The Table | The Deans' Roundtable Podcast Series

Bridget Johnson
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Dive into the world of K-12 education leadership with The Table Podcast Series. Host Bridget Johnson, a veteran educator with 20+ years of experience, brings you insightful conversations on innovation and best practices in student life. Each episode features thought-provoking discussions with top educators, administrators, and industry experts. We tackle pressing challenges in modern education, from crisis management to building inclusive communities, offering strategies that shape the future of learning. Whether you're a seasoned administrator or an aspiring leader, you'll gain: -Practical advice for navigating complex educational environments -Innovative approaches to student life management -Insights on creating impactful, resilient learning spaces Join us as we explore cutting-edge ideas and time-tested wisdom to help you excel in your educational leadership journey. Subscribe now and transform your approach to K-12 education! #EducationLeadership #K12Innovation #StudentLife

  1. Student Wellbeing Crisis: What Schools Get Wrong | Dr. Denise Pope

    1D AGO

    Student Wellbeing Crisis: What Schools Get Wrong | Dr. Denise Pope

    Student Wellbeing Crisis: What Schools Get Wrong | Dr. Denise Pope Are today's students more successful—or more overwhelmed than ever? In this episode, Bridget Johnson sits down with Dr. Denise Pope, Senior Lecturer at Stanford and co-founder of Challenge Success, to explore what decades of research reveal about student stress, belonging, and engagement. Drawing from data on over 350,000 students, Dr. Pope explains why so many kids are "doing school" instead of truly learning—and how over-scheduling, academic pressure, and misaligned incentives are driving a growing wellbeing crisis. They also explore a surprising connection: how the rise of AI is exposing deeper questions about the purpose of school and what meaningful learning actually looks like.     In this episode, you'll learn: Why so many students feel disengaged—even at top schools The real impact of over-scheduling on student wellbeing How to apply the PDF framework (Playtime, Downtime, Family Time) What belonging actually requires—and why schools often miss it How AI is forcing schools to rethink learning, assessment, and purpose Featured Guest: Dr. Denise Pope is a Senior Lecturer at Stanford's Graduate School of Education and co-founder of Challenge Success, a school reform nonprofit using research-based strategies to improve student wellbeing and engagement. She is the author of Doing School and Overloaded and Underprepared, and a three-time recipient of Stanford's Outstanding Teacher and Mentor Award. Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    47 min
  2. Why Schools Are Getting AI Wrong (And What It's Costing Students) with Sarah Hanawald

    APR 13

    Why Schools Are Getting AI Wrong (And What It's Costing Students) with Sarah Hanawald

    Why Schools Are Getting AI Wrong (And What It's Costing Students) with Sarah Hanawald Why are so many educators resisting generative AI—and what's at risk if they do? In this episode, Bridget Johnson sits down with Sarah Hanawald, Executive Director of the Association for Academic Leaders, to explore one of the biggest challenges facing schools today: how to lead in an AI-driven world. While students rapidly adopt AI tools, many schools remain stuck reacting—adding policies instead of building strategy. This conversation unpacks why that resistance exists, why it's understandable, and why it can't continue. Together, they explore: The real root of educator hesitation (hint: it's identity, not fear) What students lose when adults opt out of AI leadership How to use AI as a thought partner—not just a productivity tool Practical ways academic leaders can create space for faculty to engage Why independent schools have a unique opportunity to lead Sarah also shares how school leaders can move from avoidance to confident, responsible AI integration—and offers a simple challenge you can try today. Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deans-roundtable Email: bridget@deansroundtable.org Association for Academic Leaders: https://academicleaders.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    37 min
  3. Raising Kids Who Belong: Home & School Strategies | Peyten Williams

