Brighter Together

What happens when educators refuse to accept that a student’s circumstances must determine their future? In this special Brighter Together recap, Podcast Producer, Logan Chew revisits the five most-viewed conversations of the year—and one unforgettable honorable mention.

These stories explore practical youth suicide prevention, housing support for unaccompanied students, culturally responsive education, inclusive special education, transition programs, and work-based learning. Meet John Humphries, Susan Austin, Kelly LaBelle-Lewis, Sandy Morrill, Tenderly Logan, and Lacy Hollingsworth, and discover ideas that schools and communities can adapt to create safety, belonging, purpose, and hope. Watch the full episodes through the links below, subscribe, and share this celebration with an educator who needs encouragement.

An IEP is not a limitation on student potential—it's a tool that opens doors to college readiness and career success. In this episode, Jared Bissen, Director of Special Education at Gem Prep Schools, challenges the harmful myth that students with individualized education plans have lower ceilings, sharing how his charter network has helped students with IEPs graduate as valedictorians, earn full scholarships, and pursue associate degrees. Discover how reframing IEPs from restrictive labels to service delivery mechanisms transforms parent expectations and student outcomes.

Superintendent Eric Griffin shares the leadership philosophy that transformed Delhi Unified School District: empowering staff before setting expectations on them. Discover how one conversation with union leadership shifted the district from unsustainable demands to sustainable excellence, unlocking measurable gains in student outcomes, attendance, and teacher retention while keeping "what's best for kids" at the center of every decision.

Brandon Bernard, Director of Special Education at Heritage Academy in Mesa, Arizona, reveals why removing students from general education classrooms actually widens achievement gaps—and shares the co-teaching model that keeps special education scholars with content experts and age-appropriate peers while they earn associate degrees. Discover how treating special education as a service, not a place, transforms outcomes for students with disabilities.

When education teams face competing good ideas but lack a framework to choose, analysis paralysis sets in. Jeremy Sawtelle, Director of Specialized Student Support at Shasta County Office of Education, reveals how the hexagon tool—a structured rubric borrowed from healthcare—transformed decision-making across Northern California schools by removing power dynamics and scoring ideas on evidence-base and contextual fit.

Small rural school districts serving just a few hundred students cannot afford their own school psychologists, speech pathologists, or occupational therapists—until they form a cooperative. George Welsh, Executive Director of San Luis Valley BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education Services), explains how fourteen districts pooled resources to become Colorado's first and oldest regional special education hub, and why their hybrid model of in-person and telehealth providers is now the blueprint for rural districts nationwide.

Jenny Plumb, Assistant Superintendent at Yosemite Valley Charter Schools and Monarch River Academy, reveals how a seven-year partnership with Lighthouse fundamentally transformed how two California charter schools serve their 5,000 students—by dismantling silos between special education and general education, creating a unified five-tier MTSS system where all staff own outcomes for all students. Discover how breaking down traditional barriers and partnering with service providers who think like family unlocks creative solutions that keep students off IEPs and moving toward independence.

Greene Local School District transformed student behavior and school climate by shifting from punishment to prevention through Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)—and Joya Mitchell, Director of Student Services, shares how they achieved over 90% student success with tier-one supports alone. Over a decade of deliberate implementation across all pre-K through 12 buildings created a unified culture where 98% of parents now reinforce the same expectations at home. Discover the administrative buy-in, data-driven strategies, and slow-rollout approach that made PBIS stick when most school initiatives fade.

Scott Bolin, Director of Pupil Personnel at Garrett County Schools in Kentucky, reveals why rural districts are winning enrollment battles against homeschooling and online alternatives—not through flashy programs, but through genuine relationships and what he calls the intangible "it factor" that families can feel the moment they walk through the door. In this episode, Scott shares his 25-year journey from classroom teacher to district leader and explains how a small-town superintendent and leadership team prioritize people, soft skills, and emotional deposits with families to create school cultures that families choose—and choose again.

Vincent Valerio's unconventional journey from fine artist to special education director reveals that expertise in serving children with disabilities flourishes in diverse backgrounds and real-world experience. At Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio, Vincent has built a county-wide collaboration model that provides free training, adaptive equipment, and transition programming to 11 public school districts—a level of integration that most county boards don't attempt. Discover how county-level flexibility and listening to community needs creates sustainable solutions that traditional educational credentials alone cannot.