Westchester Words: Education, EdTech, and Publishing

Applying a global perspective to improve English Language teaching

Rebecca Durose-Croft and Jennifer Cole explain how a global perspective is beneficial when developing content to meet the specific requirements of English Language learners.

Content Design for Distracted Attention Spans

Linda Secondari, Principal and Creative Director for Studiolo Secondari returns to Westchester Words to discuss how our attention spans have been distracted by the digital world we live and work in. She also shares how to design long-form content in a more visually appealing manner so it can better engage and maintain a reader's interest.

What is the Science of Reading?

Jennifer Cole, Content Director of Literacy, Humanities and Languages returns to Westchester Words to provide an overview about Science of Reading, which many states are creating or enacting legislation on for their K-12 Education Instructional programs. 

Helping Trade Associations with Their Publishing Requirements

Tyler M. Carey provides an overview about trade associations, their specific publication requirements, and ways that packagers like Westchester Publishing Services can help them provide content to their members in the formats they desire and in a more efficient manner.

How BISG Membership Benefits Companies and Individuals

Brian O'Leary returns to the Westchester Words podcast to tell us all the new projects BISG has been working on, how the organization provides information of value to companies and individuals throughout the publishing industry supply chain, and previews the topic/speakers for the annual meeting in late April

How Applying Culturally Relevant Principles Can Lead to Higher-Quality Educational Content

Jada Bradley, Senior Editor of Culturally Responsive Education, and Kevin Schroeder discuss why it's important for existing and new educational content to include culturally relevant principles, and how Westchester Education works with publishers and ed-tech companies to ensure a high-quality outcome.

2023 Federal and State Education Funding Update

In this episode, Jay Diskey, of Diskey Public Affairs, returns to Westchester Words to share a preview of the topics he will be discussing with Kevin J. Gray during the webinar, "2023 Federal and State Education Funding Update," hosted by Westchester Education Services  on Thursday, February 23.  Visit westchestereducationservices.com to register for this free session.

2023 Publishing Predictions with Kristen McLean

Kristen McLean of NPD Bookscan joins us to discuss how book sales ended the year for 2022 and where she expects the U.S. market will head in 2023.

Streamlining Product Development with a Solutions Partner Network

In this episode of Westchester Words, Kevin J. Gray, President and Chief Content Officer of Westchester Education Services has a conversation with Gina Faulk of EdGate, and Johanna Wetmore from Evotext about how working with a vendor partner network that provides complementary product development solutions can offer education publishers and ed tech firms the ability to develop their products and bring them to market in a more streamlined manner.

Working outside traditional publishing: Supporting foundations, charities and institutions

Tyler M. Carey and Julie Willis discuss the specific needs publishers of content produced by foundations and institutional organizations require from their pre-press services provider.

Funding and Policy Impacts for US K-12 Education in 2023

Jay Diskey talks about how federal and state funding, state subject adoption requirements, and other policy initiatives will shape US K-12 education in 2023.

STEM Factors - NGSS and Adaptive Assessment

In this episode of Westchester Words, we learn about Laura Cunningham, Content Director, STEM for Westchester Education Services. She discusses her career as an educator and content developer prior to joining Westchester and also explains how the constructs of NGSS and adaptive assessments each help to provide students with learning supports to improve their understanding and lead to academic success in science, math, and other subject areas.

Help Me Understand: An Introduction to Plain Language

Deborah Bosley, the founder and principal of The Plain Language Group explains why it’s important for publishers of academic, professional, medical, and scientific content to express information in simple, easy to understand terms that will help them expand their audience to people who have a significant interest or benefit in reading the materials, but lack the academic background required to understand complex, industry-specific language. 

Get to Know Jennifer Cole, Content Director, Literacy, Humanities, and Languages

Jennifer Cole discusses her career spanning more than two decades in educational publishing. Jennifer shares how her knowledge and experience help her lead her team of literacy and humanities content development professionals to create high-quality educational materials for Westchester's clients.

A Conversation with Cevin Bryerman

Cevin Bryerman returns to Westchester Words to discuss the 2nd Annual US Book Show, PW's 150th anniversary, and other thoughts about the current state of the publishing industry.

Designing Effective Meetings

Do all the meetings you have on your calendar really need to be there? Linda Secondari can help you answer that question by sharing strategies you can use to make your meetings more effective and less frequent, putting time back in your day to get other items checked off your to-do list.

Building Books Better with BISG

A conversation with Brian O’Leary, Executive Director of Book Industry Study Group about what's on tap for the first BISG Annual Meeting to take place in person for the first time in three years, other initiatives that the group is working on, and more.

