Guest: Don Collins - Retired Educator Increasingly, schools are being tasked with fixing problems that didn’t exist even five years ago. Teachers are expected to address suicide prevention, drug addiction, bullying, mass shootings, racism, social media, political turmoil, world conflicts, vaping, artificial intelligence, and oh, yeah, somehow teach their core subject and prepare students for success in college. The expectations are mounting, but the support is waning. Is this sustainable?  What can we do to better help our kids and our schools? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Katie Wallace-Coppo - Youth Theatre Director In our never-ending pursuit to make sure our children experience everything life has to offer, parents are increasingly pushing their kids to sign up for multiple organized activities so that they can find “their thing.” When does dragging kids to ballet and soccer and karate and violin lessons cross the line from helping the child be well rounded to being overscheduled and stressed out?  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Traci Acers, Parent It’s never been harder to be the parent of a teenager. More parents than ever work outside the home and they struggle to stay connected in an increasingly busy world. Unlike previous generations, today’s parents also have to navigate their teens’ access to screens, the influence of social media, and their response to violence on campuses all over the country. All this while finding creative ways to help their kids compete for fewer and fewer spots in elite colleges. Is it any wonder parents are confused, exhausted and desperate for help? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Christina Scherr - Athletic Trainer, Westview High School High school athletics have become increasingly competitive as student-athletes vie for a coveted college scholarship. With increased competition, some students are specializing younger and younger, which can lead to repetitive motion injuries, and the higher level of skill for some players can create dangerous situations for less skilled players. Add to this mix the constant fear of concussions, and it’s no wonder high schools are desperate to hire and keep qualified, experienced, and caring certified athletic trainers. The need is clear, but do schools have the resources to make it happen?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Julie Union - School Board Member, Solana Beach School District School Board meetings were once quiet, formal, and let’s be honest, boring. Over the last ten years, school board meetings have become a flashpoint for communities, and with live streaming now the norm, they’ve turned into reality TV. What is the role of a school board and its members, and why have they become such a focus in local politics? Do we really know what a school board does and why? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Todd Cassen - Assistant Commissioner, CIF San Diego Section Out of control fan conduct is a world-wide issue, so it’s no surprise that we’re seeing a rise in bad behavior in high school athletics. Unlike professional sports that have police, security, and team personnel to respond to incidents, high schools have limited staff to manage large crowds. Are high school athletics at a tipping point? If crowds, players and coaches continue to verbally (and sometimes physically) assault officials, will anyone be left to fill this critical role? If fans continue to escalate their behavior, will schools be forced to play games without fans? This is supposed to be kids having fun playing a game right? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: Don Collins - Retired Educator The Seattle School District recently took the bold step to sue social media app creators for contributing to the mental health crisis facing teens. Is this a cynical chess move to draw attention to the need for more mental health support in public education, or is it a legitimate attempt to hold content creators accountable for their impact on our youth? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guests: Sgt. Garrick Nugent and Det. Steve Dickinson There is a tremendous amount of data about the negative impact of cell phones on the mental health of our kids. But there are hidden dangers in devices that kids and parents sometimes overlook. Every post, every picture, every comment can expose students to a dark world that can have lasting consequences. When we share our private lives, they are no longer private, and there are cruel individuals waiting to take advantage of our vulnerabilities. On this episode, two veteran San Diego police officers share their insights on the dangers our kids face as they document and share their most intimate thoughts and moments. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Guest: David Jaffe - Principal, Vista High School What is the role of a high school? High schools used to be focused on preparing kids to leave the house and start their adult lives. Now, high schools are buried under the weight of expectations around college acceptance, mental health, and increasingly individualized learning paths. In this episode I talk to David Jaffe, a veteran principal with experience at all levels of education, about the changing role of high schools, and what the future might hold. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message

Don Collins returns to the podcast to talk about what makes a school site such a special place.  Just like in our own families, the dynamics of the stakeholder relationships help shape us all as people. In recent years, schools have become an even more important element in our lives, and we find ourselves relying on schools the same way we rely on our families. But how do you create that “school family?” Guest: Don Collins - Retired Educator --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rob-coppo/message