Voices in Education Podcast

The integration of technology in the classroom has transformed the educational landscape in many positive ways - especially when it comes to the use of AI tools. With the power and capability to help teachers save time, assess students’ comprehension of assignments, and even provide insights into mental health and wellness, it's getting harder to deny the positive impact these tools offer.As a steadfast proponent of utilizing AI in education, Josh Knutson, the Vice President of New Product Innovation at Securly, joins Voices in Education to help demystify AI and discuss his ground-breaking new K-12 solution, Securly Discern.Join Josh as he discusses how education technology has helped him to help thousands of schools and students all across the US, and how AI is changing the future of data-driven decision-making in education for everyone. Whether you're already sold on AI's benefits or are completely new to this game-changing technology, this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss!Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. And now, with the introduction of Securly Discern, you can be more effective than every when it comes to supporting your school, staff, and students.Securly Discern is provides AI-driven insights for K-12 school leaders that empower educators and staff with the data they need to help students thrive. Revolutionize your school and student support, and  make the most of your school’s data with K-12’s most powerful AI inference engine – no matter your resources.Request a personalized demo today from Securly's team of experienced former educators.

Leadership, especially within the education sector, isn't something that can be mastered in a single semester. But aiming for perfection and shying away from your missteps can be the greatest mistake of all if you want to find success and create a positive school culture.As a former principal and current Director of Student Services & Special Education at Uintah School District, Dr Dean Wilson joins Voices in Education to discuss the importance of vulnerability and self-reflection in leadership. For Dr Wilson, clear expectations, frequent feedback, and open communication are not just nice-to-haves, but outright essentials for building and maintaining a successful and supportive culture in schools. For current and aspiring educational leaders, this is one conversation you cannot afford to miss.This special episode of Voices in Education is brought to you in conjunction with Securly Prepared: a ground-breaking digital student wellness event that offers educators, support staff, and school leaders the tools and know-how they need to make a meaningful difference for students today.If you'd like to check out Securly Prepared, it is available here right now on demand.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

Collaboration between educators and parents is key when it comes to creating safe, nurturing environments for the kids within our schools - not least when it comes to helping manage their mental health and wellness. And though there is a definite improvement in the quality of connections made between many educators and caregivers, there is undoubtedly more work to be done.Anne Moss Rogers, an author, trainer, suicide loss survivor, and one of the top motivational Mental Health Speakers for schools, joins Voices in Education to explore how both sides of the equation can make meaningful steps to improve their communication and overall student support. Anne Moss also shares her personal story as a suicide loss survivor and how that drove her to help other parents.This special episode of Voices in Education is brought to you in conjunction with Securly Prepared: a ground-breaking digital student wellness event that offers educators, support staff, and school leaders the tools and know-how they need to make a meaningful difference for students today.If you'd like to check out Securly Prepared, it is available here right now on demand.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.Special thanks to Anne Moss RogersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emotionallynaked/Anne Moss' Book Page: https://mentalhealthawarenesseducation.com/mental-health-books/School Mental Health Programs: https://mentalhealthawarenesseducation.com/mental-health-speaker/mental-health-speaker-for-schools/

According to recent data, school systems that prioritize student safety and wellness are seeing increasingly positive results when it comes to both student academic success and educator retention - but what does it take to build and maintain such a system in the modern day?Dr. Robert Avossa, the founder and president of K-12 Leadership Matters LLC and former superintendent, joins the Voices in Education podcast to discuss just that. With an emphasis on creating positive, supportive school cultures through listening, learning leaders, Dr Avossa shares his wide-ranging experiences and observations of today's schooling system and how we can look to improve on it.This special episode of Voices in Education is brought to you in conjunction with Securly Prepared: a ground-breaking digital student wellness event that offers educators, support staff, and school leaders the tools and know-how they need to make a meaningful difference for students today.If you'd like to check out Securly Prepared, it is available here right now on demand.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

It is becoming clearer with every passing year that education is rarely 'one size fits all' when it comes to our students' learning, wellness and success. As the world changes and evolves, our understanding and practices most evolve too - but that is often easier said than done.For Superintendent Iranetta Wright, education is the great equalizer: no matter a child's background or learning preference, school is the one constant in their life. And, as educators, it's our mission to deliver the best experience and start in life we can for our kids.Join Superintendent Wright on Voices in Education as she details her learnings, ideas and expertise when it comes to being a leader for change in the school space. Through stories of her own journey, Iranetta shares her invaluable insights when it comes to creating the best teams, learning opportunities and student wellness support initiatives we can - this is an episode not to be missed!Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

