Tag Archives: Getting Smart

A study from the American Psychological Association found that student mental health is in a current crisis since the pandemic. Additional research shows that although the pandemic accelerated the continued deterioration, student mental health was already declining for years before the pandemic. In my experience as a superintendent, I observed that building an approach toContinue reading “Closing the Loop on Excellence”

Visiting High Tech High in San Diego taught me about project-based learning. Visiting the first Big Picture school in Providence taught me about work-based learning. Visiting Francis Parker in Boston taught me about principles and habits of learning. Visiting Mountain Academy in Wyoming taught me about place-based learning.    Visiting One Stone in Boise taught meContinue reading “One Stone: Forging An Army of Good “

By: Jimmy McCue Embark Education is a competency-based school driven by the authentic integration of learning in projects at our enterprise, Pinwheel Coffee and co-authored learning experiences. My own collaboration with a group of learners has brought a transformative and deeply personalized dimension to learning. Rather than design and ask my colleagues for feedback throughContinue reading “How to Co-Design Curriculum: Fostering Inclusivity through Shared Family Narratives”

Our team is incredibly fortunate to participate in and attend dozens of conferences around the world where we learn with and from experts, facilitate sessions and cover various conference happenings. Throughout our travels, we continue to curate and update a list of our favorites that we think everyone should attend. Here is the latest listContinue reading “Can’t Miss Education Conferences in 2024”

Building a new school can take years. Agreeing to can take decades. In Owatonna, Minnesota, there had been frustrated failed attempts and dreams of passing bond referenda for a new Owatonna Public Schools high school since the late ’80s.  Fortunately, in late 2019, that changed. District Superintendent Jeff Elstad partnered with Wold Architects and EngineersContinue reading “Owatonna’s New School Sets Eyes on Local Pathways”

A foundational tenet of problem and project-based learning is having students address real-world problems. The students and staff at Laguna Beach High School have unearthed the natural FLOW of how to spot local challenges and equip learners with the tools, dispositions and opportunities to grapple with them. FLOW stands for Fire, Land, Ocean and WaterContinue reading “Laguna Beach High School Gets in the FLOW of Environmental Literacy”

By iThrive Games “Promising.”  “Progressive.” “Unique.” “Revitalizing.” “Relief.” When Moiz, Tanisha, Ibad, Jaiden, and Samirah were asked to describe in one word the workshop they took part in with designers and museum educators from Educating for American Democracy’s civic learning community earlier this month, the students from Thomas A. Edison CTE High School shared these, capturing howContinue reading “Making Civic Learning Meaningful With And For Young People”

By: Sabba Quidwai, EdD and Stefan Bauschard The brief departure and return of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI underscored the need for stable, trust-based leadership in the rapidly evolving AI sector. This episode, not rooted in technological or financial challenges, highlighted how the absence of a strong, value-aligned culture can destabilize even a leadingContinue reading “Innovating with Integrity: Building Trust in an AI-Driven World”

Over the last few months, we’ve been fortunate to accompany school leaders to some outstanding Colorado schools. Many of them we’ve written about before (St. Vrain, Eagle Rock, and Cherry Creek), but these most recent trips have highlighted new learning models from Commerce City to Boulder.  The STEAD School In Commerce City, Colorado, a newContinue reading “Agency and Co-Authoring Thriving in Colorado Schools”

The dining room is a learning lab, the living room is a classroom, and the backyard is a playground. Amy’s Anthem home is also a school. High Point Academy serves 11 students aged 6-14 and features “a hands on project-based learning approach that fosters real world problem solving and critical thinking.”   Amy provides a safeContinue reading “Home Schools Grow With New Funding Streams”