This episode is brought to you by Snorkl.

As educators, we want students to express and explain their thinking. We want to hear their thoughts on a science question, a story, or a math problem. But listening to each student one-on-one is nearly impossible.

Snorkl lets students record their thinking with a virtual whiteboard and uses AI for immediate, personalized feedback. This works for any question at any grade level. Teachers get an immediate summary of student progress. Check out Snorkl.app for an incredible deal for schools to pilot it this year.

In this episode, I catch up with my good friend, Todd Bloomer. Todd is a principal at a high school in San Antonio and as of August 9th, 2024… A published author. We discuss his new book The Blueprint: Survive and Thrive as a School Administrator. He tells us his inspiration for the book and how it came to be. This school year, he has made his campus a “No-Phone Zone” so I pick his brain as to why he chose to do this, how they are enforcing this new policy, and what the results have shown.

This episode was recorded at Texas Sugar Daddies in San Antonio, Texas. They are just two dads, best friends, and foodies who decided to join forces to do something different. Their cafe has top notch food for dine-in or pick up. Their desserts are top notch and the charcuterie is one of my favorites. They support the local community in San Antonio so reach out to them for your food and catering needs!

Make sure you share this episode with a friends and colleagues and as always, Buen Provecho!

Connect With Gabriel Carrillo

• EdTech Bites Website: https://edtechbites.com
• EdTech Bites Twitter: https://twitter.com/edtechbites
• EdTech Bites Instagram: https://instagram.com/edtechbites
• EdTech Bites Threads: https://www.threads.net/@edtechbites
• EdTech Bites Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/edtechbites
• EdTech Bites YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@edtechbites

About Todd Bloomer

Originally from New York, Todd Bloomer now calls San Antonio, Texas, his home. Entering his 29th year in public education, Todd has held numerous roles, including teacher, coach, assistant principal, and middle school principal. For the past 5.5 years, he has been the principal of a large public high school in San Antonio. Previously, he served for 4.5 years as principal of a large middle school.

Todd embodies the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt’s famous "Man in the Arena" speech. He is a current practitioner whose experiences include leading schools before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that Todd is still in the arena gives his voice credibility. He still faces the daily challenges that all administrators have to address. Todd is married to his wonderful wife, Sharon, and they have five children. Todd and his family live in the community he serves, and all five of his children have attended and graduated from the high school he leads. He takes great pride in shopping at the same grocery store as his students.

Todd Bloomer is a highly sought-after speaker, coach, and consultant. He can tailor his presentations, keynote addresses, and coaching sessions to meet your needs. Todd is proud that his first book, The Blueprint, was recently published and is now available on Amazon or his website. The book provides insight and practical advice for school leaders not only to survive but thrive as a school leader.

Connect With Todd Bloomer

• Todd’s Website: https://toddmbloomer.com
• Todd On X: https://x.com/bloomer_sa
• The Blueprint On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=todd+bloomer&crid=3NN0BXJ08Y5IT&sprefix=todd+bloomer%2Caps%2C115&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Connect With Texas Sugar Daddies

• Texas Sugar Daddies Website: https://texassugardaddies.com/
• Texas Sugar Daddies On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1xbc7gAYUdmLcLaE/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Texas Sugar Daddies On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/texassugardaddies?igsh=MW1reXp2Nm1qanE0Zg==