Abstract

Who gets identified as gifted in elementary school? Who takes Algebra I in middle school? Who takes Advanced Placement classes in high school? In this episode we spoke with Andrea Herndon (Hanover County Public Schools), Beverly Fludd-Flanagan (Petersburg City Public Schools), and Chris Parthemos (Virginia Commonwealth University) about two new dashboards from MERC that depict advanced coursework participation across K-12 in the MERC region and Virginia. Listen to learn more about how these dashboards inform the work of local educators and click below to access the dashboards.

https://merc.soe.vcu.edu/projects/equitable-access-and-support-for-advanced-coursework/#Dashboards

In this episode we spoke with Dr. Julie Ellis (Bridging Communities Regional Career and Technical Center/Governor’s STEM Academy), Dr. Maggie Hartley (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans), Dr. Therese O’Dea (New Kent County Public Schools), Dr. Kate Puschak (Loudon County Public Schools) & Dr. Erin Sturgis (Virginia Department of Education)about strategies for staffing K-12 schools for student mental health supports.

The conversation is based on their capstone report for the VCU School of Education available here: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/edd_capstone/12/

The executive summary is available on the MERC website: https://merc.soe.vcu.edu/projects/mental-health/#Report

Among the critical functions of K-12 schools, they are positioned to support the mental health needs of their students, faculty, staff, and families. To discuss how the research on this topic relates to everyday practice, we spoke with Patrice Beard(Mental Health Liaison for the Center for Family Involvement at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Partnership For People with Disabilities), Laura Early (Coordinator of Psychological and Diagnostic Services in Chesterfield County Public Schools), Amy Johnson (Student Support and Wellness Specialist in Henrico County Public Schools), Matt Shenker (Head of Experience for Pathly, Inc), Erica Daniels (School Counselor at Vernon Johns Middle School in Petersburg City Public Schools), and Felicia Friend-Harris (School Psychologist and Lead Educational Diagnostician for Richmond Public Schools). Hosted by David Naff (MERC Associate Director and former High School Counselor).

Authors of a recent systematic literature review discuss their findings related to the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on PK-12 students. Guests include David Naff (MERC Associate Director at Virginia Commonwealth University), Jenna Darby (Research and Evaluation Specialist in Chesterfield County Public Schools), Shenita Williams (Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University), and Melissa Yeung (Student Services Coordinator for the School of Physical Therapy at Bowling Green State University). Click below to access the full article from AERA Open:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23328584221084722

This episode pulled together experts from throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia for a discussion about who takes dual enrollment classes in high school. Guests include: Lori Dwyer (Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs at Reynolds Community College), Jenna Lenhardt (Recruitment Specialist for the VCU School of Education), David Naff (MERC Associate Director), Patricia Parker (Director of Transfer Virginia for SCHEV and VCCS), Taylor Reahard (Dual Enrollment Instructor at Goochland High School in Goochland County Public Schools), Allen Riddle (Director of Dual Enrollment at Reynolds Community College), and Addisyn Winston - 12th grade student at Goochland High School in Goochland County Public Schools).

Check out the research brief that accompanies this episode here:

https://merc.soe.vcu.edu/reports/published-reports/who-takes-dual-enrollment-classes/

Featuring Jesse Senechal (MERC Director, VCU SOE), Andrene Castro (Assistant Professor, VCU SOE, Department of Educational Leadership), Adria Hoffman (Anna Lou Schaberg Professor, VCU SOE, Department of Teaching and Learning), and Andy Armstrong (Assistant Superintendent of Administration, Goochland County Public Schools).

Jose Alcaine (Director of Research Services, VCU SOE) spoke with Sera Lee (Pharmacy Student at VCU), Paige Elizabeth (Sophomore at VCU), and Sofia Alcaine (Sophomore at CNU) about the future of higher education during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michelle Thompson (Occupational Therapist, Richmond) spoke with Tonya Epps (Elementary Intensive Support Self-Contained Teacher, Richmond), Kathryn Smith (Director of Exceptional Education, Henrico), and Serra De Arment (Assistant Professor of Special Education, VCU SOE)about what they have learned about special education during the pandemic.

David Naff (MERC Associate Director, VCU SOE) spoke with Jon Becker (Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, VCU SOE), Matt Caratachea (Coordinator of Technology Integration and Innovation for Goochland), Andrew Harris (MERC Research and Evaluation Assistant, VCU SOE), and Joy Washington (School Librarian at Cool Spring Primary School in King William) about how to promote digital equity through the lens of access, use, and outcomes. Corresponding reports are available at merc.soe.vcu.edu/reports.

Brian Maltby (Disciplinary Hearing Review Officer in Hanover) spoke with Monica Murray (Principal of John Marshall HS in Richmond), Christopher Martinez (Principal of Patrick Henry HS in Hanover), Robert Lowerre (Director of Maggie Walker Governor's School), and Jon Becker (Associate Professor of Educational Leadership in the VCU SOE) about the role of the school principal during and after a pandemic.