Alexander Dawson School Podcast
43 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsA weekly education podcast brought to you by The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain. Located in Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas, Nevada, Dawson is a non-sectarian, non-profit school offering students in preschool through eighth grade an inspired and meaningful education. Students achieve their individual potential while savoring life and meeting the challenges of the world.
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Episodes
Part 2: Project-Based Learning in Early Childhood with Dawson Faculty
February 29, 2024 17:46 - 30 minutes - 41.8 MBDawson faculty Katie Figg and Sara Greenspan join Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education at Dawson. In this episode, our teachers share their first-hand experience with implementing PBL in their classrooms, the challenges they've faced, and the outcomes they've witnessed with their students. You'll also hear about their hopes for the first EC PBL Conference at Dawson in Fe...
Project-Based Learning in Early Childhood with Sara Lev
January 29, 2024 18:29 - 31 minutes - 43.6 MBAuthor and educator Sara Lev joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education. In this episode, they discuss the common misconceptions and the benefits of PBL for children ages 3-8. Plus, you'll hear about the genesis of a professional development opportunity that Sara and her co-authors (Amanda Clark and Erin Starkey) are partnering with Dawson to host on our campus in Las Ve...
Find What Lights Your Heart in Nature with Farmer Steph
October 03, 2023 21:37 - 31 minutes - 43.6 MBDuring her inaugural visit to Las Vegas to help the School bring new life to the Ruffin Organic Garden, Farmer Stephanie McDonough joined us to share her journey from a marketing job at the NBA Headquarters to farming with kids. Farmer Steph is a Life Lab-certified School Garden Educator and owner of Farm to Table Kids. In this episode, she talks about how she helps kids connect and find what lights their hearts in nature. You'll also learn about her passion for regenerative farming and her ...
The Campfire Principle with Charles Vogl
September 05, 2023 17:48 - 45 minutes - 62.5 MBCharles Vogl joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury in an important conversation about building community and belonging in this era of loneliness. As Dawson dives into its Core Value of Belonging, Charles's concept of the Campfire Principle will guide the School's efforts to plan the events and spaces that support each student, family, and employee. Learn more about the research behind his work and how organizations and companies can reimagine how t...
Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 3
June 29, 2023 20:32 - 11 minutes - 15.6 MBWe have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you d...
Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 2
June 29, 2023 20:31 - 22 minutes - 30.7 MBWe have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you d...
Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 1
June 29, 2023 20:30 - 15 minutes - 21.8 MBWe have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you d...
Transforming Student Experiences with Dr. Denise Pope of Challenge Success
November 29, 2022 23:32 - 26 minutes - 36.7 MBDawson was fortunate to welcome Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope back to the podcast during a recent campus visit in November for a conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. In this episode, they discuss the work that Stanford University's Challenge Success is doing to transform student experiences through a community model to improve their well-being. You'll hear about the importance of engagement, well-being, and belonging in school, how parents should think abo...
Building and Sustaining a Culture of Belonging at Dawson
April 19, 2022 23:09 - 52 minutes - 120 MBCultureEd Collective Co-Founders Kori McMillion and Jacinta Williams join Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop for an in-depth conversation about their important work of helping independent schools build and sustain a culture of belonging. As experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion, they discuss what it takes to create a better reality for all people, the critical skills and competencies students will need in order to thrive in their future, and how...
Tech For Good with Blake Resnick
January 10, 2022 18:07 - 42 minutes - 98 MBDawson Alum and BRINC Drones Founder/CEO Blake Resnick '13 (recently named the youngest honoree of the 2022 Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact list) joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Director of Academic Innovation and Design Rich Lehrer to discuss the importance of innovation, the origin of BRINC, and how technology can be used to benefit the greater good. You’ll also hear about the skills and mindset needed to be successful as an entrepreneur and real-world problem-solver. L...
Finding Your Boarding School Match, Part 2
December 23, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutes - 56.1 MBIn Part two of this conversation with six boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, you'll learn about how boarding schools are focusing on the health and wellness of their students, the life skills and competencies that students will develop, and what the future may hold for Dawson and the boarding schools represented. Thank you to the following boarding school admissions representatives for visiting us our campus in October 20...
Finding Your Boarding School Match, Part 1
December 21, 2021 22:14 - 37 minutes - 86 MBIn part one of this conversation, you'll meet our guest boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Topics include the importance of the parent/school partnership while attending boarding school, how boarding schools define and manage college placement expectations, and the movement away from standardized testing. Thank you to the following boarding school admissions representatives for visiting us our campus in October 2021 and s...