    APR 6

    Raising Kids Who Belong: Home & School Strategies | Peyten Williams

    Raising Kids Who Belong: Home & School Strategies | Peyten Williams What if every behavior challenge your students or children throw at you is actually a belonging signal in disguise? In this episode of The Table Podcast Series, Bridget Johnson sits down with Peyten Williams — founder of BowBend Consulting and 16-year educator — to explore the brain science behind belonging and what it practically takes to raise children who truly know they matter. Peyten brings together Positive Discipline frameworks, Alfred Adler's theory of human behavior, and restorative practices to offer a paradigm shift for both educators and parents: when we stop reacting to behavior and start reading it as a call for belonging and significance, everything changes. From classroom seating hacks that eliminate cliques to weekly family meetings that build connection, this episode is rich with specific, actionable strategies you can use this week. In this episode, you'll learn: How brain science and Maslow's hierarchy explain why belonging is a prerequisite for student learning How to decode misbehavior as a belonging or significance signal — and what to do instead of punishing it Why the parent-educator relationship breaks down and the one mindset shift that repairs it How restorative practices restore not just the student, but the whole family The "strong and kind adult" framework and practical tools for both parents and educators Featured Guest: Peyten Williams is the founder of BowBend Consulting and a former Director of Teaching & Learning at Westminster Schools in Atlanta with 16 years of experience. Her research-backed work bridges the gap between classroom and home, equipping parents and educators to raise thriving, grounded children who belong. Resources mentioned: The Art of Gathering (Priya Parker) Never Enough (Jennifer Breheny Wallace) Thanks for the Feedback (Stone & Heen) Positive Discipline Mistaken Goals Chart Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    41 min
  4. Stop Your Brain From Sabotaging Your School | Mitch Weisburgh

    MAR 30

    Stop Your Brain From Sabotaging Your School | Mitch Weisburgh

    Stop Your Brain From Sabotaging Your School | Mitch Weisburgh What if the biggest obstacle in your school isn't budget cuts, student behavior, or the system — but the way your own brain responds to stress? In this episode of The Table Podcast Series, Bridget Johnson is joined by educator and MindShifting founder Mitch Weisburgh to unpack why our survival brains hijack our best leadership instincts, and how school professionals can learn to shift into resourcefulness, resilience, and real collaboration. This is a conversation that meets educators where they are — burned out, stretched thin, and questioning whether they can keep going — and offers something more useful than a pep talk. Mitch brings the science of how the brain works under pressure into direct conversation with the realities of school life, from managing classroom conflict to building team culture to supporting students' social-emotional growth. He shares why conflict, approached correctly, actually produces better outcomes, and how school leaders can create "islands of coherence" that gradually transform an entire institution. In this episode, you'll learn: How to recognize when your survival brain is running the show — before it costs you a relationship or a teachable moment A practical three-pillar framework (Resourcefulness, Resilience, Collaboration) you can begin using today Three evidence-based tools — strength-based feedback, motivational interviewing, and nonviolent communication — that build inclusive classrooms Why supporting adult educators first is the key to better student outcomes How to make meaningful change in your school without waiting for systemic reform Featured Guest: Mitch Weisburgh is an educator, author, and founder of the MindShifting Community who has been teaching MindShifting and Sensemaking to educators since 2018. He is the author of MindShifting: Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success (December 2024) and MindShifting: Conflict and Collaboration (December 2025), and writes a weekly newsletter on inspiring the mind to learn and grow. A lifelong entrepreneur in education, Mitch previously founded Personal Computer Learning Centers of America, cofounded Academic Business Advisors, and launched nonprofits including Games4Ed and Edchat Interactive. Connect with Mitch at https://www.mindshiftingwithmitch.com/. Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    45 min
  5. Trusted Adults & Healthy Boundaries: Sustainable Student Relationships

