No One Leads Alone - Conversations with Leaders in Education

Alex graduated from Kansas State University in 2010 with a degree in secondary education focusing on social studies, after a failed attempt at architecture. He started teaching industrial technology in 2011 at Oak Grove Middle school, and found a passion for technology education and professional development training. Over the 6 years he worked at Oak Grove, he graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a masters in educational technology. He also began to speak at several state and national conferences about the importance of quality technology education both for students and staff. In 2017 he was hired as the District Technology Integration Specialist at Basehor-Linwood School district, where he oversaw the implementation and revitalization of technology efforts with students and staff. He also currently teaches woodshop and esports at Basehor-Linwood alongside his other district duties, and will be joining the Generation Esports education team in June of 2022.

Svetlana Popovic is a dynamic Educator, Leader, and Regional Education Coach currently working at Humanex Ventures supporting over 24 Chicagoland area districts from rural to urban. Her area of specialty is in culture and climate systems coaching, team/group facilitation, professional development design, and leadership coaching. Her work at Humanex encompasses areas of selection of talent, talent/team growth and development, and implementation of goals responsive to culture and climate data. She works with Superintendents, BOE, administrators, and teachers bringing about a whole systems approach to her work. Svetlana holds a BA from Elmhurst University, a double major in Psychology and Early Childhood Education, a MA in Reading,  EdS in Administration, and DEI certification from Northwestern. Her career path started as a full-day Kindergarten Teacher and progressed to Reading Specialist, K-8 Instructional Coach, and Elementary Administrator. Her passion is to inspire and equip others to lead and effect change for all students. Svetlana can be reached at:   Twitter: @SvetsThinkTank Twitter Email: SvetsThinkTank@gmail.com

Kayla Tucker is the owner of Kayla Elease Coaching Services, LLC, a company that helps female K-12 principals effectively manage stress and prioritize health and well-being without a dependency on time management hacks, exercise, or delegation. As a school psychologist by trade with years of experience in the online wellness space, Kayla is an expert on stress management for school leaders. Using a unique framework that is founded in psychology, she helps school leaders learn how to bounce back from the day-to-day demands with ease while keeping personal sustainability at the forefront. You can connect with Kayla online via her website (kaylaelease.com) and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @IAmKaylaElease.

Trevor Goertzen grew up in rural Nebraska on a corn farm. In those early years, he learned the importance of working hard and serving the community around him. He is a National Board Certified teacher and Instructional Coach of nine years and now a building-level administrator of five years. When the pandemic hit, Spring Hill Middle School Principal Trevor Goertzen and his staff quickly pivoted to online instruction to meet students’ learning needs. Working within professional learning communities, educators prioritized standards and focused on core competencies. Goertzen drew on his deep reserves of both this past year to ensure that the Spring Hill community stayed positive during tough times. Trevor is the current principal of Spring Hill Middle School in Spring Hill, KS.  passionate about living life to the fullest in honoring God, being a great husband to his wife Stephanie, and father to their three kids. He is adventurous by nature and always looking for the next activity that can keep his spirit on edge. Whether it is trail running, BMX racing, bow hunting, or inspiring his kids and friends to live the life God has given them.  Life is too short to not pursue the things that get your heart racing! Contact Information Twitter 1  →  @SHMS_growdaily Podcast:   →  https://kassp.podbean.com/ Website:  →  https://trgoertzen.wixsite.com/developingdiscernmen LinkedIn: →  https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-goertzen-90a98820/

Dr. Christopher Jenson, a former emergency medicine physician and high school educator, now proudly serves as a senior health advisor for school districts and businesses across the United States. His recent book, After the Mask: A Guide to Caring for Students and Schools, peaked at Amazon #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release during the summer of 2021, making an impact in multiple educational and mental health-related categories. Dr. Jenson is passionate about youth mental health, focusing his work on evidence-based initiatives to improve the mental health of students AND staff. Ways to connect with Chris Website or Blog 1 →  www.diagnosingeducation.com Book: After the Mask: A Guide to Caring for Students and Schools (Amazon) LinkedIn:  → Christopher Jenson other publications → (Co-author) - Gaming Concepts with mental health moments Click here for more information about Gaming Concepts Curriculum This podcast is powered by Generation Esports

