Build Momentum - Thought Leadership for Education

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Education Reform). The prize recognizes leaders in sustainable, transformational, outstanding, and permissionless education.

This is the third episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.

Some Questions I Ask:

• Tell us something about yourself and Randolph Eastern. (02:22)
• What do you do in Randolph Eastern and what trends do you see on a national scale? (05:47)
• What made you decide to start the Rural Alliance Zone 32? (07:32)
• What is your funding model and how would you advise other superintendents about joining a collaborative? (09:16)
• What credentials students are looking for and what are you offering? (11:31)
• What are students’ experiences within your program? (15:15)
• What are your goals in the next five years? (18:33)
• How do you share your story? (20:10)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Aaron Black (02:35)
• His role at Randolph Eastern and trends he sees (06:02)
• The start of rural collaboratives in Randolph County (07:59)
• His advice to other superintendents about joining rural collaboratives and about funding models (09:39)
• Credentials students look for and what Randolph Eastern offers (11:57)
• Student experiences with the program (15:46)
• Goals in the next five years (18:48)
• How to emulate the way Aaron shares his story (20:22)

Quotes:

“We start with kindergarteners, taking career exploration trips and being very intentional about getting them out in front of employers and learning how the world works. We do that with every grade level, and it culminates at the high school.”

“We know [students] have their skills and interests, right? We know what their passions are. But we're not telling them, ‘Hey, you're going to be a nurse your entire life.’ We're saying, ‘Hey, check out this health care pathway. It may be a perfect fit for you.’”

“Success looks like student participation and access. … The win is in five years if the numbers multiply five times by student participation and if we continue to attract schools to help us figure out this access issue.“


Stay in touch with Aaron:
LinkedIn
Twitter
The UC Experience Podcast
Website

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Marina Parr, a Director of Workforce System Advancement at Washington’s Workforce Board and Stephanie Davidsmeyer, a Director of Communications for the WashingtonState Board of Education. Stephanie has a 10 year experience in nonprofit, corporate and government outreach media relations. Marina is also a Communications Director and Communications Consultant.

Some Questions I Ask:

• Tell us more about Marina Parr’s work and if there is a shift on how districts prioritize workforce development (01:25)
• Has Stephanie Davidsmeyer seen workforce development and advancement increase through the communication perspective? (04:03)
• Have you both seen an increase in public private partnership when it comes to workforce development in Washington? (08:09)
• How is the ESSER Cliff impacting the districts in Washington in workforce development? (16:39)
• What are the key takeaways of the Workforce System Poster? (21:20)
• How Stephanie shares powerful success stories to the community? (23:51)
• What are you most hopeful about the future of workforce development? (27:57)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Marina Parr’s work as Director of Workforce System Advancement and her view of districts prioritizing workforce development (01:49)
• Stephanie Davidsmeyer’s perspective on workforce development across Washington State (04:34)
• Marina and Stephanie’s point of view with regards to workforce development increase (11:08)
• Impact of ESSAR Cliff in Washington State (18:32)
• Key takeaways of the Workforce System Poster (21:42)
• Powerful Success Stories (24:13)
• Marina’s hopes for the future of workforce development (28:21)

Quotes:

“we know that businesses are busy, that's probably the biggest challenge in workforce development is getting business to the table, because they're really trying to run their business. So you need to make effective use of their time. I know, they're very interested, though, in education and getting the training that the young people need. Our state has had something called industry skill panels, and that's bringing together similar businesses, so they can discuss common skill gaps, hiring challenges, you know, difficulties that their employees face, and finding housing, other support. And the interesting thing is that these businesses, and these employers are typically competitors, right. So they're in the same space.”

“Chronic absenteeism is an issue, it really did start with a pandemic kids kind of checked out, and then they never really checked back in. So we kind of have to figure out how to reengage students and really get them in, you know, really be there, be present, and then also kids that fell behind. And we know that populations that have struggled the most had the widest gap, you know, that they felt way farther behind than some of our higher performing populations of students who have more access to resources, etc. So we have to find ways to keep those folks going.”

Stay in touch with WTB:
Website

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining programs for young people, where she also serves as a board member and consultant. She is an experienced educator, researcher, and nonprofit leader with many notable achievements.

This is the second episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.

