Control+Shift+Lead: The Education Leadership Podcast

ForwardEd Network
ForwardEd Network
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Control+Shift+Lead is a podcast about leadership in education—for educators at every level, not just those with a title. Hosted by Jim Wichman and Adam Busch, the show explores the real decisions, tensions, relationships, and mindset shifts that shape leadership in today’s schools. From instructional leadership and school culture to decision-making, innovation, staff development, student experience, and organizational change, each episode focuses on what it actually takes to lead with clarity, intention, and agency. Control+Shift+Lead is built around honest conversations, practical ideas, and real-world experiences from educators who are doing the work. Some episodes feature guests. Others put Jim and Adam into the leadership questions schools are wrestling with right now. The show is for principals, assistant principals, district leaders, instructional coaches, aspiring administrators, teacher leaders, and educators who want to strengthen their impact from wherever they lead. TAKING CONTROL Moving beyond constant reaction and becoming more intentional about the decisions, systems, and priorities that shape your school. DRIVING THE SHIFT Challenging assumptions, navigating change, building stronger cultures, and helping people move forward together. LEADING WITH PRESENCE Strengthening relationships, listening well, building trust, and staying connected to the people behind the work. Because leadership in education is not simply a position. It is the way you influence people, shape conditions, make decisions, and help your organization move forward. Control+Shift+Lead is part of the ForwardEd Network: Advancing Voices, Shaping Education.

  1. Oct 19

    Student Behavior: What Actually Changed?

    Kids are different now. We hear it in schools all the time—but is it actually true? Adam Busch and Jim Wichman are joined by Jessica Cabeen and Meg Simon to wrestle with what's really changed about student behavior, attention, relationships, and the way schools respond to young people. Jessica offers a useful challenge: maybe the kids haven't changed as much as leaders need to change. From there, the conversation explores behavior as communication, the conditions adults create for students, changing expectations around compliance, and what today's students may be telling us about schools. The conversation also turns the question back on educators. If we're frustrated that students aren't responding the way they once did, are we adapting our practices—or expecting students to adapt to systems that haven't changed with them? What You'll Hear: Why behavior can be understood as a form of communicationHow adult-created conditions influence student behaviorWhat changing attention habits mean for schoolsThe difference between compliance and meaningful engagementWhy leaders may need to examine their own willingness to changeThe power of noticing students and making sure they know they matter Control Shift Lead is hosted by Adam Busch and Jim Wichman on the ForwardEd Network. Listen and follow Control Shift Lead: https://push.fm/fl/csl

  2. Oct 5

    Do Teachers Actually Want Autonomy?

    Teachers say they want autonomy. Leaders say they want to give it to them. So why does autonomy get complicated so quickly when someone makes a decision a leader doesn't agree with? In this conversation, Adam Busch and Jim Wichman are joined by Jill Urich and Kara Mitchell to wrestle with what meaningful autonomy actually looks like in schools. The discussion moves from the idea of a teacher's “sandbox” to the guardrails that help people understand where they have freedom, where consistency matters, and how mission and vision can help define the difference. The conversation also gets personal. Jim shares what happened when an instructional coach challenged the way he was leading professional learning—and why his first response was to storm out of his own office. It's a funny moment that leads to a much bigger leadership question: when do our attempts to support people actually get in their way? What You'll Hear: • Why autonomy without clarity can create confusion • The difference between tight expectations and loose implementation • How mission and vision can function as leadership guardrails • Why strong systems matter more than depending on individual people • A question every leader should ask: “In what ways am I getting in your way?” Control Shift Lead is hosted by Adam Busch and Jim Wichman on the ForwardEd Network. Listen and follow Control Shift Lead: https://push.fm/fl/csl Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network. This episode includes AI-generated content.

    Do Teachers Actually Want Autonomy?

