Schoolin' Around

This episode features the live recording of the Schooling Around podcast with Dr. Judy Elliott and Dr. George Batsche. They discuss trends and challenges in MTSS, empowering teachers, supporting mental health, and implementing MTSS at the secondary level. They emphasize the importance of data-driven decision-making, collective leadership, and collaboration in the MTSS framework. They also highligh...

In this conversation, Rachel Butler, Learning Science Content Specialist, discusses the importance of good interventions in the context of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). She emphasizes the need to consider the research behind interventions and recommends using the ESSA tiers of evidence to determine their effectiveness. Rachel also highlights the factors to consider when evaluating inte...

In this episode, Larissa interviews Lisa Marquardt-Krol, an instructional design manager, about professional development (PD). They discuss the importance of case studies in PD and how they help educators put themselves in the shoes of students and practice interventions. They also highlight the need for real-world examples and experiences to make learning sticky and relevant. Lisa emphasizes the...

In this episode, Larissa Napolitan and Trudy Bender discuss the top concerns for school leaders, with a focus on creating a safe and supportive environment for both students and staff. They emphasize the importance of building a positive school culture and the role of administrators in modeling the behavior they expect from their staff. They also highlight the need for administrators to be present...

Season 2: Episode 1 This week, we kick off Season 2 with an in-depth interview with the MTSS leaders in Mineola Union Free School district in New York. Their collective leadership approach and their shared MTSS vision have transformed how their district approaches student improvement. Larissa sat down with 3 of their leaders who have spearheaded the work to discuss what worked for them, as well as...

The school year has its ups and downs, even though the stretch from November to December contains a lot of fun activities, educators are exhausted leaving for Winter Break. Most likely, they might be feeling an undercurrent of a cold or just completely drained. Depending on the year, you might start to wonder if there is another job that doesn’t leave me feeling this exhausted, with nothing left t...

In 2022, the national average reading score at both fourth and eighth grade decreased by 3 points compared to 2019. Literacy curriculum is under the microscope, and the Science of Reading has become a hot topic of conversation in school districts nationwide. For this episode, I called on our own Data scientist, Dr. Eva Dundas to ask her about some misconceptions about Science of Reading. We discus...

Teachers everywhere are using technology to make their lives easier; instead of relying on students to carry home field trip flyers, they just send an email, instead of hand calculating grades, they can have students take online quizzes and grades automatically import into the gradebook. This is the way it should be But, why is Tech still sometimes resisted or struggled with? Each week this month...

Amidst the many opinions swirling around education, navigating the chatter can be dizzying. But fear not! This December, Schoolin’ Around is here to untangle the web of perspectives. Each week this month, we invited a guest for a short conversation, diving into misunderstandings around Hot Topics and Tough questions in education. For our first episode of this series, Larissa chats with our Profess...

We are celebrating One Year of 'Schoolin’ Around' by sharing favorite moments from the show over the last year. Host Larissa Napolitan is in the hot seat and joined by Community and Social Media Strategist Melanie Gonzalez. We discuss the collective efficacy magic of MTSS, how to handle deficit-based mindset to build on students’ strengths, the Big Buzz Word of system-level change: BUY-IN, the dif...

For educational leaders striving to move change initiatives forward, they have to do the work to bring everyone on the same page, which includes having a common language and clear communication. The episode guest, Krissy Martin of Roanoke Rapids School District in North Carolina, talks about the importance of developing a common language as they implemented MTSS, ensuring more consistency in their...

Every school has its own unique challenges and culture, and when a new initiative such as MTSS comes along, it might seem easier just to replace the old ways with the new ways. However, our guest today, Christine Downing, says that an important aspect of MTSS implementation is to start with examining what aspects of MTSS are already happening and build on those practices. Christine Downing is an e...

Leaders work hard to make their schools great, often facing many challenges, like getting others to agree on what needs to change. Change can be hard, especially within an established school system, with long-held beliefs, traditions, or struggles. In this episode, we discuss why change is so hard and how leaders can build their root cause analysis and strategic thinking skills. Our guest, Simma R...

In the world of education, every year new initiatives are promised to be the magic bullet that solves all the problems. However, many of those new things don’t last. Educators can be weary of something new. Our guest today understands the hesitancy; however, in her work, Angie Plugge, director of Learning in Waverly, Nebraska, spends her days building an MTSS practice that stays true to its purpos...

Most teachers will tell you that teaching is not just about helping students learn content but about how to think about themselves, the world, and even their place in it. Our guest today, Emily Francis, talks a lot about the power of story and how that can help students find their way, especially if they are immigrant students encountering language and cultural challenges. In today’s episode, Emil...

Schools around the country are still feeling the effects of interrupted learning and finding their way to help students grow and succeed. Many of those schools know that they can’t go back to the way things were before, and they want to make a change to impact ALL students. For Emily Myers, MTSS Director of Orange County Schools in North Carolina, she desires to lead her team in the work of equita...

In the work of educators, one area that continues to challenge schools is making sure that we are helping students in the best way possible, preventing problems for them further in the future. Now more than ever, educators are looking to researchers to find the most effective interventions and provide them with guidance and what to do with the needs they see in the classroom. The guest for this ep...

Any educator will tell you that the first couple of years in a new role is like drinking from a fire hose. There is so much to learn and adapt to, even more so when you are a new principal. In this episode, Larissa talks with Justin Peterson, an elementary school principal in Broken Bow, Nebraska. He stepped into a new role this year and is not only learning what it means to be a principal but is...

It takes a lot more work and planning to make a large wheel turn, but in Gwinnett County Schools, their team did just that. They have been working hard these last few years, making the wheel of school improvement turn with their strategic work with MTSS, and they are seeing the impact of their efforts. In this episode, Larissa chats with Dr. Tinisha Parker, Executive Director of Student Services,...

In this episode, we talk with Jennifer Ocana and Jennifer Sessa from Island Village Montessori, a K-8 charter school in Florida's Sarasota County School system. Jennifer Ocana is the Head of School for Island Village but has been teaching and leading for 20 years in Montessori schools. Jennifer Sessa is the Director of Pupil Support, working with the Special Education staff. We talk about how MTSS...

Reading difficulty has an outsized effect on a student's ability to be successful in school and life. In the past few years, more and more states are passing legislation around dyslexia, requiring schools and teachers to have the knowledge and to screen students early. Dyslexia is “a brain-based learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s reading ability.” Fortunately, research sugges...

As educators, we know that we cannot control what students bring in with them each day, whether that be academic, behavioral, emotional, or even language learning needs. An educator's job is to support students, helping them feel safe so that they can learn and meet their goals. This episode is a conversation with Gabi Graham, a former elementary dual language teacher passionate about helping scho...

Karen Castle, veteran educational leader and Executive Director of Professional Learning at Branching Minds, offers wisdom about wrapping up the school year and questions for leaders to reflect on their MTSS practice. We also dive into the idea that “Remembering Your Why” is not sufficient with the why and the how of making school transformation. Karen is the Executive Director of Professional Lea...

The guest for this episode, AJ Crabill, advocates for taking risks to find a better way to improve schools and support students. AJ Crabill believes that “Student outcomes don't change until adult behaviors change.” In this conversation with AJ, we talk about his work in helping improve schools and helping schools create student-led restorative circles. Restorative practices focus on resolving con...

Part of any good system of support isn’t just reacting to student needs but also being proactive in supporting students at risk. Intervening early can be the best way to prevent students from missing out and falling further behind. One way would be to utilize Early Warning Indicators, such as attendance, behavior, and class grades. These are helpful indicators for identifying students that may nee...