Mike Schmoker, educator and best-selling author, speaks from decades of experience as he details the three most important areas school musts Focus on to get Results. (Caps and pun intended.)Get in touch with Mike through his website here. 

A Game-Changer for Catholic Schools: What You Need to Know About the New Federal Tax Creditwith Brian Jodice, Press Secretary, American Federation for Children📌 Episode Summary:In this must-listen episode, John Mihalyo welcomes back Brian Jodice—Catholic school dad, advocate, and Press Secretary for the American Federation for Children—to break down one of the most impactful pieces of legislation Catholic education has seen in decades: the new federal tax credit for K-12 scholarships.This new tax code change, signed into law on July 4, 2025, creates a 100% federal tax credit that is permanent and uncapped, empowering donors and transforming access to Catholic education. Brian and John dig into what this means for dioceses, school leaders, families, and donors—and what needs to happen now to be ready by 2027.If you’re a Catholic school leader, parent, pastor, board member, or superintendent, this episode equips you with everything you need to understand, advocate for, and act on this opportunity.💡 What You’ll Learn:What the new Educational Choice for Children Act means and how it became lawHow the federal tax credit works and how it's different from state programsWho is eligible to receive scholarships under the new lawWhat SGOs (Scholarship Granting Organizations) are—and how your diocese or school community can start oneThe importance of state opt-in and how to advocate for itWhy this tax credit could support up to 85–90% of familiesWhat schools, dioceses, and families should be doing right now to prepare for 2027How Catholic schools can still retain their religious freedom and autonomyWhy this is a moment of historic opportunity for Catholic education🛠️ Practical Takeaways:School leaders: Start internal conversations, reach out to state reps, and explore SGO creation.Dioceses: Begin planning for coordination and leadership around implementation and donor education.Parents & Donors: Learn how to advocate, give, and prepare to take part in this program.Advancement Directors: Use this as a catalyst to build up your donor base and support strategic tuition assistance.🔗 Resources Mentioned:📄 Learn more: Federation for Children – National School Choice📰 Follow Brian Jodice on X (Twitter): @AFCPress📝 Sign up for John’s newsletter: elementaryadvancement.com/newsletter or email john@elementaryadvancement.com to get real-time updates on the tax credit and Catholic school strategyHave questions about how this new tax credit could impact your school? Want help planning next steps for your advancement or enrollment strategy? Grab a virtual cup of coffee with me and let’s talk about how we can strengthen your Catholic school.📅 Schedule a time here

In this episode, from The Learning Bridge on the Be Podcast Network, host Richard Gerver speaks with BAFTA award-winning broadcasters, legendary music industry veterans, and parents of four children, Carrie and David Grant. Hear about the very different, yet similarly challenging childhoods Carrie and David each navigated. We discuss their journeys into the entertainment industry, as well as the growth of their relationship, and their various roles as singers, presenters, talent show judges, and singing coaches to the stars. We also talk about their family and in particular their four neurodivergent children. Carrie and David discuss what they’ve learnt about their children and how they champion each of them. They also explain what the education system needs to understand about the challenges they and millions of parents like them face. Carrie talks about her own recent diagnosis of being autistic. Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe About the hostRichard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

In this episode, from The Learning Bridge on the Be Podcast Network, host Richard Gerver speaks with BAFTA award-winning broadcasters, legendary music industry veterans, and parents of four children, Carrie and David Grant. Hear about the very different, yet similarly challenging childhoods Carrie and David each navigated. We discuss their journeys into the entertainment industry, as well as the growth of their relationship, and their various roles as singers, presenters, talent show judges, and singing coaches to the stars. We also talk about their family and in particular their four neurodivergent children. Carrie and David discuss what they’ve learnt about their children and how they champion each of them. They also explain what the education system needs to understand about the challenges they and millions of parents like them face. Carrie talks about her own recent diagnosis of being autistic. Subscribe to The Learning Bridge wherever you get your podcasts: https://thelearningbridge.bepodcast.network/subscribe About the hostRichard Gerver is a sought-after speaker, world-renowned thinker, and bestselling author of books including Change and Simple Thinking. His career began in education, first as a teacher and then as a school principal, when he turned the fortunes of a failing school and its pupils around in just two years.Now regarded as one of the world's leading thinkers on human leadership and organisational transformation, Richard has worked with an extraordinary range of people, from elite athletes to former US President Barack Obama. Named UK Business Speaker of the Year three times, Richard has been invited to speak on the world’s most recognised stages, including TED, the RSA and the BBC.Follow Richard on Twitter @richardgerver and on LinkedIn. 

Are you letting your mindset get in the way of leading challenging teachers effectively?In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb shares three powerful mindset shifts every school leader needs when working with challenging teachers. From taking things personally, to labeling staff as “negative” or “toxic,” to simply avoiding tough personalities altogether — Barb unpacks the traps that many principals fall into and shows how reframing your thoughts can transform tough dynamics.Barb also introduces Byron Katie’s four questions as a tool to challenge assumptions and highlights the power of shifting your thinking to create more positive emotions, better relationships, and stronger leadership.Grab her free Quick Guide to Navigating Challenging Teacher Dynamics to go deeper, and start experimenting with just one mindset shift this week.FREE DOWNLOADS*The Principal's Email DetoxDecisive Leadership- Free WorkshopPrincipal Checklist to Disconnect From SchoolBehavior Blueprint for PrincipalsThe Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint