Host: John Mihalyo | Guest: Deacon Dave Kerski, Former Catholic School Principal, Diocese of RaleighWhat does it actually mean to be a Catholic school — not just in name, but in everything you do, every single day?Deacon Dave Kerski knows the difference. He spent ten years turning around a Catholic school in New Bern, North Carolina that was on the brink of closing. He earned his master's from Notre Dame's ACE program, served as a deacon, and built the kind of school culture that students, families, and teachers genuinely wanted to be a part of. Not by accident — by being relentlessly intentional about it.In this episode, Deacon Dave and John have a real conversation about what authentic Catholic identity actually looks like in a school building. Not the surface stuff. The deep stuff. The kind of culture that changes how kids grow up, how teachers show up, and how families understand what they are signing up for.Here is some of what they get into:Why Catholic identity is an anthropological question, not just a checklist of Catholic stuff you do How to build a school playbook that ties everything — from morning drop-off to the awards you give out — back to your root beliefs and core values What to do when a fourth grader asks you something you have no idea how to answer Why your eighth graders may have been at a Catholic school their whole life and still have a malformed conscience — and what to do about it The difference between Catholic culture and Catholic identity, and why getting that wrong will cost you How to build teacher formation that actually prepares your staff for the hard conversations kids are already having Why it is better to be a year too early than a minute too late when it comes to forming your students in the faith What AI in the classroom has to do with Catholic pedagogy — and why Catholic schools may have the upper hand if they take it seriously The one thing every Catholic school principal has to have in place before they can lead anyone elseIf you are a principal, pastor, superintendent, or school leader who has ever looked around and wondered whether your school is actually Catholic or just kind of Catholic — this one is going to give you a lot to think about and a lot to go do.Connect with John If you want to talk about your school — enrollment, advancement, culture, or whatever is keeping you up at night — head over to elementaryadvancement.com and let's set up a time to connect.If this episode was helpful, subscribe and share it with another Catholic school leader who needs to hear this. Thank you for everything you do for your students, your families, and the mission of Catholic education.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we access information, complete tasks, and even create work. But what happens when the things technology can do begin to overlap with the things we once believed were essential to learning?In this conversation, Professor Troy Jollimore explores the difference between knowing and understanding, how learning alongside other human beings shapes not only what students know but what they come to value, and why education may be about far more than acquiring information or producing outcomes. Together, we examine what becomes most important to teach—and most important to preserve—as education enters the age of AI.

Priten Soundar-Shah is CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world, as well as founder of the civics education nonprofit United 4 Social Change. He also hosts the podcast Margin of Thought here on the Be Podcast Network. In this episode, we discuss:The guiding principles of engaging with AI. Why engage at all?Risks if schools go all in on AI — or if they don’t Other emerging technologies to look out forWhat drives ethical decision-makingDo we have to compromise between innovation and responsibility or can we have it all?Keys to making policies clear, consistent, and school-wideListen to Priten’s podcast, Margin of Thought, on the Be Podcast Network: https://listen.priten.org Listen to my previous episode with Priten, on this book AI and the Future of Education. About today’s guestPriten Shah, M. ED and B.A, Harvard, is the CEO of Pedagogy.Cloud, which provides innovative technology solutions to help educators navigate global challenges in a rapidly evolving world. Priten is also the founder of United 4 Social Change, a civics education nonprofit that focuses on helping teachers integrate interdisciplinary education into their curricula through animated videos, lesson plans, and innovative classroom activities.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  

Today we're sharing part two of the implementation series from Family Engagement Lab. Co-founders Vidya Sundaram and Elisabeth O'Bryan join us to discuss:When schools launch family engagement initiatives, what typically happens over time?What does it mean to "fail quietly?"What it typically looks like when a strong idea starts to lose momentum in a school systemThe most common (and least visible) reasons these efforts break downWhat do we miss when we treat this as a teacher or family problem instead of a systems problem?Listen to Implementation Series, Part 1: The Missing Instructional LayerLearn more about Family Engagement Lab: https://www.familyengagementlab.orgAbout 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 

This episode is a part of a special series of interviews conducted at the INCH360 Cybersecurity Conference in Spokane, Washington. Visit their website to learn more about INCH360 and their mission. Host Jethro D. Jones talks with Benjamin Ross of Torchlight about bringing enterprise-level IT and cybersecurity to small and medium businesses. Benjamin shares insights on the importance of human connection, long-term relationships, and community in the tech industry, emphasizing that technology should serve people and foster positive impact beyond just business outcomes.