Past Podcasts

What does it truly look like to be a Thrively school over the course of 180 days? Join us for a powerful, practitioner-led roundtable where educators share real stories, best practices, and reflections from their Thrively implementation journey. This conversation goes beyond the platform to explore how schools are building cultures grounded in strengths, well-being, hope, and connection. Through the lens of educators and students, we’ll explore what it means to bring the ‘Thrively Core 4’ to life across a full school year—from the strengths assessment to end-of-year reflections. In this session, we will unpack: How educators are using strengths-based practices to shape student identity and voice The impact of Thrively on student engagement, confidence, and ownership of learning What it looks like to center student experience and see implementation through their lens Strategies for bringing families into the conversation The daily and long-term practices that define a Thrively school across 180 days This roundtable centers the how—the real moves, reflections, and shifts that transform classrooms and school communities over time.

Is your district Portrait of Graduate initiative known, communicated and lived out by everyone in your learning community? Join us for a practitioner-rich session where we move from poster to practice to positive impact, exploring how to operationalize your Portrait vision into a dynamic, strengths-based blueprint for whole child success. We will dive into the Thrively framework, demonstrating how to integrate the ‘conditions for learning’ to drive meaningful, future-ready learning and create a lasting, positive impact across your school. Hosted by Dr. Marion Smith Jr. (former assistant state superintendent), and Jasmine Cox (former school principal), featuring Jeanine Collins (distinguished leader in state-level Portrait initiatives) and Dr. Shawn Wightman (superintendent of schools, Roosevelt Union Free School District).

As the school year enters its final stretch, the challenge isn't just finishing the curriculum—it’s finishing with purpose. Join us for a 30-minute deep dive into leveraging Hope Theory and Thrively Hope Survey data (agency and pathways) to re-anchor your classroom culture. We will explore how to transition from traditional end-of-year pressure to student-centered goal setting, providing learners with the agency and personalized pathways to visualize their own success. Discover practical strategies to turn the "spring slump" into a season of renewed focus and intentional growth.

Middle school shapes how students see themselves as learners. When learning environments align with adolescent development, engagement, motivation, and belonging follow. In Middle School Redesign Part 1, Jasmine Cox will guide school and district leaders through a practical, whole child roadmap for redesigning the middle grades. Participants will explore how strengths, learning preferences, relevance, hope, and well being create the conditions for meaningful learning and student agency. Why Attend? If your middle school redesign work feels urgent but unclear, this session provides focus and direction. Rather than starting with programs or schedules, this webinar centers the conditions that matter most for adolescents. You will leave with a shared framework, a clear starting point, and concrete next steps for redesign.

Expanded learning should be more than extra seat time. It should be time that truly moves students forward. Afterschool and enrichment programs have the potential to become some of the most powerful spaces in a student’s day, supporting belonging, confidence, curiosity, and growth beyond academics. But too often, these programs lack the data, structure, and personalized tools needed to meet the needs of every learner. Join Peter Barajas, Customer Success Manager at Thrively and former Expanded Learning Program Supervisor, for an engaging webinar on how Thrively helps schools design expanded learning experiences that are strengths-based, student-centered, and impact-driven. You will explore how Thrively’s whole-child assessments and curated learning resources empower educators to understand students more deeply, strengthen engagement, and build future-ready skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Stop teaching to the middle and start teaching to the person. Join Jasmine Cox (Customer Success Manager at Thrively and former school principal) and Dr. Marion Smith Jr. (Chief Learning Officer at Thrively and former superintendent of schools) for resource-rich webinar where they’ll explore how to bridge the gap between Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the power of student-centered data. Using Thrively’s research-based tools and resources, you will learn how to move beyond special education compliance to create a special education classroom culture that prioritizes what’s strong over what’s wrong. What You Will Gain Operationalize Hope: Use Thrively’s Hope Survey to measure and boost student agency, pathways and goal-setting. Data-Driven UDL: Leverage the Thrively Strengths Assessment and playlists to design flexible learning pathways that align with student interests and neurodiverse needs. Strengthen Connections: Foster deeper teacher-student relationships by utilizing "Whole Child" data to inform IEP goals and classroom interactions. Ready to see the "genius" in every student? Register now for the webinar.

