Recorded at the Innovative Schools Summit (San Antonio, Dec 2025), Kevin facilitates a rapid 50 in 50 panel where five experts share 50 practical ideas to boost attendance. The big message: Attendance is a culture signal—improve belonging, remove barriers, and make school worth showing up for.

👥 Featured Speakers

Charles Williams - Previously a CPS administrator & founder of C.W. Consulting, with 20 years of Classroom Experience

Dr. Darren Pepperd - 26 years in education, Lead Innovator for Road to Awesome

Sharon Bradley - 25 years in education, Principal and educator consultant, founder of Restorative Flow Educational Solutions

Moses Oheda - 32 years in education, leads a 13 CT program school

Dr. Tracey Severns - Nationally Recognized Education Strategist & Founder of Teach4Results, with over 36 years in education

🧠 Key Takeaways

✔️ Reframe the language: move from “truant/chronically absent” to “students who need belonging and support.”

✔️ Relationships drive attendance: connect every student to trusted adults, peers, and activities.

✔️ Remove obstacles that make attendance difficult—by addressing basic needs and eliminating school practices that unintentionally discourage students from returning.

✔️ Make it visible + motivating: set realistic goals (not “perfect”), track progress, celebrate consistently.

✔️ Reduce reentry shame: welcome-back routines and catch-up systems help students return without feeling overwhelmed.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️“Perfect is demoralizing.”

🗣️“Do not be the reason why a child chooses not to come to school.”

🗣️“Attendance is a symptom of your culture.”

🗣️“The goal is not to get kids to court. The goal is to get kids to class.”

🗣️“If our instruction is not relevant… why do they need to be there?”

🎯 51 Strategies for School Leaders and Staff to Address Absenteeism 

1. Reframe labels around absenteeism (belonging vs. truancy)
2. Second-mile service welcome language 
3. Build intentional school connectedness 
4. Family–student attendance conferences 
5. Shadow a student for a full day 
6. Walking school bus programs 
7. Set realistic attendance goals (not perfect attendance) 
8. Eliminate exclusionary practices as attendance barriers 
9. Industry partners reinforcing attendance expectations 
10. Question-storming instead of brainstorming 
11. Family breakfast club 
12. Front-of-the-line lunch incentives
13. Positive phone calls before attendance concerns 
14. Attendance-based trip cost incentives 
15. Re-entry bridge supports 
16. Peer “we missed you” messages 
17. Make instruction require physical presence 
18. Teach life routines that support attendance 
19. Student input committees on attendance
20. Barrier-buster rapid response teams
21. Community school supports (laundry, food, haircuts)
22. Academic and attendance pep rallies 
23. Teach test-day coping skills
24. Flexible scheduling 
25. Attendance ambassadors (older students) 
26. Welcome-back stations
27. Monthly recognition events
28. Attendance messaging at school events
29. Surprise recognition for consistent attendance
30. Multiple adult mentors for high-risk students
31. On-site health clinics 
32. Visible attendance scoreboards
33. Grade-level attendance competitions
34. Incentives tied to classroom attendance
35. Incentivize Parents
36. Partner with Your Community 
37. Pop-up Privileges
38. Random Surprises 
39. Daily adult check-ins
40. Morning movie club
41. Leadership Program
42. Jazz-up Morning Announcements 
43. Level-up
44. Ask the students 
45. Reimagine parent attendance forums 
46. Allow parents to share strategies with each other
47. Do a MOLOSA
48. 5 Essentials 
49. Attendance Culture 
50. Attendance collaborative teams
51. Predictive attendance pattern analysis

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Join us at the next Innovative Schools Summit at www.innovativeschoolssummit.com

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Will and Jordan sit down with therapist and former school-based counselor Kim Johancen to define teacher burnout and explain why it isn’t a personal flaw—it’s a human nervous-system response to chronic stress. Kim walks through the early warning signs educators often miss, then shifts into realistic ways to respond, recover, and prevent burnout by building small, sustainable regulation habits and stronger boundaries, along with encouragement and clear signs that healing is happening.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Burnout is a signal, not a failure—your body is telling you things are out of balance.

✔️ Chronic stress can push the brain into survival mode, which changes how we think and feel.

✔️ Everyone’s burnout looks different, but early awareness makes recovery easier.

✔️ Small, consistent practices can be more effective than waiting for one big “fix.”

✔️ Boundaries and support systems are essential for long-term sustainability in education.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Burnout is a nudge to get back into balance.”

