Best Courageous Conversations About Our Schools Podcasts (2024)

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Teachers Are Afraid to Talk About the 2024 Election (Ep. 34) 41:37

3d ago41:37

41:37

Send us a text One would think that schools are the perfect place for students to learn about elections. What better opportunity to use the critical thinking skills they’ve learned in making sense of what the candidates are saying and to distinguish credible information from what they often encounter on social and mainstream media? These skills wou…

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Tony Aylsworth Builds Trust and Teaches Us How Every Vote Counts 33:12

2h ago33:12

33:12

It's Election Day! Make sure you get out there and make your voice heard-- every vote counts! 🎧 In this encore episode of An Imperfect Leader, we feature Tony Aylsworth, Superintendent of Pleasantville Community Schools in Pleasantville, Iowa. Tony shares valuable insights from his leadership journey, including: The Power of Collective Aspiration: …

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Community in Parenting - with Deborah and Lynnda | Ep. #17 58:01

4h ago58:01

58:01

Who do you have that you can talk with and open up to? A lot of us are missing that. For whatever reason, we often forget to prioritize thriving friendships, especially when becoming a parent and allocating most of our attention to our precious children. But parenting is so much easier when you have that small handful of people who are there to sup…

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Dr. Kim Hartmann's Recipe for Outcome-Focused School Boards: Trust 50:05

22h ago50:05

50:05

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Kim Hartmann, CEO of KCH Solutions and former school board member, for a conversation about building trust, fostering collaboration, and navigating the complexities of school leadership. Kim shares invaluable insights from her experience in both the corporate and education worlds, including: 🔑 The critical link betwe…

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Beyond Traditional Bonds: Exploring Authentic Male Friendship with Neil J Meyer 55:57

6d ago55:57

55:57

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Finding genuine male friendships and expressing emotions can be a complex journey, especially when faced with societal expectations. Join us for a heart-to-heart conversation with our lifelong friend, Neil J Meyer, as we break down the i…

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Bold, Effective Leadership in Polarized Times - An Illuminating Conversation with Katy Anthes (Ep. 33) 34:42

6d ago34:42

34:42

Send us a text This episode will interest anyone interested in what it takes to successfully lead a politically diverse school board (or any such organization) in these highly polarized times. My guest, Dr. Katy Anthes, did just that as Colorado’s Commissioner of Education from 2016 to 2023 by building trust, getting leaders to agree on norms about…

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Dr. Rachel White Talks Mirrors, Windows, and Data in the Superintendency 56:48

8d ago56:48

56:48

Join Jamie Almanzán and me for an insightful conversation with Dr. Rachel White, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. White, a former school board member and policy analyst, brings a wealth of experience and a passion for equity to her research on the superintendency. In this epi…

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Changing Perspective on Conversations About Sex -with Filip Simonyi | Ep. #16 55:59

13d ago55:59

55:59

Do you feel unsure about talking with your kids about sex? Do you put off this conversation for 'someday' in the future? Filip felt the same, but through our recent School of Love Bootcamp, he's changed his perspective. In this episode we talk about the transformations Filip and his wife have made in their family culture, and how conversations with…

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Meet Aaron Stark - Almost a School Shooter (Ep. 32) 40:24

13d ago40:24

40:24

Send us a text Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a school shooter? Or, why someone chooses to kill innocent people? My guest, Aaron Stark, was ready to commit mass murder but decided, at the last minute, not to follow through with his plan. He also chose not to kill himself. In this episode, you’ll hear Aaron’s harrowing story of abuse, negle…

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Beyond the Label: Kurt Schneider Transforms Education for Every Learner 1:00:34

15d ago1:00:34

1:00:34

📣 Tune in to the latest episode of An Imperfect Leader 🎧 featuring Kurt A Schneider of TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 in Highland Park, Illinois. Dr. Schneider shares his insights on leading systemic transformation in education, emphasizing the importance of equity and inclusion for ALL learners. Here are three key takeaways from our convers…

