The Growth Over Grades Podcast

What does it truly mean to prepare students for a rapidly changing world? In this episode of the Growth Over Grades podcast, host Jordan Lewis connects with educators and authors Shira Woolf Cohen and Nicole Franchi to redefine future readiness in today's educational landscape. Rather than limiting career readiness to an annual career day, Shira and Nicole discuss how to build a whole-school...

In this episode, host Jordan Lewis sits down with Antonia Rudenstine, the founder and executive director of reDesign, to tackle the monumental mountain of educational systems transformation. Antonia leverages her extensive background as a primary architect for state and district change to explain why leaders must reframe the shift toward competency-based education as a conversation about teaching...

What happens when you eliminate numbers and percentages from the grade book entirely? In this episode of the Growth Over Grades podcast, host Jordan Lewis sits down with educator, author, and podcast host Tim Cavey. Tim is currently an elementary vice principal in Vancouver, British Columbia, and highlights his experience running a completely gradeless classroom for eight years. In this conversati...

How do we move teachers from being "expert data collectors" to active facilitators of real-time growth? In this episode of Growth Over Grades, host Jordan Lewis sits down with Starr Sackstein, a veteran educator and world-renowned assessment expert with over 24 years of experience. Starr currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer and part-owner of Mastery Portfolio, an organization...

Standardized tests provide a baseline, but they rarely capture a community’s hopes and dreams. In this episode, Dr. Brandy Howard, Chief Academic Officer of Bullitt County Public Schools, shares how her district is bridging the gap between state measures and human-centered skills. From 5th graders defining creativity metrics to using AI as a cognitive coach, Brandy breaks down how to align an enti...

Education is currently navigating an acceleration of change that is moving faster than ever before. In this episode, host Jordan Lewis sits down with two visionary leaders from the Education Research and Development Institute (ERDI): CEO and President Jennifer Ferrari and Chief Education Officer Jeff McCoy. Together, they dive into the findings of the latest National Insights Report to discuss how...

If your district celebrates a 90% graduation rate, what happens to the other 10%? In this episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan Lewis sits down with Nerlande Anselme, Superintendent of the Rome City School District in New York, to discuss why all means all must be a lived reality rather than just a mission statement.  Drawing on over 20 years of leadership experience, Nerlande provides a mastercla...

In this episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan Lewis sits down with Matt Winters, an AI innovator and specialist who is at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into the classroom. As the Artificial Intelligence Specialist for the Utah State Board of Education and a board member for the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology, Matt brings over a decade of experience in education an...

What happens when your district’s Portrait of a Learner is just a decoration on the hallway wall rather than a lived reality? In this episode, we sit down with Lori McEwen, President of McEwen Education Consulting and Adjunct Professor at the Boston College Lynch School, to discuss the critical shift from transactional systems to relational preparedness.  Lori shares why readiness is often just a...

In the latest episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Jeanine Collins, Visionary Leader, Systems Designer, and Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer at the Center for the Future of Learning. Jeanine shares what it truly looks like to move from a high-level vision to ground-level reality, drawing from her landmark work co-designing the community-driven Portrait of a Nevada Learner. She e...

How can schools move from serving a "pre-baked" curriculum to inviting students into the kitchen to co-design their own learning? In this episode, host Jordan Lewis connects with National Director of Partnerships at Big Picture Learning, Dr. Sonn Sam, to discuss shifting the educational focus from "one-size-fits-all" models to individual student design.  Sonn breaks down the Bi...

Why do we treat essential skills like collaboration and communication as the "dessert" of education—only to be enjoyed after the "main course" of lectures is finished? Host Jordan Lewis connects with educator, author, and founder of Epic PBL, Trevor Muir , to dismantle the myth that school is just preparation for the future. Trevor argues that "high school is the real worl...

