In this episode, I talk with Iuri Melo, licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of School Pulse, a service reaching more than 100,000 students across the U.S. with evidence-based mental health support.

We explore how a simple text twice a week can spark real conversations, build resilience, and help schools stay proactive instead of waiting for crisis moments. Irui shares the story behind School Pulse, why prevention is so hard to measure, and how kindness plus data can be a powerful force for change.

This conversation will leave you rethinking how we connect with and protect our students.

Highlights:

01:30 – How a community tragedy sparked something new

07:45 – From one text a week to real conversations with students

15:10 – What schools really need (and don’t have) right now

23:50 – The tough student who wouldn’t quit… and why that mattered

31:20 – Measuring impact when prevention feels invisible

38:00 – What’s next for School Pulse and student wellness

Connect with Iuri

Website: https://schoolpulse.org/

Email: iuri@schoolpulse.org

The information and advice provided are for guidance purposes only, and all listeners are required to follow federal and state law, as well as their school district guidelines and policies.

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In this episode, I explore the language we use with ourselves, our colleagues, and our students - especially those sneaky negation statements.

Words like can’t, don’t, won’t, and shouldn’t seem harmless, but they often keep us stuck by focusing attention on exactly what we don’t want.

I share examples of how these statements show up in our daily lives, why they reinforce frustration and helplessness, and how simple reframes into affirmations can shift the entire conversation.

By focusing on what we do want, we open the door to problem-solving, goal setting, and positive change.

Here are the highlights:

How common phrases keep us stuck in frustration (01:12)

A real-life example packed with negation keywords (02:30)

Reframing negations into affirmations (03:40)

A practical challenge to raise your awareness (04:45)

The information and advice provided are for guidance purposes only, and all listeners are required to follow federal and state law, as well as their school district guidelines and policies.

Connect with Jenny:

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In this episode, I’m joined by Wendy Taylor, the host of The Special Ed Strategist podcast and founder of Learning Essentials.

Wendy has such a wealth of experience as an educational therapist, IEP coach, and advocate for families.

We talk about what it really takes to build strong support systems between schools and parents, how to make interventions meaningful, and why keeping communication at the centre of everything can change outcomes for students.

Highlights:

(02:02) Wendy's journey into special education

(06:21) Wendy’s son's cancer survival

(10:11) Parents feeling overwhelmed at the IEP table

(15:17) Building strong communication between families and schools

(20:13) Practical strategies for supporting reading and writing

Find out more about Wendy:

University of Kansas Writing Strategies

The Special Education Strategist Podcast

Learning Essentials

The information and advice provided are for guidance purposes only, and all listeners are required to follow federal and state law, as well as their school district guidelines and policies.

Connect with Jenny:

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

WEBSITE