In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I sit down with Dr. Jonah Schenker, District Superintendent of Ulster BOCES and host of Leading for Deeper Learning, for a timely conversation about the future of public education in New York State. At the center of our discussion is NY Inspires, New York State’s multi-year effort to rethink what it means for students to graduate truly prepared for their futures. Jonah helps unpack the major shifts ahead, including the developmen...

When we first sat down with the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI (CELaRAI), the IES-funded national center at the University at Buffalo was just launching. In this episode, I return to campus to pick up the story and see how far the work has come — and where it heads next. I speak with Dr. X. Christine Wang, Professor of Early Education and Learning Sciences at UB, Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Graduate School of Education, Director of the Fisher-Price Endowed Early Ch...

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I am thrilled to speak with Dr. Kenneth R. Bossert, Superintendent of Great Neck Public Schools, who was officially sworn in as president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) on June 28 in Cooperstown. Elected by his fellow members to lead the organization this year after serving as president-elect the year prior, Dr. Bossert now guides one of the premier professional and advocacy organizations ...

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Patrick Fogarty, the founder of the New York State Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NYSAIC), and Daniel Friedman, Director of Educational Technology in Hicksville Public Schools, for this timely conversation about the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in K-12 education. NYSAIC brings together administrators, teachers, researchers, and technology leaders who are working t...

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, we visit East Aurora Union Free School District to celebrate a powerful example of authentic, hands-on learning. Superintendent Brian Russ joins the podcast to share the story behind East Aurora High School’s Sustainable Agriculture program, launched during the 2023–2024 school year on the district’s beautiful 107-acre campus, once family farmland. Rather than simply honoring the land’s history, East Aurora is bringing it back to...

n this episode, I speak with Dr. Venu Govindaraju, SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo, Senior Vice President for research, innovation and economic development, and founding director of the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education. We discuss the Institute’s continued progress in supporting children with speech and language processing challenges through innovations such as the AI Screener and AI Orchestrator, along with the broader work of UB’s research in AI. The...

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, we highlight one of the Grand Island Central School District’s and Tonawanda City School District's most meaningful early literacy initiatives: Growing Readers. Launched in 2018, this community-based effort helps place free books into the hands of families during well-baby visits, encouraging parents and caregivers to begin reading aloud to their children from the very start. This conversation explores how early literacy, strong ...

Public schools do far more than teach academics — they often serve as the heartbeat of a community. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jacob Reimer, the Superintendent of Barker CSD and school counselor Allison Finitz as well as Andrea Gray from the United Way to share the story behind Barker’s Care Closet and the broader network of support services now available to students and families. Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie Or visit our website E-NSSA.org

In this episode I interviewed Kirk Koennecke, the Superintendent of the EANES Innovative School District. Kirk is a veteran educational leader with 20 years of experience in administration and 30 years of service to students. Kirk is a standing member of AASA, NASS Executive Board, NCERT, NSR, BASA Communications Committee, AUSA Trustee, 1N5 Trustee, HQ Leaders LLC Board. Kirk loves to podcast, create blogs and promote the excellent work of his teachers and students on social medi...

At the NYSCOSS Winter Institute, I had the privilege of sitting down with three outstanding superintendents immediately following their keynote presentations. Each brought a powerful and deeply personal message to educational leaders from across New York State. Dale L. Breault Jr., District Superintendent of Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES in the North Country near the St. Lawrence River, shared his keynote message, Strong Enough to Be Real: From Imposter to Empowered. Dale spoke candidly about...