GAEL UnscriptED

Georgia Association of Educational Leaders
  • 5.0 (3)
  • EDUCATION

GAEL UnscriptED, the podcast that goes beyond the headlines and handbooks to bring you unfiltered insights from Georgia’s top educational leaders, innovators, and changemakers. Hosted by Ben Wiggins, Executive Director of GAEL, this show dives deep into the challenges, opportunities, and unexpected twists that shape education today. From leadership strategies to policy discussions—and everything in between—GAEL UnscriptED is your go-to source for candid conversations that make an impact. No scripts. No fluff. Just real talk from those leading the way in Georgia’s schools.

  1. 5D AGO

    GAEL Unscripted S2:E10 | Cancel School? The Forecast says "You're Facebook Famous"! Part #2 with Mitch Young

    Ever wonder what really drives a snow day decision? We pull back the curtain with Superintendent Dr. Mitch Young to map the real playbook behind closures and delays—from scanning multiple forecast models to walking buildings at dawn and keeping a community’s economy in mind. The stakes go far beyond “school’s out”: buses must start, roads must be safe end to end, power has to hold for heat and meals, and nearly half the staff may be commuting from other counties facing different conditions. We share how a focused inner circle—safety, transportation, facilities, communications, and the chief of staff—meets in tight, frequent check‑ins, translating shifting data into clear choices. Relationships power the process: utility providers offer restoration timelines, the hospital flags workforce pinch points, county leadership and the sheriff align messaging, and neighboring superintendents compare conditions so families don’t get mixed signals across district lines. Instead of chasing social media’s clock, we commit to accuracy, a predictable communication order, and transparent reasoning, so principals, the board, staff, and families all know what’s happening and why. The toughest call might surprise you: reopening. Conditions rarely improve evenly; shaded hills and back roads can lag days behind. We talk through how to return the safe majority while directly supporting families on inaccessible routes with targeted communication and online options. You’ll also hear how our team captured lessons from a first-year storm into a simple SOP and a short explainer video, turning chaos into a repeatable process. If you care about student safety, instructional time, and a community that can plan with confidence, this candid breakdown will change how you see the next forecast. If this was helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend who leads in schools or local government, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find it.

    31 min

  2. MAR 10

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E9 | Leading Schools Starts With Trust with Mitch Young

    What does it take to lead 43 schools without losing the soul of each community? We brought in Superintendent Mitch Young of Forsyth County Schools to pull back the curtain on a playbook that trades micromanagement for trust, and slogans for a simple, living framework that people actually use. Mitch’s path from coach to teacher to principal to superintendent reveals a steady theme: leadership is coaching at scale. He explains how Forsyth’s leader profile—centered on relationships, effective communication with active listening, intentionality that avoids jumping to solutions, and growing leaders at every level—keeps the district coherent without stamping out local identity. We dig into why the principalship often feels like the “best job” in education, how to turn assistant principal tasks into real leadership reps, and why classified leaders in custodial, nutrition, transportation, and front offices are the hidden engines of culture. We also explore a counterintuitive hiring strategy: interview and develop principal candidates before roles open, then match strengths to schools for better fit and longer tenures. Mitch shares how the district resists top-down impulses by co-creating initiatives with school leaders, uses active listening to anticipate the consequences of decisions, and treats the tension between autonomy and brand as a healthy force that drives performance. The result is a district experience families recognize—clear expectations, consistent care, and leaders who multiply other leaders. If you’re building leadership capacity in any system—school, nonprofit, or business—you’ll leave with practical moves: define a few shared expectations, invest in every layer of staff, slow down to listen, and give real autonomy with clear checkpoints. Subscribe, share this episode with your team, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway so we can keep elevating the conversation.

    35 min

  3. MAR 2

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E8 | How Georgia 4-H Helps Kids Become Beyond Ready For Work And Life

    What happens when a trusted school partner meets a statewide youth movement with real pathways to growth? We sit down with Georgia 4-H leaders Melanie Biersmith and Mandy Marable, plus alumna Alyssa Haag, to trace how classroom access, summer camps, and student leadership create confident, capable young people across all 159 counties. From fifth-grade introductions to statewide conferences, we unpack the design behind 4-H: nurture sparks, connect youth with caring adults, and turn engagement into agency. You’ll hear how 4-H at the University of Georgia blends standards-aligned lessons with hands-on adventures, including the beloved Summer GAEL coastal program that gives families high-quality childcare and kids a living lab on Georgia’s shore. Alyssa’s journey—from freezing during an early speech to majoring in consumer economics at UGA—shows how judging teams, district project achievement, and camp counseling transform nerves into poise, and curiosity into a calling. We dig into agriculture as both Georgia’s number one industry and a powerful hook for life skills, demystifying careers from poultry science to environmental stewardship while shaping smarter consumers and advocates. Civic engagement runs through it all. Local service projects lead to teen leadership and a sea of green at the Capitol, where hundreds of 4-Hers learn how policy is made. We spotlight statewide camps and conferences that build independence, community, and direction, and we recognize the Georgia 4-H Foundation and honors like the Green Jacket and Friend of 4-H for sustaining excellence. Principals, parents, and district leaders will find practical ways to open the first door—say yes to your county 4-H agent and watch opportunities multiply. If this conversation sparks ideas for your school or family, share it with a colleague, subscribe for more stories that matter, and leave a quick review with your favorite 4-H memory or takeaway.

