We Love Schools
114 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsWE LOVE SCHOOLS highlights success stories in school communications campaigns. We address the issues, obstacles and benefits of communicating with your community in today’s all-access social media-driven world. Subscribe to our podcast for inspiration, best practices and critical industry news.
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Episodes
Communicating Your Needs to Your Community | An Administrator Shares His Experiences with Referendums
May 03, 2018 09:04 - 28 minutes - 32.3 MBRich Hanson is the District Administrator for the Almond-Bancroft School District in Wisconsin. He speaks with Joel about his experiences working to get ballot initiatives passed for his district. Topics include: why town halls weren't working get their message out, the importance of newsletters and socials, and the one thing that Rich would change about public schools. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Starting a Community Garden in Your District
April 26, 2018 09:04 - 14 minutes - 16.5 MBCarole speaks with Zac Shutler from Bridgeport School District (Ohio) about the community garden they have in development. They discuss the unique situation that led to its creation, the partnership with a local correctional facility, and what Zac hopes will happen as a result of this exciting project. This episode is sponsored by The Ohio Small and Rural Collaborative. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
"We Do Not Have Metal or Mental Detectors At Our Schools": A discussion about schools shootings and safety with a superintendent
April 09, 2018 09:04 - 29 minutes - 33.4 MBWith the recent dialogue about school shootings and how to prevent them, Joel speaks with Dr. Jim Lloyd, superintendent of Olmsted Falls, about what schools can do to help keep students safe. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Public Schools and Revitalization
March 26, 2018 09:04 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBJen Kime is the CEO of Downtown Mansfield - a not-for-profit that seeks to revitalize Mansfield, Ohio. She speaks with Joel about the intersection of public schools and a city's efforts to encourage more economic and commercial development. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Create a New Climate in Your Schools
March 22, 2018 09:04 - 14 minutes - 16.8 MBCarole speaks with Noble Local Schools Superintendent Dan Leffingwell about the steps his district has taken to improve their schools' climate. They discuss communicating goals and expectations to students and families, student ownership, and creating a sense of hope and pride in students. For more information on the Ohio Small & Rural Collaborative, visit https://ohiosrc.org/. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
National School Walkout | Five Students Discuss Why They Walked Out of Their School
March 15, 2018 05:18 - 19 minutes - 22.4 MBIn a special episode, Joel speaks with five student leaders from New Albany Plain Public Schools in Ohio. These five students not only participated in the walkout, but have plans to attend the March For Our Lives later this month, and one has spoken directly to the school board. This occasion is historic and we're so happy to get the opportunity to talk to these young adults on the same day it all happened. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Civil Rights in Our Schools
March 14, 2018 16:13 - 29 minutes - 34.3 MBJill Habig is the Founder and President of the Public Rights Project - a not-for-profit that helps to public institutions fight to protect the civil rights of members of their community. She speaks with Joel about civil rights within our schools including a discussion on chronic absence and the school-to-prison pipeline. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com
The Power of Mentorship | How one teacher inspired her student to become a teacher
March 12, 2018 09:04 - 28 minutes - 32.8 MBHeidi Feller took German at Wisconsin Heights High School and had Jeri Springstead as her teacher. Fast forward a little bit and Heidi is a German teacher herself! Joel speaks with Heidi and Jeri about the relationship between teachers and students and asks the important question: Why German as a foreign language? (Spoiler: It's a good answer.) Heidi is currently the Chief Inspiration Officer for #SocialSchool4edu. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The 21st Century School Leader: Leading Schools in Today's World | Dr. Denver Fowler
March 08, 2018 10:04 - 12 minutes - 14 MBCarole speaks with Dr. Denver Fowler, friend of the podcast AND the author of the forthcoming book The 21st Century School Leader: Leading Schools in Today's World. They talk about the book (there's a lot of stuff in there), how it came about, and what Dr. Fowler hopes people take away from it. Dr. Denver J. Fowler is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Graduate and Professional Studies in Education, within the College of Education at California S...
How Polling, Focus Groups, and Research Can Help Your District
March 05, 2018 10:04 - 25 minutes - 29.5 MBPaul Fallon speaks with Joel about the value of various kinds of public opinion research when it comes to understanding your community and how best to communicate your district's priorities. Paul Fallon runs Fallon Research & Communications - a full-service public opinion research and polling firm that serves a variety of clients, from major political, corporate and public affairs campaigns to small local community initiatives. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com...