Some Questions I Ask:

• Can you tell us more about Empower Schools? (01:34)
• What workforce issues are being addressed in the traditional CTE space? (04:04)
• What opportunities have you developed with higher education partners, and what challenges have you encountered? (07:05)
• How do you address funding in K-12 education collaboratives? (10:54)
• What credentials are you looking to offer in these collaborations, and how do they enhance students’ futures? (14:19)
• How do the collaborations address student transportation? (19:21)
• What are your goals in rural collaboratives, and do you have to be rural to be part of them? (25:08)
• What other places across the country have built impressive collaborations to support students? (28:43)
• How do you share your powerful story of success? (31:33)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Empower Schools (01:46)
• Workforce issues traditional CTE addresses (04:19)
• Opportunities and challenges with higher education partners (07:35)
• Strategies for funding K-12 collaboratives (11:09)
• Pros and cons of credentials (15:41)
• Creative approaches to student transportation (19:34)
• Aspirational goals for education collaboratives anywhere (25:29)
• Which other states have built impressive collaborations (29:02)
• How Lauren shares her organization’s success (31:49)

Quotes:

“I joke with my friends in the education innovation scene—excuse my language if we can't use this term—but someone needs to make transportation sexy. Why is no one innovating transportation?.”

“We've created a situation where we have thousands and thousands of students across the country who have insane amounts of post-secondary debt and no real career prospects. … Post-secondary is important, but let's marry it with very intentional academic supports and a clear path that kids have explored and feel good about—and that leads to a family-sustaining wage.”

“Rural collaboratives are a really unique way of maintaining community identity and collective efficacy, the sense that a group of people feel like they can do something well together, take care of their kids, [and] create a really strong regional economy.”

Stay in touch with Lauren:
LinkedIn
Email: lhallriggins@empowerschools.org

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in specialized career pathways.

Some Questions I Ask:

• What is the Rural Schools Innovation Zone? (01:16)
• Please tell us more about the three school corporations involved. (07:06)
• What are the challenges and successes in dealing with the higher education system? (09:27)
• How do you recommend the funding model to other education organizations and districts? (12:58)
• What are the outcomes of the zone and how are you growing this? (16:59)
• How do you address the potential barrier of transportation? (22:01)
• What about other logistics like bell schedules? (24:12)
• What advice can you give to school leaders about starting a real collaborative? (26:08)
• How do you share your story to the community and the whole educational sphere? (27:45)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about the Rural Schools Innovation Zone (01:31)
• The participating schools (07:41)
• The successes and challenges in dealing with the higher education system (09:49)
• Recommendations for the funding model (13:10)
• Student outcomes and growth (17:31)
• Ideas for handling transportation  (22:10)
• Making the logistics work (24:48)
• Mike’s advice to school leaders looking to start a collaborative (26:17)
• His way of sharing this story to the community (27:59)

Quotes:

“Be a champion for your community. Be a champion for the kids that are there that are underserved for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be resources or parity or scarcity, whatever the right word is. The local champions need to come to the forefront [and] advocate for the right things to do for kids. Start with your local school boards, your principals, your students, your superintendents, and then take it to the next step from there.”

“You can live in your community and take advantage of other resources and other programs away from your community but come back and still have community pride.”

“I’m trying to get to those organizations that reach the older members of the community that don’t have kids in school so they can understand what we’re doing, because they’re the ones going out and voting.”

Stay in touch with Michael:
RSISZ Website
LinkedIn
Email: mgonzalez@thersisz.org
Text: (361)-522-0261

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Adam Kulaas, the Director of Innovative Learning and Career and Technical Education for Tacoma Public Schools in Washington State. He also founded Jobs 253, which offers the district’s high school students the opportunity to earn credit toward graduation while gaining meaningful work experience.

Some Questions I Ask:

• Tell us about Tacoma Public Schools and your role in the district? (01:15)
• What is the Job 253 program? (02:10)
• What impact does Jobs 253 have for students and the community? (04:31)
• Who funds the program? (06:47)
• How do you work with other entities? (08:36)
• How do employers respond? (11:14)
• Will there be a shift in how districts implement workforce experiences in the future? (12:04)
• What is your advice for others who want to consider a similar approach in other cities? (13:29)
• When do you introduce the program to students? (15:29)
• How do you share your success with others? (17:09)
  
  

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Adam’s role at Tacoma Public Schools (01:21)
• All about the Jobs 253 program (02:43)
• Impacts of Jobs 253 (04:42)
• Funding sources for Jobs 253 (07:01)
• Expansion of the program (09:09)
• Employers’ response toward the program (11:26)
• Trajectory of priorities for Job 253 in the future (12:26)
• His advice to other districts adapting theJobs 253 program (13:44)
• Reasons to introduce the program as early as possible (15:41)
• Sharing Adam’s success story to the community (17:26)
  
  

Quotes:

“We served over 1,000 kids in paid work experiences. For perspective, that mirrored the 10 years previous. It's this really rich, exciting opportunity that evolved over the years [but] still remains firmly anchored in this idea of giving kids a paid work experience and serving community.”

“It's been fun to watch us shift or solidify some of the trajectories for youth in terms of life in high school, but even beyond in terms of what's next.”

“The faster we can adapt to scenarios that empower learners–give them not just a sense of ownership, but actual control over what their current experiences are, and then help them frame what that looks like beyond–then we win. I see an intentional push at the state and national levels to integrate more real work experiences, real world experiences. But I think I'm in a unique scenario. You have to gather a mass in order to go from theory to action.”

