The CharacterStrong Podcast

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.smartedsystems.org/ Katherine Holden started teaching at Ashland High School in 2000 where she taught for ten years at the Wilderness Charter School, a school within AHS focused on sustainability, community, and project-based learning. She then moved to Ashland Middle School where she taught video productions for three years before becoming Associate Principal at AMS, a position that Kathrine held for seven years. In 2022 she was named the National Association of Principals National Assistant Principal of the Year.

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 English teacher throughout the country as well as internationally. He is a blogger, writer, public speaker, and believer in the power and purpose of education. Samwise Gamgee is his hero.

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.

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.

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.

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 Texas Tech University in 2003. He taught at the high school level for 7 years. During his time as a teacher, Walker served as a teacher in 3 different Texas districts. Upon the completion of his master's degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M-Commerce, Walker began his administrative career in 2010 as an assistant principal at McKinney North High School in the McKinney ISD. While at McKinney North High School, he earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. After serving as an assistant principal for 5 years, Walker was hired as the principal of Royse City High School in the Royse City ISD in the spring of 2015. During his tenure at Royse City HS, the campus received several accolades and distinctions. These honors included Royse City HS being named a National Demonstration Campus in 2019, 2020, and 2021 for Capturing Kids' Hearts. In 2020 the campus was also recognized as a Texas College & Career Readiness Schools designated campus. In January of 2021 Walker was named the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals High School Principal of the Year. This award was in recognition of Walker's final year as campus principal at Royse City High School in 2020-2021.

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, WI with her family. Marianne was named a finalist for National School Counselor of the Year 2022 by ASCA (American School Counselor Association). In her free time she enjoys gardening, camping, and generally getting outside and into nature.

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.

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 school level and one year at the elementary level. In that time, he has held various positions, including, teacher, department head, athletic coach, athletic trainer, athletic director, assistant principal, International Baccalaureate coordinator and principal. Currently, as principal at Haines City High School and Haines City International Baccalaureate, he serves a school with 3,000 students, 245 staff members and 6 assistant principals. The school includes an International Baccalaureate Program, a Junior Reserve Officer Training Core, The Environmental Agriculture & Technology Academy, The Academy of Media Production, The Academy of Children's Educational Studies, The Visual Arts Pathway and The Performing Arts Pathway. Over the last six years, discipline referrals have decreased by 40% and the graduation rate has increased by 21%. He believes the key to success is in utilizing decision making, relationship building and positive behavior to create an unforgettable experience, while improving staff effectiveness and raising student achievement!

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.