Podcasts about winston salem forsyth county schools

In this episode, Ricky is joined by Dr. Leslie Baldwin, World Languages Director for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, to discuss the critical role of advocacy in language education. She emphasizes the importance of language educators promoting their programs, engaging stakeholders, and demonstrating the value of language study beyond mere communication. Dr. Baldwin provides practical strategies for proactive advocacy, highlights the connection between language study and essential skills, and encourages teachers to utilize available resources to effectively communicate their program's impact. Dr. Baldwin calls for all educators to embrace advocacy as a vital part of their professional responsibilities.Chapters00:01 Welcome & Introduction to the Podcast00:46 Meet Dr. Leslie Baldwin01:59 Why Advocacy Matters in Language Education04:15 What Advocacy Looks Like for Teachers06:40 Simple Advocacy in Action10:47 Demonstrating Impact with Data and Stories15:15 Tailoring the Message to Your Audience23:23 Final Thoughts on Encouraging Teacher AdvocacyEpisode ResourcesVista's The Language Imperative PodcastTeaching for Effective Language Learning (TELL) Guideshttps://pearll.nflc.umd.edu/teacher-effectiveness/ ACTFL https://www.actfl.org/advocacy Language Connects Foundationhttps://www.languageconnectsfoundation.org/programs-initiatives/public-education/advocacy The Global Seal Organization https://theglobalseal.com/promotional-resources

On this episode, we're celebrating the legacy of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the first iteration of which was signed into law in 1975. We're joined by educators, advocates and a student to learn more about how IDEA serves students and families across the nation. Guests: Dr. Tiece Ruffin, Chair, UNC Asheville Department of Education Dr. Carol Ann Hudgens, Sr. Director of the Office of Exceptional Children, NC Department of Public Instruction Glynnis Hagins, Attorney, Disability Rights North Carolina Susan Book, parent and public school advocate Lindy Southern, student, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools just announced a new change to the upcoming schedule for the coming school year. But after some parents started reading, they realized the schedule changes are against the law?!? Our Official Attorney Lisa Lanier joined us on-air to talk about the legal side of things. Parents and students also called in to give us their opinions on the schedule change!

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools just announced a new change to the upcoming schedule for the coming school year. But after some parents started reading, they realized the schedule changes are against the law?!? Our Official Attorney Lisa Lanier joined us on-air to talk about the legal side of things. Parents and students also called in to give us their opinions on the schedule change!

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools just announced a new change to the upcoming schedule for the coming school year. But after some parents started reading, they realized the schedule changes are against the law?!? Our Official Attorney Lisa Lanier joined us on-air to talk about the legal side of things. Parents and students also called in to give us their opinions on the schedule change!