Is your district producing "ready" graduates who check boxes, or "prepared" learners who can adapt when the world changes? In this episode, Jordan Lewis sits down with the CEO of Learning Ecosystems Design and former Director of Innovative Learning at the Kentucky Department of Education to discuss the massive shift required to move education from a transactional system to a re...

Why do we dread the DMV but love the farmer’s market?  Host Jordan Lewis joins Dr. Maggie Broderick to explore how educators can replicate that sense of excitement and ownership in their schools. Maggie breaks down how to shift focus from checking boxes to understanding the whole human in front of you. In this episode, they discuss: The DMV vs. Farmer's Market: Moving classroom culture from a...

How can educators adopt a chef's mindset to create learning experiences where every student leaves full? In this episode, host Jordan Lewis connects with Mike Lang to discuss shifting the teacher's role from mechanic to driver. Mike breaks down his philosophy of hiding the onions—embedding necessary curriculum into engaging projects so students consume what they need without resistance....

How do we move past the fear of AI-driven cheating and instead use technology to foster deeper learning and essential human skills? In this episode, host Jordan Lewis speaks with Alana Winnick, Educational Technology Director, author of The Generative Age, and podcaster. Alana breaks down what she terms "The Generative Age" —an era defined by the ability to generate content and its profo...

In this episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Gina Schuyler, an educator and advocate for purpose-driven learning who serves as the Administrator for Community Partnerships for Grayslake Community High School District 127. Gina shares how her district is answering the age-old student question, "When am I ever going to use this?" by creating a powerful ecosystem of real-wor...

In this episode of the Growth Over Grades podcast, Jordan sits down with two leaders at the forefront of educational innovation: Brian Stack, Superintendent of the Fremont, NH School District, and Jonathan Vander Els, Director of Innovative Projects at the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI). Both are also celebrated authors and associates for Solution Tree. Arguing that traditional, time-bas...

In the season premiere of Season 4 of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with educational change advocate and thought leader, Laurie Gagnon. As a key designer of the quality performance assessment model, Laurie shares why a fundamental shift in how we approach assessment is more urgent than ever for creating equitable, learner-centered systems. She discusses how building true assessment literacy...

In the season finale of Season 3 of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Doug Roberts, Founder & CEO of the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI). Doug shares what he’s learned from years of working with superintendents across the country—and why retention, relationships, and rebranding public education are more urgent than ever. This episode explores the real impact of leadership chur...

In the twenty-second episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Paul K. Smith, Founder & CEO of SchoolWorks Consulting and former superintendent of East Hampton Public Schools. This episode explores what it takes to bring a Portrait of a Graduate to life through inclusive, community-rooted design. Paul shares his eight steps to success framework, the importance of student voice, and...

In the twenty-first episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Dr. Michelle Cavazos—2024 ESC Region 2 Superintendent of the Year and Superintendent of Gregory-Portland ISD—for a powerful conversation about leading with authenticity, empowering student voice, and making progress over perfection. With 30 years in education and a deep belief in the potential of every learner, Michelle share...

In the twentieth episode of Growth Over Grade s , Jordan sits down with Damian LaCroix—former superintendent, executive coach, and education consultant—for a candid conversation about leadership loneliness and how to move through it with intention. Drawing on 33 years in education, including 19 as superintendent, Damian shares deeply personal stories that shaped his leadership—moments of grief, cr...

In the nineteenth episode of Growth Over Grades, Jordan sits down with Dr. Chad Lang, Assistant Superintendent of School Improvement at Glenwood Community School District. This episode dives into what it takes to successfully lead standards-based grading reform, why clear communication with families is critical, and how building a strong adult learning culture supports lasting change. Chad also sh...

In the eighteenth episode of Growth Over Grades , Jordan sits down with Dr. Joshua Matthews, Superintendent of Shelby County Public Schools. They dive into how Kentucky’s Portrait of a Learner is reshaping instruction, why local accountability matters, and how real-world programs like Ranger Academy help students connect learning to life. Josh also shares practical advice on building school cultur...