Start with Questions

In this episode of Start With Questions, Kristy Lundstrom is joined by Vriti Saraf, co-founder and CEO of Ed3, and Jared Colley, Chief Innovation Officer at Mount Vernon, to explore the skill shifts reshaping education in the age of agentic AI. Together, they unpack what happens when AI can execute, produce, and iterate — and human value moves upstream toward framing, judgment, and question design...

Curiosity isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the skill that makes learning, leadership, and decision-making work in a world that moves at lightning speed. In this episode, Kristy Lundstrom is joined by Nicole Martin, Mount Vernon Ventures, and Trevor MacKenzie , global inquiry guru and educator extraordinaire , to unpack why inquiry-based learning is more vital than ever. In just 30 minutes , you’l...

In this thought-provoking episode of Start With Questions, Kristy Lundstrom, CEO of The Mount Vernon Organization, is joined by Jared Colley of Mount Vernon Ventures , Meera Shah of Trey Education , and Patrick Schuermann from Strategic Compensation and Coaching Partners to unpack Mount Vernon Ventures’ latest R&D Report: The Flow of Perpetual Learning . Together, they explore how organization...

In the first episode of the new season of Start With Questions , Kristy Lundstrom, CEO of the Mount Vernon Organization in Atlanta, and Sandra Nagy, Managing Director of the Future Design School in Canada, kick things off with a thought-provoking conversation about the bold ideas shaping the future of learning. Together, they connect insights from two groundbreaking reports: Imagine Then, Act Now:...

In this episode of Start With Questions , host Ann Marsh Rutledge welcomes Peter Baron, founder of Moonshot OS, to discuss how schools can move from strategic planning to strategic execution. Together, they unpack the concept of a "school operating system," a framework that helps schools align people, processes, and tools to bring ambitious goals to life. From building strong meeting rhy...

In this episode of Start With Questions , host Ann Marsh Rutledge sits down with Nicole Wortham, a Maker Design teacher at The Mount Vernon School, to explore how schools can be more intentional about shaping the future of their maker programs. From fostering student agency to building sustainable innovation practices, this conversation dives deep into what it means to empower learners now for the...

In this episode of Start with Questions , host Ann Marsh Rutledge welcomes Chris Pryor, founder of Lead Team Partners , to discuss the critical role of external partnerships in supporting and empowering school leaders. The conversation delves into Lead Team Partners' origin, its mission to bridge the gap between school leaders and external consultants, and the innovative ways it fosters commu...

In this episode of Start with Questions , host Ann Marsh Rutledge interviews Lily Catano, a teacher at The Mount Vernon School, about her transformative use of design thinking in language education. Lily shares how she integrates " Pequeños Aprendices con Grandes Ideas ," the Spanish version of the " Little Learners with Big Ideas " field guide, to enhance her Spanish classes f...

In this episode of Start with Questions , we explore how Mackintosh Academy Littleton, a small independent school in Colorado for gifted learners, is using futures thinking and scenario planning to shape its strategic vision. Annie Slothower, Director of Enrollment Management, shares how the school’s strengths—small class sizes, a strengths-based approach, and an International Baccalaureate curric...

In this episode of Start with Questions, we dive into the long-standing partnership between The Mount Vernon School and Dewey Schools in Vietnam. Vũ Phương Nhi, Executive Director of English Programs at the Dewey Schools, and Trish Bogdanchik, Head of Upper School at The Mount Vernon School, share insights on their collaboration and recent visits. They discuss the shared mission of empowering stud...

In this episode of Start with Questions, we welcome Christian Long,  an expert in design thinking and education. The discussion centers around the importance of nurturing a sense of belonging and wholeness for both educators and students. Emphasizing the value of curiosity and empathy, and fostering strong relationships among colleagues, we learn how this creates a more supportive and effective ed...

In this episode of Start with Questions, hosted by Ann Marsh Rutledge, Executive Director of School Mount Vernon Ventures, we're joined by Michele Koch, the Chief Brand Officer at the Mount Vernon School. Together, we explore how brand and communication play a pivotal role in setting the tone for the school year. Sharing insights into the intentionality behind Mount Vernon School's brand...

