Jeremiah P. Riordon, Ed.D.

The New York State Department of Education recently announced its plans to decouple Regents Examinations from graduation requirements, offering multiple pathways to earning a diploma. The NYS PLAN Pilot is engaging educators across our state in inquiry work that will help NYSED better understand how to facilitate such a massive cultural shift. This is hopeful news for all who know how deeply inequitable standardized testing can be and how ill-equipped many systems are to use the resulting data in healthy or meaningful ways. These efforts are much appreciated by those progressive educators like myself and most of my closest colleagues who work tirelessly to expand our understandings of literacy and how to best nurture it, call for far better assessment congruence and balance within our systems, and co-construct learning environments with our students, so that they may sharpen their knowledge and skills in service to actual audiences who appreciate the things they create. There's no doubt that this is a critical effort. It's exciting. And also? Many of us know that so much could go off the rails here. I'm fortunate to call many of you who are reading this lasting friends and valued colleagues. We all have deep and varied expertise, and social spaces like this one and others enable us to do more than merely promote it and clap for one another. Some of us learn and question here. We invite critical friendship and take good care to intentionally soften our confidence. We build collective expertise and keep in mind all that we may not yet know. I don't spend a ton of time promoting my work here, and I suppose that all of the LinkedIn marketing sharks who keep DMing me about my branding know this is bad for business. I've built invaluable relationships here, though. They grow and evolve off-stage. Some of you are unschoolers. Others are passionate about learning transfer. Some of you advocate for SOR. Others have deep workshop expertise. If I put all of you in a room, few would agree about much, I imagine. And if you're in my circle, you'd all get along regardless and create some wonderfully textured discourse. That's because the best of you are systems thinkers who listen more than you pontificate. You're learners. And I learn from you. When I was invited to facilitate the professional learning experiences for PLAN Pilot participants in TACS B and C, I made a commitment to myself: I'd remain transparent about my work, share it as openly as I can, and invite diverse perspectives, critical feedback, and networked learning opportunities throughout. To that end, I plan to dedicate each Sunday in January to sharing my work within this initiative--so far. I welcome your thoughts, feedback, and perspective. You can subscribe to my newsletter below if you aren't already, and I'll see you on Sunday (after the Bills game, of course. And no, I don't care that it is a relatively meaningless competition). ❤️ 🦬 💙

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Funding for Safety Related Training Available. All Massachusetts companies are eligible. No matter how many employees you have. You can have this grant and have an Express Grant or General Grant This is for safety related training only. We will be able to provide you with the trainings you require. If you need something we don’t do, we will get you a provider. You are eligible up to $25,000. Funding will need to be used between Oct 2024 – June 2025. SPANISH and English speaking instructors This is a reasonably easy application. Simple management and we have our team expert, Kate, who will assist you in the process. Next Step Let me know if you are interested. email: [email protected] We need to set up a teams meeting with Kate our inhouse expert. We need to be ready to go on June 1. So, you can submit first week in June. “Its first come. First served.” DO NOT MISS OUT!  

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🌟 Early Career Success and Employer Support 🌟 #culture In the picture with me Joseph Corazzini [He/Him/His] and Kola Akindele two professionals dedicated to support and mentor Young Professionals in their community. Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce #DiverseProfessionalsRoundtable Starting a career journey is both exciting and challenging for young professionals. As someone who has seen the impact of early career success, I want to share some thoughts on how employers can support their young talent to thrive: 1. Provide Mentorship: Connecting young professionals with experienced mentors offers them guidance, advice, and a source of inspiration. This helps them navigate their career paths and grow their skills. 2. Offer Training and Development: Investing in continuous learning opportunities allows young professionals to expand their knowledge and stay current with industry trends. At Culture Redesigned we have our very own Young Professional Success Training and if you are in MA you can get a full reimbursement for it. 3. Encourage Collaboration: Fostering a collaborative work environment helps young professionals learn from their peers and build relationships across teams. Let's invest in the future by empowering the next generation of leaders! What other strategies have you found effective in supporting young professionals? Share your thoughts in the comments! 💡