🗣️ “It’s a stress response, not a personal flaw.”

🗣️ “Your experience is valid—and there’s nothing wrong with you.”

🗣️ “Burnout is about disconnection.”

🗣️ “Stress is a normal human response… and you’re not alone.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• How to recognize early burnout signs (physical, emotional, and behavioral)
• Why micro-moments of regulation throughout the day matter
• How mindfulness and “orienting” can help your brain return to safety
• Ways to build resilience without pretending stress doesn’t exist
• How to set healthier boundaries—personally and system-wide

➕ Additional Practices

• Create a small “reset routine” you can repeat during the day
• Pay attention to what improves your mood and energy—and do more of it
• Talk with colleagues about burnout openly to share tools and reduce isolation
• Advocate for simple boundary norms that protect staff time
• Track progress by watching for increased gratitude, clearer limits, and a return of joy

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Kim Johancen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-johancen-03413842?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name

🔗 Kim Johancen Website: https://www.clearviewcounselingdenver.com/contact

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💡Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@innovativeschoolspodcast

In this season three premiere episode, Will and Jordan sit down with Dr. Brian Dinkins to explore why emotional intelligence is foundational to learning, leadership, and school culture. Drawing from his experience as an educator, principal, and leadership coach, Brian explains how emotions shape behavior, relationships, and academic success—and why regulation must start with adults before it can reach students. This conversation blends research, real stories, and practical strategies educators can use immediately.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Emotional intelligence is a skill set, not a personality trait.

✔️ Dysregulated adults cannot regulate dysregulated students.

✔️ Learning cannot happen without emotional safety.

✔️ Self-awareness is the starting point for all effective instruction.

✔️ School culture improves when emotional regulation becomes a shared commitment.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “You can’t teach a dysregulated brain.”

🗣️ “Emotions aren’t good or bad—they’re information.”

🗣️ “I’ve never seen a dysregulated adult regulate a dysregulated child.”

🗣️ “Kids remember how you made them feel long after the lesson is gone.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• Daily emotional self-checks for educators
• Building emotional vocabulary beyond “fine” or “good.”
• Helping students identify and regulate emotions
• Using body language and cues to read student readiness
• Creating emotional deposits before making behavioral withdrawals

  
  

👁️‍🗨️ Additional Practices

• Greet students with nonverbal emotional check-ins
• Use color or visuals to help students name emotions
• Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and self-care for staff
• Establish shared emotional commitments schoolwide
• Coach adults in real time—not after breakdowns

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Dr. Brian Dinkins Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbdinkins/?hl=en

🔗 Want Dr. Brian Dinkins to come to your school?

Visit: https://accutrain.com/emotional-intelligent-practices/

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⭐ Rate & Review to help more teachers find this show

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💡 Innovative Schools Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innovativeschoolspodcast/

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💡 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Lbw553jnDXuG08IZ43Kb5
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In this episode, Jordan sits down with school culture expert Steve Bollar (“Stand Tall Steve”) to share simple, but powerful strategies that help every student, staff member, and family feel seen, valued, and connected. These ideas require minimal effort but generate major impact—especially when repeated intentionally throughout the year.

Whether you're a principal, teacher, or district leader, this conversation delivers actionable tools you can use tomorrow to build the positive climate and culture your school deserves.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Culture is built through repetition—not slogans.

Climate is what people feel the moment they enter a school. Culture is what people repeat until it becomes tradition.

✔️ Being seen is the root of all positive culture.

Every idea Steve shares ultimately comes down to visibility—students, staff, families, and community members feeling acknowledged and valued.

✔️ Growth must be recognized—not just high achievement.

Recognition tied to improvement (not perfection) increases motivation for students who are often overlooked.

✔️ Strong schools intentionally engage their community.

Local businesses, younger grades, older grades, and families can all become partners in celebration and connection.

✔️ Support staff are culture drivers—and must be honored.

Paraprofessionals and custodians play major roles in how a school feels. When they are recognized, morale improves across the building.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Repetition creates tradition. Tradition is culture.” —Steve Bollar

🗣️ “Find a way to let people be seen—from students, to staff, to families.”

🗣️ “Some kids work incredibly hard even if they never get straight A’s—recognize their growth.”

🗣️ “Take the time to build community connections. Students and families should feel supported inside and outside of school.”

