The CharacterStrong Podcast

16:52

Top 6 of 2025: Systems Over Goals: Building Belonging...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/01/02

Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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21:14

Top 6 of 2025: Doubling Tier 1 Usage: Building...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/01/02

Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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17:50

Top 6 of 2025: Relational Strategies That Strengthen...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/26

Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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06:09

Top 6 of 2025: The Power of Presence in a Rushed...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/26

Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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22:22

Top 6 of 2025: Don't Forget These Learners: Practical...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/26

Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote Today! Learn more about CharacterStrong Implementation Support Visit the CharacterStrong Website

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23:20

Balancing High Accountability with High Support for...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/19

Today our guest is Chris Fore, Principal at Mojave High School, in Hesperia, CA. We talk with Chris about why it is important and how it is guiding his work everyday. He shares how creating high-accountability meetings with parents and teachers led to a nearly 60% reduction in failure rates. Chris also highlights the impact that "flipping the script" on parent communication has as he has celebrated individual student wins with positive phone calls home. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access

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22:28

Practical Strategies for Building Teacher Buy-In at...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/12

Today our guests are Assistant Principal Crystal Keck & Humanities Instructional Coach Wendy Uzzle from Bowie High School in Austin, TX. We talk about the unique challenges and solutions for implementing CharacterStrong at the high school level. Crystal & Wendy share how they utilized a "soft launch" approach and adjusted their schedule from 3rd period to advisory based on honest student feedback. They also highlight practical strategies for increasing teacher confidence, including creating a

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17:19

Increasing Attendance and Belonging by Flipping the...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/12/05

Today our guest is Leandra Torra, Social Emotional Learning and Trauma Informed Care Manager at Jefferson County Public Schools. We talk with Leandra about an innovative approach to Tier 2 support that solves capacity issues by partnering elementary schools with neighboring high school student mentors. She shares how this student-led model helped younger students "graduate" from support groups while significantly improving attendance and belonging. She highlights the necessity of a strong Tier 1

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04:32

The Power of the Post-It Note: A Simple Connection...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/11/28

On today's episode CharacterStrong Co-Founder John Norlin talks about the "Power of the Post-It Note," a simple strategy to build connection with students. He shares practical ways to use written notes for compliments, questions, or behavioral pre-corrections during class. He highlights how small, low-cost investments of time can leave a lasting legacy for students. Click here to subscribe to the CS Weekly Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE MTSS Curriculum Samples Request a Quote

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20:21

Creating a District Timeline That Aligns Character...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/11/21

Today our guests are Yvonne Culver, Director of School Counseling and Student Wellness, and Stephanie Hammond, Coordinator for School Counselors at Akron Public Schools. We talk about how they moved beyond "posters on the wall" by creating a district timeline that aligns life skills with academic pacing guides. They share how they engaged content teachers to build practical toolkits that integrate character development into daily lessons without adding more work. They highlight the critical need for

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22:34

Implementation That Sticks: Coaching, Champions, and...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/11/14

Today our guest is Krystal Colhoff - Director of MTSS at Austin ISD. Krystal shares how a large, urban district strengthened implementation not through top-down directives, but by elevating campus leaders and letting momentum build from the ground up. She explains how a "soft launch" created space for early adopters to innovate, how campus highlights sparked organic buy-in across 116 schools, and how monthly champions meetings and usage data now guide coaching and support. Krystal also highlights

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19:42

Tier 2 in Action: Helping Counselors Build Skills,...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/11/07

Today our guest is Michelle DePuy, Secondary Ed. Program Specialist at Redlands Unified School District. We talk to Michelle about how her district is strengthening Tier 2 systems by focusing on both mindset and skill-building with secondary counselors. She shares how creating small-group structures, using consistent data from youth-needs screeners, and providing real coaching on implementation fidelity have helped staff move from uncertainty to confidence. Michelle also discusses early results:

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21:06

Doubling Tier 1 Usage: Building Stronger Classrooms...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/10/31

