Our children's safety in schools involve more than just environmental safety. Physical, mental, social and emotional safety are factors that educators and parents should keep in mind as they work together to help school be a positive experience for students. Thanks to Christy Walker from USBE for being this episode's guest.

"What is a technical high school? What certifications can a student obtain before they graduate high school? What are benefits of my student attending a technical high school?" These and other questions are answered by a Technical High School principal.

What is a gang and why do young people join one? At what age do children start thinking about gangs? Are there certain risk factors or "red flags" associated with children joining gangs? What should a parent do if they think they notice signs of possible gang activity? What resources exist for parents to keep my child safe and to help them get out of their gang?

Thanks to Maria Garcia for being this episode's guest.

In this episode we explore the benefits of having your child in a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, the types of DLI that exist, how DLI is different than traditional education, what to do if your child is struggling in their DLI class, how parents can help their DLI child, how DLI programs change from elementary to junior high and high school, and whether parents can influence their child getting into a DLI program.

"How do I know if my child is truly gifted, or if he or she is just bright?" "What information is used to qualify a child into a Gifted and Talented (G&T) program?" "How are G&T classes different from honors or other other coursework?" "What advice would you give me as a parent if my child is struggling in a G&T program?" 

These questions and others are explored in this episode. Thanks to Collette Justesen, G&T coordinator in Granite School District and former UAGC President, for being this episode's guest.

Parents have the option to have their children attend public schools not in their home boundary. Understanding the nuances of this open enrollment process helps parents exercise their rights. This episode welcomes Clay Pearce, director of Prevention and Student Placement in Granite School District. Together we discuss Utah Open Enrollment law for the benefit of our parent audience.

"When is family conflict normal and when should my child and I seek outside help to repair our relationship?" "How can I help my child improve his or her behavior without damaging our relationship?" "What do appropriate consequences for my child look like?"

In this episode, we explore these and other questions parents have in effort to help families repair strained relationships. Thanks to Cameron VanKomen, LCSW, for being this episode's guest.

Adolescents have cell phones. At some point they may be targeted by sexual predators to share nude photos, engage in sexting, or other types of sexual exploitation. Parents of teens who engage in this "sexploitation" are surprised and saddened, and wonder how and why this happened. 

This episode explores why youth engage in this behavior, how they connect with their perpetrators, and how parents can educate and protect their children. Special thanks to Chris Yeadone from Defend Innocence for joining me again as a podcast guest.

LGBTQ youth are disproportionately affected by bullying and suicide ideations. This episode takes a closer look at the types of bullying experienced by LGBTQ youth, what Utah law says and does not say, and what parents of LGBTQ youth can do for their children. Thank you to Bonnie Owens for joining me for this episode.

In the first of a two-part segment on bullying, we explore what parents should do when they find out that their child is being bullied. 

Thank you to Corby Eason from the Utah State Board of Education for joining me on the podcast for this episode.