Change Starts Here

Unleash the genius within every individual—sometimes all it takes is the right guidance and environment. When people’s unique talents are recognized and nurtured, it creates a thriving community where growth and success are shared. Today on the Change Starts Here podcast, we highlight a district committed to making this vision a reality in their schools.

Join our host, Dustin Odham, as he welcomes Dr. Aaron Allen, Superintendent of Lincoln County Schools. Dr. Allen reveals his unconventional journey into education, a field he never anticipated becoming his passion. He discusses how Lincoln County Schools, in partnership with FranklinCovey, are fostering a culture of leadership and learning designed to unlock the potential of both students and educators. Dr. Allen not only shares the actionable steps his district is taking but also delves into the heart and passion required for educators to be effective leaders in today's dynamic educational landscape. Tune in for an inspiring conversation with a leader deeply invested in creating transformative change!

Don’t forget to like, and turn on those bell notifications to ensure you don’t miss our next episode.

If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/

Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey Education

Guest: Dr. Aaron Allen, Superintendent of Lincoln County Schools

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 01:42) Introduction

(01:43 - 03:12) Get to Know Dr. Aaron Allen

(03:13 - 06:18) Pathway to Education

(06:19 - 08:51) Portrait of a Graduate

(08:52 - 12:23) Leadership is Agnostic

(12:24 - 16:36) The Crockpot Approach

(16:37 - 22:51) Teacher and Student Choice and Voice

(22:52 - 27:02) Everyone Has Value

(27:03 - 32:17) Investing in Educators

(32:18 - 37:43) Abundant Mindset

(37:44 - 42:37) It’s a Heart Thing

(42:38 - 49:45) Trust and Accountability

(49:46 - 57:59) Rapid Fire Questions!

(58:00 - 59:06) Closing

In some of our favorite movies, we love watching underdogs guided by a wise mentor who helps them rise to the challenge. These mentors all share one key trait—they believe their mentees can go further than they ever imagined and hold them to high standards throughout their journey. In the same way, setting high expectations in the classroom can unlock students' potential, helping them achieve more than they ever thought possible.

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education, and Kim Yaris, M.Ed., Content Creator and Researcher at FranklinCovey Education, explore how high expectations can transform learning. They start by sharing personal stories of teachers who pushed them to reach new heights, showing the power of belief and encouragement. Next, they define what high expectations look like in practice, discuss the common challenges teachers face in setting these goals, and offer practical strategies to overcome those barriers. This episode is packed with valuable insights that will help your students grow and succeed in ways they never expected.

https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/systematize_high_expectations?x=OPvTUi

Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and turn on those bell notifications so you don’t miss our next episode!

Starring: Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Content Creator/Researcher at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 00:35) Introduction

(00:36 - 07:20) Stories of Empowerment

(07:21 - 10:14) High Expectations

(10:15 - 13:52) Barriers We Hit

(13:53 - 16:50) Language Matching Beliefs

(16:51 - 18:46) Perpetuating Biases

(18:47 - 20:06) Overcoming Barriers

(20:07 - 20:32) Closing

In some of our favorite movies, we love watching underdogs guided by a wise mentor who helps them rise to the challenge. These mentors all share one key trait—they believe their mentees can go further than they ever imagined and hold them to high standards throughout their journey. In the same way, setting high expectations in the classroom can unlock students' potential, helping them achieve more than they ever thought possible.

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education, and Kim Yaris, M.Ed., Content Creator and Researcher at FranklinCovey Education, explore how high expectations can transform learning. They start by sharing personal stories of teachers who pushed them to reach new heights, showing the power of belief and encouragement. Next, they define what high expectations look like in practice, discuss the common challenges teachers face in setting these goals, and offer practical strategies to overcome those barriers. This episode is packed with valuable insights that will help your students grow and succeed in ways they never expected.

https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/systematize_high_expectations?x=OPvTUi

Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and turn on those bell notifications so you don’t miss our next episode!

