Posts by Throughline Learning

#89 Stephanie Downey Toledo There are very few district leaders who feel as comfortable pioneering a new and compelling idea or co-designing with partners through messy, nascent work – all while holding the highest bar possible for her staff, students and families. Stephanie Downey Toledo is that Superintendent. I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with…

#90 Karen Barber I have interviewed a couple of leaders who have worked their way through the ranks from classroom teacher to superintendent. Their context, empathy, and expectations are a superpower! Karen Barber, Superintendent of Santa Rosa County Public Schools in Florida is that leader. So many gems in conversation #90! “I’ve spent 29 years…

#92 Anna Nolin It was a pleasure to sit down in person with Superintendent Anna Nolin at the ASU+GSV Summit last month. We’ve known and collaborated with Anna for years, from her time in Natick Public Schools to her work now leading Newton Public Schools, a member district in our first PEA²K cohort – a…

#91 Patrick Dunphy Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been stigmatized for a long time but it’s starting to get its due and for good reason! Traditional high school has a lot to learn from the authenticity of CTE programs and career pathway curriculum. I loved getting Patrick Dunphy’s perspective as Director of CTE for…

#84 Heath Rocha Conversation #84 with Superintendent Heath Rocha of Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in California surfaced something I keep coming back to. Research-driven practices only reach their potential when supported by strong cycles of continuous improvement. As Heath scales this work across all departments, implementation gaps are the real obstacle, not vision…

#81 Chris Timmis Conversation #81 takes us to Michigan for a lesson in innovation iteration. When the resource carpet is pulled out from under you, how do you stay focused and passionate about the work? Chris Timmis is the current Superintendent of Dexter Community School District. “After 8+ years with Summit Learning, we are now…

#80 Clayton Holland I’m still trying to wrap my head around the context and constraints elevated during conversation #80 with Clayton Holland, Superintendent of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) in Southcentral Alaska. Imagine 42 schools spread across 17 communities in a geographic area the size of West Virginia. Several schools are only accessible by…

#79 Tiffany Rehbein I love connecting with rural Superintendents through #100DistrictConversations. Their innovations often emphasize community and culture-building over scale. Check out conversation #79 with Dr. Tiffany Rehbein, Superintendent of Anaconda Public Schools in Montana. “I’m energized by the opportunity to reimagine professional learning in our district. Coming from a principal background, I have seen…

#78 Lorraine Perez Each of my #100DistrictConversations has been inspiring and informative, but conversation #78 with Dr. Lorraine Mora Perez, Superintendent of Santa Ana Unified School District in California changed my thinking about capacity-building and the future. “Coming out of COVID 3 years ago, we knew we needed to fundamentally rethink our approach to professional…