Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast

2026 National Teacher of the Year Leon Smith joins host Kisha DeSandies Lester to share what inspired him to become a teacher and explore what students need from their teachers, their classrooms, and the education system today.

For more than 20 years, Jere Chang has been bringing passion, curiosity, and heart into the classroom—and now she’s bringing that same energy to the podcast.

Known to millions as “Ms. Chang,” Jere has built a community of more than 3.5 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook by sharing humor, radical kindness, honest stories, and everyday inspiration. As a longtime teacher in the Atlanta area and the author of Becoming the Teacher I Needed: Lessons in Radical Kindness and Resilience, Jere brings a unique perspective on education, resilience, relationships, and what it means to show up for others.

This is a podcast about the lessons we learn, the people who shape us, and the small acts of kindness that can make a big difference.

PTA’s award-winning podcast, Notes from the Backpack, returns with an important and deeply emotional conversation. Host Kisha DeSandies Lester sits down with Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, to hear the story of her son Dylan, who was just six years old when he was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Nicole shares her powerful perspective on turning unimaginable loss into a commitment to creating safer schools and communities. This is a mom-to-mom conversation you don’t want to miss.

• Learn more about Nicole Hockley and her commitment to creating safer schools at SandyHookPromise.org.
• Learn more about PTA’s Call for Action on Gun Violence.

From addressing climate change to destigmatizing mental health, young people are stepping up as leaders to create a better world. Our hosts talked with DeNora Getachew, CEO of DoSomething.org, to learn how we can empower youth to create change. DeNora shares about the causes most important to young people, how they're getting involved and what families and educators can do to encourage service learning.

• Visit DoSomething.org to learn more and follow @DoSomething on social media.
• From the Archives: Listen to Raising Kids Who Change the World with Marley Dias.
• Explore more resources on service learning on National PTA’s Healthy Lifestyles page.

It’s time to think creatively about school reform! Co-CEO of Transcend Education Aylon Samouha joined the show to share the latest in school transformation. Tune in to explore the purpose of education, innovative learning models and the journey towards creating extraordinary, equitable learning environments. 

• Visit TranscendEducation.org to check out the Innovative Models Exchange, Leaps for Equitable 21st Century Learning and more!
• Follow Transcend Education on social media at @TranscendBuilds.
• Read “Parents Want More From Their Child’s K-12 Education. Here are Five Ways to Find it.” in PTA’s Our Children online magazine.

How can families partner with schools to ensure their children are enjoying nutritious meals? Our hosts talked with Briana Webster-Campbell, the managing director of Center for Best Practices at No Kid Hungry to get an inside look into the school cafeteria. Briana shares how schools determine what foods to serve, how families can get more involved and why your child’s cinnamon roll may be healthier than you think!

• Learn more about No Kid Hungry and explore their tools and webinars.
• Share Our Strength School Meal Finder: Text FOOD to 304-304 to find food sites near you!
• Explore more tips and resources on National PTA’s Healthy Lifestyles page.

Innovations in rural schools are paving the way for more successful futures for our youth! Tune in as Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone shares about the challenges rural schools face and how they’re facing them head on. From expanding career and technical offerings to substantial teacher retention bonuses, Mike shares how pooling resources between districts in rural Texas has been a game changer for their students.

• Learn more about the Rural Schools Innovation Zone and reach out to Mike at [email protected] with any questions.
• Explore the National School Board Association’s five-part report series, “Educational Equity for Rural Students: Out of the Pandemic, but Still Out of the Loop.”
• Follow Mike on Twitter at @RSIZ4GMikeG.  

How is the political climate shaping the curricula in schools today? From book bans to censorship, our guest Denise Forte, president and CEO of the Education Trust, delves into the tensions facing education today. Tune in to discover current challenges and bright spots and to explore where we go from here.

• Dig into EdTrust’s reports “Social, Emotional and Academic Development through an Equity Lens” and “The Search for More Complex Racial and Ethnic Representation in Grade School Books.” 
• Read EdTrust’s article about state-level opposition to teaching honest history. 
• Follow Denise at @Denise_EdTrust and @EdTrust on social media.

From supplemental instruction to grade skipping, there are options when it comes to challenging our most advanced learners, but these opportunities can be hard to access. Brandon Wright, editorial director at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute joins the show to share best practices in gifted education and what families can do if their child would benefit from a more advanced curriculum.

• Explore the Fordham Institute’s Report Building a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners
• Read Failing Our Brightest Kids by Brandon Wright & Chester Finn
• Learn more from Brandon by following him on social media at @BWrightEd or subscribing to his substack here

How do teachers find the most effective ways to engage families? Teachers often learn from their colleagues and even their own experiences as students. In this episode, Dr. Soo Hong, researcher and professor at Wellesley College, highlights the lack of formal family engagement training and the systemic changes needed to support early career teachers.

• Explore the “Educator Preparation Framework for Family and Community Partnerships” from National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) to learn more.
• Check out Soo Hong’s books, A Cord of Three Strands and Natural Allies, and explore more resources on her website.
• From the Archives: Listen to episodes from our Teacher Talk Miniseries to learn more about educators’ lives in the classroom.