OnYourMark Podcast

In this episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, Founder and CEO of Medley Learning, to explore how thoughtful technology can expand access for multilingual learners while keeping human connection at the center of learning. Brandon shares how his own experience as a multilingual learner shaped his career as a special education teacher, principal, district leader, education advisor, and eventually founder. He also explains why years of research on literacy and multilingual learning haven't always translated into classroom practice--and how Medley is working to help close that gap. Mindy and Brandon also dig into student agency, scaffolding without lowering expectations, the role of assistive technology, and why educators need tools that build their capacity rather than replace their relationships with students. Key Moments 01:05 Brandon's journey from educator to founder 04:01 Lessons from his first years teaching 08:33 Closing the research-to-practice gap 11:43 How Medley supports multilingual learners 14:42 Giving students more agency 18:00 Creating space for human connection 22:00 Rethinking technology and screen time 24:54 Making grade-level text accessible 27:11 Why all screen time isn't equal 31:40 Brandon's vision for Medley's future Why You'll Love This Episode Brandon challenges the idea that supporting multilingual learners means lowering the level of the work. Instead, he shares how the right scaffolds can help students access challenging, grade-level content while building greater independence over time. For educators and school leaders navigating questions about AI, screen time, multilingual learning, and student support, this episode offers a practical reminder: technology is most powerful when it creates more opportunities for students to learn, connect, and take meaningful risks. Connect with Brandon Cardet-Hernandez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncardethernandez Medley Learning: https://www.medleylearning.com/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what's possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

Five years ago, OnYourMark was an idea built around a big question: Could virtual, high-impact tutoring give more students access to the reading support they deserve? In this special fifth-anniversary episode, host Mindy Sjoblom is joined by two advisors who were there from the beginning: Ian Connell, Partner, Innovation - New Ventures at Charter School Growth Fund, and Julie Kennedy, Executive Director of Excellent Schools Washington. Together, they revisit the earliest days of OnYourMark--from the changing literacy landscape and pandemic-era challenges that created an opportunity for innovation to the Seattle planning session that helped turn an idea into an organization. They also reflect on what has remained constant through five years of growth: investing in people, putting student outcomes first, embracing research and continuous improvement, and using technology to strengthen--not replace--the human relationships at the heart of learning. Key Moments 01:36 Ian and Julie's connection to OnYourMark 03:59 The literacy challenge that sparked the work 06:09 Why 2020 created a unique opportunity 09:39 Mindy's decision to take the founder leap 13:49 Building the original OnYourMark vision 18:26 From an ambitious goal to thousands of students 19:26 Why investing in people became the core strategy 27:48 Using AI to strengthen tutor coaching 33:47 Looking back at what OnYourMark proved 38:05 What the next five years could hold Why You'll Love This Episode Ian, Julie, and Mindy share what it really takes to move from an idea to an intervention that works inside the complexity of schools. They talk openly about the assumptions they had to test, the importance of strong implementation, and how OnYourMark has evolved alongside new research and technology. Most importantly, the conversation is a reminder that innovation in education is still fundamentally about people. Technology can make coaching smarter and programs more scalable, but meaningful relationships between students and educators remain at the center. For education leaders, founders, and anyone interested in literacy and innovation, this episode offers a practical look at what five years of building, testing, learning, and improving can make possible for kids. Connect with Ian Connell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianconnell Charter School Growth Fund: https://chartergrowthfund.org/ Connect with Julie Kennedy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-trott-kennedy-21453a28 Excellent Schools Washington: https://www.excellentschoolswa.org/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what's possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

In today's episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Jamie Thomas, Managing Director of Program Design and Impact at OnYourMark and one of the organization's founding team members. Jamie shares how her journey from elementary teaching to early childhood program design, instructional coaching, and literacy intervention shaped the work she leads today. Together, Mindy and Jamie reflect on how OnYourMark has evolved over the past five years--from an early idea to supporting thousands of students with targeted literacy intervention. Mindy and Jamie discuss what it really takes to design an effective literacy program: listening to students, tutors, and school partners; grounding decisions in the science of reading; using data to continuously improve; and protecting the relationship between students and tutors. They also explore why early intervention matters, how support needs to change for older struggling readers, and what research has taught OnYourMark about delivering effective and sustainable high-dosage tutoring. Key Moments 01:05 Jamie's path from classroom teacher to literacy program leader 05:37 Designing intervention through research, data, and listening 07:48 How school collaboration improves student outcomes 11:37 Using tutor feedback to strengthen program design 13:07 Listening to student voices in tutoring 15:51 Why early literacy intervention matters 18:03 Supporting older struggling readers differently 23:22 Creating coherence across different literacy curricula 28:46 What research has taught OnYourMark about tutoring 32:58 How OnYourMark trains and develops tutors 35:03 What schools should look for in a literacy intervention partner Why You'll Love This Episode If you care about literacy intervention, high-dosage tutoring, or designing programs that actually respond to student needs, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how OnYourMark approaches the work. Jamie shares why strong program design starts with listening, how research and continuous improvement shape decisions, and why relationships remain essential even in highly structured literacy intervention. You'll also hear practical insight into supporting older struggling readers, building coherence with school partners, and developing tutors who are prepared to deliver strong instruction from day one. Connect with Jamie Thomas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-thomas-1a5a0718 Website: https://onyourmarkeducation.org/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what's possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

