Alexander Dawson School Podcast

Our new host of the Dawson Podcast, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley, welcomes listeners to this season! Dawson's academic leaders - Head of Middle School David Perram, Head of Lower School Amanda Murray-Musgrave, and Head of Early Childhood & Admissions Krista Jacobsen - join him in a conversation all about school and family partnerships. Topics include tips for a successful school year, advice for addressing concerns about your child's experience, and ways that Dawson offers families better insight into the school day. For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast. Dawson is an independent private school in Las Vegas for students in Early Childhood through grade eight. As Nevada's first Stanford University Challenge Success partner school, Dawson offers a student-centered, research-based program that emphasizes student wellbeing and a healthy school-life balance. To learn more, visit www.adsrm.org

Dawson faculty Katie Figg and Sara Greenspan join Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education at Dawson. In this episode, our teachers share their first-hand experience with implementing PBL in their classrooms, the challenges they've faced, and the outcomes they've witnessed with their students. You'll also hear about their hopes for the first EC PBL Conference at Dawson in February! Learn about the EC Butterfly Project. Listen to Kindergarten Podcast Episodes 37, 38 & 39. Find out more about the EC PBL Conference. For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

Author and educator Sara Lev joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education. In this episode, they discuss the common misconceptions and the benefits of PBL for children ages 3-8. Plus, you'll hear about the genesis of a professional development opportunity that Sara and her co-authors (Amanda Clark and Erin Starkey) are partnering with Dawson to host on our campus in Las Vegas in February 2024: the first-ever Early Childhood Project-Based Learning Conference. Find out more about the EC PBL Conference at https://www.earlychildhoodpbl.com/conference. Learn more about Sara Lev, her book, and team at https://www.earlychildhoodpbl.com/. For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

During her inaugural visit to Las Vegas to help the School bring new life to the Ruffin Organic Garden, Farmer Stephanie McDonough joined us to share her journey from a marketing job at the NBA Headquarters to farming with kids. Farmer Steph is a Life Lab-certified School Garden Educator and owner of Farm to Table Kids. In this episode, she talks about how she helps kids connect and find what lights their hearts in nature. You'll also learn about her passion for regenerative farming and her daily ritual of a morning garden walk. Learn more about Farm to Table Kids at https://www.farmtotablekids.org/ For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast

Charles Vogl joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury in an important conversation about building community and belonging in this era of loneliness. As Dawson dives into its Core Value of Belonging, Charles's concept of the Campfire Principle will guide the School's efforts to plan the events and spaces that support each student, family, and employee. Learn more about the research behind his work and how organizations and companies can reimagine how they facilitate connections. Charles is an adviser, speaker, and award-winning author of "The Art of Community" and "Building Brand Communities." His work is used by organizations including Airbnb, LinkedIn, Twitch, Amazon, ServiceNow, Meetup.com, Wayfair, and the US Army. Find resources and learn more about Charles Vogl at charlesvogl.com. For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.