In honor and in memory of our friend Stan Elrod: dedicated educator. This episode was recorded October 10, 2022. Mr. Stanley “Stan” Michael Elrod, 71, of Clemmons, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Stan was born in Whitmire, SC on September 6, 1951, to the late Hubert Carlton Elrod and Helen Marion Starnes. Stan was involved in numerous activities and sports growing up and lettered in football, basketball, baseball, track, and golf at Whitmire High School. He received undergraduate degrees from North Greenville and Newberry Colleges, where he played basketball and baseball. Stan received a master's degree from Winthrop University and spent his first eight years working in education at York High School in South Carolina. In 1981, Stan began his tenure at R.J. Reynolds High School that would span 24 years. He was a teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant principal, and principal. In 2005 he was called upon to become the first principal at Reagan High School and continued that role until 2010 when he became the athletic director for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Stan left a lasting impact on numerous students, parents, and faculty. He had the ability to relate to all students, regardless of background. He provided support, direction, and encouragement to help students and faculty be at their best. Stan was a member of numerous halls of fame. These included Whitmire High School, Newberry College, R.J. Reynolds High School, Reagan High School, and Winston-Salem Sportsman Club. He was an avid golfer and member of Salem Glen Country Club. Stan was a man of faith and member of Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem since 1989. In addition to his parents, Stan was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Stanley and Arminia Bailey. He is survived by his wife, Linda Elrod; children, Angie Elrod Sams (Joel) and Michael Elrod; grandchildren, Julie and Josh Sams; siblings, Donna Elrod Whitlock (D. Jean) and Thomas “Tommy” H. Elrod (Nancy); sisters-in-law, Cheryl Marshall (Wayne) and Debbie Collum; nephews, Stanley Whitlock (Leslie), Brian Whitlock (Tina), Graham Whitlock (Nicole), Ryan Elrod (Casey), Jacob Elrod (Emily), Adam Elrod (Meredith), and Brandon Templeton; nieces, Melissa Galbreath, Christi Locke, and Rebecca Veal (Jason); and great nieces and nephews, Rebecca, Reaghan, Madeline, Mary Trent, Greyson, Coleman, Wyatt, Emory, Crawford, Caroline, Price, Gray, Aubrey, Nicholas, Dustin, Cameron, Christian, Emma, Easton, and Everest. Stan was a family man and loved them all deeply. He was known by his grandchildren as GranStan. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, October 30, 2022, at Reynolds Auditorium on the campus of R.J. Reynolds High School with Rev. Ty Talton officiating. Additional parking will be available at Wiley Middle School. A reception will follow at Salem Glen Country Club. Mr. Elrod will lie in state from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel in which all are invited to pay their respects and sign the guest registry. A private entombment will be held at Westlawn Gardens of Memory in Clemmons. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, NC 27103, R.J. Reynolds Home Field Advantage F/B/O Stan Elrod Memorial Fund, 380-H Knollwood St. #177, Winston-Salem, NC 27103-1865, or The Stan Elrod Athletic Scholarship, C/O Reagan High School PTA, 3750 Transou Rd., Pfafftown, NC 27040. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/camelcitychat/support

