What Students Want

Terry Ryan knows education from every angle. He is the CEO of BLUUM - a non-profit organization working to develop leaders and support innovative schools in Idaho. Terry has a lot to say about charter schools, philanthropic funding, how to create a community of practice, and the ways that charters and districts might put aside their differences and capitalize on the strengths of each arm of education.

He talks fast, but we wish we could hear even more of the wisdom that Terry has accumulated in his work in education. Have a listen, and take some notes on the lessons learned from a man who has opened 14 schools to date.

Quotes: 

08:45 “I call it (the collaboration between private philanthropic dollars and federal funding) a private-public partnership, and so far, we think it’s starting to show powerful results.” 

13:50 “In the states that are growing, saying, ‘Let’s create more charter schools,’ has a lot of merit.”

15:50 “Overall, charter school students outperform the traditional school students that they are matched against.” 

22:55 “I get the most excited when you can take the charter school flexibility, freedoms, and innovation and… apply them to district schools.”

39:30 “We’re trying to develop a community of practice (among charter schools) and that might be the biggest legacy to come out of this work.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Bluum - https://www.bluum.org/our-team/

Building Hope - http://www.buildinghope.org

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute - https://fordhaminstitute.org/

How is Idaho Charter School Performance Like a Clint Eastwood Movie - https://www.idahoednews.org/voices/how-is-idaho-charter-school-performance-like-a-clint-eastwood-movie/

The J. A. and Katherine Albertson Family Foundation - https://www.jkaf.org/

CREDO - The Center for Research on Education Outcomes - https://credo.stanford.edu/

Acton Academy - http://www.actonacademy.org/

New Tech Network - https://newtechnetwork.org/

KIPP Public Charter Schools - https://www.kipp.org/

Where to learn more about Terry Ryan:

Email - [email protected]

Terry on Twitter - @IDTerryRyan

BLUUM on Twitter - @bluumorg

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Catherine Fraise is passionate about creating educational spaces and environments within which children can innovatively realize their potential. She has a vision for changing education and is making it happen at her 32,000 square foot facility in Connecticut. 

As the Founder and Executive Director at Workspace, Catherine takes us down an exciting trail of discovery as we learn how families are choosing and creating education in a way that benefits their children. From online classes to Maker space, from micro-schools to edupreneur fusions, Catherine is facilitating a smorgasbord of choices in education. 

Join us as we catch the wave of education’s future with Catherine Fraise.

Quotes:

05:40 “If you can organize a terrific birthday party, you can definitely do project-based learning.”

12:30 “The academics actually end up being the easiest part of this to deliver. Building the community is the most important part, so the children are spending their days in an inspiring community and having access to the tools of their generation for hands-on, high-quality projects.”

14:25 “I think everybody deserves to have an educational format that suits them.”

30:42 “We don’t need to take the lion’s share with this kind of education; we just need to be able to be a platform for people for whom (traditional education is) not working.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

“Courage to Grow” by Laura Sandefer

Gallery of the facility: https://workspaceeducation.org/galleries/state-of-the-art-facility/

Work Space Curriculum Options: https://workspaceeducation.org/academics/foundational-literacies/

International Association of Colearning Communities - https://www.iaclc.org

Outschool - https://outschool.com/

Where to learn more about Catherine Fraise:

Workspace - https://workspaceeducation.org/

Twitter - @Workspace_edu

Catherine on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-fraise-037361126/

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Social-emotional learning is a hot topic. Today, Erick Roa shares with us about his contribution at Empatico and The Kind Foundation. Erick serves as Head of Partnerships at Empatico. He takes us through the grant application and award process as he has experienced it, and gives advice for schools that might be interested in the grant process. Erick shares with us about how students can develop social-emotional skills through the free Empatico software platform. 

Listen and take note of how schools can learn to apply to foundations for grants and increase their chances of receiving an award. Empatico has set an ambitious goal to connect one million students worldwide by 2020, and your school can be a part of their success.

Quotes:

14:14 “My advice is - sometimes you have to take a risk (and ask for what your school needs); (be sure that you) know a little bit about what the organization’s values and mission are.”

20:13 “What we’re able to offer at Empatico are very discreet opportunities for children to build skills within the larger umbrella of social and emotional learning.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Empatico.org - https://empatico.org/

Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Talebhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Skin-Game-Hidden-Asymmetries-Daily/dp/0241247470

Empatico blog - https://blog.empatico.org/
https://blog.empatico.org/2019/01/six-steps-to-become-an-empatico-district-part-1/

Where to learn more about Erick Roa:

Twitter - @erick_g_roa

Erick on Linkedin - linkedin.com/in/erick-roa-278a25b3

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

John LaPerch is a funny guy with an in-depth knowledge of marketing. He is Director of Online Marketing & Social Media Content Creator. We didn’t have a set agenda for our conversation about school growth and marketing, but our casual discussion ended up covering everything from digital word-of-mouth to how schools should embrace authenticity. John takes us through the process of how he moves schools from a communication model to a marketing model, and from glossy, print magazines to email and Facebook videos. The discussion then turns from tactical to strategic. 

