Alexander Dawson School Podcast

Think you know Dawson? Think again. In this episode of So You Think You Know Dawson? Think Again: Alum Stories , we talk with four Dawson alums who are currently in their junior or senior year of high school. These alums reflect on their journeys from Dawson to high school, sharing the moments that shaped their paths and the lessons they've learned along the way. In this episode, we discuss: • The...

Our new host of the Dawson Podcast, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley, welcomes listeners to this season! Dawson's academic leaders - Head of Middle School David Perram, Head of Lower School Amanda Murray-Musgrave, and Head of Early Childhood & Admissions Krista Jacobsen - join him in a conversation all about school and family partnerships. Topics include tips for a successful school year,...

Dawson faculty Katie Figg and Sara Greenspan join Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education at Dawson. In this episode, our teachers share their first-hand experience with implementing PBL in their classrooms, the challenges they've faced, and the outcomes they've witnessed with th...

Author and educator Sara Lev joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education. In this episode, they discuss the common misconceptions and the benefits of PBL for children ages 3-8. Plus, you'll hear about the genesis of a professional development opportunity that Sara and her co-au...

During her inaugural visit to Las Vegas to help the School bring new life to the Ruffin Organic Garden, Farmer Stephanie McDonough joined us to share her journey from a marketing job at the NBA Headquarters to farming with kids. Farmer Steph is a Life Lab-certified School Garden Educator and owner of Farm to Table Kids. In this episode, she talks about how she helps kids connect and find what ligh...

Charles Vogl joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury in an important conversation about building community and belonging in this era of loneliness. As Dawson dives into its Core Value of Belonging, Charles's concept of the Campfire Principle will guide the School's efforts to plan the events and spaces that support each student, family, and employee. Learn...

We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and frien...

We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and frien...

We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and frien...

Dawson was fortunate to welcome Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope back to the podcast during a recent campus visit in November for a conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. In this episode, they discuss the work that Stanford University's Challenge Success is doing to transform student experiences through a community model to improve their well-being. You'll hear about...

CultureEd Collective Co-Founders Kori McMillion and Jacinta Williams join Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop for an in-depth conversation about their important work of helping independent schools build and sustain a culture of belonging. As experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion, they discuss what it takes to create a better reality for all people, the...

Dawson Alum and BRINC Drones Founder/CEO Blake Resnick '13 (recently named the youngest honoree of the 2022 Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact list) joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Director of Academic Innovation and Design Rich Lehrer to discuss the importance of innovation, the origin of BRINC, and how technology can be used to benefit the greater good. You'll also hear about the...

In Part two of this conversation with six boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, you'll learn about how boarding schools are focusing on the health and wellness of their students, the life skills and competencies that students will develop, and what the future may hold for Dawson and the boarding schools represented. Thank you to the...

In part one of this conversation, you'll meet our guest boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Topics include the importance of the parent/school partnership while attending boarding school, how boarding schools define and manage college placement expectations, and the movement away from standardized testing. Thank you to the followi...

In part three of our series on boarding school admissions with eight experts in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, learn how they're helping students find their best-fit schools, how they're moving towards more inclusive and equitable enrollment processes during the pandemic, their thoughts on standardized testing, and how they hope their schools will evolve in the future. T...

In part two of our conversation with eight boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, you'll learn about the opportunities that have come out of the pandemic for admissions offices, how schools work to embed diversity, equity and inclusion work on their campuses, and why boarding schools are so expensive. Thank you to the following board...

In part one of this conversation, you'll meet our guest boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Topics include strong parent partnerships, mental health and wellness for students, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their individual communities in their approach to promoting a holistic educational experience for kids. Thank you...

We're kicking off the 2021-2022 school year with Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop about curriculum innovations at Dawson and around the world. Topics include educational trends, personalized learning, using data to set up frameworks for student success, and casting vision for the future of educ...

This is the time of continuous learning. In this episode, Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Donna Orem, president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), for an in-depth conversation about the ways in which schools must evolve and innovate in the coming years. Topics include: education in this fourth industrial revolution and third education revolution; the fou...

Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Mark Crotty, the executive director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). They discuss the essential skills students need to thrive, what they hope schools learn from this pandemic year and advice for parents looking for the right school for their child. They also talk about the necessity for independent schools to engage i...

In this episode, Dawson welcomes Sanje Ratnavale, founder and president of Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools (OESIS), to the podcast! In conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, Sanje discusses the opportunities presented by distance education in the past year, the capacity of schools to change, and project-based learning. Topics also include thinking creatively...

In this episode, Dawson welcomes Dean of UNLV's Honors College Dr. Andrew Hanson to the show! In conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, Dr. Hanson discusses the similarities between higher education and independent school education. Topics include active listening in the classroom, the future of standardized education, and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion work....

Dawson is proud to be Nevada's first and only school to partner with Challenge Success, which is affiliated with Stanford University and focuses on student wellbeing and engagement. In this episode, Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope, Director of EC-Grade 1 Amanda Murray-Musgrave, teacher Matt Reynolds, and sixth-grade student Aarti. Yo...

Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury are joined by Dr. Mary Choi Kelly in a conversation about instilling empathy in our children. Dr. Kelly is the parent of a current Dawson student and an alumnus and manages MCK Leadership Talent Group, an organization that works with leaders in global companies and diverse industries to help individuals develop courage, dr...

In this episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Dr. Michael Thompson joins Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Following a Parent University virtual session with our Dawson community, Dr. Thompson elaborates on the nuances of parenting during the pandemic and in an election year. The discussion includes the resilience of children and treating...