Teachers and students alike are returning to the classroom carrying a variety of emotions. In this first episode of the eighth season of 3Ps in a Pod, the 3Ps hosts talk with themselves and this week’s two guests about what they have learned and what they continue to struggle with after the events of the past six months.

The 3Ps hosts you’ve come to know, Angelia, Danielle, Donnie, and Mary, will introduce you to the newest addition to the 3Ps team and also to this week’s two guests: Elma Dzanic, Support Services Manager for Phoenix Union High School District, and Dr. Cliff Moon, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion for Tempe Union High School District.

As Support Services Manager for Phoenix Union, Dzanic works to integrate a restorative justice and practices framework as she oversees social workers, intervention staff, and others in her department. She shares about how she is living and working during the “two pandemics” the country is experiencing and how she is helping support Phoenix Union students and employees. That support has included developing a toolkit for navigating these times that will soon be available for others to access. Find Phoenix Union High School District's "Social and Emotional Toolkit for Educators" here. You can also find past episodes featuring Dzanic Bass here.

Dr. Cliff Moon shares with the 3Ps hosts about the opportunities educators and the nation as a whole have now to engage in “courageous conversations.” While a challenging time, Dr. Moon explains how this moment in time offers the framework for educators to better serve students and families. He shares his wishlist for what a new normal might look like that better supports all students.

Here are a few other links to people or resources mentioned in this episode:

• Cinnamon Kills First, cinnamonkillsfirst.com
• Ibrahm X. Kendi, ibramxkendi.com

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.