Teachers everywhere are asking the same question: Why are so many capable students disengaged, discouraged, and low in motivation? The answer is often not ability. It is hope and connection. When students feel disconnected, unsure of their path, or doubtful they can succeed, effort fades, persistence drops, and learning stalls. Join this powerful and practical session, hosted by Dr. Marion Smith Jr. (Chief Learning Officer at Thrively and former superintendent of schools), as Cathleen Beachboard (educator, researcher and best-selling author) shares five simple, measurable 'Hope Moves' that educators can use immediately to rebuild student motivation and strengthen connection without adding workload. Grounded in the science of Hope and designed to align with the Thrively Connections Tool, this session shows how relationships, belonging, and agency work together to reignite effort and engagement. Participants will walk away with clear strategies, real classroom examples, and simple ways to measure whether motivation and connection are improving. If you are seeing capable students disengage, struggle to persist, or lose confidence, this session will give you practical tools and resources you can use immediately to help students reconnect, re-engage, and rebuild momentum.

The data is in the dashboard. Now what? Too often, student insights stay trapped in reports instead of showing up in classrooms, support plans, and daily decisions. In this session, Jasmine Cox will show how to move beyond simply viewing Thrively data and begin using it as a tool for action. Participants will learn practical ways to translate whole-child insights into meaningful routines that strengthen MTSS, personalize support, and increase student engagement. This webinar is for educators and leaders ready to turn data into next steps, and insights into real impact.

Is your MTSS framework missing the human element? Standard data tells you who may be achieving or who may be failing to achieve, but it doesn't tell you how to help them thrive. Join our upcoming webinar to transform your student support from reactive to proactive. Why Attend? Traditional data metrics only show part of the picture. To maximize a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), you need to see the whole child. Join Dr. Marion Smith Jr. (Chief Learning Officer at Thrively and former superintendent of schools) to explore how to use Thrively’s unique data metrics to personalize core instruction, to identify interventions and to build a culture of belonging. Register now to secure your spot and to receive our "Holistic MTSS Data Checklist"

When families are engaged, students thrive. Yet too often, schools and parents struggle to bridge the gap—leaving families unsure how to best support their child and educators wishing for stronger partnerships. Join Jasmine Cox and Dr. Angela Brooks for an interactive session that introduces Thrively’s Parent Portal—a powerful tool designed to close that gap and strengthen the bridge between home and school. In this webinar, you’ll see how parents can access real-time insights into their child’s strengths, progress, and personalized learning activities, all in one simple, easy-to-use space. This session will show you how the Parent Portal empowers educators to foster trust, streamline communication, and provide families with the resources they need to reinforce learning at home. It’s about more than updates—it’s about creating authentic partnership between schools and families. Whether your goal is to improve parent engagement, increase student motivation, or ensure families feel included in the learning process, this webinar will equip you with practical strategies and tools to turn involvement into impact.

Are You Ready to Reignite Hope and Care in Your School Community? Educators, the winter break is looming and it's the perfect time to recharge and reconnect with the passion that drives your teaching journey. Join us for a transformative 45-minute webinar designed to empower you and your colleagues with the strategies needed to nurture a Culture of Care and a Culture of Hope in your school. With over 40% of teachers leaving the profession within their first five years, urgent action is needed to sustain and inspire those who shape the future. Join members of the Thrively Team, Dr. Marion Smith Jr. (Chief Learning Officer and former Superintendent of Schools) and Jamie Morgan (Customer Success Manager and former Gifted & Talented Teacher) to leverage the Thrively Framework and learn practitioner-approved approaches to enhance self-care, community building, and motivation. Discover how to celebrate yourself and your fellow educators.

What happens when students are not only heard, but lead the conversation about their own education? Join Jasmine Cox and a panel of extraordinary student leaders for an unfiltered and inspiring session where students themselves take the mic. These voices—from elementary through high school, across traditional classrooms, alternative programs, and microschool collectives—will share how strengths and asset-based learning have shaped their confidence, their choices, and their future goals. Too often, education is defined by deficits—what students cannot do, what they must catch up on, or where they fall short. This webinar shifts that narrative. You will hear directly from students about how Thrively’s strengths-based tools have given them language to describe who they are, visibility into their unique talents, and the confidence to see themselves as capable leaders of their own learning. They will share how having their strengths recognized has changed the way they approach challenges, build relationships, and set goals for the future. This is more than a conversation—it is a demonstration of student agency in action. The students you meet will show how Thrively’s approach to strengths and hope helped them persevere, how asset-based learning environments inspired them to take ownership, and how having their voice amplified has made them feel seen and valued. Their stories remind us that when schools focus on what is strong instead of what is wrong, students thrive. Educators and leaders will leave not only inspired, but equipped with practical strategies to amplify student voice, elevate strengths, and build authentic partnerships where students are empowered as leaders in their educational journey.

