• Dr. Anthony Godfrey on Meaningful Connections: Prioritizing What Truly Matters in Education

  • Apr 16 2025
  • Length: 35 mins
  • Podcast

Dr. Anthony Godfrey on Meaningful Connections: Prioritizing What Truly Matters in Education

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  • The Ruckus Report Quick take: In a system built for efficiency rather than connection, Dr. Godfrey shows how one district is creating space for what truly matters—from targeted reading interventions to wellness days for staff—proving that even large districts can make the human element their highest priority. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Anthony Godfrey is the Superintendent of Schools for Jordan School District in Utah, overseeing 58,000 students and 9,000 employees. Appointed superintendent in 2019, he brings 31 years of experience in the district, having served as an English teacher, assistant principal, principal, and administrator of schools. Dr. Godfrey holds a Bachelor's in English Teaching and French from Weber State University, along with a Master's Degree and Doctorate from the University of Utah. He hosts the popular "Jordan Supercast" podcast, using his platform to connect directly with his community. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Godfrey challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Fund Preparation Time, Not Just Professional Development What's broken: Traditional PD without paid time for teachers to implement what they've learned The shift: Securing board funding for teacher preparation time alongside professional development for their Walk to Read program Impact: Reading scores higher than ever before, despite launching during the pandemic Key Insight #2: Prioritize Staff Wellness Through Structural Changes What's broken: Expecting staff to maintain wellness without creating systemic support The shift: Implementing dedicated "Health and Wellness Days" (three-day weekends) for all 9,000 district employees Impact: Creating a culture that values people over processes, demonstrating that employee wellbeing isn't just talk Key Insight #3: Reimagine Leadership Communication What's broken: Relying on emails and memos to build connections and communicate vision The shift: "Email is for information, not conversation" philosophy and launching a superintendent podcast Impact: Deeper connections throughout the district as people hear their superintendent's voice and style, creating familiarity and trust Quotable Ruckus "Email is for information, not conversation. And many times we want to have a conversation through email. Email is just for information." – Dr. Anthony Godfrey Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Audit your own communication habits—are you trying to have conversations via email that would be better in person? This Month: Create a plan to pay teachers for their preparation time for your next major initiative, not just the training This Semester: Explore what a wellness day would look like in your school or district—even starting with a half-day pilot could show commitment to staff wellbeing Connect & Continue 🎯 Listen to the Jordan Supercast: https://supercast.jordandistrict.org/ 🔗 Follow Dr. Godfrey: X/Twitter | LinkedIn 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more here. Expressability K12: Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12 Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time sucking tasks. Visit Expressability K12 to learn how here. ODP Business Solutions: "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong" Stop letting fear kill innovation. While some schools struggle with integrating STEAM, other leaders are using a 3-part framework to transform their programs. The secret? It's not what you think. Get the playbook URL: here. Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?
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