Challenging the Established Structure for ALL Kids with Kurt Schneider and Suzanne Sands [IEP 198]
Today’s show focuses on different ways to deliver educational services and a school district doing it the right way. The key is changing mindset from the established educational culture that has made people believe that “separate is better.” Join us to learn more!
Kurt Schneider has served as superintendent of the TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 for more than six years. Suzanne Sands is the president of TrueNorth’s Leadership Council, and she’s been in this school board-like role for six years. TrueNorth finds ways to deliver services to all students in new and different ways based on what the research says: that there are better outcomes when kids are together in schools. Kurt and Suzanne will share why their approach is working and how the transformational work of TrueNorth has impacted the broader educational community.
Show Highlights:
- How educational cooperatives work to be leaders with resources and support for all students of all diverse backgrounds as they partner with school districts
- How the cooperative is challenging the established structure for all kids
- The big vision at TrueNorth: to be committed to the possibilities of EVERY learner EVERY day
- The value and meaning of the name change to “TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804”
- The value in the language used around “inclusive education”
- Hands-on approaches that have brought successful outcomes in inclusion, transitions, and early interventions
- Why much of the work is in shifting mindsets that all kids are “gen ed kids”
- How Kurt and Suzanne have seen that students and families well-connected to teachers and classrooms have fared better during the pandemic, and those who were more isolated before the pandemic have only struggled more
- Tips for other districts who want to take a similar approach as TrueNorth: work from the ground level to educate everyone (parents, teachers, students, and board members) about the best practices around inclusion
- The importance of collaboration, communication, and specific support for teachers to build a culture of unity, participation, and sharing
- Success stories from Kurt and Suzanne
Find TrueNorth on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Links/Resources:
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