The Authority Podcast — Expert Insights and Fresh Ideas for Education Leaders

Michael Fullan, the internationally known authority on educational leadership and proponent of whole system reform, joins us for this episode. 

No doubt, many of you listeners have been influenced by Michael’s work over the years. The former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto, he is co-leader of the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning global initiative, served as Premier Dalton’s Special Policy Adviser in Ontario from 2003-2013, and received the Order of Canada (OC) in December 2012.

Michael is the author of numerous books, including the focus of today’s episode: The Principal 2.0: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact (Jossey-Bass).

We discuss:

• The Principal 2.0 (2023) is 90% new material from The Principal (2014). We cover the events that caused Michael to undertake such a significant revisitation.
• The disruptions of the past few years are forcing change in schools – which can turn out for better or worse depending on the evolving role of the principal. 
• What forces have traditionally boxed principals into a narrower role?
• Spirit Work
• Global evidence for these principles
• Systemness in Action 
• Connected Autonomy 
• The Drivers – system change from the bottom up
• Reasons for optimism about the future

Find The Principal 2.0 here: https://bit.ly/3TYJZx4 

About today’s guest

Michael Fullan is an internationally known authority on educational leadership. Professor emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Fullan is Global Co-Director of New Pedagogies for Deep Learning. He is an adviser and consultant on major education reform initiatives around the world. His previous books include Change Leader, The Six Secrets of Change, and Leading in a Culture of Change. Learn more: https://michaelfullan.ca/

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossromano 

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Lacey Robinson is president and CEO of UnboundEd. A former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years, her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms.

In this episode, Lacey and Ross discuss her book Justice Seekers: Pursuing Equity in the Details of Teaching and Learning.

The conversation includes:

• GLEAM — Grade-Level, Engaging, Affirming, Meaningful instruction
• The relationship between justice and equity
• Justice is found in the details of teaching and learning
• Historical and continuing bias in schools
• What’s hard about being a truth-teller?
• What can a teacher do in an environment that discourages or prohibits explicit discussion of race?
• How does administration create a supportive environment for this approach?
• How do we know we’re making progress?

Learn more about Justice Seekers at www.unbounded.org or find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookshop.org or wherever you get your books.

If you’re interested in interviews with professional, collegiate, Olympic and amateur sports coaches, check out my new show Sideline Sessions: https://sidelinesessions.transistor.fm/subscribe 

About today’s guest

Lacey Robinson is the president and CEO of UnboundEd, and the chair of the Board of CORE Learning. As CEO, Robinson sets the organization’s vision for transforming instruction for students at the margins. She is a former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years. Her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms. She led the merger of UnboundEd, Pivot Learning, and CORE Learning under the UnboundEd banner — creating the nation’s largest K–12 educator development organization focused on improving teaching and learning for underserved students.

Robinson is a leading national voice on disrupting the predictability of students’ educational outcomes, and was named to 2023’s Forbes 50 Over 50 list in recognition of her innovative leadership. She frequently serves as a keynote speaker and is featured on Emily Hanford’s 2022 “Sold a Story” podcast.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Welcome to Best of The Authority! Thanks to wonderful listeners like you, this Be Podcast Network original series is growing and going strong. In fact, it now ranks in the Top 5% of the more than 3 million podcasts globally. 

In case you haven’t been with us since the beginning, the “Best Of” is designed to catch you up on some of the best and most popular episodes you may have missed.

In this episode, I had a ton of fun chatting with David Fleming, a senior writer at ESPN who has been one of the industry’s most prolific, versatile, and imaginative longform writers over the last three decades at Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, and ESPN. He has reported on everything from the Super Bowl and Steph Curry to the Musical Chairs World Championship and the NFL’s obsession with glutes. 

We discussed his great book, Who's Your Founding Father? One Man’s Epic Quest to Uncover the First, True Declaration of Independence:

• The Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence (the MecDec!) — what it is who wrote it, and who signed it
• John Adams accuses Thomas Jefferson of plagiarism — the evidence and the defense
• Traveling to London to uncover an international conspiracy and discovering North Carolina’s Freedom Spring, previously lost for a century
• If 11 US Presidents along with Ken Burns, David McCullough, George Will and others acknowledged the MecDec, why haven’t we heard more about it?
• The South’s critical role in the American Revolution
• Thomas Jefferson…shockingly awful
• Captain James Jack, the Paul Revere of the South (only braver)
• The playlist at the Musical Chairs World Championship, and more!

Who's Your Founding Father? is available from Hachette. Find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books: https://bit.ly/43Wt6F6

Read David’s 2013 ESPN story about the Musical Chairs World Championship here.