Stay in touch with Adam Kulaas:
Getting Smart Website
Job 253 Website
Tacoma Public Schools

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by a new co-host, Chad Bolser, a Chancellor from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. In previous roles, he served as vice president of Strategic Operations-Southern Campuses and Chancellor at the Richmond Campus. Chad was the athletic director at Richmond Community Schools for six years and the head coach for boys basketball for 10 years. We also bid farewell to Dr. Katie Lash as she embarks on a new chapter of her career as Ivy Tech’s Vice President for K-14 and Strategic Initiatives.

Some Questions I Ask:

• What news do you have to tell us, Katie? (02:12)
• Who is Chad Bolser? (03:51)
• How do community colleges (including Ivy Tech) impact their local areas? (05:25)
• How are K-12 educators expanding their role in preparing students for the workforce?  (07:38)
• How are community colleges adapting to these changes? (10:14)
• What takeaways do you have from national conferences you attend? (11:33)
• How does thought leadership play a role in elevating Ivy Tech’s reputation and influence at the state and national level? (14:30)
• How does Katie’s new role (from K-12 to K-14) illustrate community colleges’ strategies? (19:36)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Katie’s new career path (02:17)
• All about Chad Bolser (04:10)
• The growth of community colleges like Ivy Tech (05:45)
• Chad’s insights regarding K-12 and the workforce (08:00)
• Community colleges’ adaptation to AI (10:38)
• The evolution of community colleges nationally (11:52)
• The influence of Ivy Tech through thought leadership and education (15:25)
• Katie’s transition from K-12 to K-14 (20:36)

Quotes:

“One of the reasons that I like the term community college—as opposed to two-year or, when we leave off the community portion of that and just say college to try to stay in the higher education lane—is because we are the connectors of the community. And I think one of the reasons that we're having this moment when lots of folks are talking about how we can be integrators is because we're connectors. We connect to employer partners.”

“It doesn't matter whether it's an elementary student, a middle school student, or high school student, if you ask them about knowledge, rarely are they turning to the curriculum that they've been presented with. They're turning to their devices, they're turning to AI, they're turning to all of the options that they have. We shouldn't be surprised that they're also learning how to do a lot of things that we would have gone to classes for—and they're doing it in 15-minute increments on the internet. That's not a bad thing. That's a wonderful thing.”

“Accessibility has always been the core of what community college’s two-year experience has been for the educational system.” 

Stay in touch with Dr. Katie Lash:
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

Hello, Build Momentum listeners. We're excited to kick off season four of the podcast and we have some exciting changes to share this season. We're so thrilled for last season's co-host, Dr. Katie Lash, who recently left the service center to take on the role of VP of K-14 and Strategic Initiatives at Ivy Tech are so happy for her and wish her well as she focuses on her new job. The good news is that we're still keeping our Indiana connection and Chad Bolser and Chancellor from Ivy Tech will be this season's new co-host!

This season are kicking off a workforce development series including interviews with Superintendents, District CTE leaders, and rural education organizations committed to driving innovation and leading impactful change in K- 14 to support workforce development.

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Julia Fallon. Julia, a self-described technology and learning alchemist, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association, where she works with U.S. state and territorial digital learning leaders to empower the education community to leverage technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. Prior to joining SETDA, Julia worked for Washington state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for 17 years. In her free time, she runs the Crazy Idea Factory™.

Some Questions We Ask:

• What is SETDA? (00:45)
• What have you discovered about state edtech trends? (05:43)
• What is your organization’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Collaborative? (11:11)
• How does SETDA unify and elevate voices and messages? (15:04)
• What are your views on seeing AI and VR pop up everywhere? (19:15)
• What are your hopes for the future? (26:01)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Julia Fallon and SETDA (01:03)
• About cybersecurity and investments in devices and learning management systems (06:22)
• About the Cybersecurity and Privacy Collaborative with the Melinda Gates Foundation (11:18)
• SETDA’s strategies as a learning community (15:39)
• Julia’s perspectives on AI and VR (19:30)
• Her thoughts and hopes for the future (26:12)

Quotes:

“We really believe that states have a role to play. It depends on your state, though, of course—because everybody talks about local control. And that means different things for different regions. But the idea is how can you leverage what other states have already done so you don't have to start from scratch.”

“Technology is here to automate. Had we had the pandemic 10 years ago, think about video conferencing! It used to be like, you had a book a room, and then 14 people got involved, and the thing got plugged in, and you had to show up somewhere. And now I'm in my house talking to people around the world.”

“ [The pandemic] highlighted a lot of the gaps that we had and the reality that there are communities we haven't served and we didn't serve well. And now there are different ways to serve them.”

