In this special crossover episode with co-host Dr. Nashay Lowe of The Resolution Room podcast, we conducted on the spot interviews with education leaders at the 2026 AASA National Conference on Education. In this interview, we were joined by an amazing team from Lake Forest Schools to share their story about the development of a community-created Portrait of a Learner and the how the districts focused on student growth and readiness. With five years to reflect on this work, they share important insights about collaboration and measurement that warmed our hearts! Don't miss this lively conversation.

Dr. Matthew L. Montgomery

Dr. Montgomery has been the Superintendent of Lake Forest Elementary School District 67 and Lake Forest Community High School District 115 since July 2021, serving the communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Knollwood, Illinois. In this role, he oversees educational programs, finance, facilities, and personnel, ensuring alignment with board policies and priorities. Committed to communication and community engagement, Dr. Montgomery led the development of the "Portrait of a Learner," collaborating with 150 community members to establish a K-12 vision anchored in academic excellence and essential competencies for students' future success. Building on this foundation, he initiated five-year strategic plans for both districts, involving diverse stakeholders to create actionable and measurable roadmaps for the future. Dr. Montgomery holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, a Master of Education in Educational Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Education, all from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-l-montgomery-ph-d-41365a70/

Dr. Renée Fitzsimmons

Dr. Fitzsimmons has been in education for 20 years and has experienced many different aspects of the field of education including a middle school science teacher, building coach, principal and district leader. She led through the pandemic and completed her doctoral dissertation in March of 2023 with a comparative study on literacy growth in a hybrid-in person model compared to a fully virtual learning model. Dr. Fitzsimmons is passionate about culture and environment and its effects on achievement. Currently she is the K-12 Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Accountability for the Lake Forest Schools in Lake Forest, Illinois.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-fitzsimmons-ed-d-457b7213b/

Dr. Erin Lenart

Dr Lenart serves as the assistant superintendent/principal of Lake Forest Community High School District 115. They have approximately 1400 students, grades 9-12 and a Transitions Program through age 22. Lake Forest Community High School proudly boasts a robust range of programming and extracurricular activities for students, despite being one of the smallest comprehensive, public high schools on the North Shore of the Chicago suburbs. LFHS is a high-performing and high-achieving school, serving the communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Knollwood, with an engaged community, talented and educated faculty, and a committed and supportive operational staff.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-boothe-lenart-708217208/

Visit https://www.lakeforestschools.org/ to learn more about their work or follow on their socials!

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In this special crossover episode with co-host Dr. Nashay Lowe of The Resolution Room podcast, we conducted on the spot interviews with education leaders at the 2026 AASA National Conference on Education. In this interview, Dr. Jen Schwanke, author of Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools, discusses what it means to be trust-willing, the impact of trust on achievement, the challenges of building (or re-building) trust internally and externally, how to differentiate trust from approval and transparency, and advice for those entering leadership positions. Don't miss this important and timely topic!

Dr. Jen Schwanke is a longtime educator, teaching and leading at all levels. She is the author of five ASCD books, including The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management. A frequent contributor to multiple educational publishers, Schwanke consults with districts and school leaders in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. She is a frequent presenter at national organizations including ASCD + ISTE, NASSP, and NAESP. An instructor in educational administration at The Ohio State University, Dr. Schwanke currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent in Ohio.

Visit https://jenschwanke.com/ to subscribe to her "Principal Problems" newsletter and learn more about her exciting work!

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In the episode, join us for a conversation with Mike Setaro, Supervisor of Teaching, Learning, and Student Support, from Southern Westchester BOCES. It can be a challenge to provide support to schools through programs and services when you aren't inside of the district on a regular basis. How do you know what you do is making a difference? Tune in to hear how the efforts in SW BOCES have impacted districts at all levels from someone who absolutely digs data.

For more information about the Center for Professional Learning and Curriculum Support, visit: https://plcs.swboces.org/

To be a guest on a future episode, email hello@allabreveconsulting.com with the subject line: "I'm ready to Measure UP!"

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In this episode, we answer questions submitted to us via social media and from graduate students about AI for data analysis, correlating assessments and absenteeism, and more! More questions will be answered in upcoming episodes.

Our AI for Data Analysis Blog:

https://www.allabreveconsulting.com/blog/beyond-the-hype-what-ai-means-for-data-analysis-in-schools

YouTube Video "Sweet Statistics" Level of Measurement Episode

https://youtu.be/N_PU5lseTOw?si=veo8dTvVsA0fn5jp

To join the next Measure Up Mastermind Cohort:

https://www.yourschoolsucks.com/measureup

To submit questions for an upcoming Q&A episode:

https://forms.gle/neunn8dbiPkDV2rKA

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In this bonus episode, we celebrate the one year anniversary of the publication of "Your School Sucks: Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It" and the new release of the audiobook version with an excerpt from the audiobook. This podcast was created to continue the celebration of effective use of data and reduce errors due to bad measurement practices and share stories about DISCUSSION, EXPLORATION, and FOCUS in our schools that make an impact!

You can purchase the audiobook with new bonus content here.

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

Listen to this special crossover episode of a recent interview with author, speaker, and tech director Alana Winnick exploring how to define and measure innovation in this age of technology and AI.

About Alana Winnick:

Alana Winnick is a visionary leader and the creative force behind The Generative Age, a book and podcast that explores how generative AI is transforming education. As Educational Technology Director and Data Protection Officer for Pocantico Hills CSD and Director for NYSCATE, her innovative work has earned prestigious accolades, including CoSN CTO of the Year, NYS Digital Leader of the Year, ISTE/ASCD 20-to-Watch, and District Administrator’s Top 100. She also founded Students for Innovation (learn more here), empowering students to drive change in their schools.

Grab a copy of her book here! https://a.co/d/3UmJUvQ

To contact Dr. Nicole Alioto, reach out via email at hello@allabreveconsulting.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @measureanything.

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In this bonus episode, Dr. Nicole Alioto reminds us about collecting baseline data at the start of the school year. Are you all about that baseline data?

To get support for baseline data collection ASAP, contact hello@allabreveconsulting.com with the word "Baseline" in the subject line.

At Alla Breve Consulting, we have seen a lot of plans stall because once everyone is busy, no one has time to keep a watch on the plan’s implementation. To help maintain progress and ensure the work to create the plan leads to the success you seek, we created the Strategic Planning Implementation Concierge Experience (SPICE). For more about the SPICE program, visit here.

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.

In this episode of Measure UP, Dr. Jillaine Berardi shares a new approach to providing services to special education students at Ulster BOCES that is more efficient AND more effective. It is a short episode but it delivers great insights!

Dr. Jillaine Berardi is the Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Design - Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning Program and has earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Russell Sage College. From the outset, her focus has been on developing a holistic approach through whole-child, wrap-around education and a focus on strong school relationships and a strong culture of community where teachers and students can continue to develop their unique selves, contribute to community, develop capacity, and engage in cycles of inquiry in alignment with the North Star Educational Commitments.

For more about Educator Edge visit https://www.ulsterboces.org/educator-edge-home/about/what-is-educator-edge.

And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Visit www.yourschoolsucks.com to subscribe to our Measure UP Newsletter and to get a copy of Dr. Alioto's book, Your School Sucks, Why Schools Fail to Measure Up and What to Do About It.