Tune in to " Start with Questions ," a transformational leadership podcast by Mount Vernon Ventures. In this episode, host Ann Marsh Rutledge welcomes two inspiring leaders: Denise Musselwhite, CEO and founder of Tech and Thrive and executive board chair for ATLIS , and Kristy Lundstrom, Head of School for the Mount Vernon School . Together, they delve into the question, How might we sup...

In this episode, Ann Marsh Rutledge, Executive Director of MV Ventures, and Jared Colley, Head of Learning and Innovation at Mount Vernon Upper Campus and Editor for Ventures R&D Reports, discuss the concept of "futures literacy."  Emphasizing the importance of preparing for multiple plausible future scenarios rather than predicting a single future, Jared shares insights on scenario-...

Mount Vernon Upper School eSports A team joins us on the podcast to discuss their experiences in competitive gaming. They highlight the strategic depth they use, including data analysis and team strategy, particularly in playing Super Smash Bros. They also share personal stories on how eSports facilitated significant social connections and personal growth, underscoring the community and inclusiven...

In this episode, host Ann Marsh Rutledge and guest Krista Fancher from Mount Vernon School delve into the Innovation Diploma program's "Future of" course, revealing how it instills a future-ready mindset in students. Students tackle ambitious, real-world, industry projects and surpass expectations, fueled by intrinsic motivation. The Innovation Diploma program champions experiential...

In this episode of "Start with Questions," host Ann Marsh Rutledge and guests Jared Colley from The Mount Vernon School and Josh Clark from The Landmark School discuss changes in the conversation around AI in schools. Listen as they discuss trends, pressing issues, exciting opportunities, and practical advice for leaders for implementing AI in schools.

In this episode of "Start with Questions," host Ann Marsh Rutledge and guest Bo Adams from the Mount Vernon School highlight "Collider," a professional learning event at Mount Vernon School. It brings external conference benefits in-house, fostering collaboration among faculty and staff. Themes like purpose-based learning and artificial intelligence emerge. The event encourages...

In this episode of "Start with Questions,"  host Ann Marsh Rutledge and guest Matt Nealon from the Mount Vernon School discuss their winter R&D report, "A New Kind of Leader: Managing Talent and Experience for a New World of Work." They discuss the evolving workplace and the importance of managing talent post-COVID. They highlight strategies for nurturing a regenerative wor...

In this episode of "Start with Questions," we're sharing curated episodes of our most popular and enlightening conversations from 2023. Join Ann Marsh Rutledge, the Executive Director of MV Ventures, as we take you on a journey through the standout episodes of the year that are sure to ignite your excitement, inspire new ideas, and help you anticipate the opportunities in 2024!

During this episode of Start with Questions, the Ventures team answers the question, “How can schools leverage their communities to fuel innovation?” and discusses their recent Council on Innovation event. Listen as Ann Marsh Rutledge, Executive Director of MV Ventures, interviews Brad Droke, Dean of Students for the Upper Campus at The Mount Vernon School, and Herris Fentress, Innovation Diploma...

During this episode of Start with Questions the Ventures team answers the question “How do we foster total health within our organization?” and discusses their new R&D Report, Total Health: The Wholeness of People in an Age of Technology, which was just released in early October. Listen as Ann Marsh Rutledge, Executive Director of MV Ventures, interviews Jared Colley, Head of Learning and Inno...

During this episode of Start with Questions the Ventures team answers the question “How does maker education benefit students and schools in today’s context?” and discusses their new book, Leveling Up Maker Education, scheduled to be released in late September. Listen as Brett Jacobsen, CEO of The Mount Vernon Organization, interviews Bo Adams, Chief Learning and Innovation Officer at The Mount Ve...

During this episode of Start with Questions the Ventures team celebrates the launch of a new toolkit, Little Learners with Big Ideas: A Field Guide for Design Thinking. Listen as Ann Marsh Rutledge, Ventures’ Head of Learning and Innovation, interviews Molly Hudson, Director of Lower School, and Kevin Day, Impact Design Lab Coordinator, about why Design Thinking, especially with young learners, ho...

Ventures welcomes Bradley James Davies to the pod to discuss his latest book. Bradley is a celebrated school leader and after a two-decade career in education that included teaching, coaching, and leading across all grade levels, he founded Falkor, a leadership and life consultancy dedicated to helping clients lead better and live better.   In 2022 he fulfilled his long-held dream of writing a boo...