Interventions and Detentions

What if one of the most effective staff retention strategies in your school doesn’t require a new initiative, a larger budget, or another professional development session? What if it’s appreciation? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we explore why staff celebration is much more than a feel-good activity. It’s a leadership practice that directly impacts morale, engagement, culture, and retention. Brad dives into the realities of educator burnout, why employees stay or leave, and the critical role administrators play in helping people feel seen, valued, and connected to the mission of their school. You’ll learn practical strategies for celebrating teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, food service staff, counselors, and every member of the team who helps students succeed. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why appreciation is a leadership responsibility, not an extra task * The difference between recognition and appreciation * How positive school culture impacts staff retention * Common mistakes leaders make when celebrating employees * Practical, low-cost ways to recognize staff throughout the year * How to build a culture where people genuinely want to stay Whether you’re a principal, assistant principal, superintendent, instructional coach, or teacher leader, this episode offers actionable ideas you can implement immediately to strengthen relationships and improve culture in your school. Because great schools aren’t built by programs. They’re built by people. And people thrive where appreciation lives. Lead. Inspire. Impact.

rushed to put a screen in every child’s hands. It made sense in 2020. But in 2026… does it still? In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, Brad asks the uncomfortable question many educators are thinking but not saying out loud: Have we gone too far with devices in elementary classrooms? Students in some grades are spending close to two hours a day on school-issued screens. Research shows comprehension can drop when reading digitally. Attention spans are shifting. Social development looks different. And some districts across the country are quietly scaling technology back in K–5 while keeping it strong in secondary settings. So what does the research actually say? What trends are emerging? And what should a balanced K–12 approach really look like? This isn’t anti-technology. High school students absolutely need digital fluency. But are we asking kindergarteners to function like mini knowledge workers? If you’re a school leader, teacher, or parent wrestling with screen time, instructional quality, and long-term impact — this episode is an honest, data-informed conversation about where we may need to recalibrate.

Making Learning Visible — A Conversation on Visible Grading with Dave Nagel What if grading didn’t signal the end of learning, but instead helped students see where they are, where they’re going, and how to get there? In this episode, Brad is joined by Dave Nagel, educational consultant, coach, and co-author of Grading Visible Learners: Learning With Fluidity, Not Finality, for a thoughtful conversation on Visible Grading and its connection to student learning. Dave unpacks how traditional grading practices can unintentionally shut learning down—and how visible grading shifts the focus from point accumulation to clarity, feedback, and growth. Drawing from research connected to Visible Learning, Dave shares practical ways educators can make grading more transparent, meaningful, and supportive for students and teachers alike. In this episode, you’ll hear: • What “visible grading” really means in classrooms • How grading can support learning rather than finalize it • Why clarity and feedback matter more than points • What convinces skeptical educators to rethink grading practices • Practical shifts teachers and leaders can make without overhauling everything Whether you’re a classroom teacher, instructional coach, or school leader, this conversation will challenge how you think about grades—and how they impact learning.

Classroom management hasn’t changed — but the culture around it has. In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we examine how enforcing expectations now happens in a climate where authority is questioned, limits are challenged, and support for educators is inconsistent. This isn’t about better strategies or stricter rules. It’s about what happens when the shared understanding that adults deserve dignity while doing their job breaks down. If you’ve ever felt blamed for holding the line everyone claims to want held, this episode puts words to that reality.

In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we take a realistic look at when peer mediation works, when it doesn’t, and why power dynamics matter. We also clarify how peer-led programs like Sources of Strength support school culture without replacing mediation. Grounded in real middle school leadership experience, this conversation focuses on student safety, appropriate interventions, and practical decision-making in high-needs schools.

In this episode of Interventions & Detentions, Brad sits down with Andrew Barrand, first-year principal at Lakeland Intermediate School, to explore the powerful connection between high-quality instruction and student behavior. Together, they discuss how engaging teaching practices, proactive classroom strategies, and Conscious Discipline can reduce behavior issues before they begin. Andrew also reflects on lessons learned in his first year as a building leader, the shift from classroom teacher to principal, and advice for educators aspiring to lead—all while keeping teaching and learning at the center of school leadership.

In this Thanksgiving mini-episode, Brad shares two simple but meaningful ways he practiced gratitude and generosity in his school this week—from writing personalized notes to every staff member to teaming up with the counselor to give teachers an extra thirty minutes of breathing room. With real stories from kindergarten and first grade life, this quick episode is a reminder that small, intentional gestures can transform a school’s culture. Interventions and Detentions…Where the Real Learning Begins.

this episode of Interventions & Detentions, Brad opens up about the emotional realities of school leadership — the weight you carry, the pressure you absorb, and the moments that make the job feel heavier than anyone realizes. Drawing on his journey from a 5th-grade classroom in 1997 to 22 years in the principal’s chair, Brad shares honest reflections on burnout, staying grounded, and what it truly takes to reset when everything feels overwhelming. Whether you’re a new leader, a veteran administrator, or someone who simply understands the emotional toll of serving others, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical strategies to help you keep leading with purpose — without losing yourself in the process.