Patti Bartsch, PhD.,, founder of Naturally Unbridled Wellness, a holistic therapy center in Onalaska, WI, and Tori Yocum, a Biophotonic and Brainergy Specialist with Naturally Unbridled Wellness talk about nutrition and food choices in our schools and how they affect learning and brain development in our students. 

Pastor Todd Bentz, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hamburg, MN, and Pastor Rich Steensma, senior pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Jefferson City, MO, join the podcast to talk about how they each made a significant change in ministry and what went into those decisions. Both pastors shifted from education to a pastoral role and chat about how God pressed this change upon their hearts.

 Three LSEM teachers from across the country — Erin Muth (Minnesota), Rebekeh Symank (California) and Kasey Mathews (Illinois) — join Dr. Tracie Salgado for a roundtable conversation and talk about and share their journeys and paths in becoming special education teachers. They discuss some of the challenges in their profession as well as their successes and their unique approaches in working with their students. 

Mick McCoy is the creator of Holidays in Scriptures (HIS) Songs, a curriculum of scripture songs for children. In this podcast, McCoy, who goes by Grampa Ralph in his songs, talks about how he came to Christ in 1971 while working at a coffee house in Hawaii. He left everything behind to follow Christ but soon came back to music when he realized that music was one of his gifts from God. You can find his curriculum at scripturesong.org.

Travis Grulke, assistant to the president in education and superintendent of schools at the Michigan District, and Sean Martens, assistant to the president in education at the Minnesota South District, join the podcast to talk about the state of education in their respective states.  Each touch on the amazing growth they’re experiencing in their districts as well as the importance of the local Concordia Universities in their regions.

Kevin Creutz, Executive Director of the Lutheran Schools Partnership in Fort Wayne, IN, is a former teacher and principal. While he didn't always envision working on the administration side of education, Kevin talks about how his professional journey was encouraged by fellow administrators throughout his career. The Lutheran Schools Partnership provides services and resources to Lutheran schools.

Richard Schumacher, Senior Director of Operations at Lutheran Special Education Ministries and host of the podcast, recaps the year, talks about the state of the ministry and what’s ahead in the coming year at LSEM. Richard also reflects on some of 2024's podcast highlights.  

Dr. Drew Gerdes, Assistant Professor of Education, Early Childhood Education Program Director, Director of Student Teaching, Department of Education at Concordia University Nebraska, has served as an Early Childhood Teacher and Administrator at schools in the United States and Asia for nearly three decades. Noted as a professional who loves to share and develop other educators, Dr. Gerdes has been a sought-after speaker on a variety of topics in Early Childhood Education and Lutheran School Ministry.

Andrew Monkemeyer, Principal at Concordia Lutheran School in Peoria, IL, joins the conversation with Dr. Tracie Salgado and talks about the relationship between his school and Lutheran Special Education Ministries. After 14 years as a teacher at Concordia, Andrew became principal last year and stepped into the role of navigating the special education needs in his school. He talks about challenges that all Christian schools face in regards to social and emotional learning and well-being as well as other needs of their students.

Dr. Thomas Wrege, a frequent contributor to the podcast, joins this episode and talks about his new endeavor as a School Funding Executive at DAST Consulting. A former teacher and principal, Wrege recently earned his doctoral degree in innovation and continuous improvement from Concordia University. In his new role, he helps school administrators find and access funding that they may not have realized is available to them.