Starring: Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Content Creator/Researcher at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 00:35) Introduction

(00:36 - 07:20) Stories of Empowerment

(07:21 - 10:14) High Expectations

(10:15 - 13:52) Barriers We Hit

(13:53 - 16:50) Language Matching Beliefs

(16:51 - 18:46) Perpetuating Biases

(18:47 - 20:06) Overcoming Barriers

(20:07 - 20:32) Closing

Trust is the cornerstone of every strong relationship, especially when you're in a leadership role. It doesn’t happen overnight—it requires consistent effort, intentionality, and a genuine commitment to fostering a culture of trust. Building and sometimes even repairing trust can be challenging, but today’s episode offers actionable steps to help you strengthen your relationships with trust at the core.

Join host Dustin Odham as he explores the essence of trust and how it impacts leadership within organizations. Dustin explains how the intent behind your actions is always visible to those around you and why admitting mistakes and working to correct them is essential to being a credible leader. He’s joined by Lonnie Moore, FranklinCovey Consultant and Author, who shares his experiences working with school districts and offers practical advice on confronting reality and staying aligned with your personal mission to build trust within a group. This episode is packed with insightful perspectives on trust you won’t want to miss!

Be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on bell notifications to ensure you don’t miss our next episode.

If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/

Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey Education

Guest: Lonnie Moore, Trainer at Franklin Covey

Timestamps:

(00:00 - 01:30) Introduction

(01:31 - 02:11) The Character of Trust

(02:12 - 03:23) Intent

(03:24 - 05:04) Making Intent Clear

(05:05 - 06:04) Righting Wrongs

(06:05 - 06:59) Demonstrating Respect

(07:00 - 08:09) Creating Transparency

(08:10 - 09:44) Showing Loyalty

(09:45 - 11:45) Intentionally Building Trust

(11:46 - 13:30) Introducing Lonnie Moore

(13:31 - 14:40) Foundation of Trust

(14:41 - 15:44) Modeling Everyday Behaviors

(15:45 - 17:36) Confronting Reality

(17:37 - 19:57) Iron Hand, Velvet Glove

(19:58 - 22:35) Owning Mistakes

(22:36 - 24:25) What is Your Why?

(24:26 - 25:50) Living in Your Mission

(25:51 - 28:56) Culture of Trust

(28:57 - ) Closing

Trust is the cornerstone of every strong relationship, especially when you're in a leadership role. It doesn’t happen overnight—it requires consistent effort, intentionality, and a genuine commitment to fostering a culture of trust. Building and sometimes even repairing trust can be challenging, but today’s episode offers actionable steps to help you strengthen your relationships with trust at the core.

Join host Dustin Odham as he explores the essence of trust and how it impacts leadership within organizations. Dustin explains how the intent behind your actions is always visible to those around you and why admitting mistakes and working to correct them is essential to being a credible leader. He’s joined by Lonnie Moore, FranklinCovey Consultant and Author, who shares his experiences working with school districts and offers practical advice on confronting reality and staying aligned with your personal mission to build trust within a group. This episode is packed with insightful perspectives on trust you won’t want to miss!

Be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on bell notifications to ensure you don’t miss our next episode.

If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/

Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey Education

Guest: Lonnie Moore, Trainer at Franklin Covey

Timestamps:

(00:00 - 01:30) Introduction

(01:31 - 02:11) The Character of Trust

(02:12 - 03:23) Intent

(03:24 - 05:04) Making Intent Clear

(05:05 - 06:04) Righting Wrongs

(06:05 - 06:59) Demonstrating Respect

(07:00 - 08:09) Creating Transparency

(08:10 - 09:44) Showing Loyalty

(09:45 - 11:45) Intentionally Building Trust

(11:46 - 13:30) Introducing Lonnie Moore

(13:31 - 14:40) Foundation of Trust

(14:41 - 15:44) Modeling Everyday Behaviors

(15:45 - 17:36) Confronting Reality

(17:37 - 19:57) Iron Hand, Velvet Glove

(19:58 - 22:35) Owning Mistakes

(22:36 - 24:25) What is Your Why?

