{"podcast":{"title":"Voices for Excellence","slug":"voices-for-excellence-6300546","podcast_index_feed_id":6300546,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/voices-for-excellence/","website_url":"https://pod.co/voices-for-excellence","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/afecbc2c-9939-4ffd-9570-ccba4bf9d668/voices-for-excellence.jpg","author":"Dr. Michael T Conner","episode_count":130,"summary":"Welcome to Voices for Excellence , hosted by Dr. Michael Conners, where we explore the dynamic world of education, leadership, and innovation. This podcast offers in-depth conversations with thought leaders, educators, and industry experts, providing listeners with actionable insights and strategies to drive excellence in their fields. Season 3 continues our journey with a focus on cutting-edge topics like diversity in education , equality and inclusion , the impact of AI in the classroom , and transformative leadership strategies . Each episode is designed to inspire educators, leaders, and professionals committed to fostering positive change and achieving outstanding results. Across all seasons, Voices for Excellence delves into: Innovative educational practices and strategies Leadership development and personal growth Diversity and inclusion in the educational landscape The role of technology and AI in modern learning environments Join us for thought-provoking discussions and gain valuable perspectives on how to excel in today’s rapidly evolving world. Whether you’re an educator, a leader, or simply passionate about making a difference, this podcast provides the tools and inspi…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-28T02:19:34.098078+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-for-excellence-6300546"},"episode":{"title":"Making AI a core language, not an elective with Dr. Rick Fernandez","slug":"making-ai-a-core-language-not-an-elective-with-dr-rick-fernandez","published_at":"2026-07-27T13:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-for-excellence-6300546/making-ai-a-core-language-not-an-elective-with-dr-rick-fernandez","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-for-excellence-6300546","url":"https://pod.co/voices-for-excellence","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/1e2f3ed2-1064-4c9f-8b7a-7040d5f0cc9a.mp3","summary":"Every so often, a conversation cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what education leadership demands right now. This is one of those conversations. In this episode, Dr. Michael T. Conner is joined by Dr. Rick Fernandez, former superintendent, former high school principal, Chief Growth Officer at BlueKit Software, and co-host of the Boyz of EdTech podcast, for a powerful discussion on leadership, data, competition, and the future of learning. Dr. Fernandez brings a grounded, unfiltered perspective on the realities facing school districts today. From the pressure of school choice and vouchers to the blind spots hidden inside district data, he challenges leaders to think more honestly about what their systems know, what they assume, and what families are really asking for. This is not a surface-level conversation about trends. It is a call for sharper thinking, stronger systems, and a deeper commitment to preparing students for a future already being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Dr. Conner and Dr. Fernandez move with urgency, humor, and candor through the kinds of questions education leaders cannot afford to avoid. If you are a superintendent, principal, district leader, educator, or anyone invested in the future of public education, this episode will push your thinking and leave you with plenty to sit with. Dr. Fernandez’s challenge for the next generation comes down to three words: curiosity, consistency, and entrepreneurship.","meta_description":"Every so often, a conversation cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what education leadership demands right now. This is one of those conversat…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3610,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/voices-for-excellence-6300546/episodes/making-ai-a-core-language-not-an-elective-with-dr-rick-fernandez/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/voices-for-excellence-6300546/making-ai-a-core-language-not-an-elective-with-dr-rick-fernandez.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}