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WHYLD50 - Around the World Without Any Motors: Part 2 - Markus Pukonen 49:29

16d ago49:29

49:29

Send us a text Could you do it? “My biggest fear of the journey wasn't dying. It was getting forced to use a motor." Episode teaser - what do we talk about? What did Markus experience on his journey home from India? What are the challenges of long-term solo sailing? # What is the reason Markus got – accidentally - moved by a motor for a few seconds…

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Unpacking the Science of Reading (and More!) with Kim Marshall and The Marshall Memo 55:37

23d ago55:37

55:37

Join us for this week's episode of An Imperfect Leader featuring Kim Marshall, author and creator of The Marshall Memo. Kim has spent over 20 years curating the best research and ideas in education and distilling them into easily digestible summaries that have empowered countless educators. In this conversation, we discuss: The five levels of engag…

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An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence - Wisdom Shared from Meg Kissinger 47:38

24d ago47:38

47:38

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Meg Kissinger, a distinguished journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist, takes us on an intimate journey through her life and work as she shares stories from her memoir, "While You Were Out." Raised in a family shadowed by mental health an…

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Parenting with Grace - David and Mitsue Wolfenberger | Ep. #15 57:45

27d ago57:45

57:45

What does grace mean, and what does it have to do with parenting? Grace is love sincerely given, without it having to be earned. Basically, unconditional love. So it has a whole lot to do with parenting, but it's something each of us need ourselves! If we have a source of grace, we can give it more freely to our children. David and Mitsue Wolfenber…

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In Cape (Girardeau), They're Leading Like a Buffalo 44:09

1M ago44:09

44:09

In this episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we're thrilled to welcome Dr. Howard Benyon, Superintendent of Cape Girardeau Public Schools in Missouri, and Dr. Brice Beck, Deputy Superintendent. These inspiring leaders share insights on: ✅ Making fearless, student-first decisions, especially when it comes to go…

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Leading with Purpose: A Superintendent's Journey on the Wind River Reservation 48:05

1M ago48:05

48:05

Jamie Almanzán and I are thrilled to announce today's guest on An Imperfect Leader is Superintendent Deb Smith of Fort Washakie Schools in Fremont District 21 on the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming. A proud member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and descendant of the NORTHERN ARAPAHO TRIBE INC, Deb has been recognized for her leadership, including be…

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Uncomfortable Conversations - with Andrew Love | Ep. # 14 55:57

2M ago55:57

55:57

We've all experienced an uncomfortable conversation. But did you ever see those conversations as an opportunity? Uncomfortable conversations, when we go through them with grace, honesty and love, can help us to grow and deepen our relationships. Andrew shares how the riches in life are in these conversations. Especially within the family and with o…

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The Call to Courage: Shelley Berman Navigates Divisive Forces in Public Education 42:14

1M ago42:14

42:14

Jamie Almanzán and I are thrilled to announce our guest, Dr. Shelley Berman, a veteran superintendent with over 28 years of experience across Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Oregon. He’s also the co-author of The Call to Courage, a timely book co-written with Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent of Ithaca. In this episode, Shelley delves into the growing…

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WHYLD49 - Around the World Without Any Motors: Part 1 - Markus Pukonen 53:53

2M ago53:53

53:53

Send us a text How far could you travel without using any motor? “I asked myself, what would I do if I found out that I was gonna die in two weeks? What could I be doing, where I would have no regrets? […] That's where the Routes of Change project came from.” Episode teaser - what do we talk about? Ways to prepare… for a no-motors circumnavigation …

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Better Mental Health Can Reduce Gun Violence in Schools. Do We Have the Will to Promote It? Part 2 (Ep. 31) 26:20