🗣️ “It doesn’t take a lot of effort—just a little bit done consistently.” —Steve Bollar

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

Change Your Name / Show Up With Your Name

• A simple visibility strategy: allow students or staff to rename how they want to be known—encouraging identity, confidence, and belonging.

“Be Seen” Moments

• Everything from recognition to support to one-on-one check-ins—Steve emphasizes the importance of intentionally affirming people at every level.

Comeback Kid Recognition System

• Celebrate any student who improves a grade letter or grows academically in any measurable way. Examples include: F → D, D → C, C → B, B → A. This system reinforces progress, effort, and resilience—not just perfection.

Community Connection Certificates

• Partner with local businesses (Steve used pizza shops) to reward student growth and achievement, like Honor Roll, Comeback Kid, GPA improvement, or even Behavior improvements
• Businesses display a certificate saying they support your students, while students/families receive coupons or rewards. It can boost motivation, community pride, and even family engagement. Steve also recommends building traditions like Trunk-or-Treat, high schoolers mentoring younger grades, and student service activities.

Support Staff Spotlights

• Custodian Recognition Frames: Place framed hallway plaques reading: “This hallway professionally maintained by…”
  This brings dignity, visibility, and appreciation to custodial staff.
• Paraprofessional Supply Locker: Fill a private supply locker with pencils, post-its, pens, rulers, erasers, etc.

👁️‍🗨️Additional Practices

• First Five, Last Five – Focus on the first and last moments of class/day to shape emotional climate and connection.
• Staff Visibility Plan – Increase adult presence in key areas to boost safety, relationships, and positive tone.
• Student Spotlight Board – Highlight students weekly for kindness, growth, leadership, or effort—not just academics.
• No-Homework / Family Connection Night – Replace homework with meaningful family activities once a month.
• Staff Shoutout System – Create a simple way for staff to leave anonymous praise for one another.
• 30-Second Celebrations – Quickly acknowledge student wins with short, sincere moments of recognition.

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Steve Bollar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standtallsteve/

🔗 Steve Bollar book: “Ideas Ideas Ideas”: https://youthlight.com/product.php?id=3521

🔗 Steve Bollar Website: https://www.standtallsteve.com/

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In this episode of the Innovative Schools Podcast, Liz and Will sit down with Dr. LaQuanta Nelson to explore the power of clarity, communication, and presence in schools. Through stories, metaphors, and leadership insights, Dr. Nelson explains how clear communication sets direction, removes confusion, protects culture, and strengthens relationships. She unpacks her philosophy that “clear is kind,” shows how unclear messaging creates conflict and chaos, and reframes conflict itself as an opportunity for clarity, commitment, and better solutions.
 She also shares concrete leadership habits—being “where your feet are planted,” using language that lifts, celebrating students in real time, and becoming “makers of moments” who create unforgettable experiences in classrooms and schools. The episode closes with actionable steps teachers and administrators can start using tomorrow to transform their communication.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Clear communication prevents chaos and protects culture
 When leaders or teachers leave gaps, people naturally fill them—with assumptions, negativity, and confusion.

✔️ “Clear is kind”
 Borrowing from Brené Brown, Dr. Nelson reminds us that clarity is an act of kindness that prevents hurt, misinterpretation, and unnecessary conflict.

✔️ Conflict isn’t bad — it’s an opportunity
 Handled well, conflict clarifies expectations, strengthens commitment, and brings more voices to the table for better solutions.

✔️ Presence is essential to leadership
 You have to train your brain to slow down. Being fully present “where your feet are planted” is what allows you to create magic with students and staff.

✔️ Be makers of moments
 Small intentional actions—like calling students to the atrium to celebrate reading or letting a student teach—can shape memories and identities for decades.

✔️ Communication is more than words
 Your tone, energy, posture, body language, and emotional presence are communicating long before you say anything.

✔️ Your words echo long after the moment
 Dr. Nelson’s “parrot on your shoulder” metaphor pushes educators to consider what people replay in their minds after conversations.

✔️ Great communication is uplifting and honest
 Feedback can be clear, specific, and truthful while still affirming, respectful, and hopeful.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”
🗣️ “When we leave these voids in communication, confusion will fill it.”
🗣️ “Conflict is an opportunity — not a problem.”
🗣️ “Be where your feet are planted.”
🗣️ “You’ve got to be in the moment to make the magic happen.”
🗣️ “Your people hear your voice in their heads long after you stop talking.”
🗣️ “Two truths can exist at the same time.”
🗣️ “What gets measured gets done.”
🗣️ “Be impeccable with your words.”
🗣️ “You can apologize for what you say, but the imprint remains.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

1. Setting Clear Expectations Like a GPS

• Activate prior knowledge at the start of every lesson or meeting.
• Clearly communicate where you’re going today—and why it matters.
• Revisit the vision regularly so everyone knows the destination.

