnny L. Jones was the first present day Black Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.  He greatly reduced the number of school suspensions that put students out in the streets unsupervised and instead promoted the use of In-Door suspensions.  He opened opportunities for Blacks to be elevated into the upper levels of the school system’s administration. Dr. Jones distinguished career was tarnished by an endeavor known as “The Gold Plumbing Fiasco” that accused him of using school funds for personal use. Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson was appointed to the Third District in 1980, the first African American to serve on the Court.  As a trial judge, he made a landmark ruling precluding the systematic exclusion of blacks from juries. The federal courthouse in downtown Miami is named in his honor. Join us to learn more about these and other people who helped shape Miami.

“If we don’t listen to their voice, and don’t understand their behaviors and try to bring education to them via a format that is engaging, we will continue to use them and I think that is the power of this platform and esports.” In this special #GametoGrow Podcast episode, we are joined by Gerald Solomon, Founder of NASEF and Executive Director of the Samueli Foundation, and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth largest school system in the United States. Miami-Dade CPS is the latest of school districts to embrace the opportunities of connecting esports and education. Under Superintendent Carvalho’s leadership, they are embracing the NASEF platform to enhance student learning, create career pathways, and develop better individuals within the classroom and in life.

Ron Matus, director of policy and public affairs at Step Up For Students and a former state education reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, joins EdNext Editor-in-chief Marty West to discuss the turnaround of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, including the tenure of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and the prevalence of choice options in the district. Matus profiled the district for EdNext in "Miami's Choice Tsunami: Carvalho, competition, and transformation in Miami-Dade." https://www.educationnext.org/miami-choice-tsunami-carvalho-competition-transformation-miami-dade/

Molly Winters Diallo has spent the last 23 years in education, a career that has spanned three different schools. She currently teaches at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High in Miami, Florida. Molly serves as department chair for social sciences and her subjects include AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, and Honors U.S. History. She is also part of the school's Social Emotional Learning leadership team. In 2019, Molly was named Teacher of the Year for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and a top-five finalist for Florida Teacher of the Year. Molly and two of her seniors were recently awarded a $1,000 grant from CharacterStrong to implement a program that will bring students from different backgrounds together for monthly luncheons.

In the most recent ratings put out by the state of Florida, Miami-Dade County Public Schools earned an "A" designation and had no "F" rated schools, unusual achievements for a large urban district. Ron Matus, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Step Up For Students, sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss some factors behind the school district's success: dynamic and stable leadership, an understanding of how to intervene in and support the most struggling schools, and many different options for families if they are not satisfied.

This week, Ryan sits down with noted security expert William Tagle of Tagle and Associates to talk about how to keep our charter schools safe. Mr. Tagle was an officer with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools police for 25 years and today provides security consulting services for public and private schools. In the year since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, school safety has been a topic at the top of every educator's mind, and charter schools face unique challenges in making sure that their students can learn in a secure environment. We talk to Mr. Tagle about those challenges, and he gives us actionable strategies for schools to have effective safety practices. Host: Ryan Kairalla (@ryankair)

As science standards across the country improve to include middle school standards on evolution, more and more teachers are teaching evolution for the first time and the battle to teach sound science moves into the individual classrooms themselves. The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES) is a program of the Center for Inquiry. TIES seeks to helps teachers teach evolution by providing them with the content and resources to do so effectively. In just three and a half years, TIES has grown from a powerful idea shared by Richard Dawkins and Bertha Vazquez to a network of over fifty teachers who have presented over 100 professional development workshops in over 40 states. TIES Director Bertha Vazquez has been teaching middle school science in Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 27 years. An educator with National Board Certification, she is the recipient of several national and local honors, including the 2014 Samsung’s $150,000 Solve For Tomorrow Contest and the $5,000 Charles C. Bartlett National Excellence in Environmental Award in 2009. Bertha sits down with one of Point of Inquiry's new hosts, Jim Underdown, to talk about her experiences with teaching science and evolution in the classroom, meeting Richard Dawkins, and her favorite TIES moment.