2M ago26:20

26:20

Send us a text One day after interviewing clinical psychologist Hayley Watson for Part 1 of this two-part series about the need for better mental health support in schools, Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia walked onto campus with a military-style rifle and killed two other students and two math teachers. …

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Better Mental Health Can Reduce Gun Violence in Schools. Do We Have the Will to Promote It? Part 1 (Ep. 30) 41:56

2M ago41:56

41:56

Send us a text Immediately following the fatal shooting of two students and two math teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia, the predictable debate over gun laws ensued. Less prominent were calls for another remedy for school gun violence that can have an immediate impact and, surprisingly, is not politically polarizing: mental health support…

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From Hartford to Hawaii: Dr. Christina Kishimoto's Voice 4 Equity in Leadership 46:02

2M ago46:02

46:02

In this episode of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, Jamie Almanzán (of The Equity Collaborative) and I took a journey with Dr. Christina Kishimoto, who shared her remarkable leadership experiences from Connecticut to Arizona to Hawaii to Voice4Equity LLC. We dove into the unique challenges of leading Hawaii’s only st…

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Courage in Parenting - with Benjy Uyama | Ep. #13 59:40

2M ago59:40

59:40

A lot of things in parenting take courage. Conversations about sex are probably a big one for many parents! Here, Benjy and I have a great conversation about: When were we fearful in parenting? What’s the difference between being fearless and having courage? How can we have courage in talking with our kids about sexuality? A great point Benjy makes…

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Leading with Love: Dr. Luvelle Brown on Equity, Courage, and Compassion in Education 43:45

2M ago43:45

43:45

Welcome to Season Three of An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. We’re beginning this season with something truly special—we have a co-host! Jamie Almanzán, a partner and equity coach at The Equity Collaborative, will be joining me this season. Jamie brings a wealth of experience in equity work and leadership coaching, an…

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Breaking the Rules: A Ruckus Maker's Guide to Leadership with Danny Bauer 37:08

2M ago37:08

37:08

INTRO: In this episode of An Imperfect Leader, we have a very special guest. The Chief Ruckus Maker of Better Leaders Better Schools, Danny Bauer, is here. You might be asking yourself what makes a Ruckus Maker. I assure you, I ask Danny that in the episode. Let me set the stage a little bit about why today is exciting. Danny describes himself as: …

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What Do Youth Struggle With Most? - with Andranik Karagezian | Ep #12 1:20:27

3M ago1:20:27

1:20:27

Do you ever wonder what the dominant struggle is for youth? Andranik, our High Noon Chapter Leader in Europe, breaks down the biggest challenges young people face today. What can we do as parents, to help our kids going through these challenges? What can we do before the challenges hit, and what can we do in the middle of the storm? As a parent, we…

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Leading with Compassion and Purpose: A Conversation with Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez 35:46

3M ago35:46

35:46

Intro: Hartford, Connecticut was the location of my very first hockey game. The Hartford Whalers vs the NY Rangers. And what a scene it was. During the second period, there was an obvious offense because both benches cleared and both teams were absolutely brawling! I find myself in Hartford at least once a year and so every year, I revisit, in my m…

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Jennifer Cheatham Leads Evaluation Revelations & Discipline Transformations 42:35

3M ago42:35

42:35

Hello, Imperfect Leaders! INTRO: Evaluations. In every single profession, employees are evaluated. They are evaluated by their direct supervisors or evaluated by a board of directors. Often they are evaluated by the people they lead in the form of a survey (often referred to as a 360 survey). Plus, there are informal evaluations conducted by the co…

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How To Be My Child's Best Listener - with Joni Makkonen | Ep #11 1:03:04

3M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

If we want connection with our child, they need to feel heard. In order for them to feel heard, we need to listen. Joni Makkonen, a family and relationship counselor, talks about things he's learned from years of listening to families and couples. If we want to be there for our children through the challenges involved in staying on a path towards h…

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From Finance to the Front Lines: Leading in Kentucky with Matt Robbins 33:09