Kristen has been in education for the last 18 years. She started off her career as a HS English teacher for 9 years and then moved into building leadership for seven years as a Dean, Assistant Principal and Principal. Kristen is now a leadership coach at an organisation called Humanex and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Education at Trinity International University. Kristen has a BA in Secondary Education, a MA in Special Education, MA in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Kristen is married to a Principal and has two sons and they live in the Chicago-land area. Kristen is an avid reader (with an awesome color coded bookcase in her home office) and enjoys running every morning.  Twitter 1  → @mrskristenpaul Instagram 1  → @dockristen.paul Voxer   → @kristenpaul Facebook Page 1 → Kristen Paul LinkedIn:  →Kristen Paul

Tara Falasco has been in education for 17 years, currently as principal of Blue Point Elementary in Blue Point, NY.  She also spent time traveling around New York presenting for Distinctive Educator’s Institute, Reading Specialists of Suffolk County, and New York State Elementary Classroom Association.  Her latest experience involved writing scripts for SELTV’s weekly family video and lesson series.  Topics include: Importance of Sleep for Children; Teaching Children to be Resilient; Helping Children Ask for Help; Recognizing Anxiety; and Talking to Children about Healthy Competition.  Building family and community partnerships to support students is truly a passion of hers. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS School Culture Connecting with a PLN Energy School Bus Leadership Program CONNECT WITH TARA Twitter 1  → @TaraFalasco Voxer   → @tfalasco

Dr. Michael Russell: Michael Russell has been an avid gamer for nearly 35 years. After a successful career in sales, Dr. Russell entered the field of education as a social studies teacher at Complete High School Maize in 2014. After his first year of teaching, Dr. Russell was awarded the Horizon Award for Kansas in 2015. This award is given to first-year teachers to recognize excellence in the classroom. In 2018, Dr. Russell also received the Making IT Happen Award at the Mid-America Association for Computers in Education Conference for his work developing and implementing a video game curriculum in the classroom. While esports did exist at the high school level in 2014, there was no curriculum available to teachers that would provide structured learning to students. As there was no curriculum available, Dr. Russell and Dr. Kristy Custer created standards and a curriculum to fill this void. The following curriculum is the result of those efforts. Dr. Russell has also been a speaker at the 2019 ISTE Conference, the 2018 Future of Education Technology Conference, Global Esports Clinic, and the Mid-America Association for Computers in Education Conference. In 2018, Dr. Russell completed his master's degree in building administration from Fort Hays State University and earned his doctoral degree in District Leadership from Baker University in 2021. Dr. Russell is the Vice-President of Curriculum and Esports Integration at High School Esports League, working to develop curriculum for educators around the world. Show Highlights: How esports can be used in classrooms using Gaming Concepts Curriculum. What the research is saying regarding esports in schools. How to get in touch with Dr. Russell: Website #1:  www.hsel.org Twitter:  @russtheteach Learn more about esports with this free 25-minute course - https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com/high-school-partnership/#curriculum

Connie Redic is a native of Dallas, Texas graduating from Carter High School in Dallas Independent School District. Upon graduation from Texas A&M University, she returned to her home district to teach middle school science. She now has almost 15 years experience in education as a teacher, instructional coach, and high school assistant principal. Connie currently serves as a middle school principal in Wichita, KS with Wichita Public Schools. She is also working on her doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction through Kansas State University. Connie believes her greatest strengths as a leader are using her firsthand knowledge growing up in urban schools with experience working in urban and suburban schools to encourage relevant and rigorous learning in classrooms for the greatest and the least. Connie‘s greatest points of pride are her family. She and her husband Brandon have been married 17 years and they have three children, BJ, Briana, and Lily. Show Highlights In this episode, Connie Redic talks about her first four years as an administrator.  In just a short amount of time, Connie started her journey into administration, fought and beat cancer, led during a pandemic, transferred to a new district and took on the head principal role mid-year.  She was also named the 2021 Kansas Assistant Principal of the Year. Contact Info: Twitter:  @ConnieRedic Additional Resources: https://www.usd259.org/curtis