Connect with Julia:
SETDA Website
SETDA Twitter
Julia Fallon’s LinkedIn
Julia Fallon’s Twitter

Resources Mentioned:
”Human Work In the Age of Smart Machines” by Jamie Merisotis
”The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization” by Thomas L. Friedman 

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Doug Roberts, who is the founder and CEO of the Institute for Education Innovation. IEI specializes in bridging the gaps between individuals and organizations that are committed to seeing students succeed in school and in life. Doug and his team create safe spaces for problem-solving and innovative thinking, including the IEI Summer Summit where this episode was recorded.

Some Questions We Ask:

• Could you tell us why you’re here and what IEI has going on this week? (00:59)
• What is IEI? (02:28)
• What are your thoughts about superintendents’ stress levels and how does IEI support them during difficult times? (02:45)
• Why is it important for edtech companies to have evidence, and how should they be ensuring they have it, especially with ESSER funding dwindling? (05:48)
• How do you think edtech companies are getting it wrong when they focus on AI support for school districts? (11:12)
• What are some of the ways you have committed to increasing the superintendent pipeline, and how do you think others can help support it too? (15:13)
• Tell us more about Supes’ Choice Awards. (21:31)
• You've really worked to build your thought leadership presence throughout the years. Is there anything you would change in the industry in terms of how people publicly try to build their exposure and awareness? (27:45)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About the IEI Summer Summit (01:11)
• About the Institute for Education Innovation (02:32)
• About superintendents’ stress levels and how IEI supports them  (03:03)
• The importance of evidence and why companies should have it, especially in connection with ESSER funds (06:14)
• What edtech companies do wrong when they focus on AI support for school districts (11:30)
• What IEI Lead is and what it does (15:23)
• Doug and Katie’s perspective on the Supes’ Choice Awards (21:54)
• Katie’s advice for people who want to apply for the Supes’ Choice Awards (26:54)
• Doug’s thought leadership (28:06)

Quotes:

“Evidence is really in the eye of the beholder. That's a decision between a superintendent and her or his cabinet and the actual educators who will implement the thing.”

Connect with Doug:
Doug's Twitter
Email: doug@instituteforedinnovation.com
Doug Robert's LinkedIn
IEI Twitter
IEI Website
Supes' Choice Website

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Tom Vander Ark, an advocate for innovations in learning. He is the CEO of Getting Smart, a design learning firm that helps education organizations increase their impact with innovations for a better learning experience. Tom is also a prolific writer and speaker who has authored or co-authored eight books, including “The Power of Place: Authentic Learning Through Place-Based Education” and “Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning,” and he’s working on a new one. He has also been a content contributor for Forbes, LinkedIn, and Getting Smart. In his free time, Tom enjoys cycling and making vegan creations.
 
Some Questions We Ask:

•  What career experiences led you to launch Getting Smart? (00:44)
• What trends and challenges are districts facing now? (01:50)
• What’s your take on the evolution of AI? (03:31)
• Can you tell us more about your new book? (11:39)
• What are your thoughts on developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students? (15:17)
• Looking ahead, what are your hopes in education? (18:14)
• What advice and insights do you have for other organizations hoping to follow the path you’ve taken? (20:03)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Tom Vander Ark and Getting Smart (00:53)
• The top challenges school districts face today (02:06)
• Tom’s perspective about AI (03:48)
• About Tom’s new book (11:58)
• His thoughts regarding entrepreneurial mindset (15:42)
• How to create more opportunities and environments where young people can succeed (18:24)
• His advice for other organizations to follow his path to success (20:34)

Quotes:

“The key to education today is helping students develop a sense of identity and agency, understand their strengths and interests, and then understand how and where they can act on the world, spot opportunities to make a difference, design solutions, and deliver impact to a community.”

“That the rise of the platform economy has created many new ramps for people to step into employment or create a new business or campaign. It has enabled a new wave of entrepreneurship.”

“We can create environments where students are experiencing success in what's next. They're actually doing work that matters. That's project-based learning. That's work-based learning. That's enterprise.”

Connect with Tom:
Getting Smart Website
Tom's Twitter
Tom’s LinkedIn
Tom's Instagram
Tom's Epic Veggie Creation Instagram

Resources Mentioned:
Human Work In the Age of Smart Machine by Jamie Merisotis
Tom Vander Ark Books

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Ken Eisner. Ken is currently a Consulting Advisor with Avathon Capital, a Special Partner at Good Harbor Partners, and a Senior Advisor at New Markets Venture Partners. He is the former Director of Business Development for Amazon Web Services’ Global Learning Systems.