About our guest

David Fleming is a senior writer at ESPN. During the last three decades at Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine and ESPN he has been one of the industry’s most prolific, versatile, and imaginative longform writers, traveling the globe while penning more than 35 cover stories and numerous groundbreaking pieces on everything from the Super Bowl and Steph Curry to the Musical Chairs World Championship and the NFL’s obsession with glutes. Fleming’s unique work has earned numerous national awards as well as a handwritten note from the White House. 

He is also the author of two previous books, Breaker Boys: The NFL’s Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship and Noah's Rainbow: A Father’s Emotional Journey from the Death of his Son to the Birth of his Daughter. A native of Detroit, Fleming and his wife, Kim, live in North Carolina with their daughters.

Follow him on Twitter @FlemESPN 

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry and beyond clarify their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn. 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Happy holidays! We'll be publishing new episodes of The Authority in January (stay tuned for great conversations with Lacey Robinson, Michael Fullan, and Allison Rodman to start the year). Until then, we'll continue sharing more great content.

This week I’m excited to share the second episode of my new show, Sideline Sessions. If you're a youth or high school sports coach, or parent of a student-athlete, make sure to subscribe to the show: https://sidelinesessions.transistor.fm/subscribe 

In this episode, I speak with Caroline McCombs, head women’s basketball coach at George Washington University. As a head coach and assistant coach, her teams have appeared in six NCAA tournaments and made two Sweet 16 appearances, and she also made an NCAA tournament as an all-conference player at Youngstown State. 

We discussed Coach McCombs’ transition from playing to coaching, what young players need to know, and more, including:

• Went directly from being an all-conference college player into coaching
• How she defines the role of coach
• Recruiting vs. coaching and how each contributes to success in an NCAA program
• What high school coaches and parents should know about the recruiting process
• Coaching a veteran team versus a younger team and what to expect

About today’s guest

Head coach Caroline McCombs is in her third season at the helm of GW women’s basketball. McCombs' first two seasons with the Buff and Blue resulted in a run to the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Championship. During her first year in Foggy Bottom, McCombs helped lead a team that ranked first in program history in points allowed in a season (55.2) and upset #5 La Salle to reach the Quarterfinals of the 2022 A-10 Women’s Basketball Championship. 2022-23 then saw the Buff and Blue with McCombs at the helm earn the 7-seed in the tournament to notch a first-round bye, and then knock off the 10-seed before narrowly falling in the quarters to the second seed. 

A proven winner at every stop during her 25-year coaching career, McCombs arrived at GW after seven years as the head coach at Stony Brook where she led the Seawolves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021. The 2020 America East Coach of the Year, McCombs won 130 games in seven years at Stony Brook.

About the host

Ross Romano is co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and also hosts The Authority Podcast. He began his career in the pro sports industry before becoming a leading communications, marketing, and management expert working with education companies. He is founder and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. He also works directly with professionals at all levels, in all industries, coaching them in their pursuit of success.

Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn. Listen to The Authority: https://authoritypodcast.net. 

Are you a professional looking for insights to reach the next level, find a fulfilling new career, or achieve peak performance? You may be a candidate for performance coaching. Schedule an introductory chat here. 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Welcome to Best of The Authority! Thanks to wonderful listeners like you, this Be Podcast Network original series is growing and going strong. In fact, it now ranks in the Top 5% of the more than 3 million podcasts globally. 

In case you haven’t been with us since the beginning, the “Best Of” is designed to catch you up on some of the best and most popular episodes you may have missed.

In this episode, I spoke with internationally renowned speaker Richard Gerver, a multi-time bestselling author and acclaimed thinker on human leadership and human transformation. His career began as a classroom teacher and he eventually worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama.

And if you enjoy this episode, I have more good news: Richard is launching a new podcast series, The Learning Bridge, here on the Be Podcast Network! 

• Listen to the trailer of The Learning Bridge: https://bit.ly/4asbpB9 
• Subscribe to Richard's new show, The Learning Bridge: https://bit.ly/478h903 

Our conversation on The Authority is built around Richard's book Change: Learn to Love It, Learn to Lead It. We talk about the following and more:

• How the pandemic necessitated change and changed Gen-Z’s perspective on the inevitability of change. 
• “We are living in the first age where we no longer determine the rate of change.”
• How Richard navigated the change from teacher to three-time UK Business Speaker of the Year. 
• Overcoming the fear of change caused by “imagined consequences.”
• What the innovation of “Total Football” shows us about embracing change. 
• Is loving and embracing change necessary for leading it?
• Overcoming artificial complexity and self-constructed barriers. 
• CQ — the Curiosity Quotient. 

Find Change, Simple Thinking, Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today, and all of Richard’s other books and work at www.richardgerver.com     

Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. 

About today’s guest

Richard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, bestselling author and world-renowned thinker. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.

Since the success of his first book, focusing on his experience in frontline education, Richard has devoted himself to advancing society’s thinking on learning, change, and how best to realise our full potential. He has since written several books on leadership and innovation, including the bestsellers Change and Simple Thinking

Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.

Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Dee Ann was a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to retirement, she was Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability for the company. 

Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems. Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and consulting and coaching leaders globally. 

She is the author of multiple bestsellers, including Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers.

In this episode, Dee Ann and Ross talk about:

• Select and steward extraordinary talent 
• What qualifies as extraordinary talent within your organization? 
• Which part of recruitment and hiring is most critical?
• What does stewardship of talent look like?
• What Dee Ann learned about “betting on talent”
• The leader’s responsibility in selecting the right talent for the team
• How to make hiring managers love the process
• Trust, Transparency, and Instinct
• “Why would I choose you for this job?”

Find Bet on Talent at https://www.deeannturner.com, on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books.

Visit Dee Ann’s website to download her list of 25 Interview Questions to Select Extraordinary Talent. 

Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Visit https://bepodcast.network to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators.

About today’s guest

Dee Ann Turner is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to retirement, she was Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability for Chick-fil-A, Inc. Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems.

Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and consulting and coaching leaders globally. She is the author of the best sellers, It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture (2015) and Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers (2019) and Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job and Launch Your Future (2021). She also hosts the Crush Your Career Podcast and is the Talent Expert in Residence at High Point University.

In 2023, Dee Ann was named to the Georgia Titan 100. The Titan 100 program recognizes the Top 100 CEO’s & C-Level executives. They are the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that includes demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision and passion.

She is a graduate of Clayton State University with a degree in Management. She also completed executive education courses at Emory University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School. She is a 2009 alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Connect with Dee Ann at https://www.deeannturner.com and on social media:

• https://twitter.com/DeeAnnTurner 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeannturner 
• https://www.facebook.com/DeeAnnTurnerAuthor 
• https://www.instagram.com/deeannturner 

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossromano 

Are you a professional looking for insights to reach the next level, find a fulfilling new career, or achieve peak performance? You may be a candidate for performance coaching. Schedule an introductory chat here. 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Welcome to Best of The Authority! Thanks to wonderful listeners like you, this Be Podcast Network original series is growing and growing and still going strong. In case you haven’t been with us since the beginning, the “Best Of” is designed to catch you up on some of the best and most popular episodes you may have missed.

In this episode, I spoke with Carol Ann Tomlinson, one of the most admired, accomplished, and influential authors and leaders in education. 

We discussed the following and more:

• George R.R. Martin’s two types of writers, the architect and the gardener. How the journey of writing this book was something different.
• A “dues-paying member” of innovation in education.
• A learner-centered classroom dignifies students and honors each learner. What else does it look like? 
• "Learner-centered classrooms rely on teachers who are willing to change and grow, and on school leaders who are willing to intelligently support them.”
• What does quality mean and what does it ask of teachers?
• How teachers can honor themselves. 
• So each may soar beyond K-12. What are our ambitions for students?

Learn more about the book and get it from ASCD: https://bit.ly/45TeBDM 

Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. 

About today’s guest

Carol Ann Tomlinson is William Clay Parrish, Jr. Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development where she served as Chair of Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Policy, and Co-Director of the University’s Institutes on Academic Diversity.  Prior to joining the faculty at UVa, she was a teacher in public schools for 21 years, where she taught students in high school, preschool, and middle school, and administered district programs for struggling and advanced learners. She was Virginia’s Teacher of the Year in 1974.

At the University of Virginia, she taught and advised doctoral, masters, and undergraduate students with a focus on curriculum, instruction, and differentiation. During her time at UVa, she authored or co-authored over 300 books, book chapters, articles, and other educational materials for K-12 teachers and school leaders including: How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms (3rd Ed.), The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (2nd Ed), So Each May Soar: The Principles & Practices of Learner-Centered Classrooms, and Everybody’s Classroom: Differentiating for the Shared and Unique Needs of Diverse Learners Her books are available in 14 languages.

Carol was named Outstanding Professor at UVa’s School of Education in 2004 and received an All-University Teaching Award in 2008.  In 2023, she was ranked #12 in the Education Week Edu-Scholar Public Presence Rankings of the 200 “University-based academics who are contributing most substantially to public debates about schools and schooling,” and as the #4 voice in Curriculum. She works throughout the United States and internationally with educators who seek to create classrooms that are effective in reaching diverse student populations.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

In this special episode, I have the honor to announce the Industry winners of the 2023 Excellence in Equity Awards. 

Beginning with 124 nominees across 25 competitive award categories, we now have 47 nominations that were selected as this year’s winners. Listen in to hear about each of them. 

To learn more about the Excellence in Equity Awards, visit: https://www.ace-ed.org/awards 

If you’re an award winner, access your resources here:

• Digital Badge: https://bit.ly/3RoZ8oi 
• Download Press Release Template (Word)

About the host

Ross Romano is CEO of September Strategies, co-founder of the Be Podcast Network, strategic advisor to the American Consortium for Equity in Education and founding program chair of the Excellence in Equity Awards. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. 