Camila Pulgar Guzmán, a researcher and licensed therapist based in Winston-Salem, has been wondering for a long time about the mental health resources available for the Spanish-speaking community. EILEEN RODRIGUEZ/WFDD Finding a mental health provider can be a fairly complicated process. The pandemic has exacerbated the need for many. Yet some people may not have the means or information available to them in their native language to access this information. For this episode of Carolina Curious, we answer this question from listener Camila Pulgar Guzmán: What does the landscape for mental health aid look like for bilingual Spanish-speaking immigrants in North Carolina?  "I'm an immigrant from Chile. I was born and raised in Chile, but I lived in North Carolina for about 15 years," explains Pulgar Guzmán.  Pulgar Guzmán is not a disinterested party regarding the issue. She's a licensed therapist based in Winston-Salem who works closely with the Latino community. In the field, she often sees a lack of bilingual providers for the rapidly growing community in the state, which she says is worrisome. "Our community also doesn't know where to look for them, or they're not accessible to them in way," she says. "Because our community is so isolated, as you probably know, especially here in Winston-Salem, they're very isolated. So it's hard for them sometimes to know where to ask for help." Various resources for the Latino community show different data on exactly how many Spanish-speaking therapists are in an area. For example, the website Latinx Therapy shows in North Carolina there are 11 therapists who speak Spanish. None of those listed are in Winston-Salem. Pulgar Guzmán created a list on her own website Salud Mental Health, where she lists 14 Spanish-speaking therapists and mental health resources in the city, some in churches. In terms of statewide resources, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has Hope4NC, a 24/7 hotline that can help Spanish speakers who might be experiencing emotional distress. It also partnered with local organizations, and there are general wellness resources in Spanish available as well on its website.   Deputy Secretary and Chief Health Equity Officer for North Carolina's Department of Health and Human and Services Debra Farrington says there's still a lot to be done, especially for young people.  "In the cases of the Latino community, we have a number of organizations who provide these community health workers who are responsible for connecting people to medical care and to social support," Farrington explains. "88% of Latino youth have unmet mental health needs. And that compares to 76% of white youth and 77% of Black youth. So we're seeing a higher percentage of Latino youth who have unmet mental health needs." Milton Cepeda is the only bilingual school psychologist in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools system. He says that there's an overall lack of mental health providers in the state, and this also includes schools. The National Association of School Psychologists recommends one psychologist per every 500 students, but the reality is that many are without that resource.  "I service three schools during the week, and then the other two days I provide district-wide support to other schools," says Cepeda.  Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools does have multiple language team support and they use interpreters to help with assessments when necessary. The most recent data from the state shows that suicide rates among youth in 2020 were the highest they've been in a decade, and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Latinos have shown high rates of anxiety and depression symptoms.  "We don't only have a shortage of bilingual psychologists, we have a shortage of psychologists in general," says Cepeda. "So bilingual psychology is even more rare in this particular field. And there's a difference between someone who is certified as a bilingual psychologist and just someone who is a psychologist that happens to speak Spanish."  In North Carolina, without insurance, a private practice therapy session can cost usually between $150 to $250. There's also the option of doing a sliding scale, which can lower the cost for patients in need to around $50-$75. El Futuro, a non-profit organization that provides support for the Latino community in Durham, is an example of one group that does provide low-cost therapy for, primarily, the Spanish-speaking population in the state.  El Futuro's Communications Manager Mary Hondermann says the organization pays for the patient's therapy thanks to monetary help from counties. "We don't ask about immigration status to provide services," Hondermann says. "Depending on that person's county, we go there, check the funds, and we cover the cost of that person's treatment." El Futuro might be able to provide lower-cost mental health treatments, yet as Camila Pulgar Guzmán — our question-asker explains — not every provider is able to lower their costs. "So that is, you know, a tricky balance because all of our bilingual providers are very passionate about mental health and about talking about these issues," says Pulgar Guzmán. "But we also have to pay our bills and we have to eat." But there are various organizations that are working to provide even more resources.  Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has partnered with a firm to recruit school psychologists, El Futuro is now providing group therapy, which helped decrease the number of people on their waitlist. The new suicide lifeline, 988, also has Spanish-speaking operators and resources available on its website.  This story was produced by a partnership between WFDD and La Noticia. You can read this story in Spanish at La Noticia. Eileen Rodriguez is a reporter for both WFDD and La Noticia through Report for America, where she covers COVID-19's impact in the Latino Communities. Periodista de La Noticia y 88.5 WFDD, Eileen Rodríguez reporta el impacto de COVID-19 en la comunidad Latina en Carolina del Norte. Rodríguez es miembro del cuerpo de periodistas de Report for America 2021-2022   Editor's note: This story has been updated to include Camila Pulgar Guzmán's full name. Story does not include AP content #immigrant #latinos #mental health #mental health resources Race Health & Safety Normal Tweet

In Episode 2, we sit down with Tricia McManus, superintendent of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, who says that her district is making the most of its relief money by using it to address pressing needs and invest for the future. She's spending on everything from COVID mitigation and new curricula to contracting with community “violence interrupters” to help mentor and […]

Dr. Angela Hairston, Superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, makes time to come to the table and talk with Sheriff Kimbrough. They discuss the multiple ways that COVID-19 has impacted our students and what the 2020-2021 school year may look like. Specifically they discuss the new Cares Teams that are being implemented, Virtual Volunteers, and other ways our community can step up and support our students!

Kierra is joined on this episode by her mentors, Dr. Corliss Thompson-Drew ("Dr. T.D.) and Dr. Janise Parker. The women discuss the importance of mentorship in the field and beyond. Dr. Corliss Thompson-Drew is the Director of Psychological Services for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. She holds a Doctor of Psychology degree in Clinical School Psychology. In her almost 40 years in the field, Dr. Thompson-Drew has worked in a variety of settings including schools, community mental health centers, a university counseling center, and a college professor. Janise Parker is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at the College of William & Mary, a licensed Psychologist and Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Parker is a proud Floridian who obtained her undergraduate degree from Florida State and a doctoral degree from the University of Florida. She completed a two-year postdoctoral appointment at the University of South Florida, doing both research and teaching, prior to her appointment at William & Mary. *Dr. Parker's maiden name is Coleman. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/schoolpsychsistahs/support