In today's episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Melissa Gude, Chief Academic Officer at Little Rock School District in Arkansas. Melissa shares how her path from a nontraditional start in education to district-level leadership shaped her belief in mission-driven work, strong instructional systems, and collective accountability for student outcomes. Mindy and Melissa discuss how Arkansas's LEARNS Act has changed the early literacy landscape, including new third-grade promotion requirements, individualized reading plans, and the statewide ATLAS assessment system. Melissa also explains how Little Rock improved third-grade literacy outcomes by investing in high-quality instructional materials, professional learning, high-impact tutoring, and outcomes-based contracting. Key Moments 00:52 Melissa Gude's journey into education leadership 07:40 How the LEARNS Act changed literacy in Arkansas 12:22 Third-grade accountability and reading success 16:11 Strengthening instruction with high-quality curriculum 18:46 Why outcomes-based contracting works 24:09 Building strong district and school partnerships 27:20 Terry Elementary's literacy success story 30:21 Improving attendance for tutoring success 34:15 Advice for districts implementing high-impact tutoring 38:51 Looking ahead to earlier literacy intervention Why You'll Love This Episode If you care about early literacy, district accountability, or making sure education investments lead to measurable student growth, this conversation offers a practical look at what it takes. Melissa speaks honestly about the opportunities and challenges created by new literacy legislation, the importance of selecting the right partners, and why successful tutoring requires more than purchasing a program. It takes clear expectations, shared ownership, strong school leadership, and consistent communication. Her reflections offer valuable lessons for any district leader working to improve literacy outcomes while making thoughtful and sustainable decisions about resources. Connect with Melissa Gude LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-gude-education Little Rock School District: https://www.lrsd.org/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what's possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

In today’s episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Margaret Marotta, Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools, and Bonnie Antkowiak, Assistant Superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools. Together, they share how Haverhill is building stronger, more coherent literacy systems across grade levels, from early reading instruction to secondary literacy and high-dosage tutoring. Mindy, Margaret, and Bonnie discuss what makes Haverhill special, including its deep community pride, diverse student population, and strong pathways for educators to grow within the district. They also explore how high-quality instructional materials, thoughtful implementation, MTSS, and tutoring are helping more students access grade-level learning and build confidence as readers. Key Moments 03:22 What makes Haverhill Public Schools special 05:40 Growing educators from within the community 07:40 Supporting diverse learners through cohesive curriculum and MTSS 09:47 Why Haverhill was named a Spotlight District for secondary literacy 10:20 Implementing high-quality instructional materials in high school 12:13 Leading through teacher pushback with flexibility and support 15:18 Supporting struggling readers with interventionists and co-teaching 17:28 Building coherence across K–8 literacy instruction 20:15 Using data to strengthen Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports 22:52 How high-dosage tutoring fits into Haverhill’s literacy system 28:08 Student investment and relationships in virtual tutoring 30:02 Funding literacy priorities through grants and community partnerships 32:05 A five-year vision for Haverhill’s literacy outcomes Why You’ll Love This Episode If you care about literacy systems, implementation, and making sure every student has access to strong instruction, this episode offers a practical look inside district leadership. Margaret and Bonnie share how Haverhill is aligning resources to priorities, supporting teachers through change, and expanding reading intervention so more students can grow with confidence. Connect with Margaret Marotta and Bonnie Antkowiak Haverhill Public Schools: https://www.haverhill-ps.org/ Margaret Marotta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-marotta-smith-47508926 Bonnie Antkowiak LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-antkowiak-8051463b/ Follow Us: Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/ OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education About OnYourMark Podcast The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what’s possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child. 👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.