Episode Details

Robyn Bagley is a former principal of Career Path High. She is now consulting now and working with Heather Staker on a project for Acton Academy. She is also chair of Parents for Choice in Education, located in Utah. You can email her here

• Acton Academy is an amazing model.
• Over 8,000 applications to start their own. How do we replicate that?
• How to approve partners and facilitate the success of their schools.
• How do you help kids not blow everything off?
• In a traditional model, we’ve removed all the opportunities to have kids lead.
• The first thing to think about is how to empower students.
• It kills their love for learning.
• You need to empower students.
• The second thing is to set up processes for accountability.
• It’s ok to fail as long as you are failing forward.
• Every student had a success coach with whom they met every week.
• Accountability: consequences like losing freedom and stopping college courses.
• Support: You must have good support systems in place. Lots of processes in place to help them stay on pace and set their goals.
• Three legs of a stool: Parents, students, school (teachers and administrators)
• We never apologize for bothering you with communication
• Four: give them something to be excited about in their pathway: i.e., have your certification when you finished school.
• The light came back on.
• The success coach was the real piece of accountability each week. Success coach had constant communication with parents, too.
• Give recognition with accountability.
• How to be a transformative principal? Collaborate with your team!
• Changing the culture from top-down directives to a collaborative culture.

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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