DA Podcasts

Asking Better Questions: Alena Zachery-Ross

"People support what they help create," is one of Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross's favorite leadership phrases. It's how she describes Ypsilanti Community Schools' efforts to elevate student voice and engage learners across grade levels in AI adoption and other new initiatives.

"Built Differently": Bill Runey

Superintendent Bill Runey shares how he reshaped leadership at the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District—and how the relationships you invest in carry you through your hardest moments.

Good Lesson: How to make the transition to head strategist

Edward Aldarelli said the biggest transition he made when he moved up from principal to take the helm of Edison Township Public Schools was becoming the New Jersey's district "head visionary."

Active Shooter: The 5 P's of School Safety in an Era of Increasing Violence

In the wake of recent tragic school violence incidents in Colorado and Minnesota, K-12 administrators and district leaders face an urgent imperative: ensuring their emergency response plans and protocols are up to the task of protecting students and staff. This timely podcast revisits and expands upon critical school safety strategies from the “5 P’s” methodology (Planning, Process, Protocol, Practice, Prevention), a comprehensive framework for school safety preparedness that transforms theoretical safety plans into life-saving action. What You’ll Learn – The 5 P’s Framework: 1. Planning: How to identify and prioritize vulnerabilities in your current safety infrastructure 2. Process: Developing clear, actionable emergency procedures that work under pressure 3. Protocol: Implementing effective lockdown plans and communication systems 4. Practice: Conducting trauma-informed drills that build confidence without causing harm 5. Prevention: Establishing proactive threat assessment and early intervention strategies When an emergency strikes, there is no time for confusion. The goal is to build muscle memory, so staff and students know exactly what to do without hesitation – from identifying vulnerabilities to implementing lockdown plans that actually work under pressure.    Podcast Guests  Ron Shaffer  Industry Solutions Leader, Education  Salto  r.shaffer@saltosystems.com [r.shaffer@saltosystems.com]

Planning with Purpose: Investing in the Future of Your Schools

When it comes to creating safe, sustainable, and student-ready schools, capital planning is more than a financial task—it's a leadership priority.  In this podcast, experts in the field will explore why capital planning is foundational for K–12 success, especially as districts face aging infrastructure, evolving learning environments and the spaces that support them, and the need for more stakeholder support. Hear from experts as they explain how capital plans can secure investments from the community and create a culture of strategic thinking, and how district leaders can obtain accurate facilities data to make sound financial decisions—contributing to a healthy and well-maintained learning environment for students.    Key Takeaways  * Why capital planning is more than just addressing the worst items first  * The role capital planning has on stakeholder buy and investments  * The ROI of well-executed capital plans  * How to collect and manage accurate facilities data  * How district leaders use facilities data to make financially feasible decisions on facilities maintenance and stewardship    Speakers Caroline Johnson Wade, Senior Director, Sales, Gordian  ca.johnson@gordian.com [ca.johnson@gordian.com]   Chad Hancock, Associate Director, Planning Services Department, Gordian  c.hancock@gordian.com [c.hancock@gordian.com]     To learn more about Gordian's capital planning solutions for K-12, visit our website [https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.gordian.com_solutions_industry_k-2D12_-3Futm-5Fcampaign-3D25-2D06-2Dk12-2Dmc-2Dintegrated-2Dfacilities-2Dsolution-2Dgor-2Dcmp-26utm-5Fmedium-3Dreferral-26utm-5Fsource-3D3rd-2Dparty-26utm-5Fcontent-3Ddistrictadmin-2D2025-2Dpodcast-2Dk12-2Dpage&d=DwMGaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=8EP9HUqfCW-p9t99J7VL6l1OI6F8S2fig9XdnJ_h4d8&m=qZv95cnOjMbyozo2f_P4SITE-G0WfTqbE30m7lkns6zGgMMLk2keiqZ2Z_dPB2Sb&s=I9YfME4e1mQZQqx8ixALmo2ymOo_FfAf5JZGHPRHVFw&e=] or contact us [https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.gordian.com_contact-2Dus_-3Futm-5Fcampaign-3D25-2D06-2Dk12-2Dmc-2Dintegrated-2Dfacilities-2Dsolution-2Dgor-2Dcmp-26utm-5Fmedium-3Dreferral-26utm-5Fsource-3D3rd-2Dparty-26utm-5Fcontent-3Ddistrictadmin-2D2025-2Dpodcast-2Dcontact-2Dus&d=DwMGaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=8EP9HUqfCW-p9t99J7VL6l1OI6F8S2fig9XdnJ_h4d8&m=qZv95cnOjMbyozo2f_P4SITE-G0WfTqbE30m7lkns6zGgMMLk2keiqZ2Z_dPB2Sb&s=IkgEmpO8jiOXVn099IYlrnQHyBwJtV9Na102zlI_rgQ&e=].