2. Building Multi-Lane Communication

• Create safe “lanes” for students, staff, and families to share their perspectives.
• Treat communication as two-, three-, or four-way, not top-down.
• Use exemplars to show what “excellent teaching and learning” actually looks and sounds like.

3. Reframing Conflict in Your School

• View conflict as a signal that clarity is needed, not a personal attack.
• Use conflict moments to clarify goals, expectations, and commitments.
• Invite multiple perspectives so solutions reflect the real experience of students, staff, and families.

4. Practicing Presence in Leadership and Teaching

• Train your mind to slow down and be where your feet are planted.
• Notice when your brain is 3–5 steps ahead of the moment and gently bring it back.
• Listen fully before planning your response or the “next thing.”

5. Becoming a “Maker of Moments”

• Use small, intentional celebrations (like a 10-minute reading recognition) to reinforce what you value.
• Let students lead when they’re ready—“tag, you’re it”—and switch roles in the classroom.
• Connect fun, memorable experiences directly to learning targets and long-term goals.

6. Using Uplifting Yet Honest Language

• Pair honesty with hope: be transparent and encouraging.
• Offer specific, actionable feedback instead of vague criticism.
• Remember: your words become the internal soundtrack students and staff replay.

7. Checking Your Presence and Energy

• Reflect regularly: How am I showing up—body language, facial expressions, tone?
• Notice when your posture or energy communicates more than your words.
• Ask yourself: “If someone wore a parrot on their shoulder and repeated my words, would I be proud of what it says?”

👁️‍🗨️ Additional Practices

1. Start Lessons with the “GPS Check”

• What do students already know?
• Where are we going today?
• Why does it matter?

2. Build a Routine of Daily Micro-Celebrations

• Quick announcements over the intercom.
• Mini shout-outs in class or staff meetings.
• 30-second acknowledgments that say “I see you.”

3. Use the “Parrot Test”

• Before speaking, imagine a parrot repeating your words to someone else later.
• Would you still say it the same way?
• Would you want your students or staff to replay this all day?

4. Schedule Presence Pauses

• Set small reminders to slow down, breathe, and return to where your feet are planted.
• Use transitions (bell rings, passing periods, before meetings) as presence resets.

5. Practice Clarity Checks
 Ask regularly:

• “What did you hear me say?”
• “What does this look like in practice?”
• “What questions do you still have?”

6. Normalize Multiple Perspectives

• Intentionally invite student, teacher, and parent voices into decisions.
• Acknowledge that two truths can exist at the same time.

7. Turn Confusion into Exemplars

• When expectations aren’t met, create models, samples, and examples of what “great” looks like.
• Use walkthroughs, video examples, or student work samples as clarity tools.

8. Use Conflict to Strengthen Commitment
 In moments of disagreement, ask:

• “What are you seeing that I may be missing?”
• “What outcome are we both trying to reach?”

📚 Resources and Links

Connect with Dr. LaQuanta Nelson (The BOSSEducator):

🔗 Facebook: @TheBOSSEducator

🔗 X: @DrLNelson

🔗 LinkedIn: @TheBOSSEducator

🔗 TikTok: @thebosseducator_

On this episode of the Innovative Schools Podcast, Jordan and Liz sit down with Korey Collins, literacy teacher at the Ron Clark Academy, to dive deep into literacy, vocabulary, and the science of reading. Korey shares his personal journey into reading, explains why literacy rates are tied so closely to student success, and unpacks research-based practices that educators can apply in every classroom. From gestures that make words stick to the importance of reading aloud at home to breaking down words morphologically, Korey provides both urgency and practical strategies for boosting literacy across subjects.

