Today our guest is Allen Hill. We talk to Allen about the importance of advocating for the school counseling profession. He shares how we need to talk about what school counselors do and the impact that school counselors can have in the lives of students and families. Allen also talks about how school counselors are needed more than ever and gives examples of how we can support students in real, practical ways. Allen Hill has served as a school counselor in urban and rural settings since receivi...
Dec 02, 2022•17 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Today we talk to CharacterStrong co-founder Houston Kraft about practicing gratitude. He shares how when it comes to gratitude, constraint increases creativity, specificity drives significance, and absence amplifies. Houston also shares some words of gratitude to all of those in education that are serving students and families every day.
Nov 24, 2022•18 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Click here to access a sample of CharacterStrong Tier 2 Solution: http://tier2samples.com/ Today our guest is Megan Gruis the Executive Director of Customized Implementation Supports (CIS) at CharacterStrong. We talk to Megan what Tier 2 is, how it differs from Tier 1 and Tier 3 supports, and why Tier 2 solutions are needed now more than ever in our schools today. She talks about some of the roadblocks that come when implementing Tier 2, and Meagan shares an overview of CharacterStrong’s new Tie...
Nov 18, 2022•26 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Today our guest is Patrice Davis. We talk to Patrice about the ASCA National Model and how school counselors are implementing it impact the students and families in our communities. She shares how the ASCA model helps give school counselors a framework to set up their programs and make sure that they are data driven. Patrice also talks about when the model is implemented well it’s not about just showing what has been done, but the data helps show the difference that has been made in the lives of...
Nov 11, 2022•17 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Today our guests are Brent Jurgensen and Tom Grogan.We talk to Brent and Tom about the importance of virtues and how virtues are our values in action. They share about the busyness of family life today and how we need to provide tools for both families and educators to focus on supporting students on who they want to be and what is most important to them. Brent and Tom also share why it is necessary to give students opportunities to think about, reflect on, and apply virtues in their lives. Bren...
Nov 04, 2022•20 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Webinar Link : 10 Powerful Moments To Get Right This School Year Today our guest is Brandon Bakke, the Director of Secondary Education at CharacterStrong. We talk to Brandon about how intentionally making defining moments can improve the climate in our schools. He gives some practical examples of everyday events that we can elevate as we interact with students and staff. Brandon also shares 3 strategies that we can put in practice as we begin to think in moments, and he shares one way that a spe...
Oct 28, 2022•24 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Today our guest is Felisha Santiago the Director of MTSS at CharacterStrong. We talk to Felisha about how Environment is of the key ingredients of Tier 1 and how Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can impact the way that students learn by establishing safe, predictable, routines. She also shares how educators bring PBIS it to life in classrooms, and what districts can to do to continue to support the work. Felisha Santiago recently served in public education overseeing PBIS, R...
Oct 21, 2022•15 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Today our guest is Mike Nelson, Assistant Executive Director for Professional Learning at the Washington Association of School Administrators We talk to Mike about WASA and the role that it plays in Washington in supporting Administrators. He shares the top 3 needs that his organization has heard loud and clear from educational leaders and talks about some ways leaders can help meet these needs. Michael (Mike) Nelson began his career as an elementary school teacher before becoming an elementary ...
Oct 14, 2022•18 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Today our guest is Katherine Holden, Principal at Talent Middle School, in Talent, Oregon We talk to Katherine about ways that we can create more safe and nurturing learning environments that are calm, comfortable, and predictable. She talks about how the unpredictability of the last few years has impacted students’ learning and how helping students establish routines and structure is so important, especially in this season. Click here to learn more about the work Katherine is doing: https://www...
Oct 07, 2022•21 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Today our guest is Brian Miller, Principal at Chief Joseph Elementary in Great Falls Montana. We talk to Brian about his motto “Be the Story”, and how this can have a positive impact on people and the world around us. He also shares about ways they practice kindness with the staff and students at Chief Joseph Elementary by giving genuine, specific compliments. Brian T. Miller is the proud principal of Chief Joseph Elementary School located in Great Falls, Montana. He has been a principal and Eng...