Welcome to the School PR Drive Time podcast brought to you by NCSPRA, the North Carolina School Public Relations Association. This podcast brings relevant and unique insight into the world of school public relations. In Episode 3, Kevin Smith discusses the role of strategic communications during the pandemic and the road ahead Dr. Bev Emory and Jessica Swencki, with guest commentator Ken Derksen Dr. Emory and Jessica are leaders within the NC Department of Public Instruction who built on extensive experience in the classroom and Public Information Officer roles, and speak powerfully and personally about the contribution of #SchoolPR professionals to strategic outcomes in public education. Dr. Beverly Emory is Deputy Superintendent for School Support after serving in educational leadership from the classroom to the PIO's office in Ohio and North Carolina. She most recently served a local district as Superintendent in Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools. https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/rcm/home Jessica Swencki is the District and Regional Case Manager for the Sandhills Region in the NC Department of Public Instruction, after serving as an educational leader in Brunswick County Schools, Pender County Schools, and UNC-Wilmington. Jessica serves on the NCSPRA Board of Directors. https://sites.google.com/dpi.nc.gov/rcm/regions/sandhills-region Don't forget to follow NCSPRA on social media: @NCSPRA Music: "Hip Jazz," Bensound.com

Dr. Angela Hairston, Superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, makes  time to come to the table and talk with Sheriff Kimbrough. They discuss the multiple ways that COVID-19 has impacted our students and what the 2020-2021 school year may look like. Specifically they discuss  the new Cares Teams that are being implemented, Virtual Volunteers, and other ways our community can step up and support our students!

Children in Winston-Salem play in the snow after a winter storm in December 2018. KERI BROWN/WFDD Many Triad parents were greeted with a flurry of messages Wednesday announcing weather-related changes to school schedules.   Listener John Dillard has received these kinds of alerts many times since his daughter enrolled in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. But, he says, he still doesn’t understand how that decision is made.  “There doesn't seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason to it. They'll be calling for a certainty of sleet or ice or frozen precipitation. But we anticipate it to be mild and they won't delay or cancel school," he says. "And then the very next circumstance will be similar [and] they’ll completely cancel school or jump the gun in going on a delay. And it just doesn't seem to be any consistency to the matter.” In this edition of Carolina Curious, WFDD looks into who determines when school gets canceled and why.  It turns out, there’s not just one snow-day decider. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools spokesperson Brent Campbell says it’s a team of people, and he’s part of it.   “The transportation folks and then our folks that manage and secure and keep our campuses safe, along with the operations team, my department," he says. "Of course, the superintendent of schools is included and our instructional superintendents.”  The district’s operations team monitors the weather, and when conditions start looking dicey, they email forecasts to the rest of the group. If things get worse, they call a meeting to try to figure out what to do next. There, they take another look at the forecasts and review an analysis of major roadways.  The transportation folks are the heavyweights in the room. That’s because, Campbell says, the most critical factor is whether or not students can get to school safely. There’s a lot to consider.  “How could these things impact things like road temperatures and conditions, what the roads are going to be like? How could they impact our travel times? How might they impact student drivers?” he says. The district’s size and complex transportation system mean these meetings sometimes stretch into hours.  “We've had instances where, say, the northern parts of Forsyth County get a lot more precipitation," he says. "There's even been times when there's some freezing weather in one part of the county and not in the other. We have to take all of that into consideration.” Campbell says if weather disrupts even one bus route, the entire system is affected. Road conditions, visibility, and even lunch schedules are all taken into account. They also consider how long students may have to spend waiting for a bus or walking home in bad weather.  There are some facts that can make the decision easier. School buses can’t run if winds are greater than 50 miles per hour, according to the manufacturer. And if it’s colder than 20 degrees, some bus engines don’t start up correctly. The deadline to make the call is typically around 5 a.m. because buses begin running at 5:30 a.m.  Campbell acknowledges that sometimes their decisions are controversial. “We do not want to put anyone in harm's way. So we will always err on the side of caution. And sometimes the weather doesn't happen exactly as predicted. And you can second guess it and say, 'Well, why did they make that decision?' I think you can always rest assured that the decision was made with safety at top of mind.” On average, the district cancels about four days of school a year due to weather. The most it’s ever called off is 12, back in 1995.     Story does not include AP content #carolina curious #school closures #weather Weather Education Normal Tweet