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Why It Matters

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In the Department of Organizational Capacity and Development, our priority is to ensure that all staff members are fully equipped with the training and resources they need to thrive in their roles and support our mission effectively. To achieve this, we emphasize the importance of collaboration with experts and leaders in specialized fields. One such valuable partnership is with the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, Inc. Their expertise in promoting the principles and practices of nonviolence aligns closely with our organizational values, and their contributions are instrumental in enhancing the skills and knowledge of our team. By working together, we create a stronger, more informed workforce capable of making a meaningful impact. This commitment to professional growth and expert collaboration reflects our dedication to fostering a culture of continuous learning and excellence.

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Unfortunately, the Vera Institute of Justice has presented a fallacy of facts in workforce operationalization and reconditioning. As a nation, the judiciary, elected officials, and advocacy groups must recognize the crucial aspects of workforce management and the methodological approaches required to examine each system. Whether actions are due in part to litigation or as a part of a broad spectrum of analysis by committees, a comprehensive approach is essential to provide ethical cures to criminal justice reforms. The scope of the examination must include, but not be limited to, compliance with the rule of law within policies & procedures by leadership in decision-making processes, on standards of measure provided by the government, by direct supervision, and by oversight bodies constituted to monitor the quality of service within a workforce, in its operationalization. When efficaciously administered, the quality of service in workforce orchestration can redress conditions from their current state to levels that can comprehensively transcend to address challenges within current and future budgetary outlays as systems are built in furtherance of truths to sustain constitutionally. Upon examination, prerequisites must provide for the necessary tasks & standards that are absolute in measure, comprehensive in detail, and absent of prejudice to resolutely transition away from conditions ill-suited in governance as adequate forms of rehabilitation and detention. Conditions that abridge the rights of the incarcerated and, through political conjecture, as being applied by the Vera Institute of Justice in this study, can apply divisive theorems with the shadings of truth as inefficacious budgetary assumptions unduly divest and fail to adequately sustain governance to ensure each civil servant workforce is well-constituted and administered absent measures to manage critical service gaps. Rights deprived under the color of law as institutions fail to perform the tasks and standards required to recover from chronic symptoms of a constitutional decline. This study is given a failing grade based on the absence of subject matter experts.

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Here We Go Again    Concern for the safety and security in schools continues to grow. Homicide amongst 13- to 19-year-olds is the highest it’s been on record. That’s 16 more homicides compared to 2021. Ensuring the safety of students and staff in educational institutions is a fundamental priority. The presence of knives and other weapons in schools poses a significant threat, necessitating the implementation of robust strategies to prevent such occurrences. 7 reasons why its important to introduce preventive strategies: 1.     Student and teacher safety 2.     Psychological impact 3.     Legal and ethical responsibility 4.     Robust Policies 5.     Educational training programmes 6.     Increased surveillance and security 7.     Anonymous reporting systems - Nick Inge Is it time for all schools to have search archways and handheld search scanners to prevent weapons from entering school premises? Understanding the gravity of the situation, through statistics and robust preventive measures and training, schools can better protect their students and staff. Click here to learn more - https://lnkd.in/ehEJ6aDF https://lnkd.in/e77c3WB7 NFPS Ltd Robert Landells Jim Snipe Gary Ross James Morris Ginge Johnson Mark Dawes Kirstyn W. Darren Burton Martin Hopper Lauren Taylor Jackie Northedge Anthony Laing (NOMAD) Graeme Whitehead Andrew Heald Graham Baker Paul Parker Gary Headech Jamal D. Hag baz #Learning #Leadership #Leaders #Education #safety #riskassessment

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Paul F. Joyce, Ph.D. thanks for sharing this powerful and eye-opening book! Highly recommended for those passionate about social issues, urban history, and leadership. #Boston #UrbanHistory #SocialIssues #Leadership #GangLife #BookRecommendation

