In this episode of the 360 Teaching & Learning Podcast, we talk with Park Tudor's incoming Head of School, Chris Front. We get to know Mr. Front and discuss his hopes and priorities for the coming year.  About Chris Front, from: https://www.parktudor.org/about/hos Chris is an exceptional educator with incredible leadership experience cultivated at a premiere midwestern independent school. Chris is currently Assistant Head of School at John Burroughs School in St. Louis. Burroughs is one of the top independent schools in the Midwest and has earned a stellar national reputation.   Says Chris: "While I was originally drawn to this opportunity by Park Tudor’s impressive academic reputation, it was during my visit to campus earlier this month that I knew this was the school community I wanted to join and lead. As I met with teachers, parents, staff, trustees, and administrators, their passion for and commitment to Park Tudor was palpable. But it was my time with students—who spoke so enthusiastically about the deep and meaningful connections they have with their teachers, advisors, and coaches—that made clear to me that Park Tudor shares my deeply held belief that students grow intellectually and thrive personally when they feel known, supported, and valued. I am thrilled and honored to lead Park Tudor in its next chapter, as together we build upon its history of excellence." Burroughs’ current Head of School attributes much of their success to his collaboration with Chris over the years. Throughout the interview process and in discussions with various references, Chris’s care for students, focus on academic excellence, intellect, empathy, and unique ability to lead came through loud and clear. Chris is a beloved educator and leader.

In this episode of the 360 Teaching & Learning Podcast, we catch up with Park Tudor's Upper School Tech Integrator, Sandi Johnson. We discuss the advent of Artificial Intelligence including Chat GPT, and how it is sending shockwaves through the world of education. About Sandi Johnson from Parktudor.org: Sandi currently serves as Park Tudor’s Upper School Technology Integrator. She also sponsors the Upper School DECA club and the Destination Imagination program in the Lower School.  Previous to her time at Park Tudor, Sandi worked for Carmel Clay Schools where she taught in high-ability classrooms designing technology-based activities to supplement classroom curriculum. Sandi’s career has taken her all over the country. She received her master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Central Florida. From there, she traveled with her husband and three children to Louisville, KY, where she worked as a classroom teacher for Kentucky Country Day School. Her adventures continued as she was asked to open a school for the Gifted and Talented near Dallas, TX. Three years later, her family was relocated to Indiana, where she has developed an appreciation for coffee and a great pair of snow boots!

In this episode, we talk with Park Tudor’s Director of Equity and Inclusion Camille Wiggins. We discuss her experience at the recent People of Color Conference from NAIS and how it will help inform the conversation at Park Tudor in the coming weeks and months. About Camille from Parktudor.org Camille joined Park Tudor from IUPUI, where she was Senior Admissions Counselor. In her role, she was responsible for the execution of recruitment and outreach objectives for first-year and transfer student populations; evaluation of student mindsets; and collaboration with academic units and campus partners on degree programs, campus community, and culture. Prior to joining IUPUI, Camille served as Director of Legal Personnel and Diversity for Ice Miller LLP; her responsibilities included administering and facilitating diversity, inclusion, and customer service education throughout the law firm. She has also been a Diversity Consultant and Facilitator to a broad range of organizations including for-profit companies and non-profits, state and local governments, and community groups. Her expertise includes presentations and facilitating discussions on a variety of topics covering inclusion, micro-aggressions, unconscious bias, workplace behaviors, cultural competency, and community building. Camille holds a B.A. in English from Earlham College, and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

In this episode, as Park Tudor enters its new season of Professional Learning Communities, Laura Gellin and I talk with three of our new PLC leaders: Jamie Salatich, Carrie Payline, and Liz Odmark. We discuss what success in PLC groups looks like, as well as the main hopes and goals for the coming weeks and months. About our Guests from Parktudor.org Jamie Salatich - Mrs. Salatich came to Park Tudor in 2013 from St. Richard's, where she taught first grade and helped implement a variety of programs, including project-based learning and various STEM initiatives. She has received multiple teaching awards, including MSD Perry Township Teacher of the Year 2006, Indiana PTA State Life Award 2007, and the Indiana Ice/Sharp Business Systems Educator of the Year Award 2011. Prior to St. Richard's, Jamie taught at the Paramount School of Excellence, where she chaired the School Improvement Committee, which focused on creating a culturally responsive environment. She currently coaches Lower School robotics. Liz Odmark - Mrs. Odmark has taught English at Springfield North High School in Ohio, and at North Central High School and the Hasten Hebrew Academy in Indianapolis. She started the Upper School Speech and Debate Team in 1992, serving as coach for five years, and has served as advisor of The Artisan, Park Tudor’s Upper School art and literary magazine. She also served as English Department Chair from 2002-2007 and served on an ISACS school evaluation committee in 2014. She started a Middle School Speech and Debate Team in 2015. Carrie Poehlein - Prior to joining Park Tudor, Carrie was College and Career Counselor at Roncalli High School and College Advisor at Cathedral High School. She also has experience on the other side of the college admissions process, having been an Admissions Counselor/Senior Admissions Counselor at Butler University for three years. Carrie is a leader in the field; in addition to her work at Park Tudor, she is a Course Instructor for the University of California, Berkeley Extension, teaching two foundational courses within their Certificate in College Admissions Advising program. In this graduate certificate program for school counselors and independent educational consultants, Carrie teaches both new and seasoned professionals from across the world regarding college application procedures, standardized testing requirements, and admissions requirements for public and private universities. In addition, Carrie also works as an Advanced Placement (AP) Coordinator Workshop Consultant for the College Board - one of only 25 training consultants nationwide. In this role, Carrie conducts training programs for AP Coordinators during interactive, virtual workshops. Carrie is very active in the Indiana Association of College Admissions Counselors, frequently presenting at their conferences and serving on a variety of committees. She is a 2020 recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from the University of Chicago. Carrie earned a B.A. degree in French and Business Studies, as well as a Master of Science in Effective Teaching and Learning, both from Butler University.

