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

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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

Spotlight 4 Success | "Meeting Students Where They Are" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/19/2025

What happens when passionate educators break free from traditional systems to create the schools they've always envisioned? Terra Gallagher's journey from frustrated parent and teacher to founder of the thriving Field of Vision Academy in Arizona reveals the transformative power of educational innovation. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Stuffed Animals to Silicon Valley" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/19/2025

What happens when a dedicated classroom teacher decides to expand her impact through educational technology? Stephanie Ranieri's story offers a compelling glimpse into the evolving landscape of education careers and the diverse paths educators can take to influence learning. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Small Groups, Big Impact" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/18/2025

Born to teach. That's the phrase that comes to mind when listening to Tanara Livingston's remarkable story. Speaking from the bustling ASCD, ISTE conference in San Antonio, this Title I facilitator from Mobile County Training Middle School reveals she began her teaching career at just ten years old—running a paid tutoring program for younger children in her neighborhood. Fourteen years into her professional teaching career, that same entrepreneurial spirit and natural aptitude for education continues to define her approach. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "Teaching Tech and Podcasting with Richard Curtis" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/18/2025

Meet Richard Curtis, a passionate educator who transformed his background in news and radio broadcasting into a 15-year teaching career at Lancaster High School. In this enlightening conversation, Richard shares how his industry experience perfectly positioned him to teach digital media and emerging technologies to today's students. Website: spotlight4success.com

Spotlight 4 Success | "The Continuous Learning Mindset" | ISTE + ASCD 2025

8/14/2025

What keeps teachers motivated when the days get long? How does teacher enthusiasm directly impact student engagement? These questions take center stage as we sit down with Caitlin Alonso, a passionate educator from St. John Birchman School in the San Antonio Archdiocese. Website: spotlight4success.com

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