Talking Out of School

EPISODE 17: Andy Farley, 2024 National Principal of the Year

In this episode, we sit down with the NASSP's 2024 National Principal of the Year Andy Farley to learn more about his leadership philosophy and his advice for current and aspiring principals in this age of the principalship.

EPISODE 16: How the teen brain works

Tiffany Shlain's new documentary, "The Teen Brain," looks through the lens of neuroscience to help teens—and their parents and teachers—better understand the upsides of an intense period of growth and development.

Episode 15: Sandy Hook Promise—How to spot students who need more support

Preventing violence in public schools has been Sandy Hook Promise co-founder and CEO Nicole Hockley’s mission since 2012, when her son Dylan was among the 20 children murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. She and the team at Sandy Hook Promise are now a leading voice on making schools safer places and providing mental health support for students by focusing on "upstream violence prevention."

Episode 14: Educating tomorrow's superintendents

Pamela Shetley and Doug Anthony head the University of Maryland's Education in School System Leadership Ed.D. program, which challenges aspiring superintendents to take on a district’s real-time wicked problem, diagnose its root causes and find the solution.

Episode 13: Javaid Siddiqi

Recruiting more aspiring educators of color will not only fill teacher vacancies but also propel student achievement and improve school climate, says this week's podcast guest, Javaid Siddiqi, the president and CEO of The Hunt Institute.

Episode 12: Teachers need 'professional authority'

Teachers quit the classroom when they lack control, choice and collaboration, says Becky Pringle, president of the NEA teachers union.

Episode 11: School Safety Expert Ken Trump

In this episode, Dr. Ken Trump, president of the National School Safety and Security Services,  describes the current school safety climate and what leaders can do now to ensure a safer 2024-25 school year.

Data and Strategic Partnerships: Overcoming the Challenges Facing K-12 Facilities Leaders

Gordian recently commissioned a double-blind study, conducted by Forrester Consulting, shedding light on the pressing challenges confronting K-12 facilities nationwide. Shockingly, nearly half of K-12 school facilities leaders admit to falling short of achieving their primary objectives, jeopardizing student safety, facing costly fines, and undermining the overall learning environment.
Delve into our podcast to delve deeper into the report's revelations, and discover effective strategies for district leaders to tackle the prevalent school facilities challenges unveiled by the study.
Key discussion points include:
1. The imminent dangers of deferred maintenance and proactive measures for repairs and upgrades.2. The pivotal role of comprehensive assessments and data in making informed decisions regarding school facilities and infrastructure.3. Strategies for pinpointing strategic maintenance and renovation opportunities within a school system and understanding their impact on students and communities.

Episode 10: Hedy Chang of Attendance Works

At the risk of telling you something you already know, chronic absenteeism is one of the most serious challenges to superintendents' efforts to get all students back on track. "The churn that's happening in classrooms is now affecting everyone, it's affecting the ability of teachers to teach, teachers to set classroom norms, and kids to learn," Attendance Works Executive Director Hedy Chang says on this week's podcast. 
 

EPISODE 9: Alberto Carvalho

The Los Angeles Unified School District is taking AI where few other districts have gone before. So how does "Ed, "LAUSD's personalized AI student assistant work?