Ross coaches clients one-on-one to solve their pressing professional challenges and is also a mental fitness coach with Positive Intelligence. He is also an advisory board member for Morning Brew Learning and member of the Transformative Leadership advisory board for Shenandoah University. Ross was named a Top 10 Leadership Coach of 2023 and a Top 10 Visionary Leader Transforming Education.  

Connect with Ross:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RossBRomano
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossromano 
• The Authority Podcast: https://bit.ly/47S0b7e 
• Sideline Sessions podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. She is an ISTE Certified Educator and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, was named one of the 150 Women Thought Leaders to Follow for 2022 and one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers for 2021.

Rachelle is author of seven books, including True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us published by EduMatch.

In this episode, Ross and Rachelle discuss:

• Importance of student voice in the classroom
• Do we listen enough to students?
• How to encourage students to share authentically
• Why Rachelle wrote the book
• Some of the standout stories shared in the book and how they will challenge or affirm readers
• Why is it important for teachers to share these stories with each other?

Find True Story and more about Rachelle’s work at www.rdene915.com. 

Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Visit https://bepodcast.network to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators.

About today’s guest

Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher. Rachelle teaches Spanish and STEAM: Emerging Technology at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. She is currently pursuing a second doctorate, focused on Educational Technology.

Rachelle has written seven books. Her most recent book "Things I Wish [...] Knew" includes the voices of 50 educators from around the world. She presents regularly at state, national, and international conferences and provides professional development and coaching for educators on a variety of topics including assessments, and emerging technologies such as AI, AR and VR, and STEM. Rachelle has more than five years of experience teaching about, presenting on and writing about AI.

Rachelle is a columnist for Edutopia, Getting Smart, Defined Learning, and NEO LMS. She has a podcast ThriveinEDU and is the host of a PBL Podcast by Defined Learning on the BAM Radio Network. Rachelle is also a host of ThriveinEDU Live and leads a community of educators on Facebook.

Connect with Rachelle:

• www.Rdene915.com 
• https://twitter.com/rdene915 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelledenepoth/ 

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

We’re thrilled to introduce Sideline Sessions, the newest original series on the Be Podcast Network. 

Designed for coaches, parents and other stakeholders in the world of youth, scholastic, and amateur sports, this show brings you interviews with leaders at the highest levels of their respective sports. Hear about their motivations, philosophies, and strategies for success, and take away actionable insights to support the athletes in your life.

My first guest on Sideline Sessions is Dr. Jenifer Welter, a trailblazing athlete and coach. In 2015, Welter became the first female coach in NFL history when she coached linebackers for the Arizona Cardinals. She was also the first woman to play a contact position in men’s professional football when she signed as a running back with the Texas Revolution, a professional indoor football team.

It’s an honor to share our conversation with listeners of The Authority. If you’d like to subscribe to Sideline Sessions, use this link to find it on your preferred platform: https://sidelinesessions.transistor.fm/subscribe 

In this episode, hear about:

• Jen’s journey to playing and coaching football
• How she prepared herself for the opportunity to coach — before even knowing it was possible
• Shattering the “glass sideline” (in both the NFL and Madden 2020)
• The power of authentic leadership
• Keeping players physically and mentally healthy
• The state of women’s football and Grrridiron Girls flag football 
• What difference can coaches make in changing opportunities for their athletes and future coaches?

About today’s guest

Coach Jen Welter is best known as the first female to coach in the NFL as an assistant LBs Coach with the Arizona Cardinals. However, what most people don’t know is that Coach Jen broke into men’s football as the first female to play running back in men’s pro football. From that experience with the Texas Revolution, Coach Jen started her coaching career.

Following the NFL, Welter became the Head Coach of the first Australian Women's National Team fielded in July 2017; joined the advisory board of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Game for Life Academy, and wrote her first book Play Big: Lessons in Living Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL. 

Prior to joining the men's game, Coach Jen had an amazing career in women's football which included two gold medals with Team USA, four world championships, and eight all-star selections. While playing football, Dr. Jen obtained her PhD in Psychology and a Master’s in Sport Psychology. Dr. Jen also has a BS in Business from Boston College. 

About the host

Ross Romano is co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and also hosts The Authority Podcast. He began his career in the pro sports industry before becoming a leading communications, marketing, and management expert working with education companies. He is founder and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. He also works directly with professionals at all levels, in all industries, coaching them in their pursuit of success.

Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or LinkedIn. Listen to The Authority: https://authoritypodcast.net. 

Are you a professional looking for insights to reach the next level, find a fulfilling new career, or achieve peak performance? You may be a candidate for performance coaching. Schedule an introductory chat here. 

Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.