The CharacterStrong Podcast

18:26

How Schools Can Build a Team-Based System for Getting...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/10/02

Today our guest is Alex Alvarado, co-founder and CEO of Daybreak Health, a school-based mental health company partnering with hundreds of K-12 districts to connect students with the care they need. Alex shares a three-part framework for how schools can build a team-based approach to turning a concern about a student into a real connection to care. He also explains why the answer to serving struggling students is not caring more, it is building better systems, and why closing the loop between

en

11:06

A Note of Hope for Every Educator in the Work - Chris...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/09/25

Today our guest is Chris Moore, Director of Behavioral Health at Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Chris shares a poem he wrote and delivered as a commencement address to a cohort of leaders, a piece that started as a love letter to leadership and became a ritual reminder of why educators show up, stay in it, and choose to keep going even when the work is hard. He also reflects on the importance of building space for reflection into the daily and long-term rhythms of leadership, and why giving ourselves

en

18:48

Lifted to Lead: A Framework for Leaders Who Put...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/09/18

Today our guest is Dr. Stefan Bean, Orange County's 12th Superintendent of Schools and author of Lifted to Lead. Dr. Bean shares the LIFTED framework, a practical leadership model built around the idea that a leader's job is not to be first up the ladder but to hold it steady so others can climb. He also explains why listening is the foundation everything else in the framework depends on, and how leaders at every level can build real systems for gathering input from the people most affected by the

en

21:47

How One Principal Built a System for Gathering...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/09/11

Today our guest is Sonia Ruiz, Principal at Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook, Illinois and 2026 National Middle Level Principal of the Year. Sonia shares how her school built a system for gathering student voice that goes beyond surveys, turning what students share into concrete action, staff training, and a more inclusive school community. She also explains why collecting student voice only matters if it leads somewhere, and how her team uses what they hear to change systems, equip staff

en

27:12

Season 9 Kickoff: Cultivating the Soil Where Students...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/09/04

Today, John Norlin and Houston Kraft mark the launch of Season 9 of the CharacterStrong Podcast by digging into a framework that was unpacked this summer around what it actually takes to cultivate the conditions where students and adults can thrive. They also reflect on what nine seasons of conversations with educators have made clear, that the leaders who create lasting change share three consistent traits: they are passionate about the work, they build systems rather than chase goals, and they

en

18:49

How One District Got Their Suspension Rate Below 1%...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/08/28

Today our guest is Torrin Johnson, Executive Director of MTSS at Merced Union High School District in California. Torrin shares how his district built a Tier 2 support system from the ground up, what they got wrong at first, and how pairing trained intervention coordinators with explicit skill-based curriculum helped bring their suspension rate to below 1% across 11,000 students. He also explains why matching the right intervention to the right student need is the most important and most commonly

en

15:11

How Teaching Character Traits Gave One Teacher More...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/08/21

Today our guest is Angela Walle, a teacher at Geiger Montessori in Tacoma Public Schools and recipient of the Tacoma Public Schools Whole Child Champion Award. Angela shares how replacing classroom rules with explicitly taught character traits transformed her classroom from one of the most difficult she had ever managed to one where students described it as their safest place in school. She also explains how spending 30 minutes a day on character trait instruction gave her more instructional time,

en

05:59

Staff Chips: A Simple System for More Intentional ...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/08/14

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Staff Chips, a simple physical system that helps building administrators be more intentional about connecting with every member of their staff, not just the ones they naturally gravitate toward. He also explains why systems matter more than goals when it comes to relational work. Having the intention to connect more with staff is not enough. A concrete, repeatable process is what actually makes it happen consistently over time. In this conversation,

en

04:56

Deck of Destiny: A Two-Minute Strategy for Building...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/08/07

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called Deck of Destiny, a simple way to weave relationship-building into the daily fabric of the classroom without adding time to an already full schedule. Using a deck of cards connected to get-to-know questions, educators can create two-minute connection moments that are random, engaging, and easy to sustain. He also explains why the real barrier to relational work is rarely time and more often priority, and how reframing "I didn't have time" as "that

en

04:49

How One Phone Call Home Can Change a Family's...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/07/31

Today, host John Norlin shares a strategy called the Kid in the Middle, a simple, low-burden approach to recognizing the students who rarely get attention in either direction. By calling home to compliment a family member on a positive trait their child brings to the classroom, educators can make an impact that lasts far longer than they might expect. He also explains why this matters most for the students who never cause problems and never stand out. For many of their families, a positive call from

en

04:10

EMR: A Simple Reflection Strategy for More...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/07/24