Without divulging more, prepare to be entertained and informed.

Quotes:

14:15 “The numbers (of people reached) are not great on the print side, so you’ve got to hit people where they are.”

17:20 “Once you get that name and email address, it’s about building a relationship.”

23:30 “My toughest sell is (persuading schools against) promoting this catalog-worthy picture of a school like a Benetton ad - when authenticity is really what sells.”

28:45 “Schools will find success in marketing, but they won’t stick with it; what is marketing, but repetition and measurement, repetition and measurement?”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

David Perrell - Naked Brandshttps://www.perell.com/blog/naked-brands

In News Industry, a Stark Divide Between Haves and Have-Notshttps://www.wsj.com/graphics/local-newspapers-stark-divide/

Love, Mom & Dadhttps://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10155235380487381

Where to learn more about the guest:

John on Linkedin - linkedin.com/in/johnlaperch

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Our guest today is Jim Tiffin. He infuses excitement into everything he does, and his enthusiasm will infect you in this podcast. Jim is the Director of Media/Maker Programs for Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Atlanta, Georgia. He knows how to make learning personal and authentic, how to engage teachers in the process, and how to connect parents and kids with “possibility thinking.”

In this episode, Jim shares about Media/Maker Programs - what they are, how they reposition learning in schools, how to make them work, and why someone might care about getting started with small steps in this direction.

Listen and take note of how you could use the Maker philosophy as a catalyst for learning and a platform for growth in your school.

Quotes:

04:00 “Some of our philosophy is about not just growing what you know in the world, but growing what you know that you DON’T know - exposing (students) to possibilities.”

05:20 “Tinkering is the playful experience that innovators go through to discover what’s possible.”

19:05 “An expedition is like a field trip fueled by student curiosity to make learning personal and authentic.”

25:23 “Some of the parent engagement comes from making sure that Moms and Dads can better explore the same things that their kids are talking about.”

30:12 “Think in terms of small steps; how are you going to not just look at toolsets and skill sets, but rather, how are you going to shift mindsets?”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Mount Vernon Presbyterian School https://mountvernonschool.org/

Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation - http://www.mvifi.org/

Where to learn more about Jim Tiffin:

Personal Website - jamestiffinjr.com 

Email - [email protected] 

Blog - jamestiffinjr.com/blog/ 

Twitter - @JimTiffinJr

Jim on Linkedin https://linkedin.com/in/jamestiffinjr

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

In this episode, we dive deeper into the exploration of how school funding works. This is important for anyone looking to grow their school, but also matters if you are simply interested in the future of education, wonder how education will evolve, or would like to know how the funders are thinking. Our guest today is Jackie Coleman. She is Senior Education Investments Officer at Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. 

We talk about the different types of foundations, how to approach foundation program officers, how she sees her role, the growing importance of social-emotional learning, and more. Without further adieu, here’s Jackie!

Quotes: 

04:20 “Find out who your local community foundation is...and be in dialogue with them about partners that they are working with.”

07:30 “It is not uncommon, and is often welcome for a potential partner, organization, or school district to call.”

15:20 “Because relationship is so important, even if you don’t have particular programs identified (that match the funding criteria of the foundation), there is nothing wrong with beginning a conversation.”

16:45 “Work moves at the speed of trust; it takes time to build relationships.”

33:35 “You might have heard the lottery slogan, ‘You can’t win if you don’t play,’ but it also holds true in funding. Don’t be afraid to ask.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving https://www.hfpg.org/

The Wallace Foundation UPPI https://ucapp.education.uconn.edu/about-the-wallace-uppi-project/

Where to learn more about Jackie Coleman:

Jackie at Hartford Foundation - [email protected]

Jackie on Linkedin https:linkedin.com/in/jackiecolemanct

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Our guest today is Anthony Kim, Founder and CEO of Education Elements.  Anthony built virtual schools before anyone had heard of such a thing. He has worked with over 1000 schools and school districts on projects ranging from the adoption of personalized learning to project management and leadership capacity. Anthony works with a focus on seeking to achieve better student outcomes, higher student engagement, and increased teacher satisfaction. He is the co-author of The New School Rules, and co-author of The New Team Habits: a Guide to The New School Rules.

