The Corner CAFE Podcast: Colonial IU 20 and Parent Support T.E.A.M.
Episode #110
Guests: Nikki Huggan, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster, Chris Wolfel
Summary text - In this episode, hosts Nikevia Thomas and Jessica Webster talk with Dr. Chris Wolfel, Executive Director of the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 and Nikki Huggan, Co-lead of Parent Support T.E.A.M. (Together, Educating, Advocating, Moms, Dads, and Families) and Vice President of Families to the MAX, about the creation of the Parent Support Team. Chris and Nikki share how the program began, how it evolved, and the impact it’s had on both educators and families. They also provide honest reflections and practical advice on navigating tough moments to rebuild trust between families.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: PPMD
Episode #109
Guests: Rene Averitt-Sanzone, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - In this episode of The Corner CAFE Podcast, hosts Nikevia Thomas and Jessica Webster talk with Rene Averitt-Sanzone, Executive Director of The Parents’ Place of Maryland. Rene shares insights on supporting families of children with disabilities, the importance of early intervention, and best practices for schools to build strong, inclusive partnerships with families. She also discusses the challenges families face in special education and how PPMD provides resources, advocacy, and training to empower parents.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: PAT
Episode #108
Guests: Melissa Hassler, Anabel Oceguera, Karen Shanoski, Lauren Waite, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - In this episode, Nikevia and Jessica sit down with guests from the Parents as Teachers program, a trusted home-visiting model providing families with early childhood development support and resources. Hear from Parent Educators and the Pennsylvania state director as they discuss the benefits of PAT in building strong family-school partnerships.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: Phyllis Fagell
Episode #107
Guests: Phyllis Fagell, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - In this episode of the Corner CAFE podcast, Nikevia and Jessica chat with Phyllis Fagell, a nationally recognized school counselor and author of Middle School Matters and Middle School Superpowers. Phyllis shares insights into navigating the complex middle school years, offering guidance on adolescent development, family-school partnerships, and supporting resilience in young teens.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: Ari Gerzon-Kessler
Episode #106
Guests: Ari Gerzon-Kessler, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - In this episode of the Corner CAFE podcast, Nikevia and Jessica discuss the Families and Educators Together (FET) model with award-winning educational leader Ari Gerzon-Kessler, exploring effective strategies for building strong family-educator partnerships and transforming school communities.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: APTT
Episode #105
Guests: Faith Burtamekh, Maria Paredes, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - Discover the effective strategies of Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT) in this episode of the Corner CAFE Podcast, where WestEd experts Faith Burtamekh and Maria Paredes share insights on data-driven family engagement and personalized learning.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: MELLFIN
Episode #104
Guests: Young-chan Han, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - Nikevia and Jessica host Young-chan Han, a family engagement trailblazer, to discuss strategies for increasing family engagement in Maryland and Pennsylvania communities. Young-chan shares her immigrant journey and highlights the importance of equitable family engagement in education, offering practical steps for schools to support English Learners and immigrant families.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: Jenny Portillo-Nacu
Episode #103
Guests: Jenny Portillo-Nacu, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - In this episode we're joined by MAEC's own Jenny Portillo-Nacu, Senior Education Equity Specialist to learn about building families' capacity and learning when it comes to supporting Multilingual Learner communities.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: NAFSCE
Episode #102
Guests: Sherri Wilson, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - On this episode, we meet with Sherri Wilson, Senior Director of Training and Engagement, at the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE). NAFSCE's mission is to advance high-impact policies and practices for family, school, and community engagement to promote child development and improve student achievement.
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The Corner CAFE Podcast: Parent Teacher Home Visits
Episode #101
Guests: Tyler Post, Yesenia Ramirez, Nikevia Thomas, Jessica Webster
Summary text - Join us for our inaugural Corner CAFE podcast as we meet with two experts from Parent Teacher Home Visits. Parent Teacher Home Visits is a powerful family engagement strategy that aims to create strong bonds between homes and schools centered around shared hopes and dreams.