Boarding School Admissions, Part 3
October 17, 2021 23:06 - 31 minutes - 72.8 MBIn part three of our series on boarding school admissions with eight experts in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, learn how they're helping students find their best-fit schools, how they're moving towards more inclusive and equitable enrollment processes during the pandemic, their thoughts on standardized testing, and how they hope their schools will evolve in the future. Thank you to the following boarding school admissions representatives for visiting us our campu...
Boarding School Admissions, Part 2
October 12, 2021 17:26 - 29 minutes - 66.8 MBIn part two of our conversation with eight boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, you'll learn about the opportunities that have come out of the pandemic for admissions offices, how schools work to embed diversity, equity and inclusion work on their campuses, and why boarding schools are so expensive. Thank you to the following boarding school admissions representatives for visiting us our campus in September 2021 and spendin...
Boarding School Admissions, Part 1
October 05, 2021 18:35 - 24 minutes - 56.6 MBIn part one of this conversation, you'll meet our guest boarding school admissions representatives in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Topics include strong parent partnerships, mental health and wellness for students, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their individual communities in their approach to promoting a holistic educational experience for kids. Thank you to the following boarding school admissions representatives for visiting us our campus in Sep...
Curriculum Innovations
September 08, 2021 15:46 - 35 minutes - 81 MBWe're kicking off the 2021-2022 school year with Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop about curriculum innovations at Dawson and around the world. Topics include educational trends, personalized learning, using data to set up frameworks for student success, and casting vision for the future of education and project-based learning at Dawson. You'll also hear about Dawson's Design Lab, the core...
The Role of Schools in a Lifelong Learning Model
April 27, 2021 22:20 - 1 hour - 144 MBThis is the time of continuous learning. In this episode, Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Donna Orem, president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), for an in-depth conversation about the ways in which schools must evolve and innovate in the coming years. Topics include: education in this fourth industrial revolution and third education revolution; the four basic jobs of parents and what they're looking for in schools; diversity, equity, and inclusio...
Independent School Associations & Education with Mark Crotty
March 31, 2021 17:22 - 25 minutes - 57.6 MBAssistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Mark Crotty, the executive director of the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS). They discuss the essential skills students need to thrive, what they hope schools learn from this pandemic year and advice for parents looking for the right school for their child. They also talk about the necessity for independent schools to engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations in order to become part of the greater solution...
Modern Learning & How Schools Can Evolve with Sanje Ratnavale
February 25, 2021 16:52 - 22 minutes - 50.7 MBIn this episode, Dawson welcomes Sanje Ratnavale, founder and president of Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools (OESIS), to the podcast! In conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, Sanje discusses the opportunities presented by distance education in the past year, the capacity of schools to change, and project-based learning. Topics also include thinking creatively about time and space, competency-based education, assessing for skills versus content, and more....
On the Similarities Between Higher Ed & Independent School Education
February 11, 2021 20:06 - 35 minutes - 80.4 MBIn this episode, Dawson welcomes Dean of UNLV's Honors College Dr. Andrew Hanson to the show! In conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop, Dr. Hanson discusses the similarities between higher education and independent school education. Topics include active listening in the classroom, the future of standardized education, and the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion work. They also talk about the future of education and the long-term changes in the post-pandemic cla...
What's the deal with Challenge Success?
January 25, 2021 23:22 - 39 minutes - 91.1 MBDawson is proud to be Nevada's first and only school to partner with Challenge Success, which is affiliated with Stanford University and focuses on student wellbeing and engagement. In this episode, Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope, Director of EC-Grade 1 Amanda Murray-Musgrave, teacher Matt Reynolds, and sixth-grade student Aarti. You'll learn how Dawson aligns with and uses the Challenge Success framework to live its Mission a...
The Empathy Advantage
December 10, 2020 20:21 - 32 minutes - 74.6 MBAssistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury are joined by Dr. Mary Choi Kelly in a conversation about instilling empathy in our children. Dr. Kelly is the parent of a current Dawson student and an alumnus and manages MCK Leadership Talent Group, an organization that works with leaders in global companies and diverse industries to help individuals develop courage, drive change, and build culture. Following Dr. Kelly's Parent University presentation on the Empat...
Parenting During a Pandemic with Dr. Michael Thompson
October 28, 2020 15:35 - 29 minutes - 66.6 MBIn this episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Dr. Michael Thompson joins Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. Following a Parent University virtual session with our Dawson community, Dr. Thompson elaborates on the nuances of parenting during the pandemic and in an election year. The discussion includes the resilience of children and treating one another with respect, civility, community, and dignity.