John Cannon is the principal of Park Elementary, a pre-K through second-grade school, for the last nine years. This year he is the National Distinguished Principal for Kansas by NAESP and the State Elementary Principal of the Year for KAP. Over the course of his tenure, Park has transformed into a trauma-responsive school that centers on whole-child approaches and 21st Century learning. The school is also a Gemini II Redesign building where Cannon led Park through a comprehensive redesign process. As a result of this work, the school has observed an improved learning climate and a revitalized sense of purpose and joy in teaching. John is a trauma-informed trainer, presenter, and resiliency coach, having trained numerous school districts and thousands of educators across the state. He is obtaining an Ed.D. from Southwestern College and has a master's and a bachelor's degree from Emporia State University. John is married to Anna Kepka Cannon, a middle school counselor and they have four children, Ruby, Jack, Pearl, and Max. He enjoys golf, reading, and cooking and is a Navy veteran. Show Highlights Mindsets of a Trauma-Informed School Restorative Practices Cycle of Hostility First Responders to Trauma Public Shaming of Students Teacher Triggers Co-Regulation vs. De-Regulation Secondary Trauma-Informed Contact Info: Twitter 1:  @lyonsparkprin Email:  jcannon@usd405.com Additional Resources: https://jimsporlederconsulting.com/

After I graduated high school in 2017 Murphy wrote a book documenting her journey through school on the autism spectrum called "Am I Invisible-Things I Wish Teachers Knew". She wrote this book for teachers to do better, parents to understand and advocate for their children, and for students who are like her to feel less alone in their journey through school. Murphy is 23 years old, currently learning to navigate adulthood on the spectrum, and helping others like her feel less alone throughout the process. Today her biggest hope is that her story has an impact on the education system. Leaders, you won't want to miss this episode. Show Highlights Autism Spectrum Journe K-12 Coping Skills How Educators can provide safe space Advocating for students Impact educators had on Murphy Murphy Lynne's Contact Info: Website:  http://www.murphylynne.info/ Book:  Am I Invisible - Things I Wish Teachers Knew Instagram:  @murphy_lynne Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Murphy-Lynne-103776211650822/?ref=page_internal contact.murphylynne@gmail.com Additional Resources: Purchase the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Invisible-Things-Wish-Teachers/dp/166290178X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=V2031LYMMU9M&dchild=1&keywords=am+i+invisible+things+i+wish+teachers+knew&qid=1615215752&sprefix=am+i+invisibel%2Caps%2C273&sr=8-1&scrlybrkr=ba21ccc3

Dr. Kristy Custer is the Vice President of Educational Innovation at High School Esports League where she is helping guide the worldwide esports phenomena with an educator’s lens. Over the past 24 years, she has been a public school educator and champion for at-risk youth leading her team at Complete High School Maize to a Crystal Star Award for Dropout Prevention, Civic Advocacy Award, Promising Practice Award, and twice being named a National School of Character. Dr. Custer is a leader in character education and civic advocacy. The Kansas Health Foundation named her a Civic Health Hero, and the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals named her the 2018 Principal of the Year. Show Highlights Student Privacy & Data Alternative High School Education Failing Forward ESports Gaming Gaming Concepts Curriculum Engagement & Connection to School Social-Emotional Learning Mental Health #showupforkids Kristy Custer's Contact Info: Twitter 1:  @kgcuster Website:  https://www.highschoolesportsleague.com/gaming-concepts Book:  Gaming Concepts 1.1 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-custer-94a4b290/ Additional Resources: Houghton Lake Resorter https://www.houghtonlakeresorter.com/articles/cha-students-take-part-in-tech-course-that-focuses-on-video-games/ School Library Journal https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=middle-school-esports-teams-offer-sel-communication-computer-and-career-skills-more Esports Insider https://esportsinsider.com/2018/09/high-school-esports-league-partners-with-kansas-school-district/ National School Board Association https://www.nsba.org/ASBJ/2020/February/esports The Journal https://thejournal.com/articles/2019/09/13/free-esports-curriculum-contains-full-lesson-plans.aspx Tech Raptor https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/new-games-based-curriculum-offered-by-high-school-esports-league-and-microsoft Efuse https://efuse.gg/news/other/esports-is-inclusive

Lacy Warren is a wife, mother of two active girls, an avid runner, golfer, and high school administrator.  In her spare time (not that there is much) she likes to listen to audio books, podcasts, and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She has served as an educator at all levels PreK-12 and is currently a high school administrator.  Lacy is also working on her dissertation titled, Barriers Women face in Secondary Education. Show Highlights Discussing controversial topic of CRT in schools Inclusion of ALL students Individual Plans of Study Student Led Conferences Community Service in Schools Lessons learned from implementing something new Book and podcast recommendations that help her grow in her leadership How Lacy connects with others so she never feels alone Lacy Warren's Contact Info: Twitter -  @lwarren30 Voxer -  lacywarren Resources mentioned in the Podcast: Book:  What Happened to You by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce Perry Xello:  https://xello.world/en/ Voxer:  https://www.voxer.com/