Shows
NTN UnpackedScaling Deeper Learning: Lessons from Hardin County SchoolsWhat does it take to bring deeper learning to scale across an entire district? In this episode of NTN Unpacked, School Development Coaches Missy Saldana and Val Grijalva take us inside a district-wide transformation at Hardin County Schools in Kentucky, where 10 middle and high schools partnered with New Tech Network to reshape teaching and learning.You’ll hear from district and school leaders—including Brandy New (Director of Innovation), Tim Isaacs (Principal, Central Hardin High), Brittany Nickel (Principal, East Hardin Middle), and John Calhoun (Middle School Social Studies Teacher)—about how this m...2025-06-2449 min
NTN UnpackedSlamming for a Cause at NTH@CIn this dynamic episode of NTN Unpacked, host Mark Stolan and School Development Coach Aubrey Thompson sit down with Danae Boyd and Janelle Bence from New Tech High @ Coppell (NTH@C) to explore Slamming for a Cause—a powerful legacy project where 9th grade learners turn research on global human rights issues into original slam poetry, raising awareness and funds for local organizations.This interdisciplinary project blends English and human geography, inviting students to write, revise, and perform their work while managing all aspects of event planning, from marketing an...2025-06-1049 min
NTN UnpackedInstructional Coaching That Sustains InnovationIn this episode of NTN Unpacked, we head to Handy Middle School in Bay City, Michigan, where PBL Instructional Coach Rebekah Deal and 7th grade science teacher Valerie Steele share what it looks like to support and grow a schoolwide project-based learning culture—together.Hosted by Mark Stolan, this episode dives deep into the evolving role of instructional coaching, the power of teacher–coach relationships, and how teams at Handy are navigating the challenges of collaboration, curriculum design, and classroom culture while implementing PBL across all three grade levels.You’ll hear i...2025-05-2734 min
NTN UnpackedReimagining PE Through Project-Based LearningIn this energizing episode of NTN Unpacked, returning co-host and NTN School Development Coach Val Grijalva sits down with veteran educator Laura Pacheco of Young Women’s STEAM Academy in El Paso, Texas, to explore how project-based learning (PBL) can transform physical education into a deeply inclusive, collaborative, and meaningful experience.With over a decade of teaching experience and seven years of PBL implementation under her belt, Coach Pacheco shares how she’s designed PE projects that go far beyond movement — projects that connect students to real-world issues, cross-curricular learning, and their own creati...2025-05-2037 min
NTN UnpackedWhat’s Possible With AI in the Classroom?In this thought-provoking episode of NTN Unpacked, we dive into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI) in education with veteran educator Jason Currie-Olson from Washington High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Joined by hosts Mark Stolan and Missy Saldana, Jason shares how he’s actively exploring AI tools to enhance instruction, empower students, and rethink assessment in meaningful ways.Whether you’re AI-curious or already experimenting with tools in your own classroom, this episode offers an honest, practical, and energizing look at what happens when teachers and students co-create learning with AI.2025-05-1343 min
NTN UnpackedPre-K Pioneers: Launching PBL with Our Youngest LearnersIn this inspiring episode of NTN Unpacked, our very own School Development Coach Val Grijalva sits down with Ashley Perales and Henley Price, two pre-K teachers from Gale Pond Alamo Elementary School in Odessa, Texas, who boldly embraced project-based learning (PBL) for the first time this year. As the first educators in their district to implement PBL at the pre-K level, Ashley and Henley share a candid and uplifting look into what it took connect learning to real-world relevance with their youngest learners.You’ll hear reflections on:How PB...2025-05-0637 min
NTN UnpackedFood for Thought at Nex+Gen AcademyWelcome to the debut episode of NTN Unpacked, the podcast where we bring you the authentic stories of transformation from across the New Tech Network. Hosted by Mark Stolan, this first episode features a special interview led by NTN School Development Coach Missy Saldana with educators from Nex+Gen Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.You’ll hear from teachers Jeff Sisneros, Marila Mancha-Garcia, and Alison Floyd as they unpack Food for Thought — a powerful, school-wide project rooted in student voice, cross-grade coll...2025-04-2316 min
Back to the BarHeather's Nonsense: Episode 105Shigg, Titus and Missy welcome Heather back, continuing the conversations that are happening out there. Maury Povich at home DNA test; the writer's and actor's strikes affecting our fall shows; Beyonce Beyonce; Drake finds fan who threw 36G bra on stage now playboy model? Barbie movie; Zoe Saldana and the Lioness; and more. Thanks for coming back and listening to us, we hope you enjoy the conversation. You rock with us, we'll rock with you. Peace.2023-08-3042 min
writing class radioWhere Do I Go From Here?This episode is about those moments in life when you have no idea how you got here, whether to stay or go, or where to go next. Allison Langer, student in the class and host for this episode, asks the questions most of us struggle with. Did you land that dream job that turned out to be not so dreamy? Do you wish you lived somewhere else but can’t afford to move? Do you wonder what life would be like if you could just finish school already? Have you ever reached that point when you’re not...2016-09-0932 minwriting class radioWords Matter: Student Missy Shares Words with her Hero Elizabeth GilbertThe words we say to each other and ourselves shape our lives. One of Andrea’s favorite writing tenets is: Make every word count. In today’s episode we learn that every word counts in life also. This is the first episode of our second semester and we have some new students. You’ll hear Missy Hernandez tell her story called Words. Her story is about sharing words with her hero Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat Pray Love. Missy ended up on Gilbert’s Podcast, Magic Lessons. Hear how Lizzy’s words brought Missy back to life. Misha Mehrel, also a new stud...2016-04-2526 min