In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast

In this episode of  In Conversation , Andie Levinger talks with Jake Alrich, Parkside’s music and drama teacher, about why the arts are such a big part of Parkside’s program. Jake describes his path from performing as a kid in Chicago and studying classical voice at Northwestern to years as a teaching artist in New York City public schools, and then to Parkside, which he calls “kismet.” He explain...

How do children learn to handle big feelings? In this episode of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, Director of Placement Andie Levinger sits down with Cara Levinson of Parkside's Social Work Department to talk about coping skills: what they are, how they develop, and how families can support them at home. Drawing on six years at Parkside and a background in both education and social work, C...

Season 2 of  In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast  opens with the moment every family knows well — the first day of school. Host Andie Levinger, OT and Director of Placement, sits down with Caity Stetner, a seasoned Parkside social worker, to talk about what children (and their parents) really carry through the school doors: excitement, separation anxiety, fear of the unknown, and the quiet bravery...

In the season finale of  In Conversation , host Andie Levinger sits down with six members of The Parkside School’s Class of 2026 — and then looks back on the whole season with Jessica Scovel. The season began with co-founders Leslie Thorne and Albina Miller describing the school they set out to build four decades ago: a community rooted in collaboration, creative problem-solving, and care for the...

In this episode of  In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast , host Andie Levinger sits down with Parkside parent Adam Francique for a moving and deeply honest conversation about parenting his son, AJ, who is about to graduate and begin a new chapter in middle school. Adam — a born-and-raised New Yorker, marathon runner, and graphic designer — shares AJ's journey from a little boy whose first teach...

April is Occupational Therapy Month, and host Andie Levinger is joined by all four members of The Parkside School's OT department — Christine Yen, Abby Chirokas, Leah Bataille, and Sophie Norris — for a wide-ranging conversation about the profession they love and the work they do every day with our students. The team shares how each of them found their way to OT (some as early as high school,...

In this episode, Andie sits down with Jackie Ament, Parkside's beloved head teacher on the fifth floor, and Rebecca Frank, our Instructional Coach, for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about what it truly means to dedicate a career to children. Jackie and Rebecca reflect on how they each found their way to teaching, what comes naturally, what has been hard, and how the profession has evolv...

In this episode of  In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast , Andie sits down with two members of our extraordinary team to explore the essential role creativity plays in educating the whole child. First, Andie speaks with Clara Elser, a member of Parkside’s support staff, about her work with students and the importance of seeing and supporting each child as a complete individual. Clara shares how bui...

In Episode 4 of In Conversation, Andie speaks with Parkside alumnus  Remy Aubrun ’07 , who has returned to the school as a member of the support staff. Remy reflects on his student experience, the transition to middle school, and how empathy and presence shape his work with students today. Andie is then joined by  Jessica Scovel  for a conversation about leaving and returning to Parkside, the scho...

In this episode of  In Conversation , Andie sits down with Parkside’s gym teacher and Afterschool Program Coordinator, Jakiem Swinger, to talk about how movement helps our students build confidence, regulate big feelings, and find community. Jay shares his journey at Parkside—from starting as a one-to-one in 2008, to designing movement breaks, to leading our adapted physical education program and...

How do you truly meet a child where they are—and what happens when you “change the context” instead of trying to change the child? In this episode of  In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast , host  Andie Levinger  sits down with  Dr. Sima Gerber , professor of speech-language pathology at Queens College and a consultant to Parkside’s Speech and Language Department for more than thirty years. Sima ref...

How do you build a school that truly meets children where they are—and keeps learning integrated, consistent, and joyful? In this kickoff to  In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast , host  Andie Levinger  interviews co-founders  Albina Miller  and  Leslie Thorne  about The Parkside School's origins, the complementary strengths that made their partnership work, and the “whole child” philosophy tha...