    MAR 9

    Trusted Adults & Healthy Boundaries: Sustainable Student Relationships

    Trusted Adults & Healthy Boundaries: Sustainable Student Relationships What does it actually mean to be a trusted adult — and are you doing it in a way that's sustainable? In this episode of The Table Podcast Series, host Bridget Johnson sits down with Dr. Brooklyn Raney to explore the real cost of blurred boundaries in schools and what it takes to build authentic student connections without burning out. Dr. Raney brings both personal experience and rigorous doctoral research on teacher-student care to the conversation. Drawing from the newly released second edition of One Trusted Adult, she introduces her ABCs framework — Accessible, Boundaried, and Caring — as a practical lens for student life professionals navigating the impossible standard of being everything for everyone. Together, Bridget and Brooklyn tackle the warning signs of boundary drift, why students themselves identify oversharing as a top trust-breaker, and how building a culture of trusted adults is fundamentally a team effort. In this episode, you'll learn: Why trust actually requires boundaries — and how to communicate them without pushing students away The 3 most common boundary blurs that erode student trust (backed by student focus groups) How the ABCs framework — Accessible, Boundaried, Caring — protects both students and educators Why prioritizing likeability over authentic connection is the #1 mistake student life professionals make A practical ABC self-assessment you can use this week to reset unsustainable patterns Featured Guest: Dr. Brooklyn Raney is a leadership researcher, speaker, and author whose doctoral work focused on the ethics of care in schools. She is the creator of the One Trusted Adult framework and the author of the newly released second edition of One Trusted Adult: How to Build Strong Connections and Healthy Boundaries with Young People — a research-backed guide used by schools and youth-serving organizations to build cultures where every student has a trusted adult in their corner. Recommended Resources: One Trusted Adult (2nd edition) — available everywhere books are sold Free resources, courses, advisory programs & the "Too Loose, Too Rigid, Just Right" quiz: https://onetrustedadult.com Student Life Assessment Program: https://deansroundtable.org/k-12-student-life-assessment-program-independent-school-evaluation/ Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    46 min
  6. Sustainable School Leadership: Escape Heroic Mode with Kalimah Fergus Ayele

    MAR 2

    Sustainable School Leadership: Escape Heroic Mode with Kalimah Fergus Ayele

    Sustainable School Leadership: Escape Heroic Mode with Kalimah Fergus-Ayele Is your school running on systems — or running on you? If things stall the moment you're out of the building, this episode is essential listening. Host Bridget Johnson sits down with Kalimah Fergus Ayele, Author of Roundtrip Ticket Home, to tackle one of the most urgent challenges in school leadership: breaking free from the heroic leadership trap before burnout breaks you first. Kalimah brings her Leadership Infrastructure System (LIS) framework — rooted in design thinking — to show how schools can replace fragile, person-dependent operations with distributed structures that empower every team member. Together, Bridget and Kalimah explore practical tools including the TPR role audit, the RRS Framework (Reflect, Reset, Systemize), and the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi as a model for imperfect, courageous leadership innovation. In this episode, you'll learn: How to identify whether your school has a "single plane of failure" problem The step-by-step RRS friction audit you can apply immediately this week Why clarity around roles — not more effort — is the real antidote to leadership burnout How to introduce systemic change gradually without triggering team resistance What sustainable leadership actually looks, feels, and functions like day-to-day Featured Guest: Kalimah Fergus-Ayele is the Founder and CEO of Roundtrip Ticket Home, an organization that uses design thinking to help school leadership teams build sustainable infrastructure systems. A NAIS presenter and seasoned educational consultant, Kalimah helps leaders stop being the hero holding everything together — and start building schools that thrive without them. Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Table Podcast Series: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    42 min
  7. Leading From the Middle: Navigate Up, Down & Across | Meredith Herrera