Some Questions We Ask:

• What have you been up to since leaving Amazon earlier this year? (00:56)
• What do you think about the shifts in higher education? (03:23)
• What is the most effective way to evaluate microcredentials? (09:05)
• How can you apply the lessons you’ve learned through working in education with the government and private sectors? (16:21)
• What tips can you share for those who want to secure investments? 
• What is your advice for those who want to elevate their profile and establish their platform within the education sphere? 
• What are your predictions for education in the future? 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Ken’s life after Amazon (01:00)
• His thoughts about higher education (03:57)
• To evaluate microcredentials (09:23)
• How Ken applied the lessons he learned in education (16:51)
• His advice and tips for securing funds 
• His advice for those who want to establish a platform in education 
• Ken’s thoughts and predictions for education in the future 

Quotes:

“There are two systems of learning: Education from elementary school to middle school to secondary school to higher ed, and then there's corporate training, which really should be the lifelong learning path. Higher ed traditionally focuses on civic mindedness and an elite education—at least, that's the roots of it— while corporate training puts the round peg of learning into the square hole of people who are selling widgets or services.”

“We know that the ‘sage on the stage’ is a foregone educational experiment. It worked for a period of time, for various reasons, but it needs to evolve.” 

“‘Have backbone, disagree, and commit’ is one of my favorite leadership principles. As a leader, how are you encouraging debate within your organization? How are you reaching out to every person in your organization and ensuring their voice is heard?”

Connect with Ken:
Ken Eisner's LinkedIn
ken.eisner@gmail.com

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by edtech pioneer Michael Horn. Michael is the co-founder of and a distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute, a nonprofit think tank dedicated to Disruptive Innovation, and an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Michael has won numerous awards for his insightful work, serves on a range of advisory boards, and is the author of books such as “From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)creating School for Every Child,” ”Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns,” “Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools,” “Choosing College: How to Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life,” and “Goodnight Box.”

Some Questions We Ask:

• Describe your journey in education. (00:47)
• What do you think about this current moment in education? (02:07)
• What is your opinion on incorporating AI in education? (05:15)
• Please tell us about your book “From Reopen to Reinvent” (08:05)
• We're seeing a shift in what students are doing post high school. New pathways are developing. What are your thoughts on that? (16:12)
• What are you most hopeful about in the direction education is headed? (19:28)
• What insights can you share for listeners who are looking to build their own profiles? (24:31)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Michael’s journey in education (00:58)
• His thoughts on AI in education (03:11)
• How  schooling can best coexist with technology (06:37)
• The key message of his book “From Reopen to Reinvent” (08:20)
• The importance of choosing the right pathways that are accessible and that suit the student (16:36)
• Michael’s thoughts on building your leadership profile (24:31)

Quotes:

“Know your expertise. Lean into that expertise. And make insights out of that expertise. That’s number 1. Second, be humble. You have a lot to learn from everyone you connect with. Third, be authentic. If a theory on which you’re drawing doesn’t have a perspective on something, say that. Know your limits.”

“I think the biggest regret in that book is that we named it “Choosing College” as opposed to something a little catchy and more encompassing—but lesson learned, right? The idea was like, ‘Hey, step back and think about what progress you're trying to make. What's the outcome you're really seeking?’ And if you can understand that, then all of a sudden, you realize college isn't the only pathway anymore to get from A to B. ”

“We're seeing more pathways open up that empower students. It's really positive. It's putting kids at the center. It's giving families more options. I think AI tools are going to create more pathways, and I think we're going to see more districts create their own pathways and portfolios of different school types that power students to learn whatever they want and to chase their dreams in exciting ways.”

Connect with Michael:
LinkedIn
Website
Books

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Bart Epstein,a Research Associate Professor in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia. The education entrepreneur was named one of the 30 K-12 IT Influencers to Follow by EdTech Magazine in 2022. He is the founder of the EdTech Evidence Exchange, a board member at ISTE+ASCD,  and a civil test pilot for NASA.

Some Questions We Ask:

• Tell us about your background and journey in education. (00:32)
  What are your thoughts about the ASU+GSV conference? (01:55)
  Could you share your research about the EdTech Genome Project and the EdTech Evidence Exchange? (05:31)
  What are the challenges and opportunities for ISTE+ASCD in relation to AI? (13:38)
  How do you evaluate tech solutions and recommend them to district leaders? (19:22)
  How did you build and elevate your own profile, and what are your suggestions for other leaders? (27:09)
  What are you most hopeful about in the coming year? (34:18)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Bart Epstein’s background and journey in education (00:43)
• His thoughts about ASU+GSV and AI (02:38)
• All about EdTech Evidence Exchange and the EdTech Genome Project (05:55)
• Challenges and opportunities for ISTE+ASCD (13:59)
• Tech solution evaluations and recommendations (19:36)
• His process for building his own profile and suggestions for other leaders (27:37)
• His hopes and expectations for the coming year (34:25)

Quotes:

“I think we're most likely in the coming years to see AI teaching assistants help reduce variability in classrooms in a way that makes whole class lessons more effective for all students.”

“At ISTE and ASCD, we are focused on providing educators with the tools and support, and community that they need as they lead this recovery. Quite frankly, they are exhausted, and many of them are working environments in environments where there are teacher shortages. They are heroes who can only operate on fumes for so long. And so we need to collectively find ways to make it as easy as possible for them to get the support that they need.”