Today, host John Norlin shares an evidence-based reflection strategy called EMR, developed by Dr. Clayton Cook. Using a simple roster exercise, educators categorize each student or staff member into one of three relationship phases: Establish, Maintain, or Restore, and then focus their energy where it is needed most. He also explains why this kind of intentional reflection matters. You cannot be all things to all people at once, but taking a few minutes to identify where each relationship stands

en

04:31

The Temperature Check: Three Questions That Help You...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/07/17

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical classroom check-in strategy called the Temperature Check. Using three simple questions at the start of class, educators can get a quick read on how students are actually doing before instruction begins, and act on what they learn. He also explains why that information matters beyond academic readiness. Knowing where students are emotionally on any given day gives educators the opportunity to respond, connect, and support students in ways that going straight

en

03:45

True Story Friday: A Low-Burden Strategy for Building...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/07/10

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple weekly strategy for helping students get to know the adults in their school: True Story Friday. By taking two to five minutes at the end of Friday to share a personal story, educators give students something they often want but rarely get, a real look at who their teacher actually is. He also explains how a little preparation goes a long way, having stories ready in advance, offering students a choice of topics, and even letting a story carry over to the

en

03:15

The Law of the Lid: Why the Energy in Your Room...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/07/03

Today, host John Norlin shares a leadership concept called The Law of the Lid, drawn from Dr. John Maxwell's work. The core idea is straightforward: as a leader, you cannot expect the people around you to bring more energy, effort, or authenticity to the room than you are willing to bring yourself. He also explains how this principle applies at every level of a school, from the classroom teacher setting the tone with students to the building administrator setting the tone with staff, and why the

en

04:32

The Student Becomes the Teacher: A Simple Strategy...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/06/26

Today, host John Norlin shares a simple strategy for connecting with students, even thought who may have been hard to reach: The Student Becomes the Teacher. By asking students what they could teach you, educators can gain personal insight that opens the door to genuine connection, often in less than three minutes. He also explains how a small investment of time outside the classroom, looking up something a student cares about, can change the entire dynamic of a relationship, and why that kind of

en

20:34

Lessons from the Bench: What Leaders Can Learn from...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/06/19

Today our guest is Brandon Bakke, assistant principal at Gig Harbor High School and author of Lessons from the Bench. Brandon shares the core ideas behind his new book, a nine-lesson framework for bench players and role players in any organization who want to understand how to contribute meaningfully to a team's success. He also explains why broadening the definition of success to include relationships, not just outcomes, gives role players a powerful and often overlooked way to contribute, and

en

21:21

How to Build Relational Capacity with Staff and...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/06/12

Today our guest is Derrick Lawson, co-executive director of CATLL and CASCD and a former principal at all three school levels. Derrick shares practical strategies for building relational capacity with staff and students at the start of the school year, and why the first days of school should be spent on connection, not content. He also explains how school leaders can build staff capacity for relationship-building by modeling connection activities, creating shared resources, and embedding brief

en

34:20

Episode 500 - Where Have We Been, Where Are We Now,...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/06/05

Today, John Norlin, Houston Kraft, and Lindsay Norlin mark a milestone: the 500th episode of the CharacterStrong Podcast. More than a celebration of numbers, this episode is a reflection on what 500 voices from educators across the country have taught the CharacterStrong team. and where the work is headed next. They also share an honest look at where education stands right now, why relationships remain the constant no matter what else is changing, and what it might look like for schools to move from

en

20:00

How Sharing Student Information Across Staff Improves...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/05/29

Today our guest is Steve Smith, CEO and co-founder of IntelliSpark. Steve shares how IntelliSpark helps educators get to know students as people — not just learners — by making it easier to capture, share, and act on student information across an entire school team in real time. He also explains how the platform addresses two persistent gaps in schools: the friction of sharing critical student information between educators, and the lack of just-in-time support for teachers who encounter a student

en

03:57

The Secondhand Compliment: How Indirect Recognition...

The CharacterStrong Podcast ·

2026/05/22

Today, host John Norlin shares a practical relationship-building strategy called the secondhand compliment — an intentional approach to recognizing students through another trusted adult, especially before a strong connection has been established. He also explains why indirect recognition can land more credibly with students who don't yet feel seen, and how this simple three-step practice fits into the broader work of intentionally building, maintaining, and restoring relationships with students. In

en

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Education Futures

Svenia Busson & Laurent Jolie

Out In The Hall

NHSA

Reading Teachers Lounge

Shannon Betts and Mary Saghafi