February 9, 2026
Equity, SEL, and Culturally Responsive MTSS at Joliet Public Schools with Dwayne Williams
On Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports, host Naren Balasubramaniam sits down with Dwayne Williams, Director of Equity and Student Services at Joliet Public Schools District 86, for a grounded and practical conversation on supporting students through an equity-centered, whole-child lens.
Cultural Factors
Academic Factors
Social Factors
Mental Health Awareness and Support
February 2, 2026
Whole-Child Leadership, Early Literacy, and Rethinking Special Education with Scott Drue
On Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports, host Naren Balasubramaniam sits down with Scott Drue, Director of Student Services at Salem-Keizer Public Schools, for a deeply personal and systems-level conversation about what it truly means to support the whole child.
Academic Factors
Cultural Factors
December 8, 2025
Collaboration, Data, and MTSS at Holton Public Schools with Erik Carlson & Joshua Glick
On Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports, host Naren Balasubramaniam sits down with Erik Carlson, High School Principal, and Joshua Glick, MTSS Director, from Holton Public Schools in Michigan — marking the very first episode of the show. Together, they walk through how a small district is building a truly collaborative, K–12 approach to multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) that centers the whole child.
Academic Factors
Social Factors
Mental Health Awareness and Support
December 3, 2025
Data Governance in Education: Building Secure, Accurate, and Usable Systems
When reports don’t align or numbers don’t match, confusion takes over and trust in data suffers. That’s why data governance is essential. In this episode of System Shift, Drs. Gail, Leesa, & Mary Beth welcome back Jeremy Deckard and Jimmie Houts of Viridian Education to break down what K-12 data governance really means, why it matters, and how schools can begin to strengthen their own practices.
Academic Factors
November 20, 2025
Designing Strategic Data Cycles for Lasting Change
Educational leaders face constant pressure: boards want results tomorrow, while true systemic transformation takes years. How do you balance urgency with sustainability? In this episode of System Shift, we unpack how to design data cycles that serve both timelines, providing quick wins to build momentum and transparency while keeping the long view in focus.
Academic Factors
November 12, 2025
Sharing the Right Data, with the Right People, at the Right Time
How we present data matters just as much as the data itself. In this episode, we unpack a real story from the field; sharing SEL screening results with staff and the very different reactions it sparked. Some teachers got defensive, while others tuned out entirely. The lesson? Data can only drive improvement when it’s connected to purpose, shared at the right level, and discussed in a safe, trust-filled environment.
Academic Factors
Social Factors
Psychological Factors