CASDA EdCasts CASDA

This episode of CASDA's "Everything Education" podcast features Dr. Daina Sisk, Director of Secondary Special Education in the Ballston Spa Central School District discussing how districts can ensure their Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS-I) are aligned to support student needs above all else. Drawing upon her doctoral research and her deep experience, Dr. Sisk offers both thoughtful insights that can guide both district planning and educator practice.

In this special EdCast Eudora Brennan, a Senior at Chatham High School joins CASDA Executive Director Dr. Michael Piccirillo and Damonni Farley, Founder and CEO of Common Thread Consultants. Eudora shares her perspective on leadership, the power of student voice and the work of Chatham's DEI Club to build a more inclusive and equitable school environment. 

In this episode, Tracy Sangaré and Michele Sano, co-teachers at Latham Ridge Elementary School in North Colonie explore the foundations of strong co-teaching partnerships. They highlight the importance of modeling respectful, caring relationships for students, the importance of authentic reflection in the planning process and how co-teaching has helped them grow as educators. 

In this CASDA EdCast, Oneida Students for Antiracism members LIza, Charles, and Royalty return for a follow up one year after our first conversation. The students describe some of the work they have undertaken in the past year and communicate clear ideas for change. The depth of their insight on a range of education and social issues shows the power of authentic student voice and makes it clear that they are true leaders in the effort to build more equitable and inclusive schools. 

In this CASDA EdCast, Sepideh Yasrebi, a Ph.D. Candidate at UAlbany's School of Education and English as a New Language Teacher in North Colonie Central Schools speaks with Jerome Steele about language and language learning as a social phenomenon. She offers an analysis of ENL theory and practice that centers students' histories, identities and context through a narrative centered framework that emphasizes the fact that language emerges from and reflects lived experience. 

In this episode, Dr. Piccirillo talks to Dave Torres, a CASDA consultant facilitating the Improving Student Attendance Series: Re-engaging Students in a Post-COVID World about strategies to support students and families in school attendance and engagement. Dave shares stories and perspective from his career working in the criminal justice system and as an attendance supervisor in Saratoga Springs City Schools. Throughout the episode, he emphasizes the need to meet families where they are, "remove the educator hat," and never give up on students.