The Power of Adding One Communication Expert to the District Staff
March 01, 2018 10:04 - 24 minutes - 28.2 MBJoel speaks with Luke Francois, superintendent, and Joelle Doye, Communications Director, about their experience adding a full-time communications position to the Mineral Point Unified School District. They talk about the strategic plan that led them down this path and the ways in which Joelle made an instant difference for the district. For full show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
How Diversity is Essential to Success
February 26, 2018 10:04 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBThe Superintendent of Mason City Schools, Gail Kist-Kline, has spent over 30 years in the public school system and has experienced how our schools view and internalize the idea of diversity. She speaks with Joel about how things have changes and where diversity in public schools is headed next. For show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Changing Career Center Paradigm
February 22, 2018 10:04 - 20 minutes - 23.8 MBCarole speaks with Rick Smith about the ways in which career and technical programs are being re-examined and re-imagined for the modern workforce. Rick Smith is the superintendent of Ohio Hi-Point Career Center and the Career and Technical Center Representative for the Ohio Small and Rural Collaborative. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Navigating the Politics of Your School Board
February 19, 2018 10:04 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBFormer Representative Mike Ward joins the WLS podcast to talk about how school boards aren't that different from his experience on the state and federal level. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Have a Compelling Story to Tell! | What should schools share (but aren't) with their communities?
February 15, 2018 10:04 - 23 minutes - 27.2 MBHeidi Feller, Chief Inspiration Officer for #SocialSchool4EDU, talks to Joel about some of the best practices that schools can utilize to help tell their story and inspire their community. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Opportunities and Challenges of Diversity in Public Education
February 12, 2018 10:04 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBCreg Williams is the Superintendent of Schools for the Thornton Fractional High School District in Illinois. He speaks with Joel about the opportunities and challenges of diversity in public schools. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Pre-K Classes in Public Schools | A conversation with a veteran Pre-K teacher
February 08, 2018 10:04 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MBJanine Levin has been teaching for 18 years - most of them at Maury Elementary School in the Washington D.C. Public Schools system. She speaks with Joel about what led her to the public schools, the importance of Pre-K, and what she would change in the future. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Diversity in Public Schools: A look at a district that has undergone tremendous growth and change
February 05, 2018 10:04 - 25 minutes - 29.5 MBThe Dublin City Schools have grown rapidly since the early 2000's and, with that, they have seen an increase in diversity. Last year alone, the district enrolled students from 100 different countries! Dr. Todd Hoadley is the superintendent of the district and he speaks with Joel about the district's growth, the benefits of diversity both in the classroom and out in the real world, the challenges of catering to 61 different languages, and the biggest misconception about diversity in schools. ...
Passing a $230 Million Bond Issue: How one district made it happen
February 01, 2018 10:04 - 24 minutes - 28.4 MBPaul Imoff's community just passed a $230 million bond issue. Paul is the superintendent of Upper Arlington Schools in Ohio and he speaks with Joel about their proactive steps to communicate their needs to the community and get the resources they need to serve their students. (Spoiler: It takes planning, a lot of direct conversations with community members, and a lot of work.) For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Be Prepared: How a Strong Communication Strategy Helped During a Hurricane
January 29, 2018 10:04 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBWhat happens when a literal hurricane comes headed your way? Even if we won't see one of those in our schools, there are all kinds of figurative hurricanes that you need to be prepared for. Greg Turchetta, Executive Director of Communications and Community Engagement at Collier County School District in Florida, has been through it. His district was in the path of Hurricane Irma. Luckily, they were prepared. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Experience of Being a Child with a Superintendent Parent (at your school!)
