Episodes

What do we do with what we know? In the fifth and final episode of Beyond the Badge: Rethinking School Safety Through Social-Emotional Competence, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis moves the conversation from research to action and challenges educators, administrators, School Resource Officers, and district leaders to reconsider what creating a safe school truly requires. Throughout the series, listeners have explored the role of School Resource Officers, adult social-emotional competence, relation...

What happens when a question about school safety becomes a doctoral research study? In Episode 4 of Beyond the Badge: Rethinking School Safety Through Social-Emotional Competence, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis steps into the conversation not only as an educator and school leader, but as a researcher. Drawing from her doctoral dissertation, The Impact of School Resource Officers Trained in Social-Emotional Competencies on School Incidents of Violence, Dr. McCray-Sarvis takes listeners behind the...

What happens in the critical moments between conflict and crisis? In Episode 3 of Beyond the Badge: Rethinking School Safety Through Social-Emotional Competence, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis takes the conversation from theory to practice by exploring how adult responses can influence the direction of emotionally charged situations in schools. Through realistic school scenarios including a student refusing to comply, a hallway confrontation, students preparing to fight, an emotionally overwhelm...

What happens when the adults responsible for school safety are asked to regulate a situation, but haven't first regulated themselves? In Episode 2 of the Beyond the Badge: Rethinking School Safety Through Social-Emotional Competence series, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis flips the traditional conversation about social-emotional learning. Instead of focusing only on what students need, this episode examines the social-emotional competencies adults—particularly School Resource Officers, administrato...

What role should School Resource Officers (SROs) play in creating safer schools? In Episode 1 of the Beyond the Badge series, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores the evolving role of School Resource Officers and why effective school safety requires more than enforcement and security. Drawing from the foundation of her doctoral research on School Resource Officers trained in social-emotional competencies and school incidents of violence, Dr. McCray-Sarvis examines the connections among school...

Avoiding a difficult conversation may keep the peace temporarily but what is it doing to your workplace culture? In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores positive confrontation: the leadership skill of addressing difficult behaviors, performance concerns, and workplace issues directly without damaging dignity or unnecessarily creating conflict. You’ll learn the C.L.E.A.R. Approach to Positive Confrontation: C — Check yourself firs...

What do you do when you’ve communicated the expectation, provided support, followed up and the employee still isn’t complying? In this coaching-focused episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores one of the more challenging responsibilities of leadership: addressing employee non-compliance without allowing frustration, emotion, or power struggles to drive the conversation. Leaders are encouraged to first determine what they’re really dealing ...

What does AVID look like when learning moves beyond the traditional classroom and into the gym? In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte sits down with physical education educator Dustin Woods to explore how AVID strategies can transform teaching and learning in physical education. Dustin shares how he incorporates WICOR—Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading—into a highly active, hands-on learning environment while maintaining the m...

What happens when educators stop asking, “What’s wrong with this student?” and begin asking, “Have we created the right conditions for this student to succeed?” In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte welcomes Donn Kirkwood, nationally recognized educator, speaker, U.S. Army veteran, former North Carolina Outstanding Educator, and Senior Leadership Coach with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). With more than two decades of experience support...

Professional conferences are inspiring—but inspiration alone doesn't transform schools. Implementation does. In this episode, we go beyond the keynote speakers and breakout sessions and share the practical lessons that every school leader can begin implementing immediately. Whether you're a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, district leader, or CTE administrator, these are the ideas that have the greatest potential to improve school culture, strengthen instruction, ...

Misalignment isn't burnout. It's what happens when the calendar leads instead of you. In this episode, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis breaks down how to set your leadership intentions before the school year starts — not after you're depleted. You'll walk away with three questions to ask before you touch a master schedule, and a one-page alignment ritual you can fill out this week. In this episode: Why misalignment — not burnout — is the real threat to your leadershipThe three questions to ask be...

Artificial Intelligence is transforming education—but how can school leaders use it responsibly without sacrificing the relationships and culture that make great schools thrive? In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores how educational leaders can leverage AI to reduce teacher workload, streamline administrative tasks, and support high-quality instruction while preserving the positive, organized classroom environments that students...

