"People support what they help create," is one of Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross's favorite leadership phrases. It's how she describes Ypsilanti Community Schools' efforts to elevate student voice and engage learners across grade levels in AI adoption and other new initiatives.

In the wake of major shifts in Title IV borrowing limits, higher education institutions face an urgent imperative: rethinking how graduate and professional students finance their education. With the removal of Grad Plus loans, the federal "shock absorbers" that once bridged the gap between federal aid and the cost of attendance are disappearing.

This timely podcast episode explores the impending "student loan drought" and the emerging necessity for institutions to build robust, mission-aligned institutional loan programs. Our guest, Lori Harton, explains why financing is no longer just a back-office financial aid issue—it is a critical enrollment strategy that will determine which institutions preserve access and maintain enrollment stability over the next decade.

When federal options fall short, institutions cannot afford to be reactive. The risk is no longer just about making loans—the risk is doing nothing and acting surprised when enrollment softens. From risk management to personalized student support, this episode provides a roadmap for turning a financial challenge into an institutional strength.

Lori Harton

For more information on navigating these changes in student financial services, visit home.ecsi.net.

Superintendent Bill Runey shares how he reshaped leadership at the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District—and how the relationships you invest in carry you through your hardest moments.  

Edward Aldarelli said the biggest transition he made when he moved up from principal to take the helm of Edison Township Public Schools was becoming the New Jersey's district "head visionary."

In the wake of recent tragic school violence incidents in Colorado and Minnesota, K-12 administrators and district leaders face an urgent imperative: ensuring their emergency response plans and protocols are up to the task of protecting students and staff.

This timely podcast revisits and expands upon critical school safety strategies from the “5 P’s” methodology (Planning, Process, Protocol, Practice, Prevention), a comprehensive framework for school safety preparedness that transforms theoretical safety plans into life-saving action.

What You’ll Learn – The 5 P’s Framework:

When an emergency strikes, there is no time for confusion. The goal is to build muscle memory, so staff and students know exactly what to do without hesitation – from identifying vulnerabilities to implementing lockdown plans that actually work under pressure. 

Podcast Guests 

[email protected] 

When it comes to creating safe, sustainable, and student-ready schools, capital planning is more than a financial task—it's a leadership priority. 

In this podcast, experts in the field will explore why capital planning is foundational for K–12 success, especially as districts face aging infrastructure, evolving learning environments and the spaces that support them, and the need for more stakeholder support. Hear from experts as they explain how capital plans can secure investments from the community and create a culture of strategic thinking, and how district leaders can obtain accurate facilities data to make sound financial decisions—contributing to a healthy and well-maintained learning environment for students. 

Key Takeaways 

Speakers

Caroline Johnson Wade, Senior Director, Sales, Gordian 

[email protected]

Chad Hancock, Associate Director, Planning Services Department, Gordian 

[email protected]

To learn more about Gordian's capital planning solutions for K-12, visit our website or contact us.

The Brain State: 10 Essential Tier 1 Supports for Educators and Students

District leaders who promote brain state model-based approaches, like Conscious Discipline and Applied Educational Neuroscience (AEN), in their schools equip educators with the knowledge to properly instill self-regulation and emotional resilience in students. Educators who understand their brain state - or how the brain functions - can teach behaviors as learnable skills to foster student wellness, while ensuring their own actions are preventative and adversity responsive.

At Tippecanoe School Corporation (TSC), Conscious Discipline-Certified Instructors partner with in-district Neuro-Educators to provide PD districtwide for teachers to learn about the brain state through the TSC’s CDAT team, called the Brain Brigade. In this podcast, a TSC Neuro-Educator and partnered Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor will explore how the Conscious Discipline-informed Brain Brigade trains educators on using these skills districtwide, including a critical component of the TSC program, “10 Essential Tier 1 Brain-Aligned Practices.”

 Key Takeaways:  

Speakers

Katie Ahearn, Certified Instructor, Conscious Discipline

Anne Marshall, Neuroscience Educator and Instructional Coach, Tippecanoe District

For more information on how to receive Conscious Discipline's training and coaching tailored to your district's needs, contact our Partner Development team here.

District leaders are under increasing pressure to support the individual needs of students with disabilities, who comprise approximately 15% of national public school enrollment.

One way to help students with special needs is by providing a digital learning environment. One study* revealed that online learning has provided this population with added flexibility and convenience to manage and absorb information at their own pace, along with individualized learning opportunities that address their specific challenges.

In this podcast, a digital learning expert with experience developing online, blended, and hybrid programs for special and gifted education students will provide school and district administrators with best practices to support students with special education needs in the digital learning environment.

GUEST:

Nikki Callaghan, Director of Exceptional Student Education, FlexPoint

Arming students with the skills to traverse the internet responsibly is education's latest challenge, says these two leaders live from the Future of Education Technology Conference. 

"We oftentimes don't think much about training with adults on social-emotional development, but we're not done growing," says Karen G. Foley, president and CEO of JPA Chicago.