Kaye Craddock Threatt lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She taught second grade in Virginia and was employed for 20 years as a primary reading teacher in the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools. In that capacity she found many opportunities to teach creative writing. In early retirement, she co-edited the Reynolda House Museum of Art newsletter. She still enjoys finding occasions to write and vows to keep the art of letter-writing alive. Kaye’s hobbies include hiking, duplicate bridge, and quilting.

Special Report: Perhaps what's most crazy about the notion of arming teachers is how most discussions on this important issue are mostly devoid of sober, thoughtful, factual examination. On one extreme, we hear rabid gun supporters encouraging schools to enter an arms race. On the other we see a visceral rejection of the idea so strong that facts are irrelevant. We asked some educators and school security experts to really stop and think about this issue and were surprised by what we found. We think you will be too. Gregory Thomas is former director of security of New York City Schools. Michael Dorn has worked in the field of school safety for 33 years. Dr. Wm. E “Rob” Roberts, former Superintendent of the largest geographical school district in the contiguous U.S. Angela Maiers is a teacher educator, author and advocate. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Tom Whitby is founder of #Edchat, and NYSCATE Network. Nancy Blair is a former teacher and middle school administrator. Jerry Blumengarten taught in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

The ability to know what you students know the moment they know allows you to adapt your teaching and increase your effectiveness. Join us as we discuss updating what you're teaching in real-time. Follow: @coolcatteacher @web20classroom @gradecam #edtechchat #edchat #edtech Steven W. Anderson is the director of instructional technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC. He also regularly travels the country talking to schools and districts about the use of social media in the classroom. He has been the recipient of the Twitterer of the Year Award and in 2012 he was named an ASCD Emerging Leader, which recognizes young, talented, educational leaders in their field.

Dr. Beverly Emory was hired in March 2013 to be the sixth superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. The 2015-16 school year will be Dr. Emory's third leading the school district.

Our current grade level system was created in another time for another era. In this segment of Edchat Radio, we rethink grade levels and explore what the ideal system would be today. Follow:@web20classroom @jodimos,@Digin4ed @tomwhitby @bamradionetwork Edhcat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com Jodi Moskowitz is a National Board Certified Teacher who works as an assistant principal who for Fulton County Schools in Atlanta. Terry Eberhart is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Economics in Rochester, NY, the executive director of SMCEDU (the education connection project of the Social Media Clubs global operations), and the Social Media Manager for COTAfpt. Steven W. Anderson, speaker and the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC.

Our guest says that the goal of a technology coach is to show teachers why technology should be used, how to chose the right technology and how to employ technology with good pedagogy. Follow: @web20classroom @coolcatteacher @bamradionetwork #edtechchat #edchat #edtech #GBL Steven W. Anderson, @web20classroom, is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC. He also regularly travels the country talking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom. Twitterer of The Year Award. In 2012 he was named an ASCD Emerging Leader, recognizing young, talented educational leaders in their field.

In this segment we follow up on the 12/17/13 #Edchat in which the sensitive topic of the efficacy of inclusion programs was evaluated and discussed. Tom Whitby is contributing Editor at SmartBrief, founder of #Edchat, Twitter-Using Educators, and NYSCATE Network. Steven W. Anderson, @web20classroom, is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in Winston-Salem, NC. He also regularly travels the country talking to schools and districts about the use of Social Media in the classroom. Twitterer of The Year Award. In 2012 he was named an ASCD Emerging Leader, recognizing young, talented educational leaders in their field.

In this episode of EdTechChat Radio, we discuss smart strategies and tools for curating digital resources. Follow:@thomascmurray @web20classroom @bcurrie5 @L_hilt @jstevens009 @bamradionetwork Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools where he oversees the technology program for 80 schools and 53,000 students. He has won several awards including being named a 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader and the worldwide Edublogs Educational Twitterer of the Year. Tom Murray serves as the Director of Technology and Cyber Education for the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pa. Tom is a former middle school assistant and elementary school principal.

