The Power Of A Warm Welcome: Creating Connections One Greeting At A Time - Josh Holbrook
Release Date: 01/24/2025
Character Traits That Connect: A K–12 Approach - Dr. Mark Chapin
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Dr. Mark Chapin, Principal at Meyer Middle School. We talk to Dr. Chapin about how his district takes a purposeful approach to character development—from monthly character kickoff presentations to unifying yearly themes. He explains how each trait is clearly defined and modeled across all grade levels, K–12, and how community input plays a key role in shaping the work. Hear how this district-wide effort brings consistency, clarity, and connection to their character education approach. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE Visit the Mark Chapin...
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From Curriculum to Connection: Building Belonging with PBIS
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Mariah Reed-Brown, School Counselor at Paradise Valley High School. We talk to Mariah about how she’s customized the CharacterStrong curriculum to strengthen her school’s PBIS framework. She shares how getting into classrooms and intentionally connecting Tier 1 practices to PBIS has helped foster a stronger sense of belonging for all students. Mariah offers practical examples, including how co-creating community agreements with students has shaped the culture on campus. She also reflects on the impact of giving students voice and choice—and the remarkable buy-in...
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Equipping Students To Navigate Conflict With Compassion - Jocelyn Pajimula
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Jocelyn Pajimula the Social and Emotional Learning Coordinator & Restorative Practices Coach at Ewa Makai Middle School. We talk to Jocelyn about how her school have created a system to give students tools to repair and prevent broken broken relationships. She breaks down their two key strategies when conflict arises and introduces the PEACE strategy—a proactive tool that helps students navigate conflict before it escalates. Jocelyn also offers a powerful example of how they address peer pressure in a meaningful, memorable way. We dive into the importance of making...
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Living Out Your Purpose - Taryne Dismuke
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Taryne Dismuke, Culture Catalyst at DO EWE Coaching & Consulting. We talk to Taryne about the concept of living out your pillars of purpose. She unpacks how easy it is to get pulled away from our core purpose in education—and how that drift can lead to burnout. Taryne offers practical insights on staying grounded in our “why,” and how doing so not only sustains us but also creates a ripple effect that benefits students, families, and entire communities. This conversation is a powerful reminder that while purpose-driven work isn’t always easy, it’s deeply...
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Helping Students Stay Present And Focused - Cara Newman
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Cara Newman a 4th grade educator in the Plainedge School District. We talk to Cara about how a simple yet powerful practice—having students set intentions throughout the day—can increase focus, presence, and ownership in the classroom. She explains how this strategy fosters student buy-in, supports self-regulation, and ultimately leads to meaningful returns in both behavior and learning. Learn More About CharacterStrong: Access FREE Visit the Cara Newman is an educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Outside of the classroom, she is a...
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Building a Student-Centered MTSS: Mental Health Strategies That Work - Dr. Tinisha Parker
The CharacterStrong Podcast
On this episode we are featuring content from our Dr. Tinisha Parker, Executive Director of Student Services for Gwinnett County Public Schools, shares her expertise on integrating mental health within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports. With over two decades of experience as an educator, school counselor, and district leader, Dr. Parker discusses practical strategies for ensuring students receive the mental health supports they need to thrive. This conversation highlights how a well-structured MTSS framework can enhance student well-being, academic success, and long-term outcomes....
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Building a Mental Health Continuum Within MTSS: Strategies for Schools - Dr. Sharon Hoover
The CharacterStrong Podcast
On this episode we are featuring content from our Dr. Sharon Hoover discusses the critical intersection of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and mental health. As a leading expert in school mental health, Dr. Hoover shares insights on how schools can effectively integrate mental health prevention and intervention services within an MTSS framework. With schools being the primary access point for student mental health support, this conversation highlights strategies to improve student well-being, academic success, and long-term outcomes. Access all of the MTSS Summit content through...
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The Power of Community Circles: Strengthening Student Relationships & Behavior - Charles MacGregor
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Charles MacGregor, a School Counselor at Penrose Elementary and emerging leader with the Colorado School Counselor Association Board of Directors. We talk to Charles about how his school has embraced community circles as part of their morning meetings, fostering stronger relationships and positively impacting student behavior. He discusses the importance of building time for connection, how even a simple “Would you rather?” question can spark engagement, and why having a structured system is key to long-term success. Plus, he shares some of the data on how community...
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Advocating For School Counselors As Mental Health Professionals - Jordan Blevins
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Jordan Blevins, School Counselor at Pacific Law Academy & 2025 California School Counselor of the Year We talk to Jordan about the critical role school counselors play as student mental health professionals, often being the first point of contact for students in need. She discusses the importance of advocating for the counselor’s role on campus, ensuring students receive the support they deserve. We also dive into strategies for advocating for student mental health, the power of active listening, and why mental health and well-being must be prioritized in schools. ...
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Always Improving: Making Our Tier 2 Solution Even More Effective For Educators And Students - Dr. Clay Cook
The CharacterStrong Podcast
Today our guest is Dr. Clay Cook, Chief Development Officer at CharacterStrong. We talk with Clay about the importance of Tier 2 interventions in schools. The discussion highlights key improvements to CharacterStrong’s Tier 2 solution, including reducing prep time for small group skill-building sessions, increasing engagement, and enhancing data tracking for better decision-making. The episode underscores the necessity of early intervention to support students before they require more intensive services and emphasizes the ongoing commitment to improving resources based on educator feedback. ...
info_outlineToday our guest is Josh Holbrook, SEL Specialist at Rowan County Middle School in Kentucky . Josh dives into the impact of a simple warm welcome and shares about the fun way they partnered with student-athletes to build relationships by greeting students at the door for Fist Bump Friday. Josh also breaks down the four essential components of the warm welcome, the intention behind each step, and the profound impact it’s had on students, staff, and the school community.
Learn More About CharacterStrong:
- Register for the FREE 2025 School Counseling Summit
- Access FREE Tier 2 Curriculum Samples
- Attend our next live product preview
- Visit the CharacterStrong Website
Josh Holbrook is a Social-Emotional Learning Coach at Rowan County Middle School in Morehead, Kentucky. Josh has worked with students for the past 11 years and held many different positions in the educational realm including residential youth worker, instructional assistant, special education teacher, district behavior support, and SEL coach.
When students returned in person Spring 2021, Josh noted that internalizing and externalizing behaviors had seemingly spiked across settings. Increasingly he heard, “students don’t know how to behave” and saw this as an opportunity. He thought to himself, “if they don’t know math or reading, we teach math or reading,” and sought a way to intentionally teach behavior at a tier 1 level via implementation of social-emotional learning (SEL). Rowan County Schools accepted this proposal, and he became SEL Coach for the district in 2021. With the support of the district’s Project AWARE Program Director, Tara Cornett, this structure has grown to dedicated SEL Coaches (shoutout Megan, Sarah, Emma, and Cody) in each school in Rowan County, and the team looks forward to seeing where they can positively impact school climate and culture from here.
When he isn’t working, Josh loves exercising, hiking, seeing live music, cooking, and relaxing at home with his wife, Lindsey, their daughter, Camryn, dog, Sugaree, and cat, Phyllis.