🔑Key Takeaways

✔️ Literacy is foundational: It cuts across every subject and impacts life outcomes far beyond school.
✔️ Early experiences matter: Positive associations with books (being read to, seeing family members read) shape children’s attitudes toward literacy.
✔️ Screen culture is a barrier: Overexposure to tech conditions kids for stimulation, making sustained reading more difficult.
✔️ Science of Reading is research, not a curriculum: Educators must align practices with proven cognitive and linguistic research.
✔️ Vocabulary drives comprehension: Explicit word instruction, visuals, and kinesthetic gestures help words stick.
✔️ Morphology unlocks meaning: Teaching roots, prefixes, and suffixes makes English more predictable and empowers students as readers, writers, and spellers.
✔️ Literacy is a collective responsibility: Reading instruction doesn’t live only in ELA—science, history, art, and even gym can reinforce word learning.

💬Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Literacy transcends every piece of life—doctor, mechanic, even fixing the ice cream machine at McDonald’s, you’ll need to read something.”

🗣️ “We can’t just put books in front of kids and expect them to magically learn to read.”

🗣️ “Spelling’s job is to convey meaning, not just sound.”
🗣️ “Every single word has an explanation—English is more predictable than we think.”

🗣️ “If kids aren’t reading every single day, we’re not going to move the needle like we should.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• Vocabulary Routines
  • Students repeat words aloud for pronunciation.
  • Use student-friendly definitions (not dictionary jargon).
  • Pair with visuals that connect to current culture or student interests.
  • Attach a gesture/kinesthetic movement to every word.
  • Reinforce with connected texts containing target words.
• Morphological Instruction
  • Teach prefixes, suffixes, and roots (e.g., cred = believe, phon = sound).
  • Show how spelling conveys meaning across word families (e.g., sign, signal, signature).
  • Replace rote memorization lists with morphology-based word study.
• Cross-Curricular Vocabulary Ownership
  • Collaborate with science, art, and history teachers to use consistent strategies (gestures, explicit teaching) for content-specific words.
  • Ensure students encounter the same word in multiple contexts.
• Reading Aloud & Modeling
  • Teachers and family members (including fathers and grandparents) should read aloud often to normalize and celebrate reading.
  • Use read-alouds not only in early grades but also with older students.

👁️‍🗨️ Additional Practices

• Daily Independent Reading: Treat reading like a muscle—students need daily practice with authentic texts.
• Fact-Checking & Bias Lessons: Use articles with opposing viewpoints to help students evaluate sources.
• Kinesthetic Recall in Testing: Encourage students to use gestures quietly when recalling vocabulary during assessments.
• Literacy Beyond ELA: Remind staff that science and social studies texts contribute heavily to standardized test comprehension.
• Family Engagement: Share simple at-home routines (bedtime stories, library visits, reading aloud during meals).
• Early Intervention Idea: Hospitals and pediatricians could provide book packs and coaching for new parents to instill reading habits from birth.

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Korey Collins Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heykoreycollins/?hl=en

🔗 Korey Collins X: https://x.com/heykoreycollins?lang=en

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⭐ Rate & Review to help more teachers find this show

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💡 Innovative Schools Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innovativeschoolspodcast/

💡 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-schools-podcast/id1502414943
💡 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Lbw553jnDXuG08IZ43Kb5
💡 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@innovativeschoolspodcast

This special “50-in-50” panel was recorded live at the Innovative Schools Summit in Las Vegas (2025) and moderated by Kevin Stewart from the Innovative Schools Summit team.

👥 Featured Speakers

• Ernesto Mejia – CoolSpeak family member and motivational educator
• Charles Williams – CPS administrator & founder of C.W. Consulting
• Jobi Lawrence – Director of Product Development & Strategic Partnerships, UCLA Crest
• Connie Hamilton – Author, consultant, and former teacher, principal, and curriculum director
• Tracie Berry-McGhee – Founder of the I Define Me Movement, focusing on girl empowerment

🧠 Key Takeaways

✔️ “At-risk” is a label, not a destiny—reframe it as “promise scholars” or “students of potential.”

✔️ Connection precedes instruction. Build authentic relationships before focusing on academics.

✔️ Engagement thrives when students have voice, choice, and purpose in their learning.

✔️ Real-world relevance, creativity, and emotional safety are essential for classroom belonging.

✔️ Family and community partnerships are critical for sustained student success.

💬 Memorable Quotes from the Episode

🗣️“No one rises to low expectations.”
🗣️“Stop calling them at-risk unless they introduce themselves that way.”
🗣️“Use your story as a mirror, not a spotlight.”
🗣️“Our students can’t be what they can’t see—create experiences, not just field trips.”
🗣️“Normalize under-committing. Students don’t have to be 100% sure to participate.”
🗣️“If you want to engage your classroom, read the room’s energy first.”
🗣️“Don’t teach at students—let them teach you what they love.”