Sep 30, 2022•18 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Today our guest is Julie Hinshaw, Director of Elementary Education at CharacterStrong We talk to Julie about the new update to CharacterStrong’s PreK-5th Grade curriculum PurposeFull People and how it has been expanded to better meet the needs of elementary schools. She outlines the 5 different activities that make up a week in the curriculum and some of the creative additions that have been added to help build core skills in students.
Sep 23, 2022•19 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Today our guest is Cory Notestine the Director of Continuous Improvement at CharacterStrong. We talk to Cory about selecting effective MTSS practices and he shares 3 reasons that even really good interventions fail. He overviews recency bias, treating the symptom vs the root cause, and choosing interventions that aren’t well fitted for our environment. Cory also shares how readiness and buy-in are connected and how we may need to look at buy-in differently.
Sep 16, 2022•16 min•Season 5Ep. 2
CharacterStrong Co-Founders John Norlin and Houston Kraft kick of season 5 talking about systems that we can put in place this year that will help us drive forward the impactful work of education. They talk about 3 goals: purpose for learning, engagement, & relationships, and give practical ways we can build systems that will help these goals come to life in our classrooms.
Sep 09, 2022•14 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Today our guest is Dr. Sean Walker, Ex. Director of Secondary Schools and Leadership Development at Royse City ISD (Just outside Dallas TX). We talk to Sean about intentional ways we can empower our staff and students that can help them flourish. He shares how taking time to listen, getting feedback, and taking steps based on the feedback we receive can really impact the culture at our schools. Sean Walker began his career in education as an ELAR teacher after earning his bachelor's degree from ...
Sep 02, 2022•15 min•Season 4Ep. 62
Today our guest is Marianne Matt (Mott), School Counselor, at Capital High, in the Madison Metropolitan School District We talk to Marianne about the importance of building students up and helping them to see the strengths in their personal experiences. She shares how in order to shift student mindsets we need to have staff members who believe in students and are committed to help them connect their strengths to school. Marianne Matt is a high school counselor who works and resides in Madison, W...
Aug 26, 2022•13 min•Season 4Ep. 61
CharacterStrong Co-Founder John Norlin shares 3 practical strategies that educators can use right now as we start off the school year. He shares how to intentionally implement the Temperature Check, the Student Becomes the Teacher, and True Story Friday with students.
Aug 19, 2022•11 min•Season 4Ep. 60
Today our guest is Adam Lane, Principal at Haines City HS, and the 2022 NASSP Florida Principal of the Year. We talk to Adam about how he has approached building awesome environments where students want to go to school and teachers want to come and teach. He also shares how he has shifted his mentality and created an alumni pipeline to help fill staffing needs. Adam Lane has worked in K-12 public education since 1995. Fourteen of these years at the high school level, eight years at the middle sc...
Aug 12, 2022•16 min•Season 4Ep. 59
Today our guest is CharacterStrong’s Chief Development Officer, Dr. Clayton Cook. We talk to Clay about where Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) has come from, and why it is so important for students today. He also shares some of the roadblocks that get in the way of successful MTSS, why effective teaming is essential, and how CharacterStrong is supporting this work.
Aug 05, 2022•13 min•Season 4Ep. 58
Today our guests are 5th Grade Teacher Julie Hannan, & Administrator Brett McDaniel from the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District. We talk to Julie & Brett about the ways that they have worked to develop servant leaders in the 5th grade classes at their elementary school. Julie shares how from the beginning of the leadership program they have invited all of the 5th grade students to participate, and how this has changed the way that students think about what leadership is. As an administra...
Jul 29, 2022•16 min•Season 4Ep. 57
Today our guest is Jamie Brown, Assistant Principal at Bluffton High School in South Carolina. We talk to Jamie about the importance of blending SEL w/ Character Ed to build the Whole Teacher, so you can develop the Whole Child, and then in turn, partner with the Whole Community. He also shares ways that we can continue to remix the soundtrack of education by putting a focus on relationships. A champion of Social-Emotional Learning & Character Education, Jamie's dedication to School Culture ...