    31 min

  4. FEB 23

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E7 | Teach in the Peach

    Georgia wants teaching to be a first‑choice career, not a fallback—and we brought in the right guide to show how. We sit down with Selena Blakenship, veteran teacher, beloved principal, district HR leader, and now the voice behind Teach in the Peach, the statewide effort to recruit, support, and celebrate Georgia’s educators. From simplifying certification to elevating classroom stories, Selena shares a clear plan to fill vacancies, strengthen schools, and keep great teachers in the profession. We dig into the tools candidates actually need: a one‑stop website that maps steps for high school students, career changers, and out‑of‑state teachers; direct links to district HR pages and open roles; and resources for educators looking to move within Georgia. We also explore solutions that change the math on staffing—registered teacher apprenticeships that let people earn while they learn, pre‑apprentice pathways in high schools, and grow‑your‑own pipelines that lift paraprofessionals into hard‑to‑staff classrooms. Along the way, Selena shows why retention is the new recruitment, with induction and mentoring programs that push early‑career retention toward 85–90 percent. What sets Georgia apart is not only competitive pay and a strong retirement system, but a decade of aligned support from RESAs, districts, universities, and state leaders. We talk about the new Teacher Ambassador pilot amplifying positive teacher voices, Future Georgia Educator Days that spark interest early, and Educator Signing Day that honors commitments to teach. We also highlight a simple but powerful CTA: nominate an educator on the Teaching the Peach site so the state can broadcast more of the everyday impact happening in classrooms. If you care about teacher recruitment, school culture, and building a durable pipeline, you’ll find practical steps and fresh energy here. Listen, share with your HR team or principal group, and help us spread the word. Subscribe for more conversations with Georgia’s education leaders, and leave a review with one idea you’re taking back to your district.

    30 min

  5. FEB 15

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E6 | How Executive Coaching Transforms Georgia’s School Leaders

    Leadership feels different when someone is asking the right questions instead of handing you quick fixes. We sit down with co-directors Kerensa Wing and Rickey Edmond to unpack how executive coaching is reshaping growth for Georgia’s school leaders—principals, assistant principals, district directors, and superintendents—through a safe, structured, and goal-driven process that outperforms traditional mentoring. From the ground up, this statewide effort was built on research, storyboarding, and relentless feedback. Kerensa and Rickey explain how an advisory board of RESA directors, superintendents, universities, and GAEL affiliates helped refine the model, and why partnerships with the Georgia Department of Education and regional networks unlocked trust and access. You’ll hear how they selected coaches with growth mindsets, trained them with Engage to Learn, and standardized practice using the GROW model and the Grow Lab platform—anchoring every session in clear goals, data, and progress. We take you inside the engine room: how districts self-selected, why confidentiality is non-negotiable, and what the matching process looks like when analytics and human judgment produce a 98% fit. The conversation moves from structure to impact—ten sessions a year, flexible formats, Georgia Leads-aligned rubrics—and the real-world outcomes when leaders own their development. Whether you’re building a pipeline from teacher leader to AP, stabilizing a school through turnover, or seeking a sounding board as a superintendent, this episode shows how coaching turns reflection into results. If you believe “so goes leadership, so goes the organization,” you’ll find a playbook here for sustainable improvement and courageous growth. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads, and leave a review telling us the one question you wish someone would ask you right now.

    26 min

  6. FEB 9

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E5 | How Ag Education Changes Lives with Rachel Kinsual, Georgia TOTY