“AI, when it's done right, like other technologies, should save you a lot of time. And it should free you up to do the things that are most human and most impactful.”

“Stay laser-focused on the wants and needs of your intended audience. In a world of endless boring press releases and webinars, the way to stand out, in my experience, is to understand what people want and then give it to them. And if you don't know, ask them! People love to talk about their problems. Ask them what frustrates them, what else have they tried, what would fix their problem, what evidence they'd want to see what change they care about in the world.”

“Remember, it's never about you. It's always about them.”

“I'm most hopeful that we'll continue to make progress towards learning how to use technology to better support students and teachers. We really need it to perform.”

Connect with Bart:
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by AJ Crabill. AJ is a Conservator at DeSoto ISD in DeSoto, Texas, and as a Director of Governance at the Council of the Great City Schools. The education reform advocate and public speaker also served as a Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency and as Board Chair of Kansas City Public Schools. He is the author of the best-selling book “Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective.”

Some Questions We Ask:

• Tell us more about your journey in education. (01:07)
  What educational path led to where you are today? (02:31)
  What advice can you give to education leaders on how to elevate their roles? (06:15)
  Tell us more about your book. (10:13)
  As an education reformer, what are your thoughts about our system and its impact on our country? (12:06)
  What is the difference between being focused on student outcomes versus adult inputs? (16:26)
  What is your final advice for all educators? (20:18)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About AJ’s educational journey and what he does as a student outcomes evangelist (01:18)
  About AJ’s past classroom experiences and his current leadership roles (02:50)
  AJ’s advice to education leaders (06:40)
  All about his book, Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective” (10:33)
  His thoughts about the education system and its impact (12:24)
  His thoughts on student outcomes versus adult inputs (16:40)
  The key to being a fantastic educator (20:38)

Quotes:

“It's not actually a change in what happened [in the past] that is driving my behavior, it's a change in how I see what happened and how I view it and what meaning I assigned to it—that is driving my response.”

“If there's any magic in public education, it's in the classroom—it's definitely not in the boardroom. And so the thing that matters most is the quality of instruction that students are experiencing day in and day out. If everything else is wrong and that's right, children are blessed. If everything else was right and that's wrong, children aren't going to get the blessings that they deserve.”

“The job of school boards is to represent the vision and values of the community. Their job is to constantly be listening for the community's vision of what they want students to know and be able to do, adopting goals that describe what the community expects to see out of their school system, and then monitoring progress toward those goals, constantly trying to figure out, ‘Are we actually producing the community's vision for our children?’ Nobody else in the organization has that role of saying, ‘What is the community's vision and how are we making sure that it is happening?’”

Connect with AJ:
AJ's Website
AJ’s LinkedIn
Great on Their Behalf Website
Purchase the Great on

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Oliver James. Oliver is one of social media’s rising stars and an influencer on TikTok, where he was able to learn how to read through his fans’ support and encouragement.

Some Questions We Ask:

• What is your story? (00:52)
• When did you realize you needed to tell the TikTok community and your fans about your situation? (02:06)
• Did people around you know you were struggling? (04:51)
• Tell us about a teacher who changed your life as a student. (30:10)
• Do you associate behavior with reading? (36:33)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Oliver James’ humble beginnings. (01:04)
  The buildup of life and emotions that prompted him to share his situation. (02:39)
  How Oliver struggled, what the people around him knew of those struggles, and how he was able to cope. (06:08)
  How teachers helped him change his student life. (30:31)
  The associations between reading and behavior. (36:47)

Quotes:

“There's this destination I'm trying to get to as a speaker. But this reading journey has to happen first. I need to become a better reader so then I can become that better speaker.”

“I would say  for teachers out there, [if] a kid is struggling, just let him be himself and then entertain his world.”

“One of my main goals is to try to make people understand the value of choice. Not just the simple value of choice, I'm talking about digging deep into the choice and being like, “I could choose to be happy, even when I'm sad,” and you be like, “Oh, if you want to give it a try, it's gonna be hard.” But if you break that barrier to pull yourself out of sadness into the smiling joy of laughter, you will be the most joyful person on earth, because you have learned how to overcome things that are way beyond people's comprehension.”


Connect with Oliver:
Oliver James' TikTok
Oliver James' Instagram
oliverspeaks1@gmail.com

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Lina Eroh, Communications Director for the Overdeck Family Foundation. Lina leads both internal and external communications efforts, working closely with grantees and the Foundation team. She has also provided her specialties in corporate communication for iconic consumer brands such as eBay. She is the President of the Rye Free Reading Room Auxiliary Board and spends her weekends with her three daughters, husband, and giant schnauzer.

