The Chief Impact Officer at InnovateEd talks about building system-wide agency in our schools.

🔥 What does it mean to lead from the middle?

🔥 How can we empower students and build student agency in 2024?

🔥 How can we build systems of continuous improvement in our schools?

Join me for this conversation with education leader DANELLE ALMARAZ as she shares her insights on these and other questions.

About This Guest

With a focus on continuous improvement, Danelle equips leaders with the tools and mindset needed to enact lasting change by leading from the middle. Leadership development programs at InnovateED are designed to instill a culture of collaboration, innovation, and growth, empowering educators at all levels to lead with purpose and vision.

Connect with Danelle 

on LinkedIn, on X @AlmarazDanelle, on Instagram @dalmaraz007,  and at https://innovateed.com/.

In This Conversation

0:28 – Who is Danelle Almaraz?

1:40 – A story of a reprimand from school administrators

5:07 – Danelle describes the vision for schools at InnovateEd

6:21 – What is it important to lead from the middle in our schools?

10:03 – How students can empower students and build student agency

11:53 – Danelle’s work with schools in Africa 

13:31 – Spirals of inquiry in professional development

14:58 – A school that is getting it right: Park City, Utah

16:23 – A passion outside of professional learning: Math

17:15 – A productivity hack: collecting MVPs – Most Valuable Points

20:24 – An edtech tool that Danelle is loving: Perplexity.AI

21:38 – Book recommendations: Schools on the Move, Leading the Whole Teacher

22:40 – Inspiring Danelle on social media: Catlin Tucker, Katie Novak

23:41 – Guest suggestions: Hakeem Subair, Kyle Wagner

24:10 – What Danelle’s watching for fun: the Dodgers!

24:51 – How to connect with Danelle and InnovateEd online

Mentioned in this episode: Perplexity.AI, Allen Westover, Christopher Steinhauser, Allyson Apsey, Catlin Tucker, Katie Novak, Kyle Wagner, Hakeem Subair 

Song Track Credit

Tropic Fuse by French Fuse

GO! by Neffex

*All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.