  3. Aug 1

    Leadership Isn't Built on One Big Moment Lessons From Season 2

    Great leadership is rarely built in one massive moment. It is built through the choices leaders make every day—the conversations they have, the environments they create, the questions they ask, and the way they show up for the people around them. In this Season 2 finale of Control Shift Lead, Jim Wichman and Adam Busch look back at some of their favorite conversations from the season and reflect on the common threads that emerged along the way. From being fully present and creating intentional environments to challenging long-held assumptions about grading, culture, and professional growth, these conversations offer a reminder that meaningful leadership often happens in the small moments. Jim and Adam also explore the difference between evaluating for compliance and coaching for growth—and why strong leaders remain willing to question the systems and practices they have inherited. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿: • Why leadership is built through the accumulation of everyday moments • What it means to “be where your feet are” as a leader • How hospitality, language, and shared experiences shape school culture • Why leaders need to continually question assumptions about teaching and learning • The difference between a “gotcha” approach and coaching for genuine growth • Why none of us has to do this work alone 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀: Bob Long — Retired Special Education Teacher & Coach, Muscatine Schools Dr. Chad Lang — Educational Leader & Author Jim Dutro — Principal, Lake Ridge Middle School Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket — School Principal & Author Dr. Jill Urich & Dr. Jeremy Braden — Educational Leaders Dr. Matt Townsley — Assistant Professor & Educational Author Kanika Dorsey — School Principal As Season 2 comes to a close, this episode brings together some of the ideas that have challenged our thinking, shaped our conversations, and reminded us why leadership is less about finding the perfect answer and more about being intentional in the moments we are given. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network. This episode includes AI-generated content.

    Leadership Isn't Built on One Big Moment Lessons From Season 2

  4. Jul 1

    The Anatomy of School Trust with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket

    Is your school culture defined by your mission statement or your daily actions? In this conversation, Jim, Adam, and Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket explore the complex and essential role of trust in school improvement. Together we examine how small, consistent acts build a dependable leadership presence and why unpredictable behavior quickly destabilizes a building environment.We sit down with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket to unpack the difficult realities of breaking and regaining trust with staff and families. We discuss the power of professional apologies, why leaders must respect individual timelines when mending professional relationships, and how to practicalize visibility without turning it into a compliance checklist.Finally, we explore actionable strategies for the upcoming school year, including normalizing two-way feedback and shifting your leadership lens through intentional gratitude walks that elevate building morale. What You’ll Hear: How small, consistent daily acts tip the culture scale toward trust The process of reclaiming trust after a leadership error and why ego gets in the way. Why giving staff space and honoring their timeline is critical for long-term reconciliation. Three practical leadership shifts: active physical presence, two-way feedback, and gratitude walks. Guest Information: Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket — Elementary Principal / Author Website: https://www.racheledohoeket.com https://sites.google.com/view/the-principals-journey-website/home Social: @racheledohoeket Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network. This episode includes AI-generated content.

    The Anatomy of School Trust with Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket

  5. Jun 1

    The Mosaic Framework: A Principal’s Guide to Real Staff Buy-In

    Why do clear school initiatives stall six months after everyone nods along in your staff meeting? It’s because positional authority can only mandate basic compliance—it can never cultivate true commitment. If your plan is "clearly communicated" but your educators aren't moving, you don't have a communication problem; you have an influence challenge.In this special one-year anniversary episode of Control+Shift+Lead, host Jim Wichman (Inspired Edification) and co-host Dr. Ben Johnson (Assistant Superintendent) celebrate one year of changemaking conversations by diving deep into the mechanics of Intentional Influence and Cultural Mapping.They are joined by special guest Bobby Dodd (Director of Business Services, former High School Principal, and National Digital Principal of the Year) to dismantle the ultimate administrative excuse: "I just don't have time." Bobby shares the exact blueprints he used to scale radical data transparency, electronic instructional walkthroughs, and purposeful relationship-building across a massive high school campus of 3,700 students and 200 staff members.Tune in to discover how to look at your school building not as a rigid hierarchy, but as a human mosaic. Learn how tracing the invisible professional networks of veteran teachers, coaches, and arts directors can expose hidden leverage points that spark organic, long-term school improvement.Key Takeaways From This Episode: Influence vs. Communication: An initiative isn't successful just because it was clearly delivered; it’s only clear if the recipients perceive and adopt it that way. Real movement happens through intentional background influence.The Reality of Cultural Mapping: Learn how to visualize your school as a mosaic of micro-relationships, tracing who holds natural influence and using that map to drive organic buy-in.The Hallway Trap: Why simple pleasantries like "Hey, how's it going?" are purely transactional and how they leave up to 80% of staff feeling unvalued on school climate surveys.The 15-Minute Rule: How replacing passive check-ins with structured, 15-minute purposeful alignment meetings transforms school culture without overwhelming your calendar.Radical Transparency: How sharing walkthrough data and morale measures openly builds bulletproof institutional trust. “Influence becomes much more intentional when we stop assuming and start understanding.” — Jim WichmanAbout the Podcast: Control+Shift+Lead is a premier educational leadership podcast designed for school principals, district administrators, superintendents, instructional coaches, and education changemakers. Produced in association with Adam Busch from AWB Education and ForwardEd, the show delivers practical, expert-driven, and actionable strategies focused on school innovation, systems thinking, and structural growth.Connect with Us: Explore the ForwardEd Network: http://www.forwardednetwork.comConnect with Jim Wichman: jim@forwardednetwork.comConnect with Adam Busch: adam@forwardednetwork.com Enjoying the show? Leave us a review, subscribe, and share this episode with a fellow school leader who is ready to shift their impact from compliance to true commitment! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