Are you looking for effective ways to bridge the gap between home and school? Join us for an impactful 30-minute webinar focused on unlocking the power of family engagement through innovative strategies and tools. Led by Jamie Morgan, Customer Success Manager and former Gifted and Talented educator, this session will delve into how Thrively resources help transform your parent-teacher conferences and enhance ongoing family engagement. During this webinar, you’ll discover how to maximize the use of the Strengths Profile to foster individualized student-led conferences, effectively monitor and take action on how students are feeling and functioning with the Well Being Index, and harness the Hope Survey to nurture students'' agency and pathway. Register now to secure your spot and embark on a journey to strengthen family engagement in your learning community!

Did you know that Hope is a key predictor of success in academics, careers and life? We are not talking about Hope as an emotion, but as a cognitive trait. Join Cathleen Beachboard, educator and best selling author of The School of Hope, for an interactive webinar to delve into the power of Hope, revealing how neuroscience and positive psychology can be applied in classrooms to create transformative educational experiences. Participants will discover measurable strategies for building Hope and resilience among students and educators, leading to increased motivation, academic success, and teacher retention. Educators will leave with practical tools they can immediately apply to cultivate a hopeful and supportive environment where everyone thrives.

When students feel safe, supported, and emotionally ready to learn, their potential soars. Well-being is not just a buzzword, it is the foundation for academic growth and lifelong success. In this 30-minute session, Customer Success Manager Jamie Jo Morgan will explore why well-being matters and how Thrively’s Well-Being Index, developed in partnership with the Center for Whole-Child Education, gives educators a clear, actionable way to measure and support it. You will discover how this research-based tool helps you identify trends, address challenges before they escalate, and create environments where every student feels valued and ready to thrive. The session will include practical, high-impact strategies you can use right away, along with real-world examples that bring the data to life.

Ever wondered how discovering what makes your students strong can change your classroom dynamics? What if you could ignite passion and curiosity by leveraging strengths each day? Join us for an enlightening 30-minute webinar featuring two veteran educators: Dr. Marion Smith Jr., Chief Learning Officer at Thrively, bringing his background as a former assistant state superintendent, superintendent of schools, school principal and teacher. Alongside him, Jasmine Cox, Customer Success Manager at Thrively, who brings her experience as a former school principal, special education director and teacher. In this dynamic session, you’ll uncover practical strategies and resources to quickly shift to an asset-based environment that promises immediate positive impact, empowering students by celebrating “What’s Strong with You?” Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights you can implement the very next day!

If the first few weeks set the tone for the year, what kind of classroom culture are you building? The strongest starts begin with intentional relationships, not just routines. When students feel seen, valued, and connected from day one, they are more likely to engage, persevere, and thrive. In this strategy-rich, impactful session, Jasmine Cox and Jamie Jo Morgan will walk you through four essential conditions for humanizing learning at the start of the year: strengths, well-being, hope, and connection. Each condition is paired with practical tools and classroom-ready strategies from the Thrively platform—like printable Strengths Profiles, visibility-building QR codes, and simple daily check-ins. Whether you're new to Thrively or a returning educator looking to deepen your impact, this session will equip you with everything you need to build a thriving, strengths-based classroom from day one.

We don’t rise to the level of our instruction—we rise to the strength of our relationships. Decades of psychological research have shown that student-teacher relationships are one of the most powerful predictors of motivation, resilience, and long-term success. In this fast-paced, research-backed session, bestselling author and educator Cathleen Beachboard introduces a groundbreaking tool from Thrively that helps educators intentionally build and track stronger relationships with students—without adding to their workload. Built on the science of belonging and brain-based connection, Thrively’s Connections Tool allows schools to see where relationships are strong, where they’re missing, and what steps to take next. It’s fast. It’s actionable. And it’s a game-changer for school culture. Whether you’re trying to close equity gaps, reduce behavioral challenges, or ensure no student slips through the cracks, this session will equip you with the insights—and the tools—to turn connection into measurable positive impact.

Students spend on average 12,000 to 14,000 hours in school during their K-12 journey. How do we capture and support their holistic learning journey? Join Thrively and innovative education leaders from across the country for a panel discussion designed to unlock strategies that bring your Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait of a Learner initiatives to life. This is an opportunity for K-12 educators to learn from leaders at the forefront of strengths-based and asset-based education.

Join us for a dynamic and learner-centered conversation about the power of building a strengths-based foundation in early childhood education. Jamie Jo Morgan, Customer Success Manager, at Thrively welcomes Luis F. Salazar, School Counselor, at Sunkist Elementary in Bassett Unified School District (CA), to share insights from his experience working with students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Together, they'll explore why introducing strengths vocabulary at a young age is a critical step in helping children develop self-awareness, confidence, and a sense of purpose, long before academic pressures take center stage.