Some Questions We Ask:

• Please share with us your background—including how you ended up in philanthropy. (00:46)
• How does Overdeck prioritize recipients? How do you decide whether you're going to take on a project? (03:18)
• What are appropriate ways for an organization that is interested in pursuing funding to reach out? (06:10)
• As a communications leader, how do you help folks tell stories about their projects? (10:13)
• What role do you think philanthropy plays in supporting nonprofits? (12:16)
• Can you share more of your powerful case studies? (23:38) 

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Lina’s background and her philanthropic journey (00:53)
• About Overdeck Family Foundation, its recipients, and its projects (03:52)
• Strategies for connecting with potential funders (6:24)
• Tips for collaboration around messaging (10:38)
• Overdeck’s philosophy of philanthropy for evidence building, innovation, and growth (12:38)
• Examples of Overdeck’s work in education and health care (18:34) 
• About its family engagement work and the Learning Heroes program (23:48)

Quotes:

“Overdeck Family Foundation's philosophy is to fund what we know the government struggles to fund or is not as interested in funding. So we know that the Department of Education spends less than one tenth of 1% of its budget on R&D. So that is a big reason why we designed our funding in these three pillars: evidence building, innovation, and growth.”

“You don't [want to] have an intervention in 2023 relying on evidence from like 2013, when nobody had Chromebooks. You really [want to] have timely evidence that a nonprofit can take to a district and say, ‘This works in this context, and this context is very similar to your context. Therefore, there's a real reason for you to try this product to meet the challenges that your system has.’”

“Kids should love learning. It's one of the amazing opportunities of being a human—and one of the real privileges we have of living in a country with a public education system. I'm really hopeful that coming out of the pandemic, some of this innovation that philanthropy has funded really does start to move the needle for kids, both in immediate outcomes and long-term results.”

“There's so much funding out there right now that is looking to be put to work for great things that really move the needle for kids.”

Connect with Lina:
Overdeck website
Lina Eroh’s LinkedIn
Email: lina@overdeck.org

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

On this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Ben Farrell, the Assistant Head of School and Director of the Upper School at the New England Innovation Academy. Prior to joining NEIA, Ben was the Principal and Head of School at The International Montessori School of Beijing. Ben received his M.A. in higher and post-secondary education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, and completed graduate coursework in cross cultural conflict transformation and reconciliation at the School for International Training in Vermont.

Some Questions We Ask:

• How can teachers effectively use artificial intelligence in the classroom? (00:43)
• What are some of the challenges utilizing AI and how can they be addressed in the classroom? (03:37)
• What are some ways that you see projects being managed with AI? (05:14)
• How do you think administrators (maybe even PR firm owners!) can take advantage of AI? (8:07)
• What other ways do you see generative AI integrating into the curriculum? (11:17)
• How can teachers and school leaders navigate AI conversations with their communities? (14:10)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About the use of AI in classrooms (00:50)
• Challenges of utilizing AI (03:45)
• Ideas for differentiated learning with generative AI (05:44)
• AI use beyond education (08:24)
• Other integration of generative AI into the curriculum (12:13)
• Tips for having AI conversations in the community (14:51)

Quotes:

“All the information in the world is just out there waiting for us to find it and to utilize it..”

“This is going to be with us in the future. So I think we have to find ways to not only live with it but utilize it in an ethical, thoughtful way that our students can grab onto because they're going to be using this or some more advanced version of this the rest of their lives now.”

“For the first time in my career, I had the ability to sort of sit with my Upper School students and say, ‘What should we do? What do you think we should do?’ And I think they were taken aback by that.”

Connect with Tom:
NEIA website
Ben Farrell’s LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Tom Vander Ark, an advocate for innovations in learning. He is the CEO of Getting Smart, a design learning firm that helps education organizations increase their impact with innovations for a better learning experience. Tom is also a prolific writer and speaker who has authored or co-authored eight books, including “The Power of Place: Authentic Learning Through Place-Based Education” and “Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning,” and he’s working on a new one. He has also been a content contributor for Forbes, LinkedIn, and Getting Smart. In his free time, Tom enjoys cycling and making vegan creations.
 
Some Questions We Ask:

•  What career experiences led you to launch Getting Smart? (00:44)
• What trends and challenges are districts facing now? (01:50)
• What’s your take on the evolution of AI? (03:31)
• Can you tell us more about your new book? (11:27)
• What are your thoughts on developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students? (15:04)
• Looking ahead, what are your hopes in education? (18:04)
• What advice and insights do you have for other organizations hoping to follow the path you’ve taken? (19:51

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Tom Vander Ark and Getting Smart (00:53)
• The top challenges school districts face today (02:06)
• Tom’s perspective about AI (03:48)
• About Tom’s new book (11:46)
• His thoughts regarding entrepreneurial mindset (15:30)
• How to create more opportunities and environments where young people can succeed (18:11)
• His advice for other organizations to follow his path to success (20:22)

Quotes:

“The key to education today is helping students develop a sense of identity and agency, understand their strengths and interests, and then understand how and where they can act on the world, spot opportunities to make a difference, design solutions, and deliver impact to a community.”

