Ep.077 -- Grant Schafer -- Connecting Communities & Schools

ClassCast Podcast Ep.077 features Grant Schafer, the Supervisor of Community Connections for Loudoun County Public Schools. Working closely with Career & Technical Education, Computer Science Experiential Learning, and a few other specialized programs in the school system, Grant strives to connect community resources with individual teachers, students, and classrooms to make school-based learning as authentic as possible. His hard work, power skills (soft skills), and ever-growing rolodex make him an asset to the whole community because he fosters relationships between local businesses, non-profits, and schools. Host Ryan Tibbens met Grant, a fellow JMU Duke, at the 2021 Loudoun 40 Under 40 celebration where he was being recognized for his amazing work connecting public schools with community resources. (Ashley Tibbens -- Ep.021 -- was also among the honorees this year!)  If you are interested in project-based learning, making school more "authentic," getting involved in public education without becoming a teacher, or understanding how community members can work together to improve education, this discussion is for you.  You can learn more about Grant's work by following @LCPSpartner and @CommunityLCPS on Twitter. 

Table of Contents (*highlights)

1. 0:00-5:38 -- Intro to Grant Schafer & Community Connections
2. 5:38-13:31 -- Project-Based Learning, "Authenticity," & Grant's Rolodex **
3. 13:31-20:53 -- Loudoun 40 Under 40, Networking, & Community Buy-In *
4. 20:53-28:26 -- Grant's Education: James Madison University & Outreach Services
5. 28:26-37:48 -- The Future of Community Connections in Schools **
6. 37:48-47:25 -- The Purpose of School According to Grant
7. 47:25-50:44 -- Equity & Social-Emotional Learning as Job Skills *
8. 50:44-57:04 -- Grant's Ideal School
9. 57:04-1:07:06 -- The Inflexibility of Education Bureaucracy **
10. 1:07:06-1:14:58 -- Grant's Book Recommendations & Wrap-Up​ 

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​​The ClassCast Podcast streams on all major platforms, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, and more.  You can also find us on YouTube and at www.ClassCastPodcast.com.  Be sure to like, subscribe, follow, share, and comment wherever you listen.  Leave a comment below to let us know what you think of the discussion and if you have any questions!

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