January 25, 2018 10:04 - 13 minutes - 15.7 MBLindsey Imhoff's dad is currently the superintendent at Upper Arlington Schools. She speaks about the expectations placed on her, how she understands her role in the community, and the impact on her family. Lindsey recommends Wonder by R.J. Palacio. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
"Challenge Everything": Navigating Technology and Change In Our Classrooms
January 22, 2018 11:04 - 36 minutes - 41.7 MBDr. John Marschhausen, superintendent of Hilliard City Schools in Ohio, returns to talk about how technology is implemented in their schools and what happens next. Joel and John also speak about how to manage a staff that has fast adopters (“joggers”) and less fast ones (“walkers”). They also talk about how Dr. Marschhausen’s recent visit to Apple headquarters has him rethinking his district’s hiring process.\ For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Poverty & Public Schools
January 18, 2018 10:04 - 28 minutes - 32.3 MBHalf of schools enrolled in public schools now qualify for free and reduced lunch. These economic realities are an indication of what needs must be addressed for students when they arrive at school. Joel Gagne speaks with Dr. Luke Schaefer, associate professor of School Work at the University of Michigan, about these trends, poverties impact on children, and how schools can help. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
From the Trenches: A Veteran Science Teacher Discuss The Impact of Technology In Schools
January 11, 2018 10:04 - 23 minutes - 27.1 MBShawn Morris has been teaching for 19 years and is at Hilliard Darby High School.When Shawn started teaching there were no computers in the classroom and now, between laptops and smartphones, there are numerous devices in every room. He speaks with Joel about how curricular instruction has changed in the last two decades. For complete show notes, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Why Music Education (and the arts) Should be in Schools (and how we should make the case)
January 08, 2018 10:04 - 24 minutes - 22 MBJoel speaks with Nick Jaworski (former music teacher and current podcaster) about the case for music education in schools... and how NOT to make the case. Here is the Stick Figure Advocacy Cartoon that Nick references. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
A Case Study in Marketing A Small District
January 04, 2018 10:04 - 30 minutes - 35.1 MBDan Parent is the superintendent of Danbury Local Schools, a small district in Ohio with around 500 students. He speaks with Joel about their rebranding efforts that have helped their school share their message that they're the "best kept secret in Northwest Ohio". After that, Joel speaks with Amanda Morris from Allerton Hill about some more specifics of the Danbury efforts. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Value of Local Control in Schools
January 01, 2018 10:04 - 22 minutes - 26.3 MBRichard Lewis, Executive Director of the Ohio School Boards Association, speaks with Joel about the role of outside organizations that support school districts, the impact of social media, and the importance of local control when it comes to schools. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Energy Bus School | A New Model in Education in Practice
December 28, 2017 10:04 - 28 minutes - 32.6 MBCarole Speaks with Franko Gallow (Superintendent, Keystone Local Schools District), Maura Neville (Principle, Keystone Elementary), Jacob Alfareo (Assistant Principal, Keystone Elementary) about their district’s new initiative: The Energy Bus School. It’s a program based off of The Energy Bus that works to develop relationships between staff and students to create positive student leaders who can influence school culture. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Walking Door-to-Door for a School District Ballot Initiative: Thoughts on communicating from a former superintendent
December 21, 2017 10:04 - 23 minutes - 27 MBJoel speaks with David Axner, the Deputy Executive Director of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. David shares some positive experiences he had as a district superintendent, his thoughts on how to promote a ballot initiative, and what the Buckeye Association of School Administrators does for current and future school administrators. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Navigating the Holidays and the Winter Months as a School or District
December 18, 2017 10:04 - 25 minutes - 29.1 MBJoel speaks with Amanda Morris, Outreach Specialist for Allerton Hill, about the specific communication needs that face school districts during the holidays and throughout winter. Topics include: "Happy Holidays", communicating snow days, and celebrating diversity. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
What is a Parent Teacher Association and Why Are They Important?
December 14, 2017 10:04 - 23 minutes - 26.8 MBElsa Huxley is a member of Parent Teacher Association at Maury Elementary School in the DC Public Schools. She talks to Joel about how PTAs and PTOs work, the growth of their PTA, and why they’re so important. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Sharing Individual Stories to Engage Your Community
December 11, 2017 10:04 - 17 minutes - 20.5 MBJoel speaks with Lynda Tran, Founding Partner at 270 Strategies and former press secretary for Organizing for America, about the importance of highlighting individual stories to your community, crisis communication plans, and the importance of public schools. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Addressing Poverty as a Barrier to Learning
December 04, 2017 08:00 - 22 minutes - 25.9 MBCarole speaks with Keith Kline, superintendent of West Clermont School District, about the steps his district is taking to fight the impact of poverty on student achievement. They talk about the changing demographics in his community and the role of poverty simulations in increasing staff buy-in. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Podcasting in Public Schools
November 30, 2017 10:04 - 22 minutes - 26.3 MBJoel speaks with Nick Jaworski, former music teacher and current podcast producer, to discuss how to start a podcast for a district or school and, more importantly, why it might be a good idea. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Expansive Communication Strategies
November 27, 2017 10:04 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBJoel speaks with Dr. Ray Lechner from the Wilmette Public Schools (District 39) about some of the ingredients that makes Wilmette one of the best districts in the state of Illinois. Dr. Lechner speaks about the district’s focus on personalization for every child along with their communication strategies (that involve the park district, library, rotary club… you name it). They also speak about the importance of internal communication with staff. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com....