    The Mosaic Framework: A Principal’s Guide to Real Staff Buy-In

  6. May 1

    Finishing Strong Navigating the May Slide in Leadership

    Are you and your staff just "crawling to the finish line"? 🏃‍♂️ The "May Slide" can drain the energy out of even the best school cultures. Discover how to stay present, celebrate the journey, and finish the year with purpose.EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Control+Shift+Lead, hosts Adam Busch and Jim Wichman host a leadership roundtable with Dr. Jeremy Braden and Dr. Jill Urich. We tackle the unique challenges of the end-of-year season in education.We explore the "Control" and "Shift" segments of leadership, focusing on what to stop doing right now to reduce noise for your staff and how to move from simple reflection into intentional design for the next school year.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Why "counting down" to summer can be a leadership mistake.The "Restaurant Analogy" and its impact on student learning.How to get out of the "data mud" using AI and trend analysis.Moving from a "gotcha" mentality to a growth-oriented school culture. WHAT PROBLEMS THIS EPISODE SOLVES Feeling drained and "spent" during the end-of-year rush.Struggling to turn end-of-year reflections into actionable change.Managing staff anxiety as the school year closes.Avoiding the "May Slide" in leadership visibility. ABOUT THE PODCAST Control+Shift+Lead features Adam Busch (AWB Education, ForwardEd Network) and Jim Wichman (Inspired Edification, ForwardEd Network). The show is dedicated to helping educational leaders move from survival mode into intentional design through systems thinking and innovation.CALL TO ACTION If this helped you rethink your May strategy, please subscribe and share this with a fellow educator! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

    Finishing Strong Navigating the May Slide in Leadership

  7. Apr 1

    Building a Community of Belonging in Schools: Insights from Dr. Chad Lang

    𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹'𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆? ⚾️Dr. Chad Lang joins us to explain why "tightening the strike zone" on assessment is the only way to prepare students for a globalized world where competency is king.In this episode of Control+Shift+Lead, hosts Jim Wichman and Adam Busch talk with Dr. Chad Lang about the intersection of leadership, assessment, and the "real world." Dr. Lang shares a powerful analogy comparing Major League Baseball umpires to classroom teachers, showing how evolution—not just change—leads to better outcomes for kids.If you’ve ever struggled to lead your staff through grading reform or wondered how to align your school's systems with the modern economy, this conversation provides the roadmap.𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨’𝗟𝗟 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡• How to use the "Umpire Analogy" to simplify assessment reform.• Why the "real world" argument actually supports standards-based practices.• How professional development acts as the catalyst for tightening the "strike zone".• The importance of "aiming small" to communicate student evidence clearly.𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗠𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗩𝗘𝗦• Struggling to answer parents/staff who say grading reform is "too soft."• Trying to modernize assessment without overwhelming your teachers.• Bridge the gap between "school work" and "global competency."Connect with our Guest!https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-lang-ed-d-3864173a/https://recalibrateedservices.com/𝙰̲𝙱̲𝙾̲𝚄̲𝚃̲ ̲𝚃̲𝙷̲𝙴̲ ̲𝙿̲𝙾̲𝙳̲𝙲̲𝙰̲𝚂̲𝚃̲Control+Shift+Lead is the premier podcast for school leaders and innovators. Hosted by Adam Busch (AWB Education/ForwardEd) and Jim Wichman (Inspired Edification), we explore the shifts in thinking required to lead today’s schools. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