    FEB 23

    Leading From the Middle: Navigate Up, Down & Across | Meredith Herrera

    Leading From the Middle: Navigate Up, Down & Across | Meredith Herrera Are you the connective tissue of your school — leading in every direction at once, without the authority to match your responsibility? This episode is your roadmap. In Episode 46 of The Table Podcast Series, host Bridget Johnson is joined by Board-Certified executive coach Meredith Herrera for a deeply practical conversation on leading from the middle. Together they unpack how to navigate upward to senior leadership without losing your footing, manage and develop the teams beneath you without sacrificing trust, and build lateral influence across departments without positional power. Meredith also names what's rarely said out loud: the compounded burden that women, BIPOC, and neurodivergent leaders carry in middle management roles — and the unique strengths they bring. In this episode, you'll learn: How to make your proposals an "easy yes" for senior leadership by presenting strong process — not just perfect ideas Why middle leaders struggle at the handoff — and the relationship-building habits that prevent it How to shift from being liked to being trusted when leading your team, especially former peers The three grounding questions that help leaders focus on influence instead of control A practical power mapping activity to help you find your sphere of influence when you feel stuck Featured Guest: Meredith Herrera is a Board-Certified executive coach with nearly 20 years of senior leadership experience in schools and mission-driven organizations. She specializes in coaching historically marginalized leaders — including women, BIPOC, and neurodivergent leaders — through one-on-one coaching, group programs, and team consulting. Connect with her at MHerreraConsulting.com or on LinkedIn. Recommended Resources: MHerreraConsulting.com | LinkedIn: Meredith Herrera Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org

    52 min
  8. Father Engagement in Schools: Beyond Sports with Kelin Mark Sr. & Bro. Thomas X-Williams

    FEB 16

    Father Engagement in Schools: Beyond Sports with Kelin Mark Sr. & Bro. Thomas X-Williams

    Father Engagement in Schools: Beyond Sports with Kelin Mark Sr. & Bro. Thomas X-Williams Are fathers truly engaged in their children's education, or are they only showing up for sports? This groundbreaking conversation challenges school leaders to rethink father involvement and activate dads as powerful academic partners. Kelin Mark Sr., the first Black male principal in both Wayne Township School District and Park Tudor School, shares the personal experiences that led him to create the DADS program after discovering schools systematically overlooked him despite his active involvement in his son's life. Brother Thomas X-Williams, co-founder of Love and Light Ministry, Inc., reveals how father absence impacts student ambition, showing how young people shift from dreams of becoming physicists and astronauts to limiting themselves to athletics when meaningful dad engagement declines from elementary through high school. In this episode, you'll learn: Why schools default to calling mothers even when fathers are actively involved and available How one engaged father creates a ripple effect supporting not just their child but entire peer groups Practical strategies for creating welcoming school environments where fathers feel valued in academic spaces The connection between visible Black male presence in schools and strengthening the educator pipeline Why moving beyond mentorship programs to root-level father involvement transforms student outcomes Featured Guests: Kelin Mark Sr. is Middle School Director at Park Tudor School, recognized with the MG Raby Award for Equity and the Jefferson Award for Multiplying Good for his groundbreaking DADS program helping fathers take active roles in education. Bro. Thomas X-Williams is a national speaker, youth education advocate, and author of "Mountain Mover: The Impeccable Strength That Will Accompany Your Character," dedicated to empowering young Black males through character development and academic resilience. Recommended Resources: Mountain Mover: The Impeccable Strength That Will Accompany Your Character by Bro. Thomas X-Williams Love and Light Ministry, Inc. Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/ Email: info@deansroundtable.org The Dean's Roundtable: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.

    53 min
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About

Dive into the world of K-12 education leadership with The Table Podcast Series. Host Bridget Johnson, a veteran educator with 20+ years of experience, brings you insightful conversations on innovation and best practices in student life. Each episode features thought-provoking discussions with top educators, administrators, and industry experts. We tackle pressing challenges in modern education, from crisis management to building inclusive communities, offering strategies that shape the future of learning. Whether you're a seasoned administrator or an aspiring leader, you'll gain: -Practical advice for navigating complex educational environments -Innovative approaches to student life management -Insights on creating impactful, resilient learning spaces Join us as we explore cutting-edge ideas and time-tested wisdom to help you excel in your educational leadership journey. Subscribe now and transform your approach to K-12 education! #EducationLeadership #K12Innovation #StudentLife

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