Field Trip Podcast

Field Trip Podcast

By Frontline EducationEducationSelf-ImprovementHow To
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Field Trip Podcast episodes

  • Tackling Teacher Turnover

    San Marcos CISD near Austin, Texas set out to boost engagement, address the issue of teacher turnover and ultimately improve student outcomes. Here’s their data-driven approach.

    In this interview, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Willie Watson explains how they conducted a teacher engagement survey, what they found and the steps they’re taking in response to their findings. We also speak with Henry Wellington, founder and CEO of Upbeat, an organization that helps school districts collect and examine data around teacher engagement.

    Some highlights:

    • The financial and educational cost of teacher turnover across the U.S.
    • Strategies San Marcos is employing to engage and retain teachers
    • The role of principal-teacher trust and parent-teacher communication
    • How San Marcos collected — and acted upon — teacher satisfaction and engagement data

      • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

      23 min
    • “Already Whole”: Working with English Language Learners

      How does a school district support culturally and linguistically diverse learners? Tere Masiarchin supports educators grappling with this question. She works at CESA (Cooperative Educational Service Agency) 2 in Wisconsin, providing professional development, needs assessment and program support to school districts and teachers working with English language learners.

      In this interview, Tere shares the reason she’s passionate about this topic and some of the issues that she encounters most frequently in her work with school districts.

      • The most common challenges districts tend to face
      • How they build capacity, and what professional learning is most effective
      • Real-world impact in the lives of students
      • Proactively working with families from diverse backgrounds
      • The crucial perspective for educators to bring when teaching ELL/ESOL students

        • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

        27 min
      • Hiring, Engaging & Growing Great Teachers

        Branding their district, attracting great candidates and making sure all departments are aligned: how Blue Valley Schools upholds a stellar academic record and ensures they have an exemplary teacher in every classroom for every child.

        This interview with Chief Human Resources Officer Bob Kreifels explores:

        • How Blue Valley’s HR department determines which applicants are the best fit for their district, and then, how they attract them
        • The rebranding effort that helped shape their success
        • Internal cross-department collaboration to provide ongoing support for new hires – and make sure they’re equipped to succeed (and stay)

          • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

          23 min
        • Building a Culture of Professional Learning

          Mary Kathryn Moeller and her team facilitate professional learning at Jenks Public Schools in Oklahoma. In this interview, she discusses the big questions that shape their program, how they iterate and improve, and what it looks like to measure impact.

          When we spoke with Mary Kathryn, the Director of Professional Development, she spoke with us about:

          • Developing connections between leaders and across sites to promote learning
          • Building leadership capacity
          • The questions they ask when evaluating new professional learning opportunities
          • Their iteration cycle as they work to refine practice
          • Promoting positive risk-taking, and exploring ideas like 20% time and dramatic play in professional learning
          • What data they collect as they evaluate impact

            • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

            32 min
          • Employee Wellness Programs in K-12

            Five years ago, Dr. Andy Koenigs was tasked with employee recruitment and retention at Emporia Public Schools in Kansas. Borrowing a strategy from the business world, he and his team launched an employee wellness program. Here’s how — and the impact it had on engagement, absences and district finances.

            In our interview, Dr. Koenigs, the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, talks to us about:

            • The grassroots effort that got the ball rolling
            • Details about their program, what it looks like and incentives for participation
            • How they leveraged the program to get a $50,000 grant from their health insurance company
            • A 30% drop in employee absences due to personal or family illness after beginning the wellness program
            • What other K-12 leaders who are considering similar initiatives can learn from Emporia's program

              • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

              26 min
            • Flood Recovery: Gamification and Reducing Teacher Absences

              In August 2016, Livingston Parish, Louisiana was devastated by a flood. As Livingston Parish Public Schools grappled with the effects, the district looked for any possible way to save money to help rebuild its damaged schools. Supervisor of Human Resources Bruce Chaffin found a fascinating way to save tens of thousands of dollars each month - and positively impact instruction at the same time.

              In our interview, we asked Bruce Chaffin about:

              • The 33" of rain that Livingston Parish got in a 24-hour span, and the impact it had on the district
              • The financial impact the district faced, and steps Livingston Parish Public Schools is taking to rebuild
              • Using gamification with principals to reduce teacher absences
              • How the district saved $63,000 on substitute costs in the first 19 days of school in August 2017, compared with the same time frame 2 years earlier
              • The impact this reduction in teacher absences has had on student achievement
              • What they have learned about using data to make strategic decisions

                • Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education.

                19 min

              About Field Trip Podcast

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              What if you could hear from leaders in school systems all around the country? People who are finding innovative ways to solve problems and make strategic decisions as they work to hire, develop,…