In today's "Best Of," we're going all the way back to episode 9 of The Authority with Dr. Carey Borkoski. We talked about her book Dancing with Discomfort: A framework for noticing, naming, and navigating our in-between moments. You'll hear about:The importance of transitions in creating an interesting, fulfilling lifeHow to navigate unanticipated personal or professional transitionsNavigating the transition into an administrator roleAddressing the discomfort of giving or receiving feedbackGetting over imposter syndromeAbout today’s guestDr. Carey Borkoski is an Associate Professor and Research Fellow in the School of Education at Loyola University - Maryland, and a Lead Coach in the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Her research focuses on the role of building community and cultivating belonging in student and faculty successes. She also writes and speaks on strategies and technology tools that contribute to building a sense of community in our learning spaces.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt 

In this episode of Transformative Principle, Jethro Jones sits down with Jonathan Wennstrom, principal of Rosedale Elementary in Livonia, Michigan, to discuss the power of school-wide weekly meetings. Jonathan shares how he launched "Celebrate Monday" assemblies — 20-minute, student-centered gatherings held every Monday morning to kick off the week with positivity and purpose. Inspired by ideas from fellow educators Sean Gallardo and Jessica Bartha, Jonathan walks through how these assemblies work, what they include (pledges, literacy shares, themed videos, and calls to action), and how they've transformed school culture by reducing behavior referrals and building community. He also shares practical advice on logistics, staff buy-in, parent communication, and planning themes aligned with character education — all while emphasizing that the assemblies are just the spark, and the real magic happens in the classroom.

18 - Walking With Families – with Theresa Flynn Houghton Building Community Through Long-Term SupportIn this episode, Thomas sits down with De Marillac Academy President Theresa Flynn Houghton to explore how one school in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood has built a deeply relational model of Catholic education centered on accompaniment, trust, and long-term support.De Marillac Academy’s unique approach includes a tuition-free middle school experience, extensive family partnerships, graduate support programs, and a commitment to helping students thrive well beyond graduation. But this conversation is about more than a specialized model — it is about what happens when schools intentionally create communities where students and families feel truly known.Theresa shares:How De Marillac builds strong family partnerships from the very beginningWhy long-term relationships matter in student successThe importance of neighborhood and nonprofit partnershipsHow schools can support the whole child academically, socially, and emotionallyWays alumni remain connected and continue shaping the school communityPractical lessons any principal can apply to strengthen belonging and trustWhether your school serves 40 students or 400, this episode offers a powerful reminder that education is not just about programs or academics — it is about walking with families, building authentic community, and helping students discover their purpose and dignity along the way.About De Marillac Academy:Inspired by the inherent and unique gifts of our students and graduates, De Marillac Academy, located in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, ignites academic, spiritual, and social emotional growth through a Lasallian Vincentian Catholic educational experience.In partnership with families and community, through an all-scholarship 4th-8th grade Academy and Graduate Support Program, we accompany our students through middle school, high school and into early adulthood, as they develop a strong sense of self, purpose, and service to others.To get your Walking With Families Reflection Guide please visit us here.If you want to build better support for your current and past families, please schedule a time to talk with us today. https://bit.ly/Build-IT-Better-TogetherThe 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

Today we're excited to bring you part one of a series from Family Engagement Lab. Co-founders Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryan join us to discuss:How the common idea of “family engagement” differs from what families actually needThe “missing instructional layer” in school-home communicationThe difference between communication that informs families and communication that actually supports learningHow this shift changes the role of teachers, school leaders, and the systemIf schools got this right, what would families experience differently day to day?Learn more about Family Engagement Lab: https://www.familyengagementlab.org  About the guestsVidya Sundaram is co-founder and CEO of Family Engagement Lab. Over her nearly 20-year career in family engagement, Vidya has managed development, research, and strategy for digital resources used by more than half of US families with school-aged children. Before founding Family Engagement Lab, Vidya led research and insights at GreatSchools, championing a test and learn culture across the organization. Vidya also has an extensive background in software engineering and technology project management to engage diverse partners, and implement and study digital programs. She holds a degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, a Masters in Public Policy from UCLA and her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Vidya is mom to two kids and proud to be part of a lively multigenerational household.​Elisabeth O'Bryon is co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Family Engagement Lab. Elisabeth was previously the Director of Research and Evaluation at GreatSchools where she worked to design and implement evaluation projects, with a particular focus on rapid-cycle research approaches. Before GreatSchools, Elisabeth was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence where she contributed to the development and evaluation of school-based social and emotional learning programming for children, teachers, and families. Elisabeth has a doctorate in psychology and experience providing school psychological services to preschool through high school-age students in both English and Spanish. Elisabeth recently co-authored 45 Strategies that Support Young Dual Language Learners, a resource that provides practical, developmentally appropriate strategies for supporting children and families from diverse backgrounds and creating inclusive early childhood classrooms that foster the success of young DLLs. Elisabeth is enjoying the many adventures of parenthood with her husband and sons.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and host of The Authority Podcast. Listen to The Authority at https://authoritypodcast.netLearn about more shows at https://bepodcastnetwork.com 

In this episode, Priten speaks with Jane Rosenzweig, director of the Harvard College Writing Center and lecturer in expository writing, about teaching writing in the age of AI. Jane's first-year course, To What Problem Is ChatGPT the Solution?, asks students to study artificial intelligence without outsourcing the work of thinking to it. They discuss why writing is inseparable from thinking, what students lose when they skip the struggle of drafting, and why feedback is a conversation rather than a product.Key Takeaways:Writing is thinking, not output. The point of a writing course is not to produce more papers in the world. It is to give students the experience of working through evidence, weighing ideas, and figuring out what they actually believe.Editing skills are not a substitute for drafting. The argument that students can skip the first draft and learn to polish AI output assumes a skill that develops only through drafting. Jane has not seen evidence that students who never write a first draft can revise their way to something meaningful.Feedback is relational. A writing tutor often does not know where the paper will end up, and that shared uncertainty is the point. A chatbot can work on what is already on the page, but it cannot build a bridge to the idea a student has not yet had.Feedback on demand undermines productive struggle. When students can revise and resubmit to a chatbot at 1 a.m., the friction that makes them reconsider what they think disappears. The decision to skip that friction is being made for reasons other than learning.Integrating AI into every course is not a solution. Students can distinguish between AI uses designed to push their thinking and how they will actually reach for the tool under a deadline. Teaching productive uses does not prevent the unproductive ones.The deeper challenge is equity, not just pedagogy. A real risk is that students at well-resourced institutions continue to learn how to think while students elsewhere have their instructors replaced with chatbots. Aligning incentives so grades and learning point in the same direction is the work ahead.