Haneen Abu Zaghrit, Social Worker, Tates Creek High School
Quote of the Podcast – 
"So, surely with hardship comes ease." 
On this episode of Education Perspectives, we speak with Haneen Abu Zaghrit, a social worker from Tates Creek High School. She believes that it's important for high school students to learn how to advocate for themselves before leaving high school, as they will need to find their own structure once they leave. The pandemic has significantly impacted mental health, therefore, some social workers are now focusing more on mental health. The speaker also wants to create an event called Adulting 101 that teaches juniors and seniors how to manage finances and budget effectively. The event would be especially helpful for students who may not have access to this information at home. The speaker reflects on how emotional it can be to say goodbye to graduating seniors, and notes the challenges that come with parents blaming schools for their child's actions. All in all, teaching students how to advocate for themselves is crucial for real-life situations, and social workers play a critical role in helping students succeed emotionally and academically.

Introduction of Guest BIO – 
Hello! My name is Haneen Abu Zaghrit, this is my first year as a School Social Worker. I am located at Tates Creek High School, which also is the school that I once called home as a student. I actually realized I wanted to be a Social Worker while I was a junior in high school, not realizing that in about 7 years, I would become the Social Worker at the very same school. I am a first-generation college student that grew up with immigrant parents that raised me with two different cultures, Arab and American culture. Which caused a lot of confusion, especially with mental health.
Interview
Agents of Change: Leaders/Innovators

• 30,000 ft. view – Why do we, as a society invest in education?
• What drew you to education?
• What do you love about what you do?
• Student to Leader – Who looks like me
• Mental Health
• Tell us a story or favorite memory about your work in education.
• What are the biggest challenges or obstacles you face?
• What would you like decision makers to know?

Podcast/book shoutouts
I am reading now the book called "A Gentle Reminder" by Bianca Sparacino. I have not finished it yet but it was highly recommended by many people, for people that just need a reminder that life is hard but you can grow from it and be okay.
00:02:54 From social work to education: helping everyone.
00:04:54 Social worker does daily check-ins with students.
00:09:20 Representation lacking in education, mental health awareness.
00:13:58 Pandemic changed life for students and adults.
00:17:23 Teacher cherishes memories of students' interactions.
00:21:04 Biggest challenges: getting families on board, trauma, burnout.
00:25:06 Parents and students should both advocate themselves.
00:27:52 High school should teach advocacy, independence earlier.
00:31:30 "Event teaches life skills to students, immigrants be
Support the showEducation Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions

Dr. Landon Mascareñaz  & Dr. Doannie Tran
The Open System Institute 
Quotes of the Podcast – 
"Fortune favors the bold"
"We can succeed only by concert. It is not "can any of us imagine better?" but, "can we all do better?" The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country." - Abraham Lincoln
On this episode of Education Perspectives, host Liza Holland interviews Dr. Landon Mascareñaz and Dr. Doannie Tran, co-founders of the Open Systems Institute. They discuss their mission to create more responsive and open education systems that involve communities, and center democracy, family engagement, and student input. They share personal stories of their own journeys in education and the transformative power it holds. The guests also delve into the principles of open system behavior and leadership, providing practical techniques and case studies from their experiences in the field. We learn about their work in Kentucky where they emphasize the importance of diverse perspectives in creating an inclusive council for education reform. Tune in to this episode to gain a deeper understanding of the urgency to prioritize openness and co-creation in education and beyond.

Introduction of Guests – 
Dr. Landon Mascareñaz 
Landon is an educator, writer, and democracy builder. As co-founder of the Open Systems Institute, he partners with leaders around the country to encourage an emerging discipline for openers everywhere. He is a senior partner at the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) where he is responsible for community-driven economic development through breakthrough partnerships in the Homegrown Talent Initiative, working in sixty rural districts across eight regions of the state. At CEI he helped assemble the Sin Fronteras Education Partnership, a coalition of local, regional, and national organizations co-creating family partnership strategies for New Mexico communities, and he supported the launch of Colorado’s Statewide Family Engagement Center. The Open System will be published by Harvard Education Press this June.
Dr. Doannie Tran
Dr. Doannie Tran is the Partner for Liberatory Co-Creation at the Center for Innovation in Education. He leads and supports processes for bringing educator, family, community and student voice into the creation of more equitable and liberatory systems, especially around assessment and accountability. Prior joining CIE, Doannie led the Innovative Programs Division at Fulton County Schools and the Academics and Professional Learning Department in Boston Public Schools. He has led innovative school design processes, co-creation of equitable instructional frameworks, implementation of district-wide math and literacy curriculum, expansion of early childhood access, and served on two successful teacher contract negotiations teams. His primary work currently focuses on community-driven assessment and accountability redesign in Kentucky and the scaling of deeper learning in Georgia. He is also the co-founder of the Open Systems Institute, supporting school systems to b
Support the showEducation Perspectives is edited by Shashank P athttps://www.fiverr.com/saiinovation?source=inbox
Intro and Outro by Dynamix Productions