The Ed Essentials Podcast

John A. Dues serves as the Chief Learning Officer and Chief Operating Officer at United Schools in Columbus, Ohio. He is an accomplished systems leader and improvement science scholar-practitioner and has recently published his first book entitled Win-Win: W. Edwards Deming, the System of Profound Knowledge, and the Science of Improving Schools. Throughout his career he has served on the founding teams of seven school and nonprofit organizations. John has a BA from Miami University, an M.Ed. from the University of Cincinnati, and recently completed the Improvement Advisor program through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Connect with John

Becca Silver helps school leaders and coaches do one of the hardest things in education—lead people through resistance and into real commitment. With two decades in education, she’s worked with thousands of educators and leaders across the U.S. and beyond. She’s also the founder of The Whole Educator and hosts the Coaching the Whole Educator podcast, where she breaks down the messiness of adult learning and change leadership into something practical—and actually doable.

Connect with Becca

Website: www.thewholeeducator.com

Free Catalyst Mindsets Quiz: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/67b2bd55c80a8856505f9446

Podcast: https://www.thewholeeducator.com/podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becca-silver/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewholeeducator/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWholeEducator

Twitter: https://x.com/BeccaSilver_edu

Connect with Hunter

Email:  ⁠[email protected]⁠

X: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

Instagram: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/⁠

Facebook: ⁠@edessentialscollection⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.edessentials.net/⁠

Kurtis Hewson is a former teacher and administrator, an award-winning educator, and the co-founder of Jigsaw Learning. He’s also the co-author of the book Collaborative Response, which is all about building schoolwide systems to support students through teamwork and intentional practices.

Connect with Kurtis

Website - https://jigsawlearning.ca

Instagram - hewsonk27; https://www.instagram.com/jigsawlearningab/ 

Facebook - Kurtis Hewson; https://www.facebook.com/JigsawLearningAB/ 

LinkedIn - Kurtis Hewson; https://www.linkedin.com/company/jigsaw-learning-inc 

X - hewsonk27; https://www.twitter.com/Jigsaw_Learning

Overview of Collaborative Response - https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/cr-overview 

Collaborative Response Book - Introductory Chapter - https://www.jigsawlearningonline.com/book-introduction

Connect with Hunter

Email:  ⁠[email protected]⁠

X: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

Instagram: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/⁠

Facebook: ⁠@edessentialscollection⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.edessentials.net/⁠

In this episode, Hunter Flesch sits down with William Grube, founder of Gruvy Education, to explore how educators can use AI effectively in their roles. William shares practical tips, training insights, and common myths about AI in schools—all designed to help educators feel more confident and empowered.

Connect with William:

AI School Leadership Minute: https://direct-ai-updates-for-school-admins.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Website: https://gruvyeducation.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GruvyEducationInstagram

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gruvyeducation/LinkedIn

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-grube-16200a177/

X: https://x.com/gruvyeducationFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574229270835

Free-bee: https://gruvyeducation.com/dataanalysisnewsletter

Email:  ⁠[email protected]⁠

X: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

Instagram: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/⁠

Facebook: ⁠@edessentialscollection⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.edessentials.net/⁠

In this episode of The Ed Essentials Podcast, Hunter Flesch talks with educator and podcaster Katlyn Godwin about her journey through grief after the sudden loss of her husband. Katlyn shares how therapy, community, and faith helped her navigate trauma while continuing to lead in the classroom. Together, they explore the impact of toxic positivity, the power of empathy in school culture, and practical strategies educators can use to care for their mental health and support one another.

Connect with Katlyn

https://katlynscharper.com/

Instagram: katlyn_godwin

Facebook: Katlyn Godwin

Podcast: Desert Stories

Email:  ⁠[email protected]⁠

X: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

Instagram: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/⁠

Facebook: ⁠@edessentialscollection⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.edessentials.net/⁠

Dr. Trent Grundmeyer is an Associate Professor at Buena Vista University & Owner of Grundmeyer Leader Services.

In this episode of the Ed Essentials podcast, Hunter discusses the critical aspects of hiring in education with Trent. They explore the importance of fit in leadership roles, strategies for aspiring administrators to stand out in a competitive job market, and the significance of personal and organizational alignment. The conversation also covers how to prepare for interviews, the value of building leadership experience, and the factors that influence job satisfaction for current administrators.

Connect with Trent:

www.grundmeyerleadersearch.com

www.bvu.edu/master-ed-admin

Connect with Hunter:

Email:  ⁠[email protected]⁠

X: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

Instagram: ⁠@edessentials_⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/⁠

Facebook: ⁠@edessentialscollection⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.edessentials.net/⁠

Casey Watts, founder of Casey Watts Coaching & Consulting, LLC, is a Team Leadership Expert with 20+ years in education. She helps leaders break silos and build cohesive, vision-driven teams through clarity, collaboration, and collective purpose. A speaker, coach, and host of The Catching Up with Casey Podcast, she equips instructional leaders with actionable strategies to hold people accountable without micromanaging and create aligned teams.

Connect with Casey:

Website:  www.catchingupwithcasey.com 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/catchupwithcasey/ 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/catchupwithcasey 

Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catching-up-with-casey/id1720576042

Connect with Hunter:

Email:  [email protected]

X: @edessentials_

Instagram: @edessentials_

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunter-flesch-669a36122/

Facebook: @edessentialscollection

Website: https://www.edessentials.net/

Rae Hughart is a dynamic innovator and the CEO and founder of TDI, where she seamlessly integrates design and technology to drive transformative projects. With a robust background in creative strategy and technical execution, she has consistently led initiatives that redefine industry standards. Rae’s leadership is marked by a commitment to excellence and a collaborative spirit, inspiring teams to push the boundaries of modern design. Her forward-thinking approach continues to influence the evolution of technology and innovation across diverse sectors.

Connect with Rae

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/raehughart/
• Website: https://teachersdeserveit.com/

Connect with Hunter

• IG: https://www.instagram.com/edessentials_/

Dr. Jana Lee has worked in the education field as a teacher, administrator, adjunct instructor, literacy specialist, and consultant. If you're interested in her work, head to https://www.janaleeconsulting.com/ or follow her on social media using the links below.

Jana Lee

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