🎯 50 Strategies to Engage At-Risk Students

00:00 - Intro

02:11 - Stop calling them “at-risk”

02:45 - Shadow their futureselves

03:23 - The Two-by-Ten Strategy

04:16 - Hire your students as consultants

04:43 - Lyric Therapy

05:05 - Create a Fix-It File

05:40 - Silent Graffiti Wall

06:24 - Hyper-Local Real World Problem Labs

07:09 - Use your story as a mirror, not a spotlight

07:57 - Ask-Me-Anything Box

08:44 - Home Visits & Phone-a-Family Fridays

09:35 - Backstage Passes

10:30 - Create a No-Judgment Zone

10:55 - Create a Game Lab

11:28 - Real-Talk Exit Tickets

11:57 - Relevance Challenge

12:33 - Stop asking “What do you want to be?”

13:14 - Change Field Trips into Experiences

14:02 - Podcast Their Passion

14:44 - Pre-Teaching instead of Re-Teaching

15:38 - Week of Mindfulness

16:44 - Normalize Under-Committing

17:45 - Create-a-Class Challenge

18:47 - Choose-Your-Own Detention (or Consequence)

19:45 - Teacher Trading Cards & Life-Skills Challenges

20:33 - Replace Homework with Home Impact

21:20 - Give-Back Projects

22:28 - Tattoo Summary

23:10 - Paint What You Can’t Say Day

23:39 - Gamify a Worksheet

24:25 - Vision Boards / Future-Me Fridays
25:29 - Build a Personal Brand Portfolio

26:12 - Read the Classroom’s Energy

27:35 - Let Students Teach You

28:30 - Time-Capsule Letters

29:29 - Encouragement & Celebration Envelopes

30:29 - Prescriptions for the Soul

31:03 - Low-Stakes Quizzes

31:59 - Whisper Help Desk

32:58 - Enroll the Family

34:00 - Discover Intrinsic Motivation (The “Three Whys”)

35:10 - AI Mentorship

36:06 - Shadow a Student

37:18 - Kick the “I Don’t Know” Bucket

38:34 - Dear Little Sister / Dear Little Brother Letters

39:28 - Celebrate Questions, Don’t Shame Them

40:27 - Level Up Academic Language

41:34 - Redefine “At-Risk”

42:21 - Don’t Assume Family Dynamics

43:34 Outro / Innovative Schools Summit

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Learn more about the Innovative Schools Summit at www.innovativeschoolssummit.com

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In this episode of the Innovative Schools Podcast, Jordan and Will sit down with Principal Baruti Kafele—educator, author of 14 books, and national education leader—to discuss the journey from classroom teacher to principal to renowned speaker. With over 35 years in education and more than 3,000 presentations, Principal Kafele shares his philosophy of self-reflection, attitude, and leadership. From starting as a fifth-grade teacher in Brooklyn to transforming schools as a principal to launching the AP & New Principals Academy, he emphasizes being "comfortable with being uncomfortable" as the foundation of growth.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Attitude before achievement: Changing student and staff mindsets creates conditions where achievement follows naturally.
✔️ Leadership is visible everywhere: The culture, cleanliness, energy, and interactions in a school all reflect its leadership.
✔️ Self-reflection is non-negotiable: Educators must analyze their own "game film" daily to improve incrementally.
✔️ Instructional leadership matters most: Principals can’t hide behind paperwork—coaching teachers is the core of school leadership.
✔️ Never stop growing: Comfort halts progress; discomfort sparks innovation and impact.
✔️ Legacy of influence: Great leaders create schools where students and teachers believe in themselves and each other.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ "If I can change the attitude, the achievement will take care of itself."

🗣️ "Leadership is everything that happens in a school—even the graffiti in the bathroom."

🗣️ "Be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and uncomfortable with being comfortable."

🗣️ "Your leadership is the number one determinant of the success or failure of your school."

🗣️ "When I visit a school, I want to see the leadership without seeing the leader."

🗣️ "Bring your best self every time—you never know when your opportunity will knock."

