Starting a school isn’t easy. Starting a school for autistic and neurodivergent children takes vision, grit, and a whole lot of faith. In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Palmer, CEO of Polaris Academy, to dive into the behind-the-scenes story of launching a one-of-a-kind educational haven designed for children who learn and experience the world differently.
Nathan opens up about the challenges he faced—navigating regulations, earning community trust, and building a program that truly meets the needs of students who are often overlooked in traditional classrooms. But woven into those struggles are powerful moments of hope: the “small miracles” of students taking their first steps toward independence, families finding belonging, and teachers discovering new joy in their work.
This candid conversation is about more than education—it’s about perseverance, innovation, and the belief that every child deserves a place where they can thrive. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build something meaningful from the ground up, Nathan’s story will inspire you to see obstacles not as roadblocks, but as stepping stones to transformation.
Follow us on Instagram at PolarisAcademySocial and reach us at Info@PolarisAcademy.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.