The Big E.D idea Podcast

Andrew Marotta is an energetic and enthusiastic leader who has put his positive imprint on his beloved Port Jervis HS, in Port Jervis, NY. With the release of his first book, The School Leader: Surviving and Thriving, Andrew is expanding his impact on the educational leadership community.  His 2nd book, The Partnership, Surviving & Thriving, is a guide for parents to better assist their children in school by working closely together with schools.  His 3rd book, Tales from the Hardwood, leadership lessons from his time on the court as a D1 Men’s basketball official, is set to release in spring 2022

In his personal life, Andrew is a loving husband to his wife, Jennifer, and a supportive father to their three young children. In his professional life, Andrew has been leading at Port Jervis HS for sixteen years, serving as Assistant Principal for seven years and Principal for the past nine. He has led the transformation of PJHS, helping to raise the graduation rate from a low 60s% to almost 90%.  He accepted the Port Jervis Middle School Principal position in the summer of ‘21.  Andrew is a former men’s division 1 college basketball official, taking many leadership lessons from that time in his life to his leadership in schools and with school leaders.  He lives the words on his logo: Energy, Enthusiasm, Extra, Effort, & Excellence!

Learn more at www.andrewmarotta.com & through his #ELBlog & #ELB podcast:  Education Leadership & Beyond found on facebook, linkedin, twitter @andrewmarotta21, and instagram.  #ELB #ELBlog, #survivethrive #keeprolling

Twenty-three-year special education teacher. Co-founded KYREADS which provides PD on dyslexia, started Kentucky Teachers in The Know, a social-media group on Facebook and Twitter, to keep educators informed on resources, ideologies, and policies. Governor Beshear also appointed Allison the first active teacher to serve on the Kentucky Board of Education.

You can reach Allison:

Garris L. Stroud is a teacher, consultant, and writer from Greenville, KY. Stroud was a semifinalist for Kentucky's 2020 Teacher of the Year and is an ambassador for National Geographic Education. He has been published in the Courier-Journal, Herald-Leader, and his work appears frequently with the Brightbeam Network platforms Rural Ed Voices and Education Post.

You can find Garris on

Jennifer Haston-Maciejewski currently works at Greenfield-Central High School in Indiana as an alternative placement teacher and behavior specialist/coach. She is also a trained yoga, mindfulness, and meditation instructor; and is a contributing author in several books.

You can reach Jennifer on Twitter @mrs_haston or on Instagram @wanderinggypsy6.

Linda Detwiler was a chemistry and physics teacher for ten years and now she is the Customer Success Manager at Pivot Interactives. She's a tireless advocate for how Pivot Interactives can improve teachers' lives. When she's not running professional development or writing a blog, you can find her in one of the many science teacher Facebook groups, helping teachers however they need it.

Twitter: @pivot_is

Facebook: www.facebook.com/linda.buys.79

Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years.  He has just finished his 14th year as a building administrator.  True to his "why" of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts.   Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process.  Chris is a teacher-centered Principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work-life integration can be seen in the presentations/workshops he has given at the State and National level and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group.

Connect with Chris on Twitter @drcsjones  or email him @ [email protected] 

Sheila is a momma, a wife, and an AP at a high school in Guatemala. She is also a Google Certified Educator 1 and 2 as well as the Empower Caption at Google Education Group Guate.  We talk AI, Machine Intelligence, the future of work and why our kids much be able to use tech to create, not just consume knowledge!

Websites mentioned in the episode:

Jason Blair believes our future depends on the creative minds of our students. He is a 19 yr. veteran elementary art teacher. Currently, he also serves as the Teacher-Leader-in-Residence at the Columbus Museum of Art, and is a co-assistant director on a research project in collaboration with Harvard Graduate School of Education—Project Zero and the Columbus Museum of Art.

Reach out to Jason or me and let us know what you thought of the episode. 

Jason: @_Jason Blair or email at [email protected]

Ryan: @ryancscott1981 or email at [email protected] 

Michele Rispo Hill is a passionate educator who has dedicated a lifetime to the education profession as a teacher, author, and presenter of professional development. During her tenure in the classroom, Michele was honored as the teacher of the Year in 2014. She served on numerous committees, mentored new staff, and was an advisor for the classes of 2009 and 2018 and the Jostens Renaissance program. Today, she serves as the Coordinator of Admissions and Strategic Marketing and Equity Specialist for a career and technical school in New Jersey and is passionate about supporting teachers.

You can catch up with her on Twitter @HillMrispo. 

Cultivating lasting changes requires cultivating effective discourse! My new friend from Louisiana, Rod Naquin, shares his doctoral topic with us.

You can find Rod on Twitter @rodjnaquin.