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 Sup

DEI, School Culture, and Student Leadership

1 Jan 30th, 2023 33m 10s

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 powe

Collaborating for Authentic Co-Teaching

Jan 19th, 2023 25m 53s

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 relationshi

Collaborating for Authentic Co-Teaching

Jan 18th, 2023 25m 52s

In this episode, co-teaching partners Tracy Sangaré and Michele Sano of Latham Ridge Elementary School in North Colonie Central School District explore the foundations of dynamic co-teaching practice. They share the importance of modeling posi

Generational Change: Student Leaders Use Their Voices for Change

1 Jun 1st, 2022 32m 59s

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 c

Behind All Language is Lived Experience

Feb 11th, 2022 27m 57s

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 phenomen

Never Give Up on a Child: Supporting School Attendance and Engagement

Oct 27th, 2021 25m 33s

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

Crossing Boundaries, Building Bridges

Jul 28th, 2021 47m 1s

This CASDA EdCast features Dr. Piccirillo in dialogue with special guests Amy Hawrylchak, Principal at Tech Valley High School and Shelette Pleat Principal for CTE at Capital Region BOCES on the topic of boundary crossing in leadership spaces.

Summer Learning for the Whole Child

Jun 3rd, 2021 27m 8s

This CASDA EdCast explores the benefits of enrichment-focused summer programming to meet the needs of the whole child. Mike Laster, Principal at Farnsworth Middle School and Co-Chair of the Capital Region Principals' Center joins Dr. Piccirillo

Engagement, Equity and Social Justice: Educators of Tomorrow Share Their Vision

May 25th, 2021 41m 36s

In this special CASDA EdCast, Dr. Piccirillo speaks with Royalty, Liza, Jaislyn, and Charles - four student leaders at Schenectady’s Oneida Middle School who are active in both the Educators of Tomorrow and Oneida Students for Anti Racism group

Every Student is a Gift: Transforming Schools Through the Power of Belief

Apr 28th, 2021 43m 48s

In this special CASDA EdCast, Dr. Piccirillo and CASDA Consultant Dale Getto are joined by Dr. Eric Cooper and Dr. Yvette Jackson of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, two towering figures in the movement for culturally respo

Developing Antiracist Building Leadership

Jan 28th, 2021 51m 34s

In this timely episode, CASDA Executive Director Dr. Michael Piccirillo speaks with Aaron Thiell, Principal at Latham Ridge Elementary in North Colonie Central School District about confronting white supremacy in educational leadership. Aaron a

Activism as Education: Young Leaders Confront White Supremacy

Jan 27th, 2021 50m 30s

In this CASDA EdCast, activists Samira and T.J. Sangaré discuss their experiences as Black students in a predominantly white district and how it failed to adequately prepare them to confront white supremacy after graduation. The siblings share

Systemic Mental Health Supports for Educators

Oct 29th, 2020 29m 34s

In this CASDA EdCast, Mike speaks with CASDA consultant, mental health counselor and former school superintendent , Tony Albanese. They discuss how districts might move beyond encouraging staff members to practice self care and implement meanin

Leveraging Engagement for Instructional Improvement

Oct 19th, 2020 1h 7m

This discussion features CASDA Executive Director Dr. Mike Piccirillo in conversation with Mike Pipa, CASDA’s Instructional Design Coach, former House Principal at Farnsworth Middle School and a longtime middle and high school English teacher.

Collaborating for Sustainability

Oct 19th, 2020 33m 3s

Mike speaks with WSWHE BOCES District Superintendent Jim Dexter about the necessity of collaboration to preserve the long term fiscal and programmatic sustainability of school districts. Mr. Dexter emphasizes the founding premise of BOCES - a c

Tackling Chronic Absenteeism

Oct 19th, 2020 36m 15s

CASDA's Rebecca Gardner speaks with Andrew Kourt, principal of Walter B. Howard Elementary School in New Lebanon, Brian Bishop, assistant principal at Averill Park High School and Dr. Antonio Abitabile, principal at Hudson High School about str

Teaching and Learning with ELLs

Oct 19th, 2020 28m 44s

This episode features Kurt Hassenpflug, an ENL teacher at Shaker High School. He shares his background, experiences and insights into topics such as ELL Co-Teaching.

The Changing Role of EdTech: From Innovation to Integration

Oct 19th, 2020 34m

CASDA Faculty member Carly Mead is joined by Gina Fusco, Director of Instructional Technology at Lansingburgh Central Schools to discuss the evolution of educational technology, strategies to prepare for computer-based testing and women in STEM

Alternative Educators: Serving Students Beyond the Stigma

Oct 19th, 2020 41m 19s

Mike Schell, a Social Studies teacher at HFM BOCES Adirondack Academy joins CASDA's Gregg Weinlein to discuss the challenges and rewards of working in Alternative Education.

Exploring Equity in Schools

Oct 19th, 2020 39m 57s

Kathleen McLean, CEO of the McLean Group and Tracy Sangare, an ENL teacher at Latham Ridge Elementary School in North Colonie discuss the urgency of equity work in schools. They reflect on how curriculum can either affirm or marginalize student

The Journey to the Work

Oct 19th, 2020 45m 31s

This podcast is the first in a series addressing race and equity issues and their impact on schools. In this episode, CASDA Executive Director Mike Piccirillo is joined by Kathleen McLean, CEO of the McLean Group. They discuss how their childho

Building Bridges Between K-12 and Higher Ed

Oct 15th, 2020 26m 56s

Episode 16 features a dialog between Mike and Dr. Jason Lane, Interim Dean of the School of Education at UAlbany. They discuss how the School of Education has supported K-12 during Covid-19 through their remote education website that provides r

Fostering Dynamic Social Studies Dialog

Oct 15th, 2020 40m 2s

In a special episode of CASDA's EdCasts series, CASDA Executive Director Michael Piccirillo, Ed.D sat down with Professor Brett Levy of the UAlbany School of Education to discuss fostering authentic, engaged dialog in social studies classrooms.

Connecting Antiracism and SEL

Oct 15th, 2020 45m 16s

In this timely episode, CASDA Executive Director Mike Piccirillo, Ed.D talks to Alicia Holt, Research and Design Consultant with Common Thread Consulting about the need to approach Social Emotional Learning through an antiracist lens, and the p