Signs It Might Be Time to Outsource Your Editorial Services

A conversation with Julie Willis and Rosie Stewart of River Editorial Services (a Westchester Publishing Services UK company) about when publishers should consider outsourcing editorial services on their projects, and tips for identifying the right company for your requirements.

How a Children’s Book Publisher Remains Nimble and Successful

Maria Dismondy, Founder and Publisher of Cardinal Rule Press, a children's book publisher whose catalog focuses on realistic fiction titles that embody the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, discusses what inspired her to start the company along with the strategies she and her team have used to help the business grow and remain successful.

Why Career and Technical Education is Gaining Prominence

Rich Portelance, Founder and CEO of CareerPath explains why there's renewed interest in Career and Technical education, and how vocational education is different now compared to what previous generations of students may remember.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from a University Press Perspective - An Update

Cathy Felgar, Publishing Operations Director of Princeton University Press returns to the Westchester Words podcast to provide listeners with an update about the Press' ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Disability is Part of the DEI Conversation

In this episode, educational publishing professional Andrea Bown discusses her experiences living and working with a visible disability and why it's important for people with disabilities to be included as active participants within education publishing. She also shares why it's important that education content is developed in a manner that fosters autonomy for people who have disabilities.

How Publishers Can Optimize Their Websites to Improve Sales

Sarah Arbuthnot, Commercial and Partnerships Director for Supadu explains steps publishers can take to create a positive website experience for their customers, helping to generate higher sales volume. 

Creating a Collaborative Community for Students, Teachers, and Families

Nilofer Ali, Resources Manager and DEI Committee Lead,  Westchester Education Services and Beau McCoy, Founder and CEO, SOLCademy have a conversation around how education is evolving. They also explore why support and collaboration between all stakeholders—including teachers, administrators, students, and families—is needed more than ever.

Westchester Words Season 2 Preview

Nicole Tomassi, Marketing and Conference Manager provides an overview of the topics that will be covered on Season 2 of Westchester Words. In addition, she provides details about the October webinar that is being co-hosted with Publishers Weekly.  Visit our websites, https://www.westchesterpublishingservices.com/ and https://www.westchestereducationservices.com/ for all episodes and additional information about our services.

Career and Technical Education - Creating High-Quality Content

Debbie Allen, Content Director for Career and Technical Education discusses why Westchester Education Services is well-suited to create classroom materials for teachers and students in this area of study.

Why Should SEL Concepts be Incorporated into Learning Materials?

Meg Overman, Senior Supervising Editor for Literacy and SEL at  Westchester Education Services explains why using SEL experts is key to developing quality content effectively. and that now is the time to incorporate social-emotional learning into core content at every grade level.

A Conversation with Dave Bailis, Senior Director of Operations, Westchester Education Services

Dave Bailis, Senior Director of Operations for Westchester Education Services describes his time with the company from joining in an editorial role to leadership of the day-to-day operations of the division, and discusses some of the unique characteristics of the Westchester team that benefit the work developed for their clients.

A Discussion About Culturally Responsive Education and Its Importance for UK Educational Content Development

Marquita Celestine, Westchester Education Services UK, asks Kaye Jones, Founder, The Herstorian, and Rebecca Durose-Croft, Content Director and Curriculum Specialist, Westchester Education Services  UK to dive into the definition of CRE (Culturally Responsive Education), how it differs from DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and explain why CRE can empower all students to achieve academic success.

Executing the Westchester Education Services Vision

Kevin J. Gray, President and Chief Content Officer, discusses the launch of the Westchester Education Services division and the successful strategies he has implemented to serve education publishers, ed-tech companies, and industry associations that require curriculum resources.

The Westchester Education Services Vision

In this episode, we'll be talking with Paul J. Crecca, President & CEO for Westchester Publishing Services and Westchester Education Services. He’ll be discussing his experience in education publishing, how that inspired him to launch Westchester Education Services, and the strategy that has made the company successful.

How Civics Education Relates to Science, Climate Change, and Global Interdependence

Civics education lost favor in many schools due to an increased emphasis on other subject areas. As recent events have shown, students need to understand the importance of civics. Tim helps us understand the connection that civics education has to Science, climate change, and equity, too.  Students who study civics are also more likely to be more informed and engaged citizens in their communities. In this episode, Tim Yetzina, Senior Supervising Editor for Science and Social Studies at Westc...

Virtual Shows - Sign of the Times or a Permanent Change?

As we all start to emerge from the pandemic and people seriously consider meeting more in person than on Zoom, what will this mean for virtual events? Will virtual events still have a place in a post-pandemic society? Cev Bryerman, Publisher and Executive Vice President of Publishers Weekly shares his thoughts about what publishing industry events will look like in the months and years ahead.

