Alexander Dawson School Podcast

The Alexander Dawson School

A weekly education podcast brought to you by The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain. Located in Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas, Nevada, Dawson is a non-sectarian, non-profit school offering students in preschool through eighth grade an inspired and meaningful education. Students achieve their individual potential while savoring life and meeting the challenges of the world.

  • 41 minutes 18 seconds
    So You Think You Know Dawson? Think Again: Alum Stories

    Think you know Dawson? Think again.

    In this episode of So You Think You Know Dawson? Think Again: Alum Stories, we talk with four Dawson alums who are currently in their junior or senior year of high school.

    These alums reflect on their journeys from Dawson to high school, sharing the moments that shaped their paths and the lessons they've learned along the way.

    In this episode, we discuss: • Their time at Dawson • Their high school experiences • Challenges and successes along the way • Advice for current Dawson learners

    Listen in to hear how Dawson alums continue to grow, learn, and make an impact beyond our Dawson campus.

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    Dawson is an independent private school in Las Vegas for students in Early Childhood through grade eight. As Nevada's first Stanford University Challenge Success partner school, Dawson offers a student-centered, research-based program that emphasizes student wellbeing and a healthy school-life balance. To learn more, visit www.adsrm.org

    6 March 2026, 3:00 pm
  • 41 minutes 57 seconds
    The Power of School and Family Partnerships

    Our new host of the Dawson Podcast, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley, welcomes listeners to this season! Dawson's academic leaders - Head of Middle School David Perram, Head of Lower School Amanda Murray-Musgrave, and Head of Early Childhood & Admissions Krista Jacobsen - join him in a conversation all about school and family partnerships. Topics include tips for a successful school year, advice for addressing concerns about your child's experience, and ways that Dawson offers families better insight into the school day.

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    Dawson is an independent private school in Las Vegas for students in Early Childhood through grade eight. As Nevada's first Stanford University Challenge Success partner school, Dawson offers a student-centered, research-based program that emphasizes student wellbeing and a healthy school-life balance. To learn more, visit www.adsrm.org

    23 October 2024, 9:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 27 seconds
    Part Two: Project-Based Learning in Early Childhood with Dawson Faculty

    Dawson faculty Katie Figg and Sara Greenspan join Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education at Dawson. In this episode, our teachers share their first-hand experience with implementing PBL in their classrooms, the challenges they've faced, and the outcomes they've witnessed with their students. You'll also hear about their hopes for the first EC PBL Conference at Dawson in February!

    Learn about the EC Butterfly Project.

    Listen to Kindergarten Podcast Episodes 37, 38 & 39.

    Find out more about the EC PBL Conference.

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 February 2024, 5:46 pm
  • 31 minutes 43 seconds
    Part One: Project-Based Learning in Early Childhood with Sara Lev

    Author and educator Sara Lev joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Wiley in a conversation about project-based learning in early childhood education. In this episode, they discuss the common misconceptions and the benefits of PBL for children ages 3-8. Plus, you'll hear about the genesis of a professional development opportunity that Sara and her co-authors (Amanda Clark and Erin Starkey) are partnering with Dawson to host on our campus in Las Vegas in February 2024: the first-ever Early Childhood Project-Based Learning Conference.

    Find out more about the EC PBL Conference at https://www.earlychildhoodpbl.com/conference.

    Learn more about Sara Lev, her book, and team at https://www.earlychildhoodpbl.com/.

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 January 2024, 6:29 pm
  • 31 minutes 44 seconds
    Find What Lights Your Heart in Nature with Farmer Steph

    During her inaugural visit to Las Vegas to help the School bring new life to the Ruffin Organic Garden, Farmer Stephanie McDonough joined us to share her journey from a marketing job at the NBA Headquarters to farming with kids. Farmer Steph is a Life Lab-certified School Garden Educator and owner of Farm to Table Kids. In this episode, she talks about how she helps kids connect and find what lights their hearts in nature. You'll also learn about her passion for regenerative farming and her daily ritual of a morning garden walk.

    Learn more about Farm to Table Kids at https://www.farmtotablekids.org/

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast

    3 October 2023, 9:37 pm
  • 45 minutes 30 seconds
    The Campfire Principle with Charles Vogl

    Charles Vogl joins Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop and Head of School Roxanne Stansbury in an important conversation about building community and belonging in this era of loneliness. As Dawson dives into its Core Value of Belonging, Charles's concept of the Campfire Principle will guide the School's efforts to plan the events and spaces that support each student, family, and employee. Learn more about the research behind his work and how organizations and companies can reimagine how they facilitate connections.

    Charles is an adviser, speaker, and award-winning author of "The Art of Community" and "Building Brand Communities." His work is used by organizations including Airbnb, LinkedIn, Twitch, Amazon, ServiceNow, Meetup.com, Wayfair, and the US Army.

    Find resources and learn more about Charles Vogl at charlesvogl.com.

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    5 September 2023, 5:48 pm
  • 11 minutes 20 seconds
    Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 3

    We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you do not want to miss it. Enjoy!

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 June 2023, 8:32 pm
  • 22 minutes 21 seconds
    Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 2

    We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you do not want to miss it. Enjoy!

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 June 2023, 8:31 pm
  • 15 minutes 53 seconds
    Kindergarten Take Over: How do you level up? Part 1

    We have a special treat for our Dawson Podcast listeners: a three-episode dose of SWEETNESS in your earbuds from our Dawson Kindergarten show hosts! In the spring, students learned all about our school-wide throughline, LEVEL UP. Then, we passed them the mic to interview members of our community about what it means to LEVEL UP in their lives. They invited faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends to share. They wrote the introduction, closing, and all of the interview questions, and you do not want to miss it. Enjoy!

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 June 2023, 8:30 pm
  • 26 minutes 43 seconds
    Transforming Student Experiences with Dr. Denise Pope of Challenge Success

    Dawson was fortunate to welcome Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope back to the podcast during a recent campus visit in November for a conversation with Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop. In this episode, they discuss the work that Stanford University's Challenge Success is doing to transform student experiences through a community model to improve their well-being. You'll hear about the importance of engagement, well-being, and belonging in school, how parents should think about partnering with schools, and social media use as it relates to success.

    Learn more about Challenge Success at Dawson at https://www.adsrm.org/academics/challenge-success

    For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast.

    29 November 2022, 11:32 pm
  • 52 minutes 14 seconds
    Building and Sustaining a Culture of Belonging at Dawson

    CultureEd Collective Co-Founders Kori McMillion and Jacinta Williams join Head of School Roxanne Stansbury and Assistant Head of School Andrew Bishop for an in-depth conversation about their important work of helping independent schools build and sustain a culture of belonging. As experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion, they discuss what it takes to create a better reality for all people, the critical skills and competencies students will need in order to thrive in their future, and how parents can that a school is delivering and actualizing the mission, vision, diversity statements. Learn more about Culture Ed Collective at cultureedcollective.com/ For more from the Dawson Podcast, check us out online at adsrm.org/podcast. Resources mentioned: How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi NPR Code Switch podcast The Conscious Kid Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt

    19 April 2022, 11:09 pm
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