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• The Mirror Method
  • Daily self-reflection: What went well? What didn’t?
  • Brutal honesty in self-assessment.
  • Write goals and adjustments for tomorrow.
  • Preserve longevity through intentional self-care.
• Closing the Attitude Gap
  • Define it for students: will to achieve vs. lack of will.
  • Define it for staff: educators striving to be excellent vs. those who don’t.
  • Shift attitudes first—achievement will follow.
• Instructional Leadership in Action
  • Be in classrooms consistently, not just during evaluations.
  • Coach teachers like athletes are coached—daily, consistently, relentlessly.
  • Remember: observation ≠ coaching.
• Building Visible Leadership
  • Greet every student at the door.
  • Launch each day with a morning message.
  • Ensure custodial, front office, and culture details align with high expectations.
• Creating Discomfort for Growth
  • Push beyond familiar routines.
  • Model vulnerability and willingness to stretch.
  • Encourage staff to embrace challenges and risk-taking.

👁️‍🗨️Additional Practices

• Daily Journaling: Write reflections and goals tied to your mirror practice.
• Principal Walkthroughs: Roam the building intentionally, noticing culture cues.
• Staff Buy-In: Anchor staff meetings around attitude, self-reflection, and growth.
• Mentorship for Leaders: Participate in or create accountability partnerships for principals and APs.
• Community Connection: Anchor school culture in authentic relationships with students and families.
• Leadership Mindset: Remember—leadership is not a title, it’s a mindset shown in every detail of a school.

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Principal Baruti Kafele’s website: https://principalkafele.com/

🔗 AP & New Principals Academy: https://www.youtube.com/c/VirtualAPLeadershipAcademy

🔗 Principal Baruti Kafele Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/principalkafele/?hl=en

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Instructional coach, author, and PD presenter Katie Kinder joins Will and Liz to unpack the phrase “digital heroin”—how excessive screen time can dysregulate kids, erode attention, and crowd out real-world learning. Katie argues for balance: leverage powerful tools like AI with clear boundaries, then deliberately pivot to paper-and-pen, dialogue, and play. She shares classroom moves and home routines that rebuild focus, language, and social skills.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Balance over ban: Tech and AI are valuable when used with intent, not as default entertainment or digital worksheets.

✔️ Explain the “why”: Students comply more when they understand how devices affect learning and why boundaries exist.

✔️ Paper boosts retention: Handwriting notes/assignments tends to support long-term memory better than typing on devices.

✔️ Teach talk, not just tasks: Structured dialogue (e.g., Socratic seminar) grows executive function, empathy, and academic language.

✔️ Start early at home: Simple routines—like three tech-free family meals per week—can meaningfully support developing brains.

✔️ Model digital citizenship: Have students compare sources, spot bias, and understand online permanence/consequences.

✔️ Support “baby teachers”: New educators need concrete procedures and engaging plans to avoid relying on screens.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️ “Our kids are growing up in a digital playground—and no one’s on recess duty.”

🗣️ “Putting a worksheet on an iPad isn’t innovative—it’s still a worksheet.”

🗣️ “If you’re getting dumber in my presence, how could I sleep at night?”

🗣️ “Teach kids to say, ‘I respectfully disagree—and here’s why.’”

🗣️ “We’re not anti-tech—we’re pro-intentionality.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• Boundaries with a Why
  • Begin the year by annotating short, age-appropriate articles on attention, screens, and learning.
  • Post a one-pager: “Phones away because…” (attention, memory, community).

• Socratic Seminar, Scaffolded
  • Prework: students draft level-3/4 questions.
  • In-room norms: “I respectfully disagree…,” “I insist that you go first.”
  • Participation target: each student contributes 3 times; the teacher tracks with a simple checklist.

• Speed Discussions (3-minute rounds)
  • Pairs rotate; handshakes, eye contact, and academic stems are required.
  • Gradually lengthen time and complexity.

• Paper-First for Core Thinking
  • Notes, outlines, and draft writing by hand; devices for research, drafting, and collaboration afterward.

• Purposeful AI Use
  • Teacher prep: Use tools (e.g., Slides add-ons, quiz generators) to save time.
  • Student use: brainstorm, outline, and compare AI outputs—then verify sources and revise.

• Hands-On Alternatives
  • Math on sidewalk chalk, physical puzzles in primary grades, gallery walks, manipulatives, and making.

• Phone-Free Routines
  • Clear signals (e.g., “bell-to-bell phone park”), visible storage, and consistent follow-through.

