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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

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Clarity Over Clutter Freebie
http://www.catchingupwithcasey.com/clarityoverclutter

In this episode, I chat with Casey Watts, CEO of Casey Watts Coaching and Consulting, about her extensive 20-year journey in education as a teacher, leader, and professor. We discuss Casey’s focus on helping leaders gain clarity within their organizations and the importance of building a thriving data culture with clarity at its core. Casey shares her experiences from various educational roles and introduces her book, 'The Craft of Clarity,' which outlines six steps for school improvement. We dive into her strategies for creating environments where staff can move beyond silos and foster a culture of collaboration. Casey also provides insights into overcoming common obstacles in data conversations, emphasizing the need for structured systems and continuous clarity. This episode is packed with practical advice on creating a clarity-driven data culture, applicable to educators and leaders alike.

Learn more about Casey Watts at www.clarity-driven.com

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Connect with Casey Watts
Email: catchingupwithcasey@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/in/catchupwithcasey


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

Send us a text

Learn more about WeCollab at jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab

In this episode of Data in Education, Jessica interviews Jennifer Ferguson, founder of Sapience Educational Services, shares her 20-year journey in education from teaching to district leadership. She discusses her passion for data-informed decision-making in education and collaboration with Kurtis and Lorna Hewson on the WeCollab software. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of a supportive data culture, celebrating small wins, and creating a psychologically safe environment for educators. She highlights specific success stories in improving educational outcomes for English language learners and encourages further conversations on data and education.

Learn more about Jennifer Ferguson at http://www.sapience-ed.com/

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Connect with Jennifer Ferguson
Email: jennifer.ferguson@sapience-ed.com
X: https://x.com/_MrsFerguson_
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-dickson-ferguson
jennifer.ferguson@sapience-ed.com

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

Send us a text

Check out Data in Education: A Virtual Summit - bit.ly/datasummit2025

In this bonus episode, we're joined by Dr. Sarah K. Richter, an Instructional Coach from Springfield City Schools with over two decades in diverse educational settings. Sarah’s unique journey into data analysis, sparked at a pivotal moment in her career, has fueled her impactful work supporting teachers across all subjects. She’s now using those skills to drive measurable success and help educators truly reflect on their practice.


Learn more about Sarah Richter at https://sarahkrichter.weebly.com/

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Connect with Sarah Richter
Email: skj7668@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sarah-k-richter-824987120


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

Send us a text

Check out Data in Education: A Virtual Summit - bit.ly/datasummit2025

In this bonus episode, we have Emily Mulcahey, an Instructional Coach from North College Hill City Schools with 29 years in the education trenches. Emily’s seen how bringing teachers together around data, not just handing it to them, sparks incredible student growth. She's living proof that collaboration makes data less scary and way more impactful.


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Connect with Emily Mulcahey
Email: mulcahey.e@nchcityschools.org
X: @MulcaheyEmily
Facebook: Emily Russo Mulcahey


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

Send us a text

Check out Data in Education: A Virtual Summit - bit.ly/datasummit2025

In this bonus episode, we're talking data with Rick Kutcher, an Administrative Specialist from ESC Region 13 with a seriously diverse background in education. Rick's journey from band director and principal to his current data systems role gives him a unique perspective on leveraging data in schools. He even famously took a failing school to an A rating in under a year, largely by using data to drive incredible results.



Learn more about Rick Kutcher at https://www.rickkutcherconsulting.com/

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Connect with Rick Kutcher
Email: rkutcher@esc13.net
X:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-kutcher/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564535036409


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

Send us a text

Check out Data in Education: A Virtual Summit - bit.ly/datasummit2025

In this bonus episode, we're talking systems and strategy with Dr. Melissa Wainwright, an MTSS Consultant and Coach who brings over 25 years of experience to her work helping schools take action with data. Melissa is passionate about moving beyond just collecting data to actually solving problems, like the district who used data visualization to uncover how attendance was secretly tanking literacy. With a background in collective leadership and Appreciative Inquiry, she's all about leveraging data in a positive, people-centered way.



Learn more about Melissa Wainwright at melissawainwright.org

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Connect with Melissa Wainwright
Email: info@MelissaWainwright.org
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/melissa-is-mtss
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissaewainwright

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

Send us a text

Check out Data in Education: A Virtual Summit - bit.ly/datasummit2025

In this bonus episode, we're chatting with Principal Christopher Graves, a seasoned school leader passionate about structured improvement for students. Chris learned the power of tracking data the best way – by doing – building a skillset from his love of sports stats to make real impacts in areas like school culture and chronic absenteeism. He's all about finding that sweet spot where data is both powerful and practical for his staff.


Learn more about Christopher Graves at gravesdi.com

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Connect with Christopher Graves
Email: cgraves3@cps.edu
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-christopher-graves-ed-d-csbo-12a77032


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