In this episode, we talk about the patterns he sees after so many school visits, how educators can work better together, what changes he expects to see in education, and much more. This episode is jam-packed with tips from Anthony’s experience, so listen in. Here’s Anthony.

Quotes: 

3:10 “What is missing the most is (a consideration of) how anyone coming to visit the school experiences it within the first 5 - 10 minutes they are there.” 

6:38 “In many of our day-to-day experiences, we expect a greater level of personalization, real-time interaction, and real-time feedback.”

17:20 “As you get more data, can you make course corrections that help you get to the goal?”

20:38 “We have to make the shift in the minds of the leaders of schools; if you want to become a learning organization, you have to embrace mistakes as a part of the process.”

34:50 “How we deliver content and engage students matters a lot, and part of our job is to draw in those students so that they want to learn; that’s where personalized learning can come in.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Design39Campus http://design39campus.com/

The Lean Startup by Eric Reis http://theleanstartup.com/

Timeless Learning: How Imagination, Observation, and Zero-Based Thinking Change Schools by Pam Moran https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Learning-Imagination-Observation-Zero-Based/dp/1119461693

Farnam Street: My Interview with Adam Robinson https://fs.blog/adam-robinson-pt1/

Where to learn more about Anthony Kim:

Education Elements https://www.edelements.com/anthony-kim

Twitter - @EdElements or @anthonx

Anthony on Linkedin linkedin.com/in/anthonykim

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

In this episode we answer a question by Marisa from Tipton, IN: “Is texting a good method for connecting with prospective parents?”

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Our guest today is Joe Erpelding. Joe is the Principal at Design39 Campus where he has used his previous experience - he was the Principal and Vice Principal at the Unified San Diego School District - as well as his vision to transform the school into an active community of learners.

In this episode, Joe offers insight on how you could change the culture in your school to improve your growth. Moreover, Joe and Andreas discuss the different ways to navigate through the fear of change that may overwhelm the leaders of any school.

Listen and take note of Joe’s unique perception on the use of words to change the way others respond to what you are saying.

Quotes:

14:43 “I've been described as 85% visionary and 15% pissed off”

19:30 “The future's a place that WE create. With the focus on "we" create it, we don't wait for someone else to do it”

22:05 “We use language so freely in society - we all think we're talking about the same thing and we all have our own bias towards those words. Like rigor, I think of rigor - I think of rigor mortis”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Scott Belsky: Making Ideas Happen (book) buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Ideas-Happen-Overcoming-Obstacles/dp/1591844118

Getting Smart Podcast: https://www.gettingsmart.com/2017/05/leadership-for-school-progress-in-poway-unified/

Design39 webpage: http://design39campus.com/

Where to learn more about Joe:

Joe on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeerpelding

Joe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/erpelding

Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-erpelding-35b52234/

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/

Our guest today is Cordell Carter. We had a fascinating conversation about the funding landscape for K12 education. Cordell is an entrepreneurial leader, nationally recognized for cross-sector successes in philanthropy, education, and technology. He is currently leading the Aspen Institute Socrates Program, a global education forum for emerging leaders. He has previously held leadership roles with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Business Roundtable, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the IBM Corporation. 

In this episode, Cordell takes us into the heart and soul of philanthropic funding and gives us a glimpse into the mindset of those who hold the purse-strings. He tells school leaders where to look, how to plan, and how to demonstrate results that will attract grants.

Listen and take note of how getting your “story” right might be the most important piece in positioning your school to receive philanthropic attention. If you have ever thought about grant funding for your school, or are even interested in the evolving strategy of foundations and others in education, Cordell has a deep understanding of what’s going on. So, here he is.

Quotes:

6:07 “People love winners. I’m going to fund people who don’t need me - meaning, you’re already figuring out a way to achieve in spite of a lack of resources.”

10:15 “The one thing you can’t replicate is time… you either make more use of it, or you can’t.”

15:14 “The big trend to watch for is this move toward an investment approach; foundations are changing to limited liability corporations.” 

23:40 “I like to think of foundation funds as strategic funds (used) to expand a promising practice or to highlight something that’s unique.”

32:10 “The winners (those who get funded) are the people who can make an emotional connection to people who are driven by data. Get your story down.”

Here are some resources mentioned in our discussion:

Arnold Ventures https://www.arnoldventures.org/

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation https://www.gatesfoundation.org/

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative https://chanzuckerberg.com/

Teach for America  https://www.teachforamerica.org/

Where to learn more about Cordell Carter:

At Aspen Institute - aspeninstitute.org/our-people/cordell-carter-ii/

Twitter - @cordellcarterii

Carter on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordellcarterii

Where to learn more about Enrollhand:

Website: www.enrollhand.com

Our webinar: https://webinar-replay.enrollhand.com

Our free Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/schoolgrowth/