(24:26 - 25:50) Living in Your Mission

(25:51 - 28:56) Culture of Trust

(28:57 - ) Closing

In recent years, education has been rapidly expanding and evolving, with one of the most significant shifts being the focus on the whole child. Schools recognize their vital role in shaping a child’s academic future and their social and economic development as they grow. Today, we’re joined by a guest who is actively engaging with the community to cultivate these essential skills throughout their schools.

In this episode, hosts Kim Yaris, M.Ed., and Dr. Jennifer Chevalier welcome Dr. Amy Dittmar, Assistant Superintendent of Ankeny Community School District. Dr. Dittmar shares insights on how her district is moving beyond the traditional curriculum, designing courses—and reshaping existing ones—around the skills that the community and workforce are specifically seeking. She dives into how this shift impacts students, teachers, and overall engagement within Ankeny schools. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at how these innovations are making a difference in education.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and turn on those bell notifications so you don’t miss our next episode!

To take advantage of the tool to help your school’s vision, click on this link: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/systemic-synergy-visioning-tool?x=iVcL7y

Starring: Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Content Creator/Researcher at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Amy Dittmar, Assistant Superintendent, Ankeny Community School District

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 00:23) Introduction

(00:24 - 02:03) Success After School

(02:04 - 03:45) Competing Priorities

(03:46 - 05:46) Teaching Necessary Skills

(05:47 - 09:21) Outcomes for Students

(09:22 - 11:45) Teacher Adoption

(11:46 - 14:26) Integrating Not Stacking

(14:27 - 19:11) Vision for the Future

(19:12 - 20:30) Closing

In recent years, education has been rapidly expanding and evolving, with one of the most significant shifts being the focus on the whole child. Schools recognize their vital role in shaping a child’s academic future and their social and economic development as they grow. Today, we’re joined by a guest who is actively engaging with the community to cultivate these essential skills throughout their schools.

In this episode, hosts Kim Yaris, M.Ed., and Dr. Jennifer Chevalier welcome Dr. Amy Dittmar, Assistant Superintendent of Ankeny Community School District. Dr. Dittmar shares insights on how her district is moving beyond the traditional curriculum, designing courses—and reshaping existing ones—around the skills that the community and workforce are specifically seeking. She dives into how this shift impacts students, teachers, and overall engagement within Ankeny schools. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at how these innovations are making a difference in education.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and turn on those bell notifications so you don’t miss our next episode!

To take advantage of the tool to help your school’s vision, click on this link: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/systemic-synergy-visioning-tool?x=iVcL7y

Starring: Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Content Creator/Researcher at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Amy Dittmar, Assistant Superintendent, Ankeny Community School District

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 00:23) Introduction

(00:24 - 02:03) Success After School

(02:04 - 03:45) Competing Priorities

(03:46 - 05:46) Teaching Necessary Skills

(05:47 - 09:21) Outcomes for Students

(09:22 - 11:45) Teacher Adoption

(11:46 - 14:26) Integrating Not Stacking

(14:27 - 19:11) Vision for the Future

(19:12 - 20:30) Closing

Students spend their school days in classrooms from bell to bell, but what about the many other hours outside of class? Are they receiving the support and opportunities they need to thrive? What kind of guidance are we offering beyond the school day? Join us as we explore how one school district is tackling these questions with outstanding results.

In this episode, host Dustin Odham sits down with Tobie Pace, Senior Director Extended Learning Opportunities at San Diego Unified School District. Tobie discusses how her district’s after-school programs are empowering students to continue learning, growing, and accessing new opportunities. Beyond the programs, Tobie also shares her personal leadership approach and the ways she fosters a culture of trust and innovation. Don’t miss this insightful conversation filled with valuable takeaways

Don’t forget to like, and turn on those bell notifications to ensure you don’t miss our next episode.

