Senior Celebrations
celebratEd
Update Three - As schools and communities across the globe develop new ideas for celebrating graduates, host Jim O’Rourke details some successful scenarios, and talks about how new changes could impact future graduates as well. He also discusses how these losses have stressed the mental health of senior students, but shares the positive impact of his choice of visiting the homes of every single senior in the HD graduating class.
info_outline
Humanistic Leadership
celebratEd
Update Two - As teachers face the home stretch of the school year, host Jim O’Rourke weighs in from home on the future of educational leadership and school systems in a post-pandemic world. Sharing real strategies for future eventualities, he discusses silver linings to the COVID crisis. He continues to invite listeners to join the conversation from home by contacting us at [email protected].
info_outline
Introducing a CovED Conversation
celebratEd
COVID-19 Update One - Recording remotely, host Jim O’Rourke acknowledges the impact of the current pandemic crisis on education today and how professionals are supporting students in this unprecedented time. He invites listeners to join the conversation from home by contacting us at [email protected].
info_outline
Coming Soon: Season Two
celebratEd
Before COVID-19, we prepared an amazing second season. Education professionals spoke about mental health in school. In this original trailer, we share the need for support at all levels. Extending remote learning makes this support important as ever. In response, we mixed up our season. We’re still talking about mental health: still sharing amazing interviews. Additionally, Principal Jim O’Rourke provides frequent mini-episodes exploring learning in this time of crisis. Keep being amazing, and stay heal
info_outline
What’s Next?
celebratEd
Host Jim O’Rourke ties everything together in this season wrap-up. Discussing what we’ve learned as a faculty in the years since our transformation, Jim outlines the plans to revisit and adapt those processes to work with our current faculty, students, and situations. We are looking for stories for our next season, starting in 2020. The CelebratED team would like to invite you, our listeners, to tell us about what’s worth celebrating where you are! Email us at or direct message us on Twitter @celebratEDpdcst, Instagram @celebratEDpdcst, or Facebook @celebratEDpdcst. No...
info_outline
A Conversation with Baruti Kafele
celebratEd
The team was thrilled and honored to host a visit with internationally renowned speaker, Principal Baruti Kafele. Jim speaks with him about building relationships, how to develop meaningful parent involvement, and what advice he can offer new administrators. Principal Kafele’s words and expertise inspire teachers everywhere; we were excited to be able to bring them to our audience here on CelebratED.
info_outline
Behind the Data
celebratEd
As the 2018-2019 school year wound to a close, Jim sat down with the outgoing Student Voice president, graduating senior Josh Marshall. In this episode, we share their frank conversation about Josh’s impressions of school culture, standardized testing, community perceptions, and his beliefs about the real state of Hillsboro-Deering high school and the larger district. Jim walks through Josh’s experiences in the classroom, as a member of student leadership, and as a representative to the school board.
info_outline
Burn It Down
celebratEd
Back at home, Jim has an important conversation with teacher leader Alex Luhtjarv, who shares his personal journey during the Hillsboro-Deering transformation. His story begins at his lowest point, but inspires as he shares the ways he purposefully developed himself into a better teacher, and leader in the HD community and beyond. He also articulately details his insight into how teachers and administrators can create opportunities for all teachers to transform into their best professional selves.
info_outline
Crisis as Opportunity
celebratEd
In this episode, the team goes on the road to talk with the educational consultant who navigated the turnaround with us: John Pierce of Future Management Systems. His words and reflections spark plans for the upcoming school year, and remind teachers of practices and processes that succeed among colleagues and with students. Visit Future Management Systems online and read more about Hillsboro-Deering’s story at .
info_outline
Two Ears, One Mouth
celebratEd
Using audience questions, Jim and Producer Jessamyn Irwin talk about why school culture is so important, detail how the school built culture with the Rights and Responsibilities model, discuss how to react to dissenters among students, faculty, and parents, explain the process of building a supportive evaluation model, and give advice for first-year principals as they head into the new school year.
info_outlineHost Jim O’Rourke sits down with five current students from across high school grade levels, including the outgoing and incoming student body presidents. They discuss the things they love about their school, and give great suggestions for things that can make school better for students and faculty, as well as their wishes for the greater community’s perspective on their educational experience.
Don't forget to email us at
[email protected]
with your questions for our upcoming Q&A episode arriving in three weeks.