    What happens when a teacher treats a classroom like a launchpad? We sit down with Georgia’s Teacher of the Year to explore how agriculture education, FFA, and work-based learning give students real skills, real mentors, and real chances to lead. From the greenhouse to the state boardroom, this is a story about saying yes to hands-on learning and watching students grow into confident citizens. We trace her path from a farm upbringing and Wyoming ranch camp summers to a career that blends animal science, leadership, and entrepreneurship. She breaks down the ag education three-circle model—classroom instruction, FFA, and supervised agricultural experiences—and shows how each part feeds the others. You’ll hear how national FFA convention opens doors for 70,000 students, why a school livestock barn changes daily teaching, and how SAEs translate into paid work, portfolios, and national recognition. The highlight is a blueprint any school can adapt: a floral design program launched with $1,000 that now generates $60,000 through wreath classes, monthly subscriptions, weddings, and major events. Alongside that, a citywide service initiative sends hundreds of students to parks, nonprofits, and shelters in a single day, turning service hours into civic pride. We talk candidly about logistics, leadership that finds a way to say yes, and the moments when students transform their teacher—like the welder who found purpose in the shop and the alum who returned to design flowers during a family tragedy. We also pull back the curtain on her role with the State Board of Education, how funding and accountability connect, and why expanding CTAE and work-based learning drives equity across districts. Public education’s superpower is choice: AP, dual enrollment, IB, and technical pathways that help students discover what truly fits—and what doesn’t—before it costs time and tuition. If you care about career readiness, community partnerships, and programs that pay their own way, you’ll come away with practical ideas and fresh energy. Subscribe, share this episode with a colleague who dreams big for their students, and leave a review telling us the one hands-on project you’d launch first.

    35 min

  7. FEB 2

    GAEL UnscriptED S2:E4 | From Safety To Instruction: How Kloud-12 Transforms K-12 Teaching

    What if the same video that protects teachers also helps them teach better? We sit down with Kloud-12’s Brent Coleman and Kelly Martinez to unpack how classroom cameras and a modern intercom can turn daily practice into measurable growth while closing safety gaps that keep leaders up at night. Brent connects a decade in sports with a decade in schools to make a crisp point: film is how professionals improve. Kelly brings the classroom lens—how video reframed a student’s behavior and changed her support plan—showing why reflection beats guesswork. We get practical about adoption. Teachers set schedules, control recordings, and choose who can view—backed by transparent district policy that draws a hard line between coaching and evaluation. That clarity builds trust and speeds buy-in when paired with an easy workflow that drops videos straight into Google Drive or OneDrive. For leaders, the payoff lands on both pillars that matter most: safety and instruction. Real stories highlight the stakes, from resolving medical uncertainty during a seizure to disproving false accusations and streamlining discipline with facts instead of hearsay. Then we broaden the frame with Kloud-12’s More Voice Unity, an IP-based bells, paging, and intercom system built for K-12. Integrated with Syntegix, a crisis alert can surface the right classroom feed to responders and record office audio for post-event analysis, turning drills and incidents into data that improves the next response. We also explore scalable instructional wins: building libraries of best-practice lessons, supporting ESOL when staff are out, and sharing expertise across campuses. Because Kloud-12 designs and owns its hardware and software, districts get nimble updates, health checks that catch failures, and support led by former educators—plus a realistic timeline of roughly 90 days from purchase to live. If every coach uses film to win, schools can use it to learn. Subscribe, share with a colleague who cares about safety and PD, and leave a review telling us how your district would use classroom video to lift teaching and protect staff.

    40 min

  8. JAN 26

    GAEL UnscriptED: S2:E3 | TRS Part #2: Retirement Math That Actually Matters

    Ready to turn career choices into retirement confidence? We sat down with Georgia’s Teacher Retirement System leadership to decode the rules that matter most: how promotions interact with anti-spiking safeguards, why your highest 24 months drive your benefit, and when a June paycheck might outweigh an earlier COLA. We walk through clean, real-world scenarios so you can compare April 1, June 1, and July 1 retirements without guesswork—and understand the trade-offs. We also dive into the workforce challenge facing Georgia schools and the role TRS plays as both a recruitment magnet and a retention anchor. You’ll hear what an independent audit found about return-to-work programs, how new bills could expand opportunities without harming the fund, and what the average retiree’s path looks like before stepping back into the classroom. If you’ve wondered about the “25 years” headline, we set the record straight: eligibility to return is not a shortcut to full retirement. Two constants rise to the top: COLAs and security. Georgia’s long record of cost-of-living adjustments—prefunded through member contributions—helps retirees keep pace with inflation while driving billions into local economies. Just as important is protecting what you’ve earned. Only about half of members have current beneficiary information, and that gap has real consequences. We cover the quick fixes: log in annually, update beneficiaries, and turn on multi-factor authentication. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of leadership, community impact, and why professional networks like GAEL shape better decisions over an entire career. If this conversation helped you plan your next step, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review telling us the one question you still want answered. Your feedback shapes future episodes.

    51 min
See All (30)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

GAEL UnscriptED, the podcast that goes beyond the headlines and handbooks to bring you unfiltered insights from Georgia’s top educational leaders, innovators, and changemakers. Hosted by Ben Wiggins, Executive Director of GAEL, this show dives deep into the challenges, opportunities, and unexpected twists that shape education today. From leadership strategies to policy discussions—and everything in between—GAEL UnscriptED is your go-to source for candid conversations that make an impact. No scripts. No fluff. Just real talk from those leading the way in Georgia’s schools.

Information

  • Creator
    Georgia Association of Educational Leaders
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 GAEL UnscriptED
  • Show Website
    GAEL UnscriptED