If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/

Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey Education

Guest: Tobie Pace, Senior Director Extended Learning Opportunities at San Diego Unified School District

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 02:49) Introduction

(02:50 - 04:37) Get to Know Tobie Pace

(04:38 - 05:28) Unlocking the Genius

(05:29 - 09:40) Creating Opportunities Outside the Class

(09:41 - 11:14) Knocking Down Barriers

(11:15 - 14:58) A Multidimensional Process

(14:59 - 17:25) Making It Meaningful

(17:26 - 20:00) Overcoming Challenges

(20:01 - 25:01) Innovating and Risk-taking

(25:02 - 27:27) Always Open to Feedback

(27:28 - 33:31) Rapid Fire Questions!

(33:32 - 34:38) Closing

Students spend their school days in classrooms from bell to bell, but what about the many other hours outside of class? Are they receiving the support and opportunities they need to thrive? What kind of guidance are we offering beyond the school day? Join us as we explore how one school district is tackling these questions with outstanding results.

In this episode, host Dustin Odham sits down with Tobie Pace, Senior Director Extended Learning Opportunities at San Diego Unified School District. Tobie discusses how her district’s after-school programs are empowering students to continue learning, growing, and accessing new opportunities. Beyond the programs, Tobie also shares her personal leadership approach and the ways she fosters a culture of trust and innovation. Don’t miss this insightful conversation filled with valuable takeaways

Don’t forget to like, and turn on those bell notifications to ensure you don’t miss our next episode.

If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/

Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey Education

Guest: Tobie Pace, Senior Director Extended Learning Opportunities at San Diego Unified School District

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 02:49) Introduction

(02:50 - 04:37) Get to Know Tobie Pace

(04:38 - 05:28) Unlocking the Genius

(05:29 - 09:40) Creating Opportunities Outside the Class

(09:41 - 11:14) Knocking Down Barriers

(11:15 - 14:58) A Multidimensional Process

(14:59 - 17:25) Making It Meaningful

(17:26 - 20:00) Overcoming Challenges

(20:01 - 25:01) Innovating and Risk-taking

(25:02 - 27:27) Always Open to Feedback

(27:28 - 33:31) Rapid Fire Questions!

(33:32 - 34:38) Closing

Humans are naturally curious. Whether it's investigating a strange noise in the night or going down a rabbit hole on the history of toothbrushes, we've all felt the pull of curiosity. So why don't our students seem to tap into that same curiosity at school?

In today’s episode, hosts Kim Yaris, M.Ed., and Dr. Jennifer Chevalier explore this question and much more. They dive into a unique challenge in education—curriculum silos—and share their personal experiences as educators. Discover how outdated curriculum models can stifle curiosity and how shifting our approach could ignite student engagement. Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion on reshaping education to inspire curiosity!

Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and turn on those bell notifications so you don’t miss our next episode!

To take advantage of the tool to help your school’s vision, click on this link: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/systemic-synergy-visioning-tool?x=iVcL7y

Citations

https://hbr.org/2014/09/workers-dont-have-the-skills-they-need-and-they-know-it

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/around-3-4-youth-lack-skills-needed-employment-new-report-says

https://www.lincolntech.edu/news/featured/national-skills-gap-crisis-americas-own-creation

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2024/06/17/2024-graduates-lack-skills-in-communication-collaboration-and-critical-thinking-study-finds/

Starring: Kim Yaris, M.Ed, Content Creator/Researcher at FranklinCovey Education

Dr. Jennifer Chevalier, Director of Funding at FranklinCovey Education

Time stamps:

(00:00 - 01:07) Introduction

(01:08 - 03:11) The Curriculum Process

(03:12 - 05:02) Is This Serving Students?

(05:03 - 06:48) Curriculum Silos

(06:49 - 12:34) What Are the Alternatives?

(12:35 - 15:44) Providing Student’s Motivation

(15:45 - 16:14) Closing