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36 | Get on Board: Enhancing Parent Teacher Partnerships

Colleen Ryan
2019 Toyota Family Engagement Teacher of the Year

When you think of parent teacher partnerships, conferences and report cards might come to mind, but what if we made family engagement more fun? Colleen Ryan, 2019 Toyota Family Engagement Teacher of the Year, offers advice for parents and teachers on how to work together to help kids get what they need to thrive....
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34 | Inside the Principal’s Office

Dr. Tayarisha Batchelor
Principal of Rawson STEAM School

We talk with Dr. Tayarisha Batchelor, principal of the Rawson STEAM school in Hartford, Conn., about how families and parent leaders can collaborate with their principal. She shares how she has supported families in her communities and how she helps her staff engage in meaningful family engagement practices....
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32 | How to Handle Bullying

Dr. Deborah Temkin
VP for Youth Development & Education Research, Child Trends

What can families do to address bullying and how can schools act proactively to prevent bullying altogether? We talked with Dr. Deborah Temkin, the vice president of Youth Development & Education Research at Child Trends to get answers....
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30 | Exploring Learning Differences during COVID-19

Amanda Morin
Writer & Senior Expert, Understood.org

We speak with Amanda Morin, writer and senior expert at Understood.org, to learn strategies for supporting students with learning differences during online and hybrid learning. She offers advice on helping your kids stay organized, read social cues, manage distractions and more....
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28 | Prioritizing COVID-19 Relief & Recovery

Ralph Smith
Managing Director, Campaign for Grade Level Reading

We spoke with Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading to get his perspective on the impact COVID-19 is having in the hardest hit communities. He offers suggestions for parent leaders looking to support the most vulnerable learners and their families during this challenging time....
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26 | Talking Race & KidLit

Kwame Alexander
NYT Bestselling Author

How many books on your children’s shelves feature Black and Brown characters? We spoke with Newbery Medal award-winning author, Kwame Alexander about the importance of representation in kids’ literature. He shared about his own writing process, how to inspire your kids to write and some of his favorite books....
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23 | Keep Your Cool: Tackling Behavioral Issues

Dr. Ross Greene
Founder, Lives in Balance

How can we work with our kids to create less stress and conflict around daily routines? We talked with Dr. Ross Greene, psychologist and founder of Lives in Balance, about how to address a child’s toughest behaviors. Greene shares how to improve relationships and bring peace to your home....
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21 | Growing Great Readers

Dr. Rebecca Silverman
Associate Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Education

We talked with Dr. Rebecca Silverman, professor at Stanford University, to learn how we can raise lifelong readers. She offered strategies for fostering a love of reading and guidance on what you should expect from your child at each age....
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19 | Online Learning During COVID-19

Dr. Natalie Milman
Educational Technology Professor, George Washington University

Online learning during COVID-19 presents unique challenges. We talked with Dr. Natalie Milman, professor of Education Technology at George Washington University, to get her insights into emergency remote teaching and learning, education technology, strategies for supporting your child and more....
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17 | Supporting Our Kids: Special Education 101

Debra Jennings
Co-Executive Director, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)

The world of special education can be overwhelming for families—especially right now, as families are navigating learning from home. We talked with expert Debra Jennings, from the Statewide Parent Education Network (SPAN), to ensure your child is supported during these trying times....
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15 | Money Talks: School Finance 101

Dr. Marguerite Roza
Director of the Edunomics Lab

We spoke with Dr. Marguerite Roza, Director of the Edunomics Lab to learn about the mystery of education finance. She offers practical guidance on how families can stay informed about their school district’s financial decisions and how they can advocate for the priorities they care most about....
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13 | Don’t Break a Sweat: Navigating Youth Sports

Jon Solomon
Editorial Director, The Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program

With hyper-competitive leagues for kids as young as six years old—and hours of practice even during the off season—youth sports aren’t just fun and games. We talked with Jon Solomon, former sports journalist and editorial director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society program, about how families can best navigate this aspect of their kids’ lives....
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11 | How College Ready Are You?

Sekou Biddle
Vice President of Advocacy, UNCF
Nya
Student at Old Dominion University

The college application process can be intense and complex—with many financial challenges for students and their families. We sat down with Sekou Biddle, vice president of advocacy at the United Negro College Fund to get concrete strategies and essential information to help. We also explored the student perspective by chatting with Nya, a junior at Old Dominion University, who shares how she managed the college process....
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8 | Asking the "Right" Questions

Luz Santana
Co-Director of the Right Question Institute

We turn to Luz Santana, co-director of the Right Question Institute to learn how to prepare questions that will produce meaningful and helpful answers. She shares how parents can go beyond the typical, “How is my child doing?” to spark more in-depth conversations. We also get her advice on common issues families have and how asking the right questions can improve these situations!...
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6 | How to Raise Confident Kids

Jennifer Miller
Author of Confident Parents, Confident Kids

How do you raise a confident child who can overcome communication challenges and be a good friend to others? We turn to author and parenting expert Jennifer Miller to explore how you can build these social and emotional skills with your child, and how to know if your child’s school is helping them develop in this important area...
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4 | Recess: Is it Just for Play

William Massey
Assistant Professor, College of Public Health and Human Services, Oregon State University
Angie Gallo
Florida PTA Leader and School Board Member

We discuss why recess is important for students’ physical health—as well as their social and emotional development—and take a look at what schools and families are doing to protect and enhance recess time at school. Researcher and dad, William Massey, explains the benefits of recess, what high-quality recess looks like and how parents can get involved in recess. PTA leader and school board member, Angie Gallo, also shares how you can become a recess advocate in your community...
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2 │ How is Your Kid Really Doing in School?

Bibb Hubbard
Founder and President of Learning Heroes
Liz Goshorn
Mother of Four Children

We sit down with Bibb Hubbard—a mother and founder of Learning Heroes—to explore what families and kids think about student academic achievement, how schools and districts can improve the way they share information with families, and what families can do to gauge if their child is on track and advocate for a more accurate picture of their progress. Liz Goshorn gives a mother’s perspective on how you can better understand your child’s academic progress in school and identify their academic strengths and areas for growth...
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0 | Introducing... Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast

Find out what Notes from the Backpack is all about! Hosts LaWanda Toney and Helen Westmoreland give listeners a preview of what they can expect when they tune-in to the podcast series...
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