Brighter Together

What happens when educators refuse to accept that a student’s circumstances must determine their future? In this special Brighter Together recap, Podcast Producer, Logan Chew revisits the five most-viewed conversations of the year—and one unforgettable honorable mention. These stories explore practical youth suicide prevention, housing support for unaccompanied students, culturally responsive educ...

An IEP is not a limitation on student potential—it's a tool that opens doors to college readiness and career success. In this episode, Jared Bissen, Director of Special Education at Gem Prep Schools, challenges the harmful myth that students with individualized education plans have lower ceilings, sharing how his charter network has helped students with IEPs graduate as valedictorians, earn full s...

Superintendent Eric Griffin shares the leadership philosophy that transformed Delhi Unified School District: empowering staff before setting expectations on them. Discover how one conversation with union leadership shifted the district from unsustainable demands to sustainable excellence, unlocking measurable gains in student outcomes, attendance, and teacher retention while keeping "what's best f...

Brandon Bernard, Director of Special Education at Heritage Academy in Mesa, Arizona, reveals why removing students from general education classrooms actually widens achievement gaps—and shares the co-teaching model that keeps special education scholars with content experts and age-appropriate peers while they earn associate degrees. Discover how treating special education as a service, not a place...

When education teams face competing good ideas but lack a framework to choose, analysis paralysis sets in. Jeremy Sawtelle, Director of Specialized Student Support at Shasta County Office of Education, reveals how the hexagon tool—a structured rubric borrowed from healthcare—transformed decision-making across Northern California schools by removing power dynamics and scoring ideas on evidence-base...

Small rural school districts serving just a few hundred students cannot afford their own school psychologists, speech pathologists, or occupational therapists—until they form a cooperative. George Welsh, Executive Director of San Luis Valley BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education Services), explains how fourteen districts pooled resources to become Colorado's first and oldest regional special educa...

Jenny Plumb, Assistant Superintendent at Yosemite Valley Charter Schools and Monarch River Academy, reveals how a seven-year partnership with Lighthouse fundamentally transformed how two California charter schools serve their 5,000 students—by dismantling silos between special education and general education, creating a unified five-tier MTSS system where all staff own outcomes for all students. D...

Greene Local School District transformed student behavior and school climate by shifting from punishment to prevention through Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)—and Joya Mitchell, Director of Student Services, shares how they achieved over 90% student success with tier-one supports alone. Over a decade of deliberate implementation across all pre-K through 12 buildings created a u...

Scott Bolin, Director of Pupil Personnel at Garrett County Schools in Kentucky, reveals why rural districts are winning enrollment battles against homeschooling and online alternatives—not through flashy programs, but through genuine relationships and what he calls the intangible "it factor" that families can feel the moment they walk through the door. In this episode, Scott shares his 25-year jou...

Vincent Valerio's unconventional journey from fine artist to special education director reveals that expertise in serving children with disabilities flourishes in diverse backgrounds and real-world experience. At Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio, Vincent has built a county-wide collaboration model that provides free training, adaptive equipment, and transition programming...

Discover how Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee Superintendent Mike Juhas transformed parent-teacher relationships by building positive communication foundations before problems arise. Learn the "Pennies in the Bank" strategy that catches students being good, shifts conversations from defensive to collaborative, and creates partnership instead of conflict. In 11 years leading 3,300 students across 1...

Marshall High School in Middletown, Ohio isn't a traditional school—it's a credit recovery program serving 410 students aged 15-22 who fell behind in traditional settings, many facing poverty, trauma, and attendance barriers. Malcolm Pittman, Student Success Coordinator, reveals how his team doesn't just help students graduate; they guarantee job placement, career certifications, or military servi...

Precios Armstrong, Director of Special Education for a Michigan school district, unpacks the unprecedented wave of student dysregulation sweeping K-12 schools in her 26-year career—and reveals why most districts are adding new interventions instead of returning to foundational classroom management. Discover how COVID-era isolation disrupted critical developmental skills, why screen time is rewirin...

Dr. Eugene Blalock Jr., superintendent of North College Hill City School District in Cincinnati, Ohio, implemented Ohio's first four-day blended learning week not to save money, but to address catastrophic teacher burnout and absenteeism that had reached 32-33% monthly—dropping to just 8-9% within three years. Discover how giving teachers a dedicated Monday for planning, preparation, and data-driv...

Cameron Lazar, Coordinator of Special Education at Cuyahoga Falls City School District, reveals how one critical question changed everything: Why are certain student groups disproportionately identified with disabilities and disciplined at higher rates? Through a six-year equity initiative, Cuyahoga Falls shifted from deficit-based thinking to asset-based practices, proving that inclusive schools...

Ada Pineiro, Special Education Director at Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy, has built a program where 100% of special education students graduate with regular diplomas—a remarkable achievement in a high-poverty, high-crime community serving 90-95% African American students. In this episode, Ada reveals how intentional accessibility, community partnerships, and collaborative leadership creat...

When districts stop viewing each other as competitors and start pooling resources through an Educational Service Center, transformation happens—especially for students who've fallen through the cracks. Nancy Santilli and Kelly Moran from the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve share how Gateway High School emerged from collaborative problem-solving, pairing rigorous academics with eq...

Many special education students graduate without a post-secondary career plan, leaving them unprepared for independence and employment. John Ischy, an intervention specialist at Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, shares how intentional transition planning, hands-on career exploration through the PAYS Lab, and virtual reality job simulation transform student outcomes—moving from "no plan" t...

Mary Masciovecchio, Director of Special Education at Berrien Springs Public Schools, reveals how a small Michigan district built and scaled exceptional specialty programs—from a 60-year-old Deaf and Hard of Hearing initiative to a unique preschool combining SLP and teacher expertise. Discover how managing 28 alternative education centers across Michigan while maintaining deep student impact requir...

In this episode of Brighter Together, I sit down with Sandy Morrill, the transition coordinator at Shelton School District in Connecticut. Sandy shares the inspiring journey of launching a unique thrift shop, The Thrifty Gale, that serves dual populations: students with special needs and fellow classmates seeking affordable clothing options. We explore how this initiative not only provides invalua...

What happens when a school stops chasing trends—and starts building people instead? In this episode of Brighter Together, Superintendent Josh Meyer shares how a small, high-performing district stays grounded in what works: strong teams, deep relationships, and intentional leadership. From hiring the right people over perfect credentials to navigating AI without losing clarity, Josh offers a practi...

Jera Pieper, Director of Special Education at Franklin Jefferson County Special Education District, shares her journey from school psychologist to BCBA and now district leadership, emphasizing her passion for behavior support and systems-level impact. She explains how her co-op model serves 22 rural districts by pooling resources to deliver specialized services efficiently, while also navigating l...

What if the most powerful strategy in education isn’t a program, but a mindset? In this episode of Brighter Together, Alex Sharick, Director of Special Education at Plymouth Shiloh Local School District, shares what 30 years in education has taught him about leadership, relationships, and building systems that actually work for students. From the life-changing impact of mentorship to the evolution...

What does it actually take to turn a struggling district into a place where educators want to stay—and students can thrive? In this episode of Brighter Together, Superintendent Erika Bare shares how her district moved from nearly 25 percent staff turnover to building a stable, high-performing culture in just a few years. But this isn’t a story about quick fixes. It’s about intentional systems. Fro...

In this episode of Brighter Together, I sit down with Dr. Katie Lowry, the Director of Special Education at Lumpkin County School District, to discuss her transformative journey in leadership. Katie shares her insights on moving away from chasing awards and recognition to focusing on meaningful impact in the lives of her students and staff. We explore the importance of embracing one's unique gifts...