How do districts create lasting change instead of launching one more initiative? Leaders from New Jersey and Ramsey Public Schools share how the CITES Framework helped them slow down, assess their current reality, build a shared vision, and strengthen collaboration across departments. This conversation highlights leadership lessons, unexpected "aha" moments, and practical strategies for creating inclusive technology ecosystems that improve access, participation, and outcomes for all learners. Transcript Resources: CITES Framework  AT Act Programs

Recorded live at ISTE 2026, Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones sat down with Mike Anderson to discuss his new book, Hugging Porcupines: Month-by-Month Strategies to Support Our Most Challenging Students. The episode was recorded as a simulcast for Transformative Principal and The Authority. They explore why some students disengage, resist connection, and act out — and how teachers can respond with strategies built on the "three-legged stool" of academic engagement, respectful discipline, and positive relationships. The conversation covers building classroom rules collaboratively, the difference between consequences and punishments, and why problem-solving conferences (not just sending kids to the office) are key to real behavior change. Mike was previously a guest on episode 12 of The Authority, discussing his book Tackling the Motivation Crisis. 

Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of everything we do, but improving it doesn’t mean every teacher has to follow a script perfectly. In this episode, we’re talking about fidelity vs. integrity, creating consistency without taking away teacher judgment, and building stronger alignment across Tier 1, intervention, and enrichment. You’ll walk away thinking differently about what strong, coherent instruction can look like across your school. Check out The Instructional Leadership Toolkit.

Summary What does it take to help children see themselves in the story of space exploration? Lane Polak, a technical writer and strategic communications professional for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) at Marshall Space Flight Center, joins Reading Inspires to talk about his unconventional path to NASA and the creative work behind making the Artemis program accessible to young readers. Lane explains how his background in writing, drawing, and neurodivergent creativity shaped his approach to outreach, why NASA needed materials designed for the youngest members of the Artemis generation, and how children’s books can turn technical achievement into curiosity, connection, and possibility. He also reflects on school visits, storytelling, and the questions every writer should ask: Why am I telling this story, why this way, and where do I want it to go? Chapters 0:00 — Meet Lane Polak and the Artemis generation 1:00 — From Huntsville and creative writing to NASA 2:20 — What strategic communications does for the SLS program 3:25 — Making NASA’s mission understandable for young readers 4:30 — Creating *Hooray for SLS* and pitching the idea at NASA 8:00 — Writing children’s books that build connection and curiosity 12:00 — School visits, author events, and questions from students 20:00 — Storytelling, vulnerability, and finding your purpose 32:15 — Why reading helps us connect with people and community Show Notes - Guest: Lane Polak, technical writer for NASA’s Space Launch System at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. - NASA profile: I Am Artemis — Lane Polak - Lane’s Reading Is Fundamental books: - Hooray for SLS - Our Friend Orion - There and Back with EGS - Lane is available for school visits. Contact: [russell.l.polak@nasa.gov](mailto:russell.l.polak@nasa.gov)

In this episode of The Smarter Campus Podcast, Zach sits down with a leader from Pikes Peak State College to talk about what it actually looks like to move from experimenting with AI to making it available across an entire institution. Pikes Peak initially began with a small pilot group evaluating different tools and approaches. But when the team brought a limited rollout proposal to college leadership, the response was much bigger: go all in. The result was campus-wide access for students, faculty, and staff, with collaboration and shared learning at the center of the strategy. The conversation also explores why community colleges require especially thoughtful approaches to AI adoption. Different states structure technical education, transfer pathways, and workforce programs very differently, meaning there is no single model that works everywhere. For educators who are still figuring out where to begin, the advice is simple: start small, understand what people are actually afraid of, and use AI as a starting point rather than a finished product. The episode is a practical look at what institutional AI adoption can look like when access, experimentation, and human judgment are built into the rollout from the beginning.