3M ago33:09

33:09

INTRO: In this episode, Matt Robbins is my guest. Matt is the Superintendent of the Daviess County Public Schools in Daviess County, Kentucky. What’s different about Matt is that he didn’t follow a traditional route to the superintendency. His background is in finance. In this episode, we talk a little about how his past experiences help him in his…

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Find what you love and give it away: With Gary Strauss and Tracy Griffiths 51:58

3M ago51:58

51:58

Summary Welcome dreamers, seekers, healers and anyone on their healing journey. My name is Amanda Lux of the Elevation Hive school and community for energy medicine and dreamwork. In this podcast, I share teachings, musings, poems, songs, and interviews with other amazing humans who walk the healer's path. In this episode Lean in for some serious w…

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Hattie Tate is Building Bridges of Hope in Oakland 44:44

3M ago44:44

44:44

Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because Jamie Almanzán fro…

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Rich Harwood Rocks My World! (Ep. 29) 51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

Send us a text Rich Harwood knows a thing or two about depolarizing communities. He’s been doing it—successfully—for over 30 years, which is why I wanted to probe his thinking about the widening divides and the worrisome rise of culture wars that are threatening our public schools. Let me simply say, Rich rocked my world! Despite the extensive read…

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Andrew Love on: Sexualization vs. Talking About Sex | Ep #10 1:14:58

3M ago1:14:58

1:14:58

A lot of worries come along with talking with our kids about sex. One of them being the sexualized culture we live in. Will talking with our kids about sex risk their journey to living a fulfilling life based on God's intention for sex, or benefit them? Andrew shares about his family's open culture of having conversations on sexuality, and how our …

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Andrew Dolloff Turned Mascot Mayhem into a Culture of Courage 41:18

4M ago41:18

41:18

Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because Jamie Almanzán fr…

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Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 1 of 3) 21:58

4M ago21:58

21:58

Send us a text This is the first of three episodes about the unusual steps school leaders in Middletown, Ohio took to defuse tensions over race issues and health policies. These tensions could have led to a full-blown culture war - the kind of knock-down, drag out clashes that have pitted educators, parents, and even students against one another in…

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Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 2 of 3) 26:20

4M ago26:20

26:20

Send us a text In this second of three episodes about a culture war simmering in Middletown, Ohio, we learn how Superintendent Styles responds to allegations of racism and violations of students’ rights because of health mandates. Hint: He didn’t fight back. Instead, he listened to his critics. He then asked for help from the community’s “quiet maj…

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Middie Rising - A City Unites and Defuses a School Culture War (Ep. 3 of 3) 41:11

4M ago41:11

41:11

Send us a text In the final episode of this series, several people reflect on the lessons learned from Middletown’s successful efforts to avoid a costly culture war and to unify around an inclusive vision of education that all of its students. In addition to Middletown’s community leaders who share their takeaways from this story, Amanda Ripley, an…

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Wisdom from the Hearts and Minds of Three Siblings: Bill (99) Dee Dee (98) and Fritz Kruschel (96) - Sharing Optimism, Values and Friendship 1:20:20

4M ago1:20:20

1:20:20

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback In this episode you will be transported to 1932, right in the middle of the Great Depression, as we sit down with the incredible Kruschel siblings: Bill, Dee Dee, and Fritz, ages 99, 98, and 96. We promise you’ll learn not only about the…

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Matt Hornbeck Redefines Public Education 33:36

4M ago33:36

33:36

Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because Jamie Almanzán f…

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What Did the First Sex Education Look Like? - with Tyler Hendriks | Ep #9 57:10

4M ago57:10

57:10

How did God really teach Adam and Eve about sex? What is the difference between sex education then vs. now? With Tyler Hendrik's knowledge to guide us, we journey back to what it may have looked like in the Garden of Eden. Who accompanied Adam and Eve on their journey of learning about sexuality? What was missing? It's fascinating that sex educatio…