Jul 22, 2022•18 min•Season 4Ep. 56
Today our guest is Justin Bradford, Superintendent, of Prescott School District in WA state. We talk to Justin about how he has used school wide assemblies to shape the culture and climate with students from Pk-12th grade. His motto of “We get what we honor” has created some big positive changes with students and staff. Justin also gives some helpful tips on how to communicate and lead staff through effective implementation of a school wide initiative. Justin Bradford just finished his 32nd year...
Jul 15, 2022•16 min•Season 4Ep. 55
In this episode, CharacterStrong Co-Founder John Norlin shares 3 powerful stories from the work. Through these stories he reminds us of the importance of understanding the Law of the Lid, that there is always a reason for every behavior, and that even though this work is hard it is worth it.
Jul 08, 2022•22 min•Season 4Ep. 54
We talk to Dr. McMillan about the importance of staying student centered and how based on student voice, they have modified a period each day to create space for student choice. He shares about the impact that asking for input from students and staff can have on in building culture, and gives practical ways that they intentionally invest in staff culture at Chapman. Growing up in a home with parents who were educators, Dr. Andrew McMillan knew education was in his blood. Identifying education as...
Jul 01, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 53
Today our guest is Ryan Marshall, Lead Counselor, at South Salem High School, and the 2021 Oregon School Counselor of the Year. We talk to Ryan about the power of finding joy inside our work and he gives 3 steps to help us intentionally do this: 1. Knowing Thyself, 2. Building opportunities into our work schedule, and 3. Go and Do it. Ryan Marshall just wrapped his 9th year as a school counselor, 7th at South Salem High School in Salem, Oregon where he’s served as the department lead. South is a...
Jun 24, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 52
Today our guest is Dr. Julie Hartline, Associate Director of Professional Learning for Hatching Results and 2009 ASCA School Counselor of the Year. We talk to Dr. Hartline about the impact that school counselors can have and the need for admin and staff to understand how school counselors can support staff and students. She also shares resources that can help bring more awareness and education when it comes to the important role that school counselors have in our schools. Dr. Hartline became a t...
Jun 17, 2022•20 min•Season 4Ep. 51
Today our guest is Dan Wolfe an Assistant Principal at Sunray Elementary. We talk to Dan about the importance of purpose and how being connected to our purpose is so needed today. He shares how finding our purpose isn’t a destination, it’s a journey and gives ways that we can help others put a focus on purpose in their own lives. Dan Wolfe has served as an educator in Pasco County, Florida for more than 20 years. During this time, he has held roles as a teacher, instructional/district coach and ...
Jun 10, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 50
Today our guest is Becky Arway a School Counselor, STUCO Advisor, at Polo R-VII Schools We talk to Becky about the intentional partnership that she has together with her principal, and how this has led to some really creative outcomes that support students. She shares about the Book in a Bag resource library and the impact that this has had in their school and community. Becky Arway has been a school counselor at Polo R-VII Schools in Polo, Missouri for the past twelve years. Through her work as...
Jun 03, 2022•13 min•Season 4Ep. 49
CharacterStrong Co-Founder John Norlin shares an experience from a past training, and talks about why we can't wait to infuse social & emotional learning and character development into the daily fabric of our schools.
May 27, 2022•10 min•Season 4Ep. 48
Today our guests are Angela Shanahan & Karen Devine, School Counselors in Chicago Public Schools. We talk about the impact that comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs have with students at their schools and across the district. They also share what they have learned leading schools thru the Recognized ASCA Model Program process, and the impact and benefits of becoming RAMP recognized. Angela Shanahan is a school counselor in a neighborhood high school in Chicago Public Schoo...
May 20, 2022•17 min•Season 4Ep. 47
Today our guest is Petra Davis, Activities Director for Tesoro High school in Las Flores, CA. We talk to Petra about the lessons that she has learned going from being an advisor at a middle school to being at a high school, while also at the same time walking alongside students during COVID. Petra also shares some of the realities of where students are at today and the intentionality that is needed in project based learning to best serve Petra Davis-Johnson, has been an educator for 31 years. Sh...
May 13, 2022•18 min•Season 4Ep. 46