    Building a Community of Belonging in Schools: Insights from Dr. Chad Lang

  8. Mar 2

    Leading with Teachers Shifting the Culture of School Observations

    Is your feedback building professional capacity or simply creating anxiety? In this episode of Control Shift Lead, hosts Jim Wichman and Adam Busch sit down with school administrator Kanika Dorsey to dismantle the "gotcha" culture of school observations.Kanika shares her powerful framework for moving toward non-evaluative feedback, emphasizing that the most impactful leadership happens when you leave the laptop at the door and pick up a sticky note. We discuss the "Control" of the feedback loop, the "Shift" toward high-frequency, low-stakes walkthroughs, and how to "Lead" by empowering teachers to facilitate their own instructional rounds.Whether you are a seasoned principal or an aspiring leader, this conversation offers a blueprint for building a culture of trust, focusing on "one or two things" for sustainable growth, and keeping student achievement at the heart of every classroom visit. Kanika also shares her deeply personal journey of resilience—from a single parent in the Bronx to a powerhouse instructional leader—reminding us why leading with heart is non-negotiable in K-12 education. This is a ForwardEd Network production.Connect With Our Guest & HostsKanika Dorsey: Instagram: @kanikadorsey Reach out to the Hosts: Adam Busch: adam@awbeducation.orgJim Wichman: inspirededification@gmail.com Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at pillars.forwarded@gmail.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network. This episode includes AI-generated content. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/control-shift-lead-the-education-leadership-podcast--7112587/support. Thank You for Listening! This has been an episode from The FowardED Network—Where we are Advancing Voices and Shaping Education. We are dedicated to supporting everyone invested in K-12 success: teachers, leaders, parents, and community advocates. Want to keep the conversation going? Subscribe: Never miss an insight. Hit the subscribe or follow button on your podcast app to automatically receive our next episode.Share the Knowledge: If this episode provided value, please take a moment to rate and review us! Your five-star reviews help new teachers, parents, and leaders find our network.Explore the Network: This show is just one part of the ForwardEd Network family. Head over to our network page to explore our full roster of interconnected podcasts, including CTRL Shift Lead, Vice Principal UnOfficed, From Carpool to College, and Your Morning Boost.Connect with Us: Have a question or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to us at admin@forwardednetwork.com or find us on social media using the tag #theForwardEDnetwork. Ready for your next boost? Browse our catalog and discover your next great listen on The ForwardED Network.

    Leading with Teachers Shifting the Culture of School Observations
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Control+Shift+Lead is a podcast about leadership in education—for educators at every level, not just those with a title. Hosted by Jim Wichman and Adam Busch, the show explores the real decisions, tensions, relationships, and mindset shifts that shape leadership in today’s schools. From instructional leadership and school culture to decision-making, innovation, staff development, student experience, and organizational change, each episode focuses on what it actually takes to lead with clarity, intention, and agency. Control+Shift+Lead is built around honest conversations, practical ideas, and real-world experiences from educators who are doing the work. Some episodes feature guests. Others put Jim and Adam into the leadership questions schools are wrestling with right now. The show is for principals, assistant principals, district leaders, instructional coaches, aspiring administrators, teacher leaders, and educators who want to strengthen their impact from wherever they lead. TAKING CONTROL Moving beyond constant reaction and becoming more intentional about the decisions, systems, and priorities that shape your school. DRIVING THE SHIFT Challenging assumptions, navigating change, building stronger cultures, and helping people move forward together. LEADING WITH PRESENCE Strengthening relationships, listening well, building trust, and staying connected to the people behind the work. Because leadership in education is not simply a position. It is the way you influence people, shape conditions, make decisions, and help your organization move forward. Control+Shift+Lead is part of the ForwardEd Network: Advancing Voices, Shaping Education.

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