“That the rise of the platform economy has created many new on ramps for people to step into employment or create a new business or campaign. It has has enabled a new wave of entrepreneurship.”

“We can create environments where students are experiencing success in what's next. They're actually doing work that matters. That's project-based learning. That's work-based learning. That's enterprise.”

Connect with Tom:
Getting Smart Website
Tom's Twitter
Tom’s LinkedIn
Tom's Instagram
Tom's Epic Veggie Creation Instagram

Resources Mentioned:
Human Work In the Age of Smart Machine by Jamie Merisotis
Tom Vander Ark Books

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie will be diving into sending marketing emails and making phone calls to superintendents and district leaders and figuring out what strategies are working and what don't.

Some Questions Sarah Asks:

• Katie, could you give us a glimpse into your daily life with emails? (2:48)
• What are some of the worst experiences you've ever had with regards to receiving emails and what made them so bad? (6:10) 
• What do you think is a reasonable number of times for someone to pester you if they haven't heard back from you? (10:07)
• Are there any more follow-up strategies they could use? (11:01)
• What are some descriptions or phrases that are not effective but that vendors think are effective? (17:30)
• Any other words or thoughts or things to avoid? (20:19)
• What are some good examples of emails you've received? (21:32)
• Beyond emails, what is the best way people can connect with district leaders to actually build connections and sell products? What do you think is the most effective way? (27:06)
   

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Katie’s current email situation (3:11)
• Marketing email horrors (6:25)
• Email and phone call follow-up frequency (10:12)
• Other strategies that can work in sending emails or making phone calls (11:17)
• Ineffective phrases not to say in phone calls or emails (17:43)
• Samples of  marketing emails that can catch attention (21:53)
• Best and most effective ways to build connections and sell products (27:20)

Quotes:

“Some of them, I actually might want to [respond to], but they came in at the same time that I needed to respond to someone else and were just a low priority for the moment. And for that reason, I totally expect people to follow up with me.”

“I hesitate to say name-dropping [is effective] because then I could see somebody really latching on to that and going overboard. But if somebody genuinely is like, ‘Hey, I know so and so….’ I also notice if their message is personal, but with the volume of people they're trying to sell to they don't have time to make it personal. But if you really want my attention, you will."

“Relationships matter. Something identifiable, whether that's a salesperson you've worked with at a different school and you bring them to your new school because you know them, or it’s a relationship of trust because you've shown me a product that has helped my life.”

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Julia Fallon. Julia, a self-described technology and learning alchemist, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association, where she works with U.S. state and territorial digital learning leaders to empower the education community to leverage technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. Prior to joining SETDA, Julia worked for Washington state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for 17 years. In her free time, she runs the Crazy Idea Factory™.

Some Questions We Ask:

• What is SETDA? (00:45)
• What have you discovered about state edtech trends? (05:43)
• What is your organization’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Collaborative? (11:11)
• How does SETDA unify and elevate voices and messages? (14:33)
• What are your views on seeing AI and VR pop up everywhere? (18:44)
• What are your hopes for the future? (25:30)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• All about Julia Fallon and SETDA (01:03)
• About cybersecurity and investments in devices and learning management systems (06:22)
• About the Cybersecurity and Privacy Collaborative with the Melinda Gates Foundation (11:18)
• SETDA’s strategies as a learning community (15:07)
• Julia’s perspectives on AI and VR (18:59)
• Her thoughts and hopes for the future (25:41)

Quotes:

“We really believe that states have a role to play. It depends on your state, though, of course—because everybody talks about local control. And that means different things for different regions. But the idea is how can you leverage what other states have already done so you don't have to start from scratch.”

“Technology is here to automate. Had we had the pandemic 10 years ago, think about video conferencing! It used to be like, you had a book a room, and then 14 people got involved, and the thing got plugged in, and you had to show up somewhere. And now I'm in my house talking to people around the world.”

“ [The pandemic] highlighted a lot of the gaps that we had and the reality that there are communities we haven't served and we didn't serve well. And now there are different ways to serve them.”

Connect with Julia:
SETDA Website
SETDA Twitter
Julia Fallon’s LinkedIn
Julia Fallon’s Twitter

Resources Mentioned:
”Human Work In the Age of Smart Machines” by Jamie Merisotis
”The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization” by Thomas L. Friedman 

Stay in touch with Sarah Williamson:
Free Case Study Guide
SWPR GROUP Website
LinkedIn

Stay in touch with Chad Bolser:
LinkedIn

About "The Secret to Transformational Leadership," which Sarah co-authored with Dr. Quintin Shepherd:
Transformational Leadership Secret website
Purchase the print or ebook