Today our guests are Amy Fairchild & Crystal Hooper, District SEL Coaches in Tangipahoa Parish, LA. We talk to Amy and Crystal about how their district doubled Tier 1 usage in one year and what that growth has meant for students and staff. Amy and Crystal share practical ways they've woven daily character lessons and relational activities into the fabric of every classroom, how competition between schools sparked momentum, and why teacher wellbeing rose alongside student outcomes. They also

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17:33

Making It Stick: Districtwide Character Education...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/10/24

Today our guest is Grant Wilson, Coordinator of Counseling Services at Plano ISD in Texas. We talk to Grant about how his district is creating consistency and connection through a districtwide character trait of the month tied directly to their community created Code of Civility. He shares how uniting teachers and counselors around shared themes, like kindness, empathy, and responsibility, has reduced behavior referrals, built stronger school cultures, and connected classroom lessons to real

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19:26

From Healthcare to Hallways: Rethinking Mental Health...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/10/17

Today our guest is Dr. Ryan Sherman, Director of Wellness at Medway Public Schools in Medway, Massachusetts. We talk to Dr. Sherman about how his healthcare background is helping schools rethink what student wellness means, and how he is helping to modernize MTSS. He shares how Medway added a fourth tier of support that brings mental health care directly into schools through care coordination, in-school outpatient services, and telehealth partnerships. Dr. Sherman also unpacks the mindset shift from

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26:14

The Power of a Fist Bump: Creating a Place Where...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/10/10

Today our guest is Zac Bauermaster the Principal at Providence Elementary School in New Providence, PA. Zac went viral after a hallway video of his daily high fives and fist bumps reached millions, but what’s even more powerful is the culture behind it. We talk to Zac about how he’s creating a school where students and staff want to be, not have to be. He shares how simple daily rituals like “Fist Bump Fridays” (every day), greeting at arrival and dismissal, quick classroom hellos, hallway presence,

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22:03

Don’t Forget These Learners: Practical Adaptations...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/10/03

Today our guest is Sara Nussman a School Counselor at Stoner-Thomas School. We talk to Sarah about how she adapts CharacterStrong lessons for students with cognitive and communicative deficits. She shares how nonverbal strategies like body language build relationships, and how visual trait boards, consistent routines, and monthly social narratives make abstract concepts like respect concrete and accessible. Sarah also highlights the impact on student independence and confidence, and reminds us not

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25:47

Systems, Not Slogans: Building a Culture of Care &...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/09/26

Today our guest is Erica Fener-Sitkoff the Chief Clinical Officer at FullBloom. We talk to Erica talk about why student mental health belongs at the center of school success. She shares a practical frame for Tier 1–Tier 3 supports, why universal wellbeing skills (like gratitude, check-ins, and regulation) make Tier 2 and Tier 3 more effective, and how helping teachers, counselors, and staff, protects everyone’s capacity. Erica also highlights how Georgia is investing in school safety and mental

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24:11

From Data to Care: Coaching That Strengthens...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/09/19

Today our guests are Abby Master, Co-Founder of EmpowerU & Tiffany Brown a Licensed School Counselor and Lead Coach with EmpowerU. We talk to Abby & Tiffany about The Power of 1:1 Coaching to Transform Student Mental Health. They share how one-to-one, asynchronous coaching expands Tier 2 capacity, strengthens counselor-student relationships, and helps subclinical students build real resilience. Abby & Tiffany explain how students take quick lessons, get personalized coach feedback, and set their own

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22:48

Simple Systems, Lasting Impact: Character Through...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2025/09/12

Today our guest is Meg Boyd the Principal at Edgewood Elementary. Meg shares how her school uses morning announcements to keep a daily focus on character in every classroom. From “Motivation Monday” to “Fun with Words Friday,” each day carries a theme that unites students and staff while strengthening school culture. What began during COVID as simple voice-over slides has grown into a consistent, schoolwide practice that proves connection doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful. With student

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