👁️‍🗨️ Additional Practices

• Conversation Starters Jar (home or advisory): quick prompts to build language and reflection during tech-free meals or circles.
• Bias Detective mini-lesson: bring two short articles with opposite claims; have students investigate author, funding, and intent.
• Online Footprint Case Studies: analyze real examples of posts that resurfaced and discuss “future-proof” posting habits.
• Detox Moments: plan micro-breaks—2–3 minutes of movement, breathing, or peer talk between device tasks.
• Parent Communication: share a one-page guide: “3 Family Habits to Balance Tech This Month” (meals, bedtime charging station, weekend outdoor challenge).
• Staff PD Sprint: 30-minute share-out of one AI tool that saved planning time + one low-tech engagement move that same week.

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 Katie Kinder Website: https://katie-kinder.com/

🔗 Katie Kinder Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untoldteachingtruths/?hl=en

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Hosts Will and Jordan talk with Ernesto Mejia (CoolSpeak) about moving from family involvement to true engagement. Ernesto shares why relationships—not just meetings—unlock student success, how to remove barriers for busy or multilingual families, and practical, low-cost ways schools can make engagement fun, inclusive and sustainable across all grade levels.

🔑 Key Takeaways

✔️ Involvement ≠ Engagement: Attendance is not the goal—relationship-building is.
✔️ Lead with positives: Routine positive phone calls build trust for tougher conversations later.

✔️ Meet families where they are: Consider work schedules, language, tech comfort, and transportation.

✔️ If it could be an email, it’s not engagement: Use meetings for interaction, not one-way info dumps.

✔️ The “Golden Triangle”: Students + caregivers + school staff working together multiplies impact.
✔️ Hybrid wins: Pair short videos/virtual touchpoints with purposeful in-person experiences.
✔️ Talk like humans: Replace acronyms with needs-based titles (e.g., “How to Pay for College” vs. “FAFSA Night”).

✔️ Iterate boldly: Try, learn, and improve—stop doing the same meeting and expecting new results.

💬 Memorable Quotes

🗣️“If it could have been an email, it’s not family engagement.”

🗣️“Don’t ask of families without giving first.”
🗣️“Once we become professionals at failing, we’ll become excellent at succeeding.”

🗣️“The Golden Triangle—students, families, and schools—raises the odds of success.”

🧠 Strategies You’ll Learn

• Design for engagement: Turn info into activities (e.g., app sign-up stations, bingo cards that require conversations, quick wins families complete on-site).
• Make it positive & predictable: Schedule “good news” calls/texts every 4–8 weeks per student.
• Reframe events: Rename with outcomes families actually want (“Paying for College,” “Launch Your Trade Career,” “Math Night: Parent–Student Challenges”).
• Use hybrid formats: 2–3 minute explainer videos or student-made TikToks/podcasts for info; in-person for relationship building.
• Activate internal talent: Students as media teams; staff who excel at MC’ing, Canva, or social lead segments.
• Culturally responsive touches: Bilingual messaging, name pronunciation, student/family voice at the mic.

👁️‍🗨️ Additional Practices

• Family History Quiz: Send home 5–7 prompts (e.g., “What were you like at my age?”) to deepen connection and surface college/career insights.
• Golden Triangle Nights: Plan events that include students, caregivers, and multiple school roles (e.g., bonfire/info night, club fair + mini-workshops).
• Earned Incentives (no extra budget): Priority access to giveaways (backpacks, supplies) for families who volunteer or attend 2–3 events.
• Two-Solutions Rule: When a barrier arises (“Families aren’t coming”), require two tested solutions before the next meeting.
• Show Up First: Short personalized video/text to caregivers (or quick sideline/church/park hello) before asking them to come to you.
• Rename & Clarify: Ban unexplained acronyms on flyers; add “What you’ll get” bullets to every invite.
• Short, Shareable Media: Weekly 60–120 sec student-hosted update or 10-minute podcast for caregivers’ commutes.
• Positive Mail Drop: Occasional postcard home celebrating a specific behavior or contribution.
• On-Ramp Stations: At events, set up guided stations (log into the app, send a test message, complete one career/FAFSA step).
• Feedback that Works: Replace broad surveys with 3-question, QR-based pulse checks at the door and exit.

📚 Resources and Links

🔗 CoolSpeak: https://coolspeak.com/youth-motivational-speakers/ernesto-mejia/

🔗 Ernesto Mejia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ernmejia/?hl=en

🔗 Check out Ernesto at the next Innovative Schools Summit: https://innovativeschoolssummit.com/san-antonio

❤️ Love This Episode?

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⭐ Rate & Review to help more teachers find this show

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💡 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innovative-schools-podcast/id1502414943
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