Reopening Schools During a Pandemic with Dr. Douglas Harris
October 22, 2020 18:26 - 39 minutes - 90.1 MBAssistant Head of School Andrew Bishop is joined by Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and special guest Dr. Douglas Harris, a senior fellow in the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings and professor of economics at Tulane University. They discuss Dr. Harris' recent article, "When should schools reopen fully in-person?". Topics include Dawson's reopening plan in comparison to others around the country; navigating the decision-making process as a team; the direct and indirect effects of...
Caring For Our Campus
March 03, 2020 23:35 - 12 minutes - 29.3 MBDawson's Chief of Security & Campus Facilities Dennis Johnson in conversation with Assistant Head of School for Advancement Andrew Bishop about caring for our campus. From the logistics of afternoon carpool to the intentionality behind the landscape and design of our campus, Dennis works to keep our school and facilities both beautiful and functional. They also discuss the process of planning, designing and building our new middle school playground, a project led by Dennis in partnership wit...
Innovation at Dawson
February 10, 2020 21:56 - 17 minutes - 40.5 MBDirector of Innovation Hubert Ham in conversation with Assistant Head of School for Advancement Andrew Bishop about innovation at independent schools, ways in which Dawson improves, and using esports as a gateway to curriculum, community, and STEM skills. They also discuss partnerships with UNLV, Blackfire Innovation, and Allied Esports, Dawson's esports EDU lab, an esports league for independent schools. Learn how Dawson is sharing its experiences, resources, and information with other scho...
Parent Education at Dawson
January 16, 2020 17:48 - 27 minutes - 62.6 MBThree Dawson parents join Assistant Heads of School Roxanne Stansbury and Andrew Bishop in conversation about Dawson's Parent University series and Parent Education Pieces. The Alexander Dawson School hosts and facilitates Parent University workshops to provide current research in parenting and child development, as well as Parent Education Piece curriculum sessions as a means to more deeply involve each parent in their child’s educational experiences. Julio Melendez, Susan Perry, Susan Arch...
Part 2: Measuring Things That Matter
January 09, 2020 18:29 - 21 minutes - 49.8 MBFollowing episode 14 on measuring things that matter, Director of K-8 Chris Estrella and Director of Student Life & Diversity Meg Aumann discuss how Dawson utilizes intentionally diverse focus groups and surveys to make student-centered decisions. In this episode, you’ll learn more about their presentation from the NWAIS regional conference on Using Data to Make Student-Centered Decisions. They discuss what this looks like at Dawson—how we gather information, what we do with the data, who we...
Rosalind Wiseman on Happiness, Friendship & Dignity
December 09, 2019 19:55 - 29 minutes - 67.1 MBRosalind Wiseman in conversation with Assistant Head of School for Advancement Andrew Bishop following her Dawson Parent University presentation. Rosalind is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, and founder of Cultures of Dignity. In this episode, they discuss and define happiness, friendship, respect, and treating people with dignity. Topics also include focusing on relationships and how social...
Dawson Head of School on Measuring Things That Matter
October 10, 2019 21:28 - 11 minutes - 27.1 MBDawson’s Head of School Dr. Carola Wittmann joins Assistant Head of School for Advancement Andrew Bishop in a conversation about surveying parents and students, as well as faculty and staff. As Director of Student Life & Diversity Meg Aumann and K-8 Director Chris Estrella take off to present on the topic at NWAIS this week, Dr. Wittmann discusses how small and large decisions in institutional planning can be influenced by student data at Dawson. They discuss how our students have gotten u...
Dawson Head of School on Institutional Growth
September 26, 2019 15:46 - 19 minutes - 45 MBDawson’s Head of School Dr. Carola Wittmann joins Assistant Head of School for Advancement Andrew Bishop to talk about institutional growth. They discuss why supporting institutional growth is important, how Dawson faculty and staff will learn more throughout the 19-20 school year about the School’s growth, and how the self-study accreditation process informs the School’s growth planning going forward. Dr. Wittmann shares her goals for growth and succession planning, as well as her take on p...
A Conversation with New Dawson Teachers
September 12, 2019 15:36 - 24 minutes - 56.9 MBAssistant Head of School for Teaching and Learning Roxanne Stansbury sits down with three new Dawson teachers during the weeklong Teacher Academy. Art teacher Jesa Townsend, second-grade teacher Shane Marsan, Mandarin teacher Kirsty Lim, and first-grade teacher and Dawson alum Amanda Brazell discuss their first impressions of the School, reflect on the comprehensive interview and on-boarding process, and the overwhelm of a new school. They share thoughts on Challenge Success, the layers of s...
