Spotlight 4 Success | "Six Sessions, One Mission" | NCMLE 2025

10/13/2025

If you’ve ever wondered how a single moment can reroute a life, Joe Pizzo’s story will stick with you. We caught up in sunny Charlotte at NCMLE, where Joe and his colleague Ken Pasic submitted six session ideas—and were shocked when all six were accepted. That win set the stage for a wide‑ranging talk about what really moves the needle for middle‑level learners: hearing great language, seeing caring adults model curiosity, and feeling safe enough to try. Website: https://www.spotlight4success.com/

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Spotlight 4 Success | "Seeds Before the Harvest" | NCMLE 2025

10/9/2025

A spark in a science lab. A brave ask for help in a lunchroom. A reminder from a keynote to keep planting seeds even when the harvest feels far away. This conversation from NCMLE in Charlotte brings the heartbeat of school to the surface as we sit down with eighth-grade science teacher and AVID educator Erin Burton and assistant principal Michelle Posley Lee from Southeastern Randolph Middle School. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Guardrails, Not Shortcuts" | GACIS 2025

10/6/2025

What if your classroom AI refused to write the paper—and taught students how to think instead? We sit down with Brittany Ordu from TrekAI at the Gacis conference in Athens, Georgia to unpack a teacher-built, student-centered platform that puts privacy, safety, and authentic learning first. Rather than handing out answers, TrekAI prompts learners to explore themes, gather evidence, and connect new ideas to what they already know, turning quick requests into moments of real understanding. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Inside Ferristown’s Playbook" | KY Cont. Improvement 2025

10/2/2025

Policy shifts don’t raise scores—people and routines do. From a busy hallway in Lexington, we sit down with Principal Angie Alexander of Ferristown Middle School to unpack how Kentucky’s new accountability pathway and the push for “vibrant learning” translate into daily wins for real students. Angie shares a grounded playbook: align resources to standards, make math engagement visible, and build relationships that keep students in the struggle long enough to learn something durable. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Teaching Roots & Student Growth" | KY Cont. Improvement 2025

10/1/2025

A partly cloudy day in Lexington turned bright when we met Leigh Allison from Garrison Elementary—a teacher facing her first year with an ELL student and embracing the challenge with heart and strategy. Lee opens up about the early spark that led her into teaching (yes, stuffed-animal classrooms), the power of feeling known at school, and why belonging is the foundation for any real academic climb. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Cloudy Skies & Clear Gains" | KY Cont. Improvement 2025

9/30/2025

Ever wonder what flips the switch from “I don’t get it” to “I can explain it”? We sit down with educator and leader Miranda Stockton in a bustling corridor at the Continuous Improvement Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, to trace how a college love for chemistry became a mission to make learning tangible. Miranda shares the moments that changed her practice—watching students light up during hands-on labs, designing tasks that demand explanation, and leaning into NGSS-style standards that reward application over memorization. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "The Principal Whisperer" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

9/3/2025

Ever wonder what happens when a lifelong educator with 18 years of principal experience decides to tackle the education system's biggest challenges? Dr. Zanthia "Dr. Z" Reddish brings her vibrant personality and practical expertise to this episode, sharing her mission to transform how we support educators across America. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Why Evidence Matters in EdTech" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/28/2025

Ever wondered how educational tools and programs are evaluated to ensure they actually work? Dr. Rachel Schechter, founder of UXD Research, pulls back the curtain on this fascinating process during her conversation with Devin Pintozzi on Spotlight for Success. Organizations: https://lxdresearch.com/decoding-research-review-organizations. How to get certified: https://lxdresearch.com/how-to-get-essa-certified Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Never Stop Learning" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/27/2025

What happens when a teacher returns to their own high school as an educator? Meet Janie Olivarri, who transformed from Pleasanton High School graduate to dedicated instructor with 26 years of experience in the same hallways where she once studied. Website: Spotlight 4 Success

Spotlight 4 Success | "Why Teachers Are Flocking to AI in 2025" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/25/2025

Ever wonder what drives someone to become a teacher in our technology-driven world? Krystin Pavey's story begins with stuffed animals as her first students at age three, and now she's at the forefront of educational technology integration at Dawes Intermediate School in Mobile County. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Global Education Meets Excellence" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/21/2025

How does a school transform from "satisfactory" to "good" in just four years? Sheldon Thomas, Jamaica's Principal of the Year for 2025, joins us from the ASCD ISTE Conference in San Antonio to share his remarkable leadership journey at Ferncourt High School. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Baby Steps to Big Confidence" | ISTE +ASCD 2025

8/20/2025

Discovering the heart of education through the eyes of a seasoned teacher turned instructional coach—that's what awaits you in this enlightening conversation with Amber DiSilvio from Northeast Elementary School in Clarksville, Tennessee. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "From Basement to Breakthrough" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/20/2025

A chance encounter on a train to Delhi changed everything for Manpreet Kaur. When a fellow passenger asked why she wasn't pursuing her dream of creating an educational platform for children, she made the bold decision to quit her job and return to her small hometown in Punjab, India. That decisive moment in 2017 sparked the creation of The Learner's Pathway, a comprehensive literacy program that's now thriving in Edmonton with over 30 students. Website: spotlight4success.com

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