Episodes
July 23, 2021
Bonus Episode: Inspiration and Healing with Maurice F. Martin
I had the amazing opportunity to moderate a segment for the Teach Better Team on mental health and trauma informed practices. In this bonus episode, Maurice Martin and I discuss important strategies to use to enhance our emot...
July 17, 2021
155. Taking the Leap: Featuring Robert Breyer
If you have thought about becoming a campus or district leader, what are the next steps in the process to get to the next leadership level? This week’s guest, Robert Breyer, shares steps to gain additional and necessary exper...
July 9, 2021
Top 5 Reading Recommendations with Michelle Papa
In this bonus episode, Michelle Papa shares her five top leadership books and the reasons she loves these amazing resources. In addition, we discuss her new promotion and the transition to the new school year. About Michelle ...
July 4, 2021
154. Principles of Behavior: Featuring Lindsay Titus
With the stress of your leadership role, how do you take care of your mental health? This week’s guest, Lindsay Titus, shares important steps to take to improve your mental well-being, decrease anxiety and combat stress. In t...
June 26, 2021
153. Road to Awesome: Featuring Darrin Peppard
What role and impact does your school culture have within your building? This week’s guest, Darrin Peppard, shares how the culture created by the leaders in the building impacts every aspect of the school, which could lead do...
June 23, 2021
Top 5 Reading Recommendations with Dr. Jill Siler
In this bonus episode, Dr. Jill Siler shares her five top leadership books and the reasons she loves these amazing resources. In addition, we discuss the latest book award she received and her new position. About Dr. Jill Sil...
June 19, 2021
152. Let’s Put the C in PLC: Featuring Chad Dumas
How would you describe a productive and effective Professional Learning Community (PLC)? In my experience in multiple schools and districts, this model has looked drastically different in each setting. This week’s guest, Chad...
June 13, 2021
151. Assessing with Respect: Featuring Starr Sackstein
What if, in the world of education, grades did not exist? This week’s guest, Starr Sackstein, shares how she removed grades from her classroom, focused on critical feedback to her students, and incorporated social emotional a...
June 11, 2021
Aspire to RISE: Featuring Alex Valencic
Have you ever interviewed for a job and not received the promotion you were seeking? In today’s episode featuring Alex Valencic, Sarah Johnson and Joshua Stamper discuss the topics of working through the disappointment, estab...
June 5, 2021
150. Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices: Featuring Marisol Quevedo Rerucha
How do we together dismantle barriers that exclude, recognize past trauma, and identify resources for those in need ? This week’s guest, Marisol Quevedo Rerucha, shares how implementing restorative practices changed student b...
June 2, 2021
Aspire Mailbag: The Power of Feedback with Evan Robb
In this 21st Aspire Mailbag episode, Evan Robb, Jeff Gargas and I answer questions on different leadership topics provided by the listeners. Please join us for this episode as we answer questions on how to build an email to i...
May 28, 2021
149. The Evolving Learner: Featuring Lainie Rowell
With the drastic changes occurring in education, how do we propel students, staff and leaders to grow and explore in new ways? This week’s guest, Lainie Rowell, shares how providing opportunities of discovery and social emoti...
May 26, 2021
Bonus Episode: Let’s Talk Educator SEL with Mandy Froehlich
I had the amazing opportunity to moderate a segment during the Teach Better 12 Hour Live Event on social emotional learning (SEL). In this bonus episode, Mandy Froelich and I discuss important strategies to use in the classro...
May 22, 2021
148. Design Lessons: Featuring Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore
What is the highest level of learning in professional development? This week’s guest, Dr. Michele Schmidt Moore, shares how leaders can design professional learning environments that encourage and enhance teacher’s discovery,...
May 16, 2021
147. Personal and Authentic: Featuring Thomas Murray
After creating and implementing new teaching strategies and building procedures, many educators are seeking to go back to “normal”. Should we keep any practices from this past year or should we go back to our previous strateg...
May 14, 2021
Top 5 Reading Recommendations with Latrese Younger
In this bonus episode, Latrese Younger shares her five top leadership books and the reasons she loves these amazing resources. In addition, we discuss her school and how she is ending the school year strong. About Latrese You...
May 9, 2021
Bonus Episode: Classroom and Campus Culture with Todd Nesloney
Today, May 9th, is a special day for two reasons, 1. It’s mother’s day and 2. Today is the 3rd anniversary of the Aspire podcast! Join Todd Nesloney and I as we celebrate mothers day, the three year anniversary of the podcast...
May 8, 2021
146. The 5 “S”s of Mental Health: Featuring Dan Tricarico
As the school year comes to a close, we can all agree that we are exhausted mentally and physically. This past year and a half has been difficult in many ways and every educator's mental health has been affected. Just the oth...
May 2, 2021
145. Natural Learning Opportunities: Featuring Becky Schnekser
In your classrooms, are your students participating in one interactive lesson per unit or are they experiencing natural learning opportunities each day? This week’s guest, Becky Schnekser, shares how transforming her classroo...
April 25, 2021
144. Activity Rich and Impact Poor: Featuring Peter DeWitt
On your campus or in your district, do you have a lot of initiatives being implemented? What is the impact of each of those initiatives or programs? This week’s guest, Peter DeWitt, shares how relationship building and collab...
April 21, 2021
Top 5 Reading Recommendations with Brad Hughes
In this bonus episode, Brad Hughes shares his five top leadership books and the reasons he loves these amazing resources. In addition, we discuss his new podcast and some Teach Better event details. About Brad Hughes: Brad Hu...
April 17, 2021
143. Solving Problems with Project Based Learning: Featuring Dr. Ryan Read
In remote learning, have you felt restricted with the new learning environment? This week’s guest, Dr. Ryan Read, shares how to use project based learning in all learning models for students to gain experience in solving real...
April 10, 2021
142. Grading From the Inside Out: Featuring Tom Schimmer
This week’s guest, Tom Schimmer, shares his journey as a leader, redefining accountability in grading, the myths of standards based grading and the importance of descriptive feedback. In this episode, we discuss: Standards Ba...
April 8, 2021
Top 5 Reading Recommendations with Greg Moffitt
In this bonus episode, Greg Moffitt shares his five top leadership books and the reasons he loves these amazing resources. In addition, Greg introduces two bonus children’s books to instill leadership qualities in our classro...