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Floyd Cobb and John Krownapple, authors of 'Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity: The Keys to Successful Equity Implementation'. We discuss what it means to build a true culture of belonging, how this can lead to meaningful success and achievement, and how we can reframe our language around equity to move toward a more inclusive environment. Book: Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity About Dr. Floyd Cobb from instructionalcoaching.com: Floyd Cobb has over 20 years of experience spanning the P-20 educational continuum, holding roles as a teacher, school leader, district curriculum leader, and a statewide policy implementer. He holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver. There, he is an adjunct faculty member and teaches courses on social inequality through the lenses of race, class, and gender. In 2017, Floyd was awarded the Ruth Murray Underhill Teaching Award for excellence in teaching, which is given to one adjunct faculty member at the university. He has published numerous articles and book chapters and is the lead author of the book Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity, which focuses on dignity as a key component of equity implementation.  About John Krownapple from instructionalcoaching.com: John Krownapple specializes in professional learning and organizational development focused on equitable change. Bringing with him over 15 years of experience as the coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion for a school district of over 50,000 students, John has published numerous articles and is the author of the book Guiding Teams to Excellence with Equity: Culturally Proficient Facilitation (Corwin, 2017) and co-author of Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity: The Keys to Successful Equity Implementation (Mimi & Todd Press, 2019). John has served as a classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, and district administrator. He is currently an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University and educational consultant. Help Us Spread the Word! If you enjoyed this episode of PT's 360 Podcast, please subscribe in iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we chat with Dennis Bisgaard, Park Tudor School's incoming Interim Head of School. We get to know Mr. Bisgaard and discuss his priorities for the coming year, as well as what it means to be an interim head of school.  About Mr. Bisgaard from Parktudor.org: Dennis has over 30 years of experience as an independent school educator, and prior to his upcoming post at Park Tudor, he has led five institutions as Head of School. Most recently, Dennis has successfully led two independent schools through a transition period as Interim Head of School and is currently Interim Head of School for the Friends School of Baltimore.

About Paul Kirschner (from Google Books): Paul A. Kirschner is Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology at the Open University of the Netherlands and Guest Professor at Thomas More University of Applied Science in Belgium. An international speaker and researcher, he was also the President of the International Society for the Learning Sciences. Key Links: Book (2020): How Learning Happens: Seminal Work in Educational Psychology and What They Mean in Practice Book (2019): More Urban Myths about Learning and Education Book (2015): Urban Myths about Learning and Education Twitter: @P_A_Kirschner

'In this episode, we discuss what is unique about independent school parents, and how we can best partner with parents to help students succeed in every way. Hopes and Fears: Working with Today's Independent Schooll Parents' Description from NAIS.org: Too often, the standard ways of building parent cooperation no longer work well, and schools may inadvertently foster parent expectations that undermine an effective home-school partnership. Hopes and Fears offers a new approach. Based on their decades of work with schools, psychologists Rob Evans and Michael Thompson bring insight and empathy to advice for teachers and administrators about strengthening parent relations. The book is divided into three sections: Part 1: The Rising Tide of Anxiety examines factors that intensify the dilemmas families and schools face, from normal tensions to accelerating social, economic, and technological changes. Part 2: Challenges illuminates why some parents act the way they do—and why the ways in which schools have traditionally dealt with them can be ineffective. Part 3: Coping includes three nuts-and-bolts chapters for restructuring the partnership: ·      The Basic Toolkit offers advice on adopting the right mindset and skills to work constructively with the vast majority of parents. ·      The Advanced Toolkit provides tips for managing the small number of parents who are more challenging. ·      A guide for administrators covers practical ways to train and support teachers. From Robertevans.org: Robert Evans is a psychologist and school consultant. A former high school and pre-school teacher, and for many years a child and family therapist, he has consulted to more than 1,700 schools, public and private, throughout the U.S. and internationally, working with teachers, leaders, and boards. Rob received his undergraduate degree from Princeton and his doctorate from Harvard. His particular interests are in leadership, in helping schools cope with change, in crisis intervention, and in improving collegiality and candor among educators. He is the author of many articles and books. His newest, co-written with Michael Thompson, is Hopes and Fears: Working with Today's Independent School Parents. His others are: Seven Secrets of The Savvy School Leader, The Human Side of School Change, and Family Matters: How Schools Can Cope with The Crisis in Childrearing. From michaelthompson-phd.com: For nearly thirty-five years, I have worked as a clinical psychologist, school consultant and international speaker on the subjects of children, schools and parenting. I’ve authored nine books focusing on the emotional lives of boys, friendships and social cruelty in childhood, the impact of summer camp experiences on child development, the tensions that arise in the parent-teacher relationships, and psychological aspects of school leadership. My work with independent schools and public school districts throughout the United States, and with international schools in Europe, Asia and South America takes me to about fifty schools a year to lead workshops for teachers, administrators, parents and students.

How can we show empathy in the classroom? How can we create safe spaces for students and faculty to feel supported as they go through challenges? Why is understanding pain such an important part of empathy? We discuss these questions and more with speaker and empathy consultant Liesel Mindrebo Mertez. Click here to read more about Leisel's life and work.

In this episode, we talk with Park Tudor School's Head of School: Gareth Vaughan. We discuss what life has been like at the school during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as what the future holds with our new and current campus buildings. We also discuss vision and hopes for the school's future.