Live Streaming and Social Media to Bring the Community Into Your Building
November 23, 2017 10:04 - 24 minutes - 27.6 MBCarole speaks with Tate Skinner, Secretary for the Ohio Small & Rural Collaborative (OSRC). He’s also the Assistant Principal at Minford High School. They speak out Tate’s philosophy behind social media and how Minford High School uses live streaming to provide access for students and families. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Advocacy with (and for) Elected Officials | A conversation with former representative Mike Ward
November 20, 2017 10:04 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBJoel speaks to former Mike Ward, former congressman from Kentucky. They talk about some best practices in public school advocacy and how schools can grab the attention of the public and their elected officials. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Mental Health Within The School Environment
November 16, 2017 10:04 - 17 minutes - 20.3 MBCarole speaks with CJ Soliday, a Behavioral Health Specialist at the Delaware Area Career Center in Ohio. They discuss the vital role that CJ plays in helping the students of DACC succeed including her work with students with diagnosed mental health needs, helping to identify students with undiagnosed needs, and assisting in urgent mental health needs. For more We Love Schools, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Seeking Out and Using Community Resources
November 13, 2017 10:04 - 16 minutes - 19.3 MBCarole speaks with Sue Hanson from HelpLine: A resource that updates and maintains the resource directory to link people with available services in 5 counties within Ohio. They speak about the importance of such a service and how it could help families, parents, teachers, and everybody cope with the difficulties that keep them from being as successful and happy as they could be. Visit http://helplinedelmor.org/ for more information. Also, make sure to visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com ...
What are Educational Service Centers?
November 09, 2017 10:04 - 23 minutes - 27.2 MBCarole speaks with Dr. Daniel Kaffenbarger, the Superintendent of the Madison-Champaign Educational Service Center in Ohio. Dr. Kaffenbarger talks about the breadth of ESC's programming, the importance of ESC's, how they provide services at a fraction of the cost of traditional K-12 districts, and much more. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Moving Beyond the Classroom Walls: Rethinking the Public School Experience
November 06, 2017 10:04 - 16 minutes - 18.5 MBJoel speaks with Dr. Dave Palzet, superintendent in Pleasantdale Elementary District 107 in Illinois. They talk about the shift towards more student-centered pedagogy, the importance of creation over consumption, and three core principles that have helped to reshape Pleasantdale. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Intersection of Public Schools and Politics
November 02, 2017 14:48 - 31 minutes - 36.6 MBJoel talks with Eric Waldo, former Chief of Staff for President Obama's Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. He was also the Executive Director for Reach Higher - an initiative started by Michelle Obama. Eric is currently the Executive Vice-President for Education at Civic Nation. Eric talks with Joel about his part work on behalf of public education and what he thinks is coming up next.
The Role of Career Centers
October 30, 2017 09:03 - 17 minutes - 19.9 MBCarole speaks with Bob Timmons, Superintendent of Polaris Career Center, about the role of career centers in public education. Bob talks about how career centers interact with K-12 districts, Polaris' tremendous growth, and the future of career centers. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Professional Development in Small & Rural Schools
October 26, 2017 09:04 - 17 minutes - 20.5 MBCarole speaks with Bill Wade, Superintendent of Kirtland Local Schools, about professional development in his district, the challenges of delivering professional development to a small school system, collaborating with other districts, and flexibility in programming. This episode is produced in coordination with the Ohio Small & Rural School Collaborative. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Tips for New Superintendents
October 16, 2017 09:03 - 23 minutes - 26.6 MBCarole speaks with Matt Miller, Lakota Local Schools Superintendent. They discuss the importance of introducing yourself to your new community and staff, how to think about your superintendent brand, how to use social media as a superintendent, and much more. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Value of Virtual Town Halls
October 09, 2017 09:04 - 26 minutes - 30.2 MBCarole speaks with Mike Davis of Broadnet - a company that provides an online platform for multimedia events. They discuss how a platform like Broadnet would be valuable in offering virtual and remote town halls for public schools. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Small & Rural Schools Unite! | Announcing a partnership with the Ohio Small & Rural Collaborative
September 28, 2017 09:02 - 16 minutes - 23.2 MBCarole Dorn-Bell welcomes back Kirk Koennecke. In addition to being the Superintendent of Graham Local Schools in Ohio, Kurt is the Executive Director of the Ohio Small & Rural Collaborative. Carole and Kirk talk about the new podcast partnership with OSRC, the value of the organization, and what to look forward to in the future. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
Funding Uncertainty
September 18, 2017 09:03 - 13 minutes - 15.2 MBJoel and Carole discuss how to handle communicating uncertainty around school funding with your community. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.
The Next Four Years for Public Education
September 11, 2017 09:04 - 20 minutes - 23.6 MBJoel Gagne speaks with Marlon Marshall about the 2016 election and what's next both politically and legislatively for our schools. Marlon is a founding partner at 270 Strategies and Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Director in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement.
The Kindergarten Parent's Experience & What It Means
September 04, 2017 09:03 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MBJoel and Carole talk about the importance of putting your best foot forward with Kindergarten parents - often times it's their first experience with the district. They share stories from their own experiences that will help you make informed decisions about how to communicate with your new families. For more, visit www.weloveschoolspodcast.com.