Sara Schneider from CSCOE spills the secrets behind her "Marketing Minute" video series—and how it’s inspiring 151 Catholic schools to show up online with confidence. You’ll love the exact tools Sara uses to make school videos pop—think mic, light, and magic for under $100! Worried about being on camera? Sara shares real-talk advice on ditching perfection and just showing up. Get ready to steal some seriously smart ideas for launching your own series—even if you’ve never hit ‘record’ befor...
Tricia didn’t plan to lead social media—she just raised her hand. Now she’s making a huge impact! Her story proves that passion and heart can take you far, even when you’re figuring things out as you go. No formal training? No problem. Hear how Tricia self-taught her way to success—with lots of sticky notes. If you’ve ever felt unqualified, her journey will remind you that curiosity and commitment go a long way. From overwhelm to confidence, Tricia shares how trial and error, along with a f...
My friend Brian Bridges is back—and this time, he’s sharing a solution that will seriously save your sanity when it comes to registrations. Camp Simple is the answer we’ve all been waiting for! Whether it's a cheer clinic, science camp, or t-shirt sale, this platform takes care of it all—forms, payments, waivers—so your staff can focus on the fun, not the forms. Say goodbye to messy Google Forms and Venmo links. Camp Simple creates a polished, easy-to-share registration page that makes yo...
Hear how Jordan Ziemer and Kaitlin Paonessa made bold career pivots into school PR — and discover what finally made their work feel truly meaningful. Their paths are different, but their purpose is shared. Feeling overwhelmed or unsure in your role? You’re not alone. This honest convo dives into burnout, impostor syndrome, and how to find support (even if you’re a team of one). Packed with real talk and ready-to-use advice: Learn how to be coachable, set boundaries, and ask the right questi...
Scott Gordon, a 25-year veteran in education, shares how diving into social media transformed his role—and reignited his passion for leadership. Learn how Scott, with zero prior social media experience, became a consistent and confident storyteller for his school. Discover the impact of splitting athletic and school pages—and how it spotlighted more than just sports. Hear how one small-town principal uses everyday moments, history, and humor to authentically connect with his community. ...
From educator and parent to PR pro - Sandy Sutty shares how her personal connection to the school fuels her storytelling. Showing up for students is Sandy’s not-so-secret weapon to building authentic, engaging social content. Want to grow your followers fast? Sandy breaks down her 14K+ follower jump with a simple, strategic content plan. Discover how she taps into student interns, QR codes, and the addition of Class Intercom to make content collection fun and sustainable. SPECIAL GUEST...
After hearing Andrea invite guests on a past episode, Meghan Weaver reached out - and now she’s on the show sharing incredible strategies from her school’s social media success! Meghan walks through her low-budget but high-impact method for capturing student voice using a standing mic and iPhone—plus how it boosts excitement across campus. Discover how framing social media content requests around five clear messaging pillars has transformed staff engagement at St. Martin’s. Learn why Me...
Find out how one Nebraska high school made the leap to go completely cell phone free—and why students, staff, and even parents got on board.Curious how they pulled it off mid-year? Hear the intentional language, rollout strategy, and surprising twist that made it work. Mitchell Roush, M.A., shares all the details!You won’t believe the results—think better attendance, fewer incidents, and a significant culture shift.We also spend time exploring how Grand Island Public Schools organized their s...
Kimberly Garcia of the San Antonio ISD Foundation shares her strategic approach to managing social media on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.Discover how the "Circle of Storytelling" (inspired by The Lion King) enables Kimberly to reuse powerful content across multiple platforms.Learn how AI tools like ChatGPT are saving Kimberly hours—and why she thinks every school communicator should jump in.Kimberly’s final social media tip will change how you approach engagement: It’s time to take a loo...
Lisa Losasso Jackson and Veronica V. Sopher bring over 40 years of combined expertise in school marketing—and they answer all my burning questions about lead magnets! You’ll get a clear, simple breakdown of how to create effective lead magnets and landing pages—without feeling overwhelmed. Real-life examples and success stories from schools of all sizes show exactly how these strategies boost enrollment and recruitment. Don’t miss the final moments! The social media tips they share—especia...
Melissa Hartley reveals how a 15-year TA program has transformed her one-person comms team.Discover the simple yet powerful way students are capturing and shaping content daily.Hear how Melissa’s role evolved from pitching stories to the local newspapers to daily social storytelling.Thinking of bringing students into your workflow? Melissa’s dos and don’ts are pure gold. SPECIAL GUEST Melissa Hartley Director of Communications & Marketing Horizon Honors Schools, Arizona Email: melissa...
Andrea Gribble spills the details on where to find her (and the purple crew!) at NSPRA—plus one must-see booth activity you’ll regret missing!Want to avoid session FOMO? Hear Andrea’s top tip for planning your schedule—and the one tool she swears by.From packing hacks to power snacks, get the inside scoop on how to survive (and thrive) at this year’s seminar.Not heading to DC? No problem. Discover the trending topics and presentation sneak peeks that every school communicator should know. E...
Jenny and Lauren share how combining communications with community education helps build trust, engagement, and referendum support in River Falls, WI.Hear why the new social media retreat stood out—from hands-on learning to meaningful networking with peers who “get it.”Discover the team’s big “aha” around AI tools—and why staying authentic is more important than ever.Learn how River Falls uses character education, school forests, and staff appreciation to strengthen connections across their c...
In this jam-packed episode, Andrea sits down with Laurie Ehrlich and Miriam Stein, co-founders of ThriveHive, to talk about the real-world challenges—and solutions—schools face with enrollment, marketing, and social media strategy. From building healthy teams to crafting intentional messaging, this episode is full of practical insights for any school ready to level up. 4 Key Takeaways for Listeners: What simple shift could instantly bring more clarity and purpose to your school’s social med...
Max Smith, Digital Marketing Manager at Region 10 ESC, shares how he’s using social media to amplify school stories and connect with the community.Ready to level up your social media game? Hear how Max launched the Get Social Summit and why it’s a must-attend for school communicators.Max’s go-to advice: Stop ignoring comments! Learn how engaging with your audience can transform your social media presence.Do you have a social media idea that’s working wonders? Max shares how other agencies can...
Superintendent Dr. Jason Hewitt and communications pro Erin Goad open up about how Shepherd ISD rebuilt community trust using social media. Think you can't afford a communications director? Hear how Erin’s unique path from librarian to storyteller is helping transform culture in their small Texas district of 1900 students. Wondering how to celebrate teachers and grow your own staff? Don’t miss Shepherd’s jaw-dropping surprise patrol and Inspire program—it’s changing lives. Shepherd ISD m...
Hear how AndreAnna Tate took a big idea—student influencers—and turned it into a game-changing program at Irving ISD. Want to reach families and community members without children in your schools? AndreAnna’s strategy using Nextdoor might be your next big move. From planning events to writing scripts, learn how these students do way more than just create social posts. Curious how she got over 80 students to apply—and grew that number by 51% in year two? You’ll grab the secret sauce. S...
4 Key Takeaways: Foundations of Higher Performance Learn about Mark’s life-changing “Higher Performance Generation” system—built on mindset, relationships, and self-mastery—and how it helps students and educators elevate performance and well-being. The Story That Sparked It All Hear the powerful, emotional story of a student whose life was saved through connection and care—and how it inspired Mark to reverse-engineer a system to help others before they hit rock bottom. Simple Tools with B...
4 Key Takeaways for Listeners: Batch It & Relax – Plan ahead with repeatable features like Throwback Thursdays, Question of the Week, and staff shoutouts to keep your feed active without burning out. Engage Through Challenges – Try summer reading challenges or school spirit days to spark interaction and user-generated content. Show the Humans Behind the Scenes – Custodial staff, food service workers, and bus drivers are summer MVPs—celebrate their behind-the-scenes work! Admire &...
What happens when you empower school staff with the tools and confidence to tell their own stories? 💥 You get a district-wide transformation. In this episode, you'll hear how Marshalltown’s Social Media Ambassador program, led by Abby Koch and supported by Andrea Gribble, turned friendly competition into meaningful engagement. Learn why your videos don’t have to be perfect to make an impactFind out how social media boosted staff morale, student excitement, and even helped with recruitmentDisc...