What happens when parents move from being spectators in their children's education to becoming informed advocates and trusted partners? In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis sits down with Anne-Rose Obidi, founder of The African Parent, education advocate, speaker, and consultant, to discuss the critical role families play in student success. Anne-Rose shares her journey into educational advocacy and offers practical strategies for help...

Are you leading your school, classroom, or organization or simply reacting to the next crisis? Many educators and school leaders find themselves trapped in a cycle of constant firefighting: addressing behavior concerns, managing last-minute issues, responding to emails, and solving the same problems repeatedly. While these challenges demand attention, they can prevent leaders from focusing on what matters most, creating lasting impact. In this episode, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores how...

What happens when educators stop waiting for permission and start leading with intention? In this empowering episode, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis explores how educator growth begins when we move beyond waiting to be recognized and start creating opportunities for ourselves. Whether you're seeking leadership roles, professional advancement, speaking opportunities, or a greater impact in your school community, this episode will challenge you to step into visibility, build confidence, and embrac...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your next level isn’t lack of talent, opportunity, or ability, but fear disguised as comfort? In this powerful episode, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis challenges educators, leaders, entrepreneurs, and purpose-driven individuals to confront the fears that keep them stuck in familiar spaces. From fear of failure and visibility to fear of growth and change, this conversation explores how comfort zones can quietly become barriers to purpose, leadershi...

What does it truly take to create lasting equity and meaningful change within organizations, schools, and communities? In this powerful episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis sits down with internationally recognized diversity, equity, and inclusion leader Celeste Warren for a thought-provoking conversation about leadership, systems, and transformation. With nearly three decades of experience leading diversity and inclusion efforts at a globa...

Data is only information. Transformation happens when leaders create clarity, alignment, accountability, support, and instructional focus. This episode challenges the overreliance on data dashboards while emphasizing the power of leadership in driving student outcomes. Send us Fan Mail Support the show https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560728609349 https://leejanesconsultingllc.com/

In this episode, Dr. Lashawnte challenges the idea that restorative practices are simply a behavior management initiative or discipline strategy. Listeners will explore how restorative practices become transformational when embedded into the culture, mindset, language, and daily interactions within schools and organizations. Listeners will gain practical strategies for building authentic relationships, strengthening accountability, improving communication, and creating environments where people...

You were never meant to stay confined to one classroom. Your voice, your expertise, and your impact have the power to reach far beyond the walls of your school, but too many educators stay invisible, undervalued, and unheard. In this episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis challenges educators and leaders to step into their next level—not just as practitioners, but as authorities in their field. You will learn: ✔️ The difference between being eff...

Leadership is not about titles, it is about discipline, alignment, and accountability. In this powerful episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis challenges educators and leaders to confront the one area most often overlooked: self-leadership. Because the truth is simple, if you cannot lead yourself with consistency, clarity, and control, your ability to lead others will always be limited. In this episode, you’ll discover: ✔️ The leadership lie tha...

What if standing out wasn’t about doing more, but about doing what truly matters? In this transformative episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis challenges the traditional narrative of student success and explores a new path—one rooted in purpose, alignment, and authentic impact. Joined by college readiness expert Shellee Howard, this conversation dives into how students can move beyond building résumés filled with activities and instead create m...

What begins as one idea can become a movement that changes lives across the globe. In this powerful episode of The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, Dr. Lashawnte McCray-Sarvis sits down with Coach Roy Austin, the visionary behind Libraries for Kids, International. What started as a simple belief that every child deserves access to books has grown into a global mission impacting underserved communities around the world. Together, they explore the realities of the global literacy gap...

Why do some of the most talented, dedicated teachers feel stuck in their careers? In this episode, Dr. Lashawnte unpacks the hidden reasons high-performing educators plateau and how to break free. Learn the difference between survival and alignment, why “being good” can limit growth, and practical strategies to reclaim purpose, leadership, and momentum in your work. This episode is a must-listen for educators ready to evolve beyond compliance and step into intentional impact. Send us Fan Mail...