IASA Podcast

In September, IASA and IASB announced a new joint partnership with Munetrix + SchoolData Solutions. Hear from the company’s CEO, Ginny Norton, on the capabilities of the powerful school performance analytics tool on this episode of the IASA Podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Rodriguez, superintendent of Central SD #104, discusses the 104 Store, a free community resource in O'Fallon. Dr. Rodriguez discusses the steps to open the pantry, including costs, the impact it's had on her community and how it's maintained.

In this episode of the IASA Podcast, Chris Grode, superintendent of Columbia CUSD #4, shares insights from his dissertation on the benefits of executive coaching programs, with a specific look at IASA's School for Advanced Leadership. Applications are now being accepted for the eighth cohort.

The Illinois Department of Revenue recently released FY25 estimates for CPPRT. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Vic Zimmerman and Robert Wolfe about what the projections mean for schools, recommendations for budgeting and if CPPRT revenues stabilize in the future.

Dr. Mike Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore SD #112, joins the IASA Podcast to discuss the various ways he utilizes AI in his district. Dr. Lubelfeld also discusses the benefits of generative AI in education and the safeguards his district implements.

The Illinois School for the Deaf is celebrating 185 years of educating and serving members of the Deaf community. We dive deep into the services offered at the school in this episode of the IASA Podcast.

What should superintendents be focusing on during the months of June, July and August? In this episode of the IASA Podcast, we talk to Dr. Brian Harris, one of IASA's newest Field Services Directors, on focus areas for district leaders in the summer.

Looking for a new way to provide entrepreneurial opportunities for students in your district? In this episode, we talk to Curt Nettles, superintendent of Clinton CUSD #15, about the CEO program. Curt shares how the program works, if there's a cost for districts and the benefits for students.

Last March, Flossmoor SD #161 purchased Yondr bags to streamline the process of having students lock up their phone during the school day. In this episode of the IASA Podcast, Superintendent Dr. Dana Smith shares why he implemented the ban at the Junior High, how it's went so far and the impact he's noticed on student learning and engagement.

Questions about the School Leader Evaluation Plan? In this episode, Dr. Jason Leahy, IPA Executive Director, and Dr. Kay Dugan, an evaluator trainer, discuss the ins and outs of the assistant principal and principal evaluator program. Plus, Dr. Jill Griffin, superintendent of Bethalto CUSD #8, shares how the pilot program is going in her district.

In this episode, we highlight Cahokia CUSD #187. The district is set to embark on a potentially transformational journey after receiving a multi-million dollar federal grant. The program provides federal support for high-need districts to implement, improve or expand their human-resources system, which must include a performance-based compensation system. Our guests are Superintendent Curtis McCal...

In this episode, we talk to Dan Stecken, superintendent of Seneca Twp HSD #160. Dan has organized a new opportunity to help school leaders avoid burnout, the Stressed Leaders Retreat. Learn about what the event entails, when it is and how it can rejuvenate you professionally. Visit the Stressed Leaders Retreat website to learn more.

In 2023, NWEA released a study that describes high-quality teaching practices in place in Schiller Park SD #81. In this episode of the IASA Podcast, we speak to Schiller Park's Superintendent, Dr. Kimberly Boryszewski, about instructional strategies that are driving student improvement.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education expanded school-level reporting requirements by mandating that all states participate in the School-Level Finance Survey (SLFS). In this episode, we talk to Luke Corry at ISBE about everything superintendents and school business officials need to know about the new financial reporting requirement.

In this episode, we go behind the curtain of IASA's Aspiring Superintendent Academy. Hear from two graduates - Dr. Tiffany Brunson and Travis Titsworth - about how the experience helped them make the transition to the superintendency. Also, Dr. Nick Polyak breaks down what participants can expect and explains how the academy aims to demystify the superintendency. Click Here to apply.

In this episode, superintendent Dr. Robert McBride discusses how the school district initially responded to the ceiling collapse, ongoing restoration efforts, the importance of communications and how the district managed to continue school for freshmen students impacted by the incident.

In this episode, we speak to Brian Dukes, superintendent of Earlville CUSD #9, about the return on investment his district is getting from offering students and families full-day pre-K and daycare. Earlville is a small, rural district in the Starved Rock region.

In our latest episode, we discuss the need for schools to be proactive about indoor air quality. Our guest Jeffry Faust, Vice President of Environmental Consultants, discusses air pollutants, mold, radon and the potential of the state mandating testing.

With a finite amount of dollars in the budget, many superintendents wrestle with investing in a communications staff. In this episode, we talk to Steve Wilder, superintendent of Sycamore CUSD #427, and Lauren Holtz, Director of Communications and Community Engagement, about why having a strong communications department is worth every penny.

October 18 marked the first meeting for the Vision 2030 Working Group. The statewide group of educators will collaborate to develop a new long-range blueprint for public education in Illinois. Long before there was Vision 2030, there was Vision 20/20. In this episode, we speak to Ralph Grimm about how groundbreaking Vision 20/20 was and what the major accomplishments were.

Being a superintendent can be a difficult, lonely position -- if you let it be. In this episode, Jason Grey and Dr. Alex Kashner share how building a strong support network can assist you in navigating the ever-changing job of the school superintendent. Jason is superintendent at Riley CCSD #18 and Dr. Kashner is superintendent at Eastland CUSD #308.

In this episode, hear from Andy Johnson, superintendent at Effingham CUSD #40, and Jeff Abell, superintendent at Griggsville-Perry CUSD #4, about how IASA Compliance Plus is benefitting their districts. In addition, Robert Wolfe shares how he's helped districts with everything from transportation, EBF reports, bid proposals and indirect costs. Furthermore, Robert discusses a new resource he an...

We once again go beyond the test scores and learn how Evidence-Based Funding is Making a Difference in Lansing SD #158. Our guest is the school district's superintendent, Dr. Nathan Schilling. In this episode, Dr. Schilling shares how EBF has helped the district expand supports for students. In addition, Dr. Schilling details how the Property Tax Relief Grant has helped the district abate $11...

We once again go beyond the test scores and look at how Evidence-Based Funding is Making a Difference in schools. Our guest this episode is Todd Dugan, superintendent of Bunker Hill CUSD #8. Todd shares how EBF brought stability to his district, helped improve facilities and opened up new learning pathways for students.

How can something like a new playground make a big impact on school climate and culture? In this episode, we speak to Dr. Merryl Brownlow, superintendent of Palos Heights #128, on the palpable effect a new inclusive playground is already having on the district.