We’ve Been on Your Side of the Desk

Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer, Terry Colosimo, Director of Operations and Susan Baker, Director of Editorial Services at Westchester Publishing Services discuss how their experience working for publishers helps them and their teams resolve workflow challenges for our clients.

What the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Means for Education Companies

Kevin Gray and Sara Kloek, Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA (the trade association for the ed-tech industry) discuss the ARP, its allocations, and its impact on the ed-tech and education publishing industries.

Culturally Responsive Education in the US and the UK

The term Culturally Responsive Education is becoming more widely used, but there are still questions about what it is. In this episode, Sam Tucker, CRE Team Lead, has a conversation with Kaye Jones, founder of The Herstorian, about the differences in culturally responsive education in the US and the UK, and how the need for educational materials that included a wider variety of perspectives led to a transformative career change for Kaye.

Publishing Now ’21 Audio Excerpts - What’s Next for the Industry?

In this final audio excerpt from the Publishing Now ’21: Looking Forward  webinar, co-hosted by Westchester Publishing Services and Publishers Weekly on April 6, you’ll hear from Dominique Raccah, CEO & Publishers Sourcebooks, Cathy Felgar, Publishing Operations Director at Princeton University Press, Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Times and Lorraine Shanley, President of MPI (Market Partners International) as moderator Jim Milliot, VP and Editorial Director of Publishers Weekly ask...

Publishing Now ’21 Audio Excerpts: International Publishing & Brexit

Featuring audio excerpts from the Publishing Now ’21: Looking Forward webinar, which was cohosted by Westchester Publishing Services and Publishers Weekly on April 6.  Each of the excerpts focuses on specific topic areas that were discussed during the webinar. In this episode you’ll hear another audio excerpt from the Publishing Now ’21: Looking Forward webinar, featuring Cathy Felgar, Publishing Operations Director for Princeton University Press, Tom Chalmers, Managing Director of Legend T...

Publishing Now ’21 Audio Excerpts: Publishing Industry in Transition

Featuring  audio excerpts from the Publishing Now ’21: Looking Forward webinar, which was cohosted by Westchester Publishing Services and Publishers Weekly on April 6.  Each of the excerpts focuses on specific topic areas that were discussed during the webinar. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dominique Raccah, CEO & Publisher of Sourcebooks,  Lorraine Shanley, President, (MPI) Market Partners International, and Cathy Felgar, Publishing Operations Director for Princeton University Press, a...

Why Should Education Content Undergo a CRE Review?

Education content can benefit from a CRE Review to ensure it conveys concepts and practices that are culturally responsive and sustaining. In this episode, Sam Tucker, CRE Team Lead at Westchester Education Services will explain why education companies should have their materials reviewed and discuss Westchester’s review process.

Improving Sustainability in the Publishing Industry

Creating environmentally sustainable business practices has been a long sought after goal for the publishing industry. What are some additional measures companies can adopt to become more “green”? Brian O’Leary, Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group will share some ideas which may be effective for your organization.

Improving Sustainability in the Publishing Industry

Creating environmentally sustainable business practices has been a long sought after goal for the publishing industry. What are some additional measures companies can adopt to become more “green”? Brian O’Leary, Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group will share some ideas which may be effective for your organization.

Publishing Now '21: Looking Forward Webinar Preview

Cev Bryerman, Publisher and EVP of Publishers Weekly, and Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer of Westchester Publishing Services provide a preview of the Publishing Now ’21: Looking Forward webinar. Hear who will be on the panel and the topics that might come up for discussion when they review a transformative year for the publishing industry and look ahead to how the business will continue to evolve in the months ahead.

Translation or Transadaptation? What You Need to Understand When Creating Products for use in Another Language

Translation or Transadaption? What You Need to Understand When Creating Products for use in Another Language

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A University Press Perspective

Princeton University Press has made a significant commitment towards ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas of its publishing program, especially in the last few years. In this episode, Cathy Felgar discusses several of the initiatives the Press has put into place, programs that will get underway in 2021, and how other publishers can participate. Guest: Cathy Felgar, Director of Publishing Operations, Princeton University Press

Culturally Responsive Education

Where did Culturally Responsive Education originate? In this episode, Nilofer Ali provides the background which demonstrates that the concept, research, and scholarship that form the foundations that have been evolving for several decades, and discusses how some content providers are responding to the need for culturally responsive classroom materials.

Introducing Westchester Words

Tyler Carey, Chief Revenue Officer for Westchester Publishing and Westchester Education, introduces the Westchester Words podcast series. We will engage with publishing industry leaders in conversation about important topics and market trends, from diversity, equity,  and inclusion to culturally responsive education, project management considerations, supply chain impacts, the general state of the publishing industry, and much more. We hope you’ll listen in and follow us on your favorite pod...