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Dr. Avis Williams is Leading New Orleans Through Change 36:32

4M ago36:32

36:32

Hello Imperfect Leaders! It's summer!! And for leaders, that means reflection. And it means planning for the coming year. It is for that reason that this week's episode is an encore episode specifically picked with your upcoming year in mind. As Labor Day approaches, Season 3 will kick off. And I am so excited about THAT because Jamie Almanzán f…

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All Aboard the Energy Bus: Dr. Jim Van Allan's Road Trip to School Leadership! 34:23

4M ago34:23

34:23

INTRO: Hop on the Energy Bus for our latest podcast episode! This week, we're thrilled to have Dr. Jim Van Allan, a nationally recognized speaker and co-author of The Energy Bus for Schools, take the wheel. Jim shares his expertise on school leadership, student engagement, and the power of positivity in education. In this episode, discover how Jim'…

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Teenagerhood-What If It Could Be the Best Time of Our Lives? -with Myrna Lapres | Ep #8 58:26

4M ago58:26

58:26

With Myrna Lapres, a parenting coach, I get to explore teenagerhood from the perspectives of preparing for it as well as going through it in real time. We talk about going through this time as a parent as lovingly as we can. How can we make the absolute most of the time before our kids are adults, where we may have much less time with them? How can…

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Redefining School Leadership: A Conversation with Dr. Peter Dillon 35:42

4M ago35:42

35:42

INTRO: Welcome to today's episode of An Imperfect Leader, where we sit down with Dr. Peter Dillon, a superintendent in Western Massachusetts. Peter shares his experiences working in a rural region serving, at one time, two school districts and the lessons he learned along the way. In this episode, he shares insights on leading multiple districts, t…

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Dr. Melvin Brown on Weighted Grades, Systemic Change, and Serving as a Lead Learner 30:31

5M ago30:31

30:31

INTRO: In my third year as a superintendent, the AVID classes at one of my high schools invited me to the school library at 7:30 in the morning. That is EARLY for high school students accustomed to starting school at almost 9 o’clock, so it had to be important. Over donuts and juice, it was the students who led an activity called Philosophical Chai…

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WHYLD48 - Swim, Bike, Ouch: A Triathlete’s Painful Journey to Hysterectomy - April Yoho 1:03:51

5M ago1:03:51

1:03:51

Send us a text Lift heavy sh**! “It was tough playing sports, having a period and from a young age of 15, I was having a lot of problems, like endometriosis. For those of you that don't know, you get all sorts of symptoms - heavy, bleeding, painful cramps.” Episode summary: Tech, travel, triathlon – why a full-time job is no excuse not to go IRONMA…

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Celebrating 99 Years of Courage, Resilience, and Joy with guest, Bill Kruschel 58:03

5M ago58:03

58:03

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback Join us as we share the remarkable life of Bill Kruschel, an extraordinary 99-year-old, whose journey from a World War II Navy medic to a beloved member of the White Bear Lake community is nothing short of inspiring. This episode paints …

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Shaping the Culture I Want In My Family - Johanna Toresen | Ep #7 38:40

5M ago38:40

38:40

For generations we haven't been equipped with sufficent knowledge about sexuality in our childhood, teenagerhood or our adulthood! My guest here, Johanna Toresen, a middle school and high school teacher in Norway as well as a mother of three, was able to notice what was lacking growing up. She has been working to shape a new culture in her family t…

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Access Assured: A Conversation with Brenda Harrington 27:58

5M ago27:58

27:58

INTRO: As many of you know, I serve on the Board of Directors for Be the Change Volunteers. We build schools, teacher housing, and bathrooms all over the world (currently in Peru, Malawi, India, Rwanda, Puerto Rico, and Papua New Guinea). It’s an incredible experience – if you ever want to join a build, please let me know – and one thing we try to …

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Courageous Conversations About Our Schools Podcasts

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