Dr. Eric Wearne, Assistant Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University and Director of the National Hybrid Schools Project, joins Education Talk Radio to explore why he believes education is having a “Napster moment”—a period of experimentation and disruption as families mix traditional schools, hybrid models, homeschooling, online learning, and other options.  We discuss what hybrid schools are teaching us about the future of education, why smaller and more local models are growing, what may be lost as schooling becomes more individualized, and what traditional schools should double down on when they no longer have to do everything themselves. 

You Don’t Have to Lead Alone with Dr. Vince Cascone Building Ownership Around Your School’s Mission What makes a great Catholic school? After 19 years as a principal and seven years as a superintendent, Dr. Vince Cascone believes it starts with strong leadership—but strong leaders don’t do everything alone.  In this episode, Vince shares how principals can stay focused on mission amid the daily noise, build trust through relationships, involve teachers, parents, and students in meaningful ways, and create a sense of shared ownership throughout the school community. From enrollment and retention to leadership teams and student voice, the conversation explores how bringing the right people to the table can help principals carry the load while keeping everyone moving in the same direction.  If you need help with how to center your community on the same page, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-Together To receive a copy of the Catholic School Excellence Toolkit - A Reflective Workbook for Visionary Catholic School Leaders,  click here. It is the companion to the podcast: In Search of Catholic School Excellence. Dr. Vince Cascone spent 19 years as a Catholic school principal and 7 years as a superintendent.He’s been where you are. He understands the weight of leading a school community — and he’s seen firsthand what becomes possible when principals have the right support. His school earned a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon award. He’s been recognized as both the NAESP National Distinguished Principal and the NCEA Distinguished Principal of the Year. He also teaches a Master's-level School Leadership course at Benedictine College. "I built Seton Educational Services because no principal should have to do this alone." https://setoned.org/ vcascone@setoned.org The In Search of Catholic School Excellence Podcast is brought to you by I Love My Tech Team.  When technology doesn’t work, Catholic school leaders lose time, trust, and momentum. We partner with schools to restore reliable systems, empower teachers, and create the foundation for innovative learning centered on students. Lead Your School Into What’s Possible with I Love My Tech Team. Restoring What’s Broken. Advancing What’s Possible. Find out more at https://ilovemytechteam.com dailyjoltofjoy.com

Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis, AKA Two Maine Teachers and authors the EduProtocol Field Guide: AI Literacy Edition, discuss AI, AI in schools, AI for teachers, and AI for literacy for students.

What does it take to advance Universal Design for Learning while ensuring research leads to meaningful change in classrooms? In this episode, Bryan Dean sits down with Sean Smith, recipient of the 2026 David Rose UDL Research Award, to reflect on more than two decades of leadership, innovation, and impact in the UDL field.   Sean shares key moments from his professional journey, discusses how projects like WRITE, WritingClassroom.org, and VOISS connect research to classroom practice, and explores the opportunities and challenges AI presents for learners with disabilities and learner variability. He also looks ahead to the future of UDL, offers advice for emerging leaders, and reflects on what receiving the David Rose UDL Research Award means to him.   Whether you're an educator, researcher, instructional designer, or accessibility advocate, this conversation offers valuable insights into the future of inclusive teaching and learning. Transcript Resources: VOISS | VOISS Advisor-  VOISS is a virtual reality social learning platform that helps students build and apply social skills through 140 interactive scenarios spanning 10 social skill domains, with built-in supports for educators and families.  AI Score | Life Span Institute AI SCORE is an AI-powered writing assessment tool that instantly evaluates student writing for content, organization, and style, providing personalized feedback to support stronger written expression.   Writing Classroom | Writing stRategies for Instructional Technology in Education WRITE is a research-based educational technology initiative that helps educators support struggling writers by translating evidence-based writing interventions into practical classroom tools and strategies. 

Not everything that feels urgent actually is. In this episode, I share a simple red, yellow, and green framework to help you decide what truly needs your immediate attention, what can be scheduled for later, and what proactive work you need to protect. You’ll learn how to stop letting other people’s urgency control your day so you can spend more time on the work that actually moves your school forward. Get the mini-course From Reactive to Proactive Leadership