As teachers, we all try our best to juggle being successful educators, caregivers, administrators, mentors, managers and so many other responsibilities that it can feel impossible to adequately achieve in every area. But what if the solution to these challenges was more to do with the whole school system rather than the individual teachers?Julie Norman, a Leadership and School Effectiveness Advisor in the UK and founder of the Quality First Education System, believes schools have to work together to help create more efficient and effective environments for both staff and students alike by ensuring everyone feels respected - with a compassionate sense of themselves and others.Join Julie on Voices in Education as she shares her whirlwind journey from a rebellious and mistreated teen to becoming the teacher - and school leader - she wishes she'd had as a child. She shares her keen observations of what does and doesn't work when building school communities, how to work together successfully with "the problem children", and what she believes to be the most important factors in improving student and staff experiences within schools.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

Educators often put the mental health and wellness of their students above their own, but when teacher burnout is such a common occurrence in and around the classroom in the modern day, this approach soon reveals itself to be a detrimental and unsustainable one for all involved.In spite of his inarguable successes as both a teacher and an award-winning Head of Key Stage 3, Adam Parkes experienced a burnout so all-consuming that he found himself stood on a literal cliff edge: a fateful day that would, thankfully, result in him turning his life around - as well as the lives of thousands more educators all across the globe.Adam Parkes joins Voices in Education for a truly heartrending yet wholly inspiring conversation with a powerful moral message for educators everywhere. Not only does Adam recount his sobering personal struggle, but he discusses how his experience inspired him to help and encourage others to reach out through his wonderful non-profit organization, Taking Off The Mask, and how other educators facing burnout can make meaningful changes in their lives, too - all while still supporting their students.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

For many, working in education is primarily a role of passion: a love for helping to provide a better start in life for the next generations of young people outweighs all else. But that doesn’t mean education cannot also be a prosperous and long-term career – one where a true difference can be made. From school leadership to superintendency, the possibilities are many.There is, however, a significant difference between being in a leadership role and actually being a leader – something Superintendent Millard House has prided himself on throughout his illustrious career within education. Now in his third superintendency, Millard’s plentiful experience paints quite the picture of an ever-evolving landscape and how aspiring leaders may look to navigate that space.Millard joins the Voices in Education podcast to discuss the secrets to successful leadership, how data and strategy are integral to his approach when it comes to student and staff wellness at Prince George's County Public Schools, and how others could and should proceed if they want to make a meaningful difference to the education sector as a whole.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

With student mental health and wellness at an all-time low, the work of our school counselors, student services teams and support staff has never been a more important or powerful tool. From helping to build stronger school systems to bolster the help we provide, to offering one-to-one support for staff and students alike, their roles are integral in battling the wellness crisis we face in the education space.Sarah Kirk, one such counselor, consultant and trainer, prides herself on not only helping schools and districts to build such systems, but on emphasizing the widespread benefits of creating meaningful communities within our schools. With her work for the State Department of Education and Yoga 4 Classrooms, she strives to create a climate of kindness and inclusion for all. Join Sarah on Voices in Education as she shares the story of her career so far, how she came to understand the importance of working together as a community within the school environment, and what she believes will help us all to improve the mental health crisis for our students. Her perceptions and knowhow are second to none – this is a conversation too insightful to miss!Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

Being a leader within the education sector is challenging at the best of times, with so many responsibilities to fulfil and objectives to achieve. While juggling all of these elements, it's not surprising that we sometimes lose sight of the real goal behind why we do what we do: to create access and opportunity for our students everywhere.For Dr April Grace, educator, consultant, and superintendent, her tenure as Shawnee Public Schools' superintendent was one that spanned one of the most tumultuous times in modern history - and yet, Dr Grace's focus remained steadfast on her staff and students' wellbeing and success. Having to overcome teacher strikes, the global pandemic and an actual tornado tearing through her district, Dr Grace's story is one of the more motivating and inspiring you're likely to hear!Join Dr April Grace on Voices in Education as she reflects on her illustrious career, offering invaluable knowhow and anecdotal advice on how to stay the course as an educator and leader within schools, while never losing sight of the true mission we all work towards each day. From her humble beginnings all the way through to her retirement, there's so much to be learnt for everyone working in education, no matter your current role or career aspirations.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

According to reports from the CDC, 22% of students seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021, with 10% actually attempting suicide - a tragic figure that is seemingly on the rise year on year. With student mental health and wellness now a key focal point for all schools, how we can be more proactive than reactive is a question on many educators' minds.Dr Dean Wilson, Director of Student Services & Special Education for Uintah School District and Co-Founder of You Got This, a 501(c)(3) organization for suicide prevention in youth, is going to war against youth suicide, believing this is the best time and opportunity educators have ever had to make a meaningful difference.Join Dr Dean Wilson as he sits down with Voices in Education to offer his passionate and insightful thoughts on the state of student wellness, and how he believes it is the connections and education students receive that can be the gamechanger in their lives. On top of that, Dean shares his personal journey and the heart-breaking reality that led him to supporting young people everywhere, as well as what gives him hope for the future of education.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most.Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