Conscious Discipline is intended for all children and adults. However, it can be especially powerful for children with exceptionalities, including autism. The practice of Conscious Discipline creates structure and safety, builds connection with even the most relationship-resistant children, and helps develop executive skills in children who may have deficits in that area. In this episode, Master Instructor Elizabeth Montero-Cefalo shares insights and strategies for maximizing the effectiveness of Conscious Discipline with children on the spectrum. Elizabeth has worked extensively with children with special needs. Her special needs classroom has been recognized as a Conscious Discipline model by Dr. Becky Bailey and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Listen as Elizabeth provides actionable tips on setting your intention, seeing through the child’s perspective, and creating the safety and connection that allow executive skills to flourish. Essential Takeaways Just like all children, children with autism have their own unique strengths and challenges. You can’t assume that strategies that worked with one child on the spectrum will work with all children on the spectrum. Your intention is key. Children, and especially children on the spectrum, can sense your intention. Listen to your inner speech and check in on your intention, as this sets the trajectory of the interactions that follow. By observing children in a non-judgmental space, you can learn how the child learns, what the child seems to enjoy, what triggers the child’s upset, and more. Use these observations to shape future interactions and interventions. You can’t teach problem-solving and foster executive skills until you have a foundation of safety and connection in place. This includes predictability, structure, lots of visual supports, and authentic connection based on activities and games that the child enjoys. Important Links ConsciousDiscipline.com (https://consciousdiscipline.com/) Seven Powers (https://consciousdiscipline.com/methodology/seven-powers/) Seven Skills (https://consciousdiscipline.com/methodology/seven-skills/) Elizabeth Montero-Cefalo, Conscious Discipline Master Instructor (https://consciousdiscipline.com/professional-development/instructors/elizabeth-montero-cefalo/) Show Outline 04:15 Conscious Discipline and children with special needs 07:26 What is autism? 09:39 Elizabeth’s story of a boy in her classroom who is on the spectrum 14:43 Importance of intention 17:22 Seeing the child and the child’s behavior differently 18:40 Non-judgmental observation 22:36 Power of Acceptance 26:50 Foundation of safety and connection 28:34 How to create safety for children on the spectrum 31:19 How to ignite an interest in connection 33:35 Teaching problem-solving/executive skills 35:01 Recap THANK YOU FOR LISTENING There are many ways you could have spent this time today, but you chose to spend it with me and I am grateful. If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it with others via your favorite social media platforms. Also, would you consider taking 60-seconds to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes? Your feedback is extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and I love to hear your feedback! And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! On behalf of our Conscious Discipline family, we wish you well.

Under the leadership of Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools has won numerous awards for student performance. Carvalho sits down with Paul E. Peterson to discuss his strategy of empowering school leaders and reforming teacher compensation.

Retired agent Herbert Cousins, Jr. served in the FBI for nearly 22 years. He retired as the Special Agent in Charge of the Springfield Division in Illinois. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews his investigation of self-proclaimed black messiah and cult leader Hulon Mitchell Jr., also known as Yahweh Ben Yahweh, who led the Florida-based Nation of Yahweh Temple. The Nation of Yahweh was a religious cult founded on the teachings of black separatism and supremacy. On the instructions of Yahweh Ben Yahweh, members of the cult’s violent inner circle committed numerous murders of cult defectors and random racial killings of whites. Yahweh and several of his followers were charged and convicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), with predicated violations of murder, attempted murder, arson, and extortion. During his Bureau career, Herbert Cousins specialized in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal and security matters. After retiring from the FBI, he served for a period of time as the Inspector General for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth largest school district in the United States. Currently, Herbert Cousins is the owner of Cousins&Associate, an agency that provides private corporate security consulting, investigation, and litigation support on a national and international level.

On this episode, we are celebrating National School Choice Week. And who better to talk to us about the history and growth of school choice in Florida than "Grandma choice", Dr. Judith Stein. An advocate for parents, choice, and quality schools… Dr. Stein was on the founding board of two Florida charter school organizations and organized the first four state charter school conferences in the state. Dr. Stein has served as Director of Career Education for Miami Dade, President of the American Association for Career Education, a policy board member of the American Vocational Association; and Guidance Director and the Executive Chairman of the International Collaboration Conference on Career Education in Miami. She served as the Executive Director of the Division of Magnet/Innovative Programs for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and was the founding President of the State organization for Magnet Schools, Consortium of Magnets/Public Choice Schools. Under her leadership the district’s magnet program – the original school option - flourished. The magnets she helped create – including (DASH) the Design & Architecture Senior High and Coral Reef – are nationally recognized, and still among the most popular school choice programs in the County. Although officially retired, Dr. Stein is still very active. She’s a Florida Charter School Alliance board member and its original executive director; she sits on the board of several local charter schools, as well as the board of the South Florida Chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation. I recorded my conversation with Dr. Stein while on our way to a National School Choice event in Port Richie – on Florida’s west coast. We talked about the birth of magnet programs in Florida, the evolution of charter schools and why it should be called parental choice not school choice. It was a real pleasure chatting with Dr. Stein. I think you will enjoy our chat as much as I did. Reach Dr. Stein on twitter https://twitter.com/JudithStein - Providing Choice is a Florida Charter School Alliance podcast. Episodes highlight charter school leaders, educators, governing board members, stakeholders, prospective founders, students and parents, to provide a better understanding of the Charter School movement in Florida. The Florida Alliance is a non-profit charter school support and advocacy organization. Our mission is to increase student achievement and meet the demand for parental choice by assisting high quality public charter schools in Florida.   Visit our website at flcharteralliance.org    