Dawson College Bound
June 05, 2019 16:01 - 12 minutes - 28.2 MBEach summer, Dawson College Bound happens on the campus of The Alexander Dawson School! This summer summit program serves high-achieving Clark County School District middle school students and is funded by the Alexander Dawson Foundation. Learn all about this phenomenal program from Director of Admissions Andrew Bishop in conversation with DCB Director Matsuko Freeman. For more information about Dawson College Bound, visit dawsoncollegebound.org.
Performing Arts At Dawson
May 06, 2019 21:55 - 16 minutes - 38.8 MBDirector of Admissions Andrew Bishop in conversation with Dawson Performing Arts Faculty Sue Boyum and Chrystal Miller. You’ll learn more about the department programs straight from the experts who teach choir, theater, musical theater, and music tech and orchestra respectively. Topics include performance curriculum, helping students get comfortable with risk-taking in the classroom, teaching as an ensemble, the transferable skills that come from the arts program and what they’re looking fo...
How Schools Can Use Esports As a Vehicle to Teach Transferable Skills
April 23, 2019 23:15 - 16 minutes - 30.7 MBDawson’s Director of Admission Andrew Bishop in conversation with Allied Esports International’s Chief Creative Officer Paul Chamberlain about the transferable skills and career opportunities that are opened up by the progressive entertainment industry called esports. From inside the one-of-a-kind HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, they discuss where the industry is going and how schools can think about using esports as a vehicle to teach the important s...
Why We Need Diverse Books
April 05, 2019 17:06 - 34 minutes - 79.3 MBDirector of Admissions Andrew Bishop in conversation with authors Minh Le, Axie Oh, and Aida Salazar, author/illustrator Daria Peoples-Riley, author/librarian Brittany Thurman on why diverse books matter. The group was on campus in March for Dawson’s 2nd Annual We Need Diverse Books Day, a school-wide event with workshops, readings, a student-led panel discussion and other enriching activities. For more information about The Alexander Dawson School visit adsrm.org.
Jen Cort with Dawson Students and Parents on Navigating Tough Conversations
March 04, 2019 23:53 - 57 minutes - 131 MBEducation consultant Jen Cort, host of Third Space podcast, in conversation with her new Dawson Middle School colleagues about the ways that adults can approach difficult topics with children. Then, she sits down with Dawson parents to get their perspective on navigating the subjects they did not grow up talking about, and how important it is to model asking for help. Subjects include technology, race, gender and loyalty conflicts between home and school.
Why Healthy Sleep Habits Matter
January 29, 2019 16:53 - 14 minutes - 34 MBAssistant Head of School Roxanne Stansbury in conversation with students of Dawson’s Sleep Week Committee about sleep awareness and the upcoming Sleep Week Campaign. The Sleep Week idea originated when a few students attended the Challenge Success Fall Conference and learned about the impacts of stress on sleep. They returned to campus with the desire to raise awareness among the Dawson community. In this episode, they discuss the causes of irregular sleep patterns, extracurricular acti...
A Conversation with Head of School Dr. Carola Wittmann
December 17, 2018 23:15 - 27 minutes - 62.9 MBDr. Carola Wittmann joins Director of Admissions Andrew Bishop to reflect on her third year as head of school, and discuss what she sees as the Dawson Difference.
The Importance of Early Childhood Education
November 06, 2018 21:49 - 21 minutes - 38.5 MBDirector of Admission Andrew Bishop in conversation with Director of Early Childhood Amanda Musgrave about the importance of education for young children.
Redefining Student Achievement Through Challenge Success At Dawson
October 17, 2018 21:01 - 19 minutes - 43.9 MBDirector of Admission Andrew Bishop in conversation with Assistant Head of School Roxanne Stansbury about what it means to be a Stanford University Challenge Success School. Listen to learn more about the SPACE Framework and how Dawson is living its mission by re-defining traditional definitions of student achievement. Show Notes: Mood Meter
Jen Cort On Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
October 17, 2018 20:58 - 29 minutes - 66.5 MBDirector of Admissions Andrew Bishop has a conversation with special guest, renowned clinical social worker and educator, Jen Cort.
What You Need to Know About Magnet/CTA High Schools
October 17, 2018 20:52 - 14 minutes - 33.6 MBDirector of Admissions Andrew Bishop in conversation with CCSD Magnet/CTA Coordinator Nancy West.