In the modern world of education, we are beginning to understand more and more that one size does not fit all when it comes to our students' learning and wellness. Behind every behavior and 'bad day', there can be so much more at play than simply a student misbehaving or acting out.In the eyes of Dr Lateshia Woodley, Educational Consultant, Psychologist and Lead Dream Builder, many of these instances stem from a response to some kind of trauma. Specializing in transformation initiatives and change management focused around trauma-informed practice, Dr Woodley believes student support must be individually tailored to each child's unique circumstances and experiences - that no child should be invisible.Kicking off this brand-new season of Voices in Education, join Dr Woodley as she shares her cutting-edge expertise around trauma-informed practice, her thoughts and advice on how to better manage student wellness, and her moving personal tale of childhood trauma that became the catalyst for her ground-breaking efforts within education.Voices in Education is powered by SecurlySecurly is your school’s all-in-one solution for student safety, wellness, and engagement. Securly's 2023 State of Student Wellness Report is a free-to-download paper that takes a closer look into the data and current trends surrounding student wellness. You'll learn how your school can overcome resource limitations, introduce efficient technologies into the classroom, and ultimately better support the students who need your help the most. Download your free copy of this illuminating special report today.

Is a school’s focus on SEL and wellness of students coming at the expense of its teachers? In this episode, Sarah Milianta-Laffin, discusses why so many teachers feel unsupported on the job. As both a Teacher and an Instructional Coach, Sarah provides her unique perspective on ways schools can better care for and retain teachers. One thing to avoid is what Sarah calls “toxic positivity” where teachers are expected to put on a smile and simply allow themselves to be overworked, overwhelmed, and undervalued. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: Sarah Milianta-Laffin's Profile

The one thing schools never seem to have enough of is funding. In this episode, Amy Yamamoto Callahan shares her perspective as both a Ventura Union School District Trustee and a parent. Amy discusses why SEL is so important for children to develop into healthy adults, and why she’s fighting for the funding needed to provide enough wellness workers for every school in her district. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: Amy Yamamoto Callahan Profile

Uncertainty might create a sense of discomfort in most people. For many students, however, uncertainties are creating an anxiety loop that feeds on itself. In this episode, Abounding Circles founder Sarah Snyder (LCSW) shares why students today have more and more uncertainty in their daily lives (Covid, social media, bullying) and how it leads kids to live in a constant state of alert. Sarah shares how things like coaching, wellness circles, and even yoga can help keep students grounded and their nervous systems calmer. 2Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: Sarah Snyder's Profile To learn more about Abounding Circles, visit https://www.aboundingcircles.com/

Ask any winning sports team and they’ll agree, the right coach matters. In this episode, Dr. Sherrell Hobbs of Victory Education Solutions discusses the importance of coaching schools and educators on social-emotional learning (SEL). Learn how SEL can help students develop empathy, emotional control, and self-awareness. To illustrate its value, Dr. Hobbs shares an inspiring story of how SEL allowed her to connect with a student who was acting out and to realize their pain. Tune in to learn the ways your school can better support the SEL needs of your students. Connect with Dr. Hobbs on LinkedIn: Dr. Hobbs Profile To learn more about Victory Educational Solutions, visit https://victoryeducationalsolutions.com/

Taking a moment to be mindful seems so easy. So why is it so hard for most of us to do? In this episode, Laure Sabini, founder of Full of Kindness, shares the value of teaching mindfulness to children, adolescents, and teachers. Simple mindfulness practices have been shown to improve student mental health, build personal confidence, and help us stay centered amid the pressures of our lives. Listen in to hear Laure share how the power of taking  a pause is a truly transformational tool for all of us.Connect with Laure on LinkedIn: Laure Sabini ProfileLearn about Laure’s mindfulness programs at www.fullofkindness.org

The rate of professional burnout among teachers is high. Some are planning to retire sooner than originally planned, while others have left the profession entirely.  Kati Vaughn is the founder of Stay the Course. In this episode, she discusses the practice of Restorative Coaching, which helps educators build their resilience and reignite their passion for teaching. Kati also shares ways that school and district leaders can show teachers that they are being seen, heard, and, above all else, appreciated. Connect with Kati Vaughn on LinkedIn: Kati Vaughn's Profile To learn about Stay the Course, visit http://stay-the-course.com/

If students aren’t engaged, maybe the problem isn't so much what they’re learning as how they’re learning. In this episode, Mindy Faber, co-founder of Convergence Design Lab, discusses the role her agency plays in researching and designing new ways of learning. Discover how these new ways of learning have helped schools increase student engagement and generate improvements in academic performance. Learn more about how Convergence Design Lab is building more resilient learning ecosystems: https://convergencedesignlab.org/

The Community School model gives students access to everything from work-based learning to tutoring and other types of support. In this episode, Lauren Campion, Education Administrator  of Lowell Public Schools, shares how partnerships with local organizations are allowing students, particularly those deemed at-risk, to take advantage of resources they might otherwise not get. Hear for yourself why the Community School model works, and how it can be replicated. For more information on the Community School model, visit: https://sites.google.com/view/community-school-model/home