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Request more information on Symplifyed here: symplifyed.com/pricing
Commit before October 31st, 2025, and enjoy a 10% discount.

This week’s episode is a little different, and I am (as my dad loves to point out) super excited about it. I was joined by the incredible Jenelle McClenahen, the CEO and founder of Symplifyed.

Jenelle’s story is amazing. She was a teacher who, after her son was diagnosed with autism, saw the power of breaking down big milestones into tiny, measurable steps through his ABA therapy. She had a lightbulb moment and thought, "Why aren't we doing this in the classroom?" She started revamping her entire curriculum with "I can" statements, built a spreadsheet (you know I love a good spreadsheet), and accidentally created a startup.

Learn more about Jenelle McClenahen at www.symplifyed.com

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Connect with Jenelle McClenahen
Email: jenelle@symplifyed.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jenelle-mcclenahen-67a75570/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563494914023
https://www.instagram.com/symplify.ed/

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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In this episode of Data in Education, I was joined by the incredible Emma Dukhovny. With over 25 years in the New York City Department of Education, Emma is a seasoned English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, data specialist, and professional developer. As an immigrant and an English language learner herself, she brings a deeply personal and powerful perspective to the table. She's the brilliant mind behind the Teachers of ELLs Facebook group and is all about making data work smarter, not harder.

Learn more about Emma Dukhovny in her facebook group for teachers of ELLs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/124682274864590

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Connect with Emma Dukhovny
Email: emma4teachersofells@gmail.com
X: Emma Dukhovny
Facebook: Emma Dukhovny (personal) and Teachers of ELLs (group Admin)
TikTok: Emma Dukhovny and Teachers_of_ELLs

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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Free resources - www.thewholeeducator.com/free-resources

In this episode of Data in Education, I had a fascinating conversation with Becca Silver, the CEO and founder of The Whole Educator, and someone who is truly a kindred spirit in making data more human-centered. With a decade of experience in the classroom, including teaching abroad and co-oping a school in Tanzania, Becca brings a unique, global perspective to her work. After transitioning to instructional coaching, she had a lightbulb moment: the traditional, task-centered approach wasn’t creating lasting change. By integrating her life coaching skills and focusing on the human side of education, she developed a powerful framework for moving beyond mere buy-in to create deep, empowered change—especially when it comes to new data initiatives.

Learn more about Becca Silver at www.thewholeeducator.com

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Connect with Becca Silver
Email: becca@thewholeeducator.com
X: https://x.com/BeccaSilver_edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becca-silver/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWholeEducator
Podcast: https://www.thewholeeducator.com/podcast

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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EdChanger Pro App

In this episode of Data in Education, I had a great conversation with Patrick Mongrain, a friend and fellow education data enthusiast who's all about building lasting systemic change. With a decade of experience as a history and leadership teacher, MTSS coach, and a restorative justice specialist, Patrick has a wealth of knowledge. He's passionate about moving past "shiny objects" in education to focus on the instructional practices at the heart of it all. We talked about why data and coaching are so powerful, and why I agree with his mission.

Learn more about Patrick Mongrain at EdChanger.com

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Connect with Patrick Mongrain

https://bio.site/EdChanger

Email: pmongrain65@comcast.net

X: @MongrainVPS

LinkedIn: Patrick Mongrain

https://www.youtube.com/@EdChanger

EdChanger Pro App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/edchanger-pro/id6741165826

Connect with Jessica

Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com

X: @informedimpact

Instagram: @informedimpact

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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Wellness Checklist

Leadership Coaching Cohort

In this episode of Data in Education, I'm chatting with Dr. Brandi Kelly, a dear friend and the founder of Spark Hope Edu. With over 20 years of experience, Brandi's unique perspective on leadership is shaped by her background in social work and a doctorate in educational leadership. She believes that data should go beyond test scores and start with leaders themselves, and that's exactly what her transformative H.O.P.E system is all about. We dove deep into how leaders can use their own data to lead with more clarity, courage, and compassion.

Learn more about Brandi Kelly at sparkhopeedu.com

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Connect with Brandi Kelly

Email: sparkhopeedu@gmail.com

X: https://x.com/jbmrkelly

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandi-kelly-ed-d-lcsw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LTW24

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandinashkelly/

Connect with Jessica

Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com

X: @informedimpact

Instagram: @informedimpact

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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Executive Functioning Guide: drkarendudekbrannan.com/efschools
7-Day Course: drkarendudekbrannan.com/schoolleaders
Karen’s Podcast: defactoleaders.com

In this episode, I interview Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan, a speech pathologist with a wide range of experience in education, from one-on-one student evaluations to designing state-level data systems. The conversation centers on the challenge of balancing large-scale data with the individual stories of students, particularly for difficult-to-measure skills like executive functioning. We discuss why many people are skeptical of data in education, often due to its historical misuse for punitive accountability rather than for growth and support. The conversation highlights the difference between "data-driven" and "data-informed" approaches, emphasizing that data should serve as a starting point to ask questions, not a final verdict. We also explore how to build a culture of trust and collaboration around data, especially when implementing new systems and protocols.

Learn more about Karen Dudek-Brannan at drkarenspeech.com, drkarendudekbrannan.com

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Connect with Karen Dudek-Brannan
Email: drkarenspeech@gmail.com
X: @drkaren2014
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-dudek-brannan/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkarenspeech
Podcast: defactoleaders.com

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

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This episode is a testament to the power of authentic collaboration and the joy that comes from seeing real student growth. Jen, with her 27 years of special education experience, and Shana, with 20 years in general education, are a perfect blend of old school wisdom and new-school data strategy, proving that it's never too late to learn new tricks, even if you started with a chalkboard.

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Connect with Jennifer Johnson
Email: jjohnson3339.jj@gmail.com
Learn more about Logic* at www.logicreading.com

*As my podcast is focused less on curriculum and more on best practices and leadership strategies surrounding data culture, data literacy, and data visualization, I have not used or researched the Logic curriculum and thus, cannot endorse its use.

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact

Send us a text

In this episode, I talk with Maricha Matthews, Assistant Principal of Attendance and Discipline at Alan B. Shepherd High School, about her journey as an educator and her passion for using data to build supportive school cultures. With a background spanning special education and MTSS leadership, Maricha explains how she demystifies data for teachers and overcomes the common "data anxiety" in schools. We dive deep into her innovative strategies like "BAG reports" (Behavior, Attendance, and Grades) and "Data Cafes," a unique approach to gathering qualitative data and building trust with at-risk students. Maricha breaks down the logistics of these initiatives and shares how they lead to more collaborative, effective, and people-driven student support systems. This episode is packed with practical examples of how to use both quantitative and qualitative data to foster real relationships and make a tangible impact on student behavior, attendance, and well-being.

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Connect with Maricha Matthews
Email: mariteaches4@gmail.com
X: @MrsMMatthews
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marichamatthews
Instagram: @Mdmconsultinggrp

Connect with Jessica
Email: jess@data-informedimpact.com
X: @informedimpact
Instagram: @informedimpact
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/informedimpact