In this episode of On The Subject, host Michael Vilardo heads to sunny San Diego for the third stop on our nationwide tour highlighting trailblazing educators. This week, we sit down with Dr. Maurissa Koide, Director of Secondary Education at Milpitas Unified School District, to explore her unconventional journey from aspiring ballerina to public school champion. Maurissa shares how her experiences in medicine, politics, and education shaped her mission to create equitable, innovative learning environments rooted in community, representation, and belonging. We dive into restorative practices, project-based learning, digital disruption, and how to truly prepare students for life beyond high school. It’s an inspiring conversation that reminds us why educators are the real MVPs.