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Why It Matters

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President Leza Raffel spoke at the Pennsylvania School Safety Institute's Summit on August 13, attended by those tasked with crisis prevention and incident management in their school districts. Leza's presentation, "How to Communicate Effectively When Bad News Strikes," focused on communicating during the three types of bad news school districts can face: 🟣 Unforeseen/respond NOW bad news 🟣 Strategically communicated bad news 🟣 Good news turned bad #PennSSI #SchoolSafety #PennSSIExperience #PASchoolSafety #crisiscommunication #schooldistricts #publicrelations #badnews

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After 20 years in highered, learning, and operations enablement, it’s frustrating to see PA’s reforms recycling practices private institutions have led for decades—articulation agreements, certification prep, skills assessments, and partnerships for internships and reduced-cost pathways. These institutions also bring in industry-experienced adjuncts for advisory boards and learning. Yet, the new board (20+ members) ignores key #stakeholders—learners, industry-experienced adjuncts, employers, and community. We need learner-centered innovation, not more bureaucracy, to drive mutual gain and better outcomes. If we continue to sideline the very voices that education is meant to serve—learners, employers, and society at large—we risk perpetuating a system that prioritizes institutional survival over meaningful progress. It’s time to push beyond recycled ideas and embrace true #innovation that aligns with the evolving needs of both students and the #workforce. Only by centering #education around the real stakeholders can we drive outcomes that create lasting, transformative change. The future of #highered depends on it. Learn, grow, and evolve. always! ~ wjmjr #educationreform | #credentials | #higheredreform | #adultlearner | #educationinnovation | #thoughtevolution

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Turn your experience into college credit! At CCV, we know that learning happens everywhere—on the job, in the military, through training programs, or even self-study. If you've gained college-level knowledge outside the classroom, our Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) programs can help you earn college credit for what you already know. With options like course challenges, portfolio creation, and exams, you can: ✅ Save time ✅ Reduce costs ✅ Move closer to your educational goals The Office of Prior Learning Assessment, part of the Vermont State Colleges system, is here to make the process convenient and accessible. Ready to turn your experience into credit? Take the first step by attending an informational webinar: https://lnkd.in/gj7WE4eM. #LifelongLearning #PriorLearningAssessment #CCV #HigherEd

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Why It Matters

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WHY IT MATTERS

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Governor Hochul Highlights Statewide Decline in Crime as New York Communities Ranked Among Safest in the Nation The Governor's investments also include nationally recognized initiatives administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which provides funding, training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in communities hardest hit by gun violence and violent crime: Nearly $36 million for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. Through GIVE, DCJS helps 28 police departments in 21 counties implement evidence-based strategies that have proven to be successful at reducing gun violence, including Problem-Oriented Policing, Hot-Spots Policing, Focused Deterrence/Group Violence Intervention, Street Outreach, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. These strategies focus on the few people and places that are responsible for most of the violence and engage the broader community to build trust. GIVE also funds district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices in those counties. TheNICP.com #CPTED #USCA https://lnkd.in/ejGdziEQ

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Governor Hochul Highlights Statewide Decline in Crime as New York Communities Ranked Among Safest in the Nation The Governor's investments also include nationally recognized initiatives administered by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which provides funding, training and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations in communities hardest hit by gun violence and violent crime: Nearly $36 million for the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative. Through GIVE, DCJS helps 28 police departments in 21 counties implement evidence-based strategies that have proven to be successful at reducing gun violence, including Problem-Oriented Policing, Hot-Spots Policing, Focused Deterrence/Group Violence Intervention, Street Outreach, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. These strategies focus on the few people and places that are responsible for most of the violence and engage the broader community to build trust. GIVE also funds district attorneys’ offices, probation departments, and sheriffs’ offices in those counties. TheNICP.com #CPTED #USCA https://lnkd.in/ejGdziEQ

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