In this episode of EdTechChat Radio, we discuss smart strategies and tools for curating digital resources. Follow:@thomascmurray @web20classroom @bcurrie5 @L_hilt @jstevens009 @bamradionetwork Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools where he oversees the technology program for 80 schools and 53,000 students. He has won several awards including being named a 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader and the worldwide Edublogs Educational Twitterer of the Year. Tom Murray serves as the Director of Technology and Cyber Education for the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pa. Tom is a former middle school assistant and elementary school principal.

Special Report: Perhaps what's most crazy about the notion of arming teachers is how most discussions on this important issue are mostly devoid of sober, thoughtful, factual examination. On one extreme, we hear rabid gun supporters encouraging schools to enter an arms race. On the other we see a visceral rejection of the idea so strong that facts are irrelevant. We asked some educators and school security experts to really stop and think about this issue and were surprised by what we found. We think you will be too. Gregory Thomas is former director of security of New York City Schools. Michael Dorn has worked in the field of school safety for 33 years and has published 26 books on school safety. Dr. Wm. E “Rob” Roberts, former (retired) Superintendent of the largest geographical school district in the contiguous U.S. Angela Maiers is an advocate, teacher educator, author and consultant. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Tom Whitby is founder of #Edchat, and NYSCATE Network, Nancy Blair is a school improvement consultant . a former teacher and middle school administrator. Jerry Blumengarten taught in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

Special Report: Perhaps what's most crazy about the notion of arming teachers is how most discussions on this important issue are mostly devoid of sober, thoughtful, factual examination. On one extreme we hear rabid gun supporters encouraging schools to enter an arms race. On the other we see a visceral rejection of the idea so strong, that facts are irrelevant. We asked some educators and school security experts to really stop and think about this issue an were surprised by what we found.. We think you will be too. Gregory Thomas is former director of security of New York City Schools. Michael Dorn has worked in the field of school safety for 33 years and has published 26 books on school safety. Dr. Wm. E “Rob” Roberts, former (retired) Superintendent of the largest geographical school district in the contiguous U.S. Angela Maiers is an advocate, teacher educator, author and consultant. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Tom Whitby is founder of #Edchat, and NYSCATE Network, Nancy Blair is a school improvement consultant . a former teacher and middle school administrator. Jerry Blumengarten taught in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

Special Report: Perhaps what's most crazy about the notion of arming teachers is how most discussions on this important issue are mostly devoid of sober, thoughtful, factual examination. On one extreme, we hear rabid gun supporters encouraging schools to enter an arms race. On the other we see a visceral rejection of the idea so strong that facts are irrelevant. We asked some educators and school security experts to really stop and think about this issue and were surprised by what we found. We think you will be too. Gregory Thomas is former director of security of New York City Schools. Michael Dorn has worked in the field of school safety for 33 years and has published 26 books on school safety. Dr. Wm. E “Rob” Roberts, former (retired) Superintendent of the largest geographical school district in the contiguous U.S. Angela Maiers is an advocate, teacher educator, author and consultant. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Tom Whitby is founder of #Edchat, and NYSCATE Network, Nancy Blair is a school improvement consultant . a former teacher and middle school administrator. Jerry Blumengarten taught in the NYC public schools for 32 years.

Welcome to the premier episode of EdChat Radio. In this segment we explain why thousands of educators are participating in EdChats each week, offer tips on how to easily get involved, explain why we're now launching EdChat Radio and summarize what you can expect to get from listening. Tom Whitby is contributing Editor at SmartBrief, founder of #Edchat,Twitter-Using Educators, and NYSCATE Network, St. Joseph's College NY group. Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a teacher trainer, author of The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators, and one of the top educators in social media. Steven Anderson is the Director of Instructional Technology for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. He has won several awards including being named a 2012 ASCD Emerging Leader.