Dr. Jeff Hadley is the Superintendent of Avonworth School District in PA, a district nationally recognized for its innovative and inclusive approach to education. Dr. Hadley shares how Avonworth champions every student's growth through unique programs like unified sports, the JAMbethekindkid movement, and a student-run coffee shop.

This episode explores Avonworth's groundbreaking World of Work program, which uses the RIASEC code to help students discover their talents and connect them to future careers, emphasizing the value in every child. Discover how Dr. Hadley's district leverages grants to reimagine high school, ensuring every student, including those with IEPs and 504s, finds a meaningful post-graduation plan. Learn about the 'Lopes Lounge' – a student-run coffee shop – and how Avonworth cultivates a growth mindset across its community, defying traditional limitations and focusing on holistic student development.

Highlights:
- The "World of Work" program and RIASEC assessment for K-8 career exploration.
- Reimagining the senior year through the Moonshot grant, focusing on underrepresented students.
- The "Lopes Lounge" and other life skills initiatives for students with learning disabilities.
- Avonworth's commitment to inclusive athletics and extracurricular activities.
- Shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset in education and data utilization for learning.

Chandler Cross is the Assistant Superintendent of Shenandoah School Corporation, a high-performing rural district in Indiana with graduation rates consistently near 99%. His approach is simple but powerful: build strong relationships, create intentional systems, and never lose sight of the student experience.

In this episode, Chandler shares actionable strategies behind Shenandoah’s success, including collaborative team structures, a fully integrated virtual school serving students across the state, and student-run businesses that provide real-world learning opportunities. His approach shows how strong culture, paired with intentional systems, can drive measurable results.

Dr. Georgeanne Warnock, Superintendent of Terrell Independent School District, is a forward-thinking leader committed to strengthening public education through connection, courage, and innovation. Grounded in the belief that public schools are the foundation of thriving communities, she leads with both strategy and heart.

In this episode, we explore transformational change in action – from implementing a four-day instructional week that boosted recruitment and academic growth, to expanding bilingual programming and launching new school choice academies. Known as the “TikTok superintendent,” Dr. Warnock also shares how her authentic social media presence has become a powerful leadership tool – building community trust, celebrating students, and inspiring educators far beyond her district.

Lisa Hartman, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Lewis Central Community School District in Iowa, is a visionary leader driven by a deep commitment to human-centered educational change. Passionate about collaborative systems improvement, she works to advance structures that meaningfully support students, educators, and communities.

In this episode, we explore systems change in action through Lewis Central’s districtwide literacy plan, and the development of in-house paraprofessional training using the STEAM framework. Lisa shares how she built intentional feedback loops across the district—creating structures that increase efficiency and keep the evolving needs of people at the center of improvement efforts.

Kirk Koennecke is the Superintendent of Indian Hill Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio—one of the state’s highest-performing public school districts. With nearly 30 years in public education and recognition as the 2023 Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of School Superintendents, Kirk shares how Indian Hill has built an intentional leadership pipeline, elevated student voice, and created a truly student-centered culture. 

Listen to our podcast as Kirk dives into the realities of growing enrollment, funding structures in Ohio, and the increasing needs of students with disabilities and English language learners.

Julie Schafer serves as the principal of Early Elementary school in Early ISD in Texas. She is leading success in every child’s education by implementing early dyslexia screenings for dyslexia intervention and training programs. She fosters open communication and collaboration among educators to drive the best possible learning outcomes.  

Listen to our podcast with Julie to learn more about ISD’s innovation, “Success room,” where students thrive in an emotionally supportive learning environment through the MTSS and PBIS framework. Her leadership exemplifies how a unified community of support can accelerate success for both children and staff. 

Steve Iglesias is the Chief Innovation Officer at Mater Brickell Academy in Miami, Florida. A former baseball coach turned educational innovator, Steve builds tech- and entrepreneurship-focused programs that expose every student to real-world tools and emerging fields. Grounded in his belief in “failing forward,” he designs learning experiences that prioritize resilience, problem-solving, and purpose over test scores and tradition. 

Listen to our podcast with Steve to discover how reframing failure, elevating student voice, and embracing AI thoughtfully can help your school keep pace with rapid change and truly prepare learners for the jobs—and technologies—that don’t exist yet.

Jeffrey D. Hartmann, superintendent of Galion City Schools in Ohio, draws on his international experience to highlight the importance of establishing common direction among teachers and administrators as the foundation for effective learning. He prioritizes student-centered decision-making to ensure every child’s education is meaningfully impacted.

Listen to our podcast with Jeffrey to learn more about Galion City Schools’ tagline, “Courage to Climb,” and their commitment to helping students, particularly those facing generational disadvantages, explore new opportunities beyond the classroom. His work to refresh the district’s mission and values focuses on redefining what authentic learning truly means.

Bryan Ballenger serves as the Superintendent of the Gustine Unified School District. Through his focus on innovative instructional practices, Bryan ensures that all students have access to equitable learning opportunities. By emphasizing teacher voice, emotional growth, and progress monitoring, he’s helping redefine how success is measured in schools. 

Listen to our podcast with Bryan to learn more about his journey in education, the district’s shift toward inclusive practices, and how his approach to leadership fosters growth and collaboration across all levels of the education system. Through his experience and dedication, Bryan is shaping a culture where every student and educator is empowered to thrive.

Superintendent Marie Hanna and Co-Directors of Special Education, Erin Fatafehi and Rekha Manakkal, serve on the administration board at Ohio Connections Academy. Together as a team, they cultivate a flexible virtual learning environment for all needs in a student’s education goals across all disabilities. They are challenging the standard brick and mortar school setting, demonstrating that effective learning can thrive beyond the classroom and empower every student to reach their fullest potential.

Listen to our podcast with Marie, Erin, and Rekha to learn about how they create impact through their PBIS programming, staff collaboration, and establishing school and parent relationships to drive success in every child’s learning journey.