SaTP_34_Cal_Leage_of_Schools_PLC_and_Tech_Conference.mp3 Listen on Posterous News of the week: 1) In Florida, virtual classrooms with no teachers - NYTimes  MIAMI — On the first day of her senior year at North Miami Beach Senior High School, Naomi Baptiste expected to be greeted by a teacher when she walked into her precalculus class. “All there were were computers in the class,” said Naomi, who walked into a room of confused students. “We found out that over the summer they signed us up for these courses.”Naomi is one of over 7,000 students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools enrolled in a program in which core subjects are taken using computers in a classroom with no teacher. A “facilitator” is in the room to make sure students progress. That person also deals with any technical problems. 2) (On a related note) Bill Gates Says Tech Is The Key to Driving Down College Costs (3 min clip) “trying to provide a $200,000 education to every kid who wants it- and only technology can bring that down not just to $20,000 but to $2,000” pro-KIPP & charter schools’ immersing students in learning - “Thank god for charters. There’s no room for innovation in the standard system.... There should be about 20 times as much [experimentation] as there is.” note he doesn’t predict radical changes in K-12 by virtue of parents’ need for someone to “babysit” - ouch Dissent Magazine on Bill Gates in education via Arts & Lettershttp://dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=37813) New MIT OpenCourseWare Initiative Aims to Improve Independent Online Learning These aren't distance learning classes - there is no instructor, no contact with MIT, no credit. But the courses are meant to be stand-alone offerings, not requiring any additional materials for learning.4) Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua I haven’t read the book, but I’ve been enjoying the national dialog over it. Anyone else? - KBhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/margaret-heffernan-/if-youll-do-anything-for-_b_810350.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/opinion/18brooks.html?src=me&ref=homepagehttp://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_170877055) 3 Big Reasons Harvard Has A Record Number of Applicants - Edudemic - CT (#1 and # also fit for Stanford according to recent articles...Stanford received 23,956 applications for admission to the Class of 2011. This number represents an increase of more than 7 percent from last year.  2,465 applicants, or 10.3 percent, were admitted.) Harvard had nearly 35,000 applications versus last year’s 30,489. That’s 15 percent more applicants than last year, which was also a record-setting year. This meteoric rise has a reason. It’s not just because Harvard is a good school with a good reputation. It’s in part due to the generous financial aid program.  -- Harvard College’s financial aid program requires no contribution from families with annual incomes below $60,000, and asks, on average, no more than 10 percent of income from families with typical assets who make up to $180,000 Two other factors also may have played a role in this year’s record total. The new School of Engineering and Applied Sciences continues to attract greater numbers of students who aspire to study engineering, computer science, and related fields. In addition, more students than ever before, nearly 99 percent, are using online application services. Such services enable students, especially those with few counseling or economic resources, to apply to college more easily. -- Applications increased from all geographic areas, but particularly from the South, the Midwest, the Mountain states, the Pacific region, and abroad. Gender breakdown is close to last year’s 50/50 ratio, and minority numbers have continued to rise. Main Topic:  Kevin’s Snapshot from the CLMS & CLHS Professional Learning Communities and Tech Conference Google Moderator - feedback and questions/comments during presentations for differentiated instruction Rushton Hurley - simple multimedia tools for instructional use; teachers as meaningful professionals Audience Response Systems in the Classroom - “dedicated clickers” vs. “poll anywhere” Tim's Tech Tidbit:Recording voice for making poetry mp3s the low-brow way - Audacity (Windows or Mac) http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/17-audacity-tutorial.htm - Sound Recorder (Windows) http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/dl/dl-help/help-SoundRecorder.htm - TapeDeck (Mac) http://tapedeckapp.com/Endorsements: Cammy:  Chaser the Border Collie and Animal Cognition - NYT Kevin: ctrl-f or command-f the mini search engine that can save you tons of time Tim: Why and How I Switched to a Standing Desk - SmarterWare.com   Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Next up on IAQ radio we will be joined by Claudius Carnegie, PhD, P.E., CIE, CMR of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Dr. Carnegie was also recently elected President of the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO). We will discuss IAQ and facilities management and progress on the various standards IESO is developing.

Next up on IAQ radio we will be joined by Claudius Carnegie, PhD, P.E., CIE, CMR of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Dr. Carnegie was also recently elected President of the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO). We will discuss IAQ and facilities management and progress on the various standards IESO is developing.