The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast

What if meaningful innovation in schools isn’t about doing more, but about rethinking how we use what we already have?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Heidi Domescik and Daniel Forrester from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School to explore how they are reimagining professional learning by making it more personal, relevant, and responsive to the needs of educators.

The conversation also explores one of the most valuable resources in any school: time. Rather than continually adding new initiatives and expectations, how can schools rethink the way time is used so educators have greater opportunities to learn, collaborate, create, and do work that truly matters?

Heidi and Daniel also discuss the powerful connection between the arts and innovation, and why creativity, expression, and distinctly human ways of thinking may become even more important as artificial intelligence continues to reshape education and the world around us.

This conversation is a reminder that innovation isn’t always about adding something new. Sometimes, it starts by looking differently at what we already have.

 

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👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Technology often gets measured by how advanced, intelligent, or innovative it is. But perhaps its greatest value lies in something much simpler: helping us connect with one another.

In this episode, I revisit a story from The Innovator's Mindset about meeting an Uber driver who was deaf. Before riding with him again the next day, I used my phone to search YouTube and learn how to sign "thank you." It took only a few minutes, but that small use of technology created a genuine human connection that has stayed with me ever since.

Years later, after sharing that story during a keynote, a mother approached me with a powerful message. Her daughter, who is deaf, was about to start at a new school, and she worried about whether people would make the effort to help her feel welcome. She shared that the story gave her hope because it reminded her that inclusion often begins with one person choosing to make a small effort.

We spend so much time talking about artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and digital innovation. Yet some of the most meaningful ways we can use technology are also the simplest. A quick search, a short video, a translation app, or a few minutes of curiosity can help someone feel seen, respected, and like they truly belong.

Maybe the question isn't whether technology is making us more connected.

Maybe the better question is whether we're choosing to use it that way.

Questions for Reflection

When have you used technology to strengthen a human connection?

Are we teaching students to use technology primarily for productivity, or for empathy as well?

What simple digital tool could help someone in your community feel more seen and valued?

How can schools intentionally model technology as a bridge between people instead of a barrier?

What's one small use of technology you could make this week that would have a lasting impact on another person?

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What does it take to transform a school district from one of the lowest graduation rates in a state to one of the highest in the nation?

In this episode, George Couros sits down with Rick Surrency, elected superintendent of Florida's Putnam County School District and author of Trust Me: The Leadership Playbook Behind the Largest Graduation Rate Turnaround in America. Rick shares the remarkable story of how his district increased its graduation rate from 54.9% to 96.6% through a relentless focus on trust, relationships, instructional improvement, teacher support, and creating meaningful opportunities for students.

The conversation explores why trust is more than a leadership buzzword, how career-focused programs can transform student engagement, the importance of supporting teachers through mentorship, and why high expectations and innovation can thrive in any community, regardless of size or socioeconomic status.

Rick's story is a powerful reminder that meaningful change is possible when leaders consistently invest in people, build credibility through action, and create systems that help every student succeed.

Questions for Reflection and Conversation:

How does trust influence your willingness to embrace change, whether as a student, educator, leader, or community member?

What systems exist in your organization to identify and support people before they fall behind?

How can schools create learning experiences that are both academically rigorous and deeply relevant to students' futures?

___________

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:
X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:
Forward, Together:
https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

Should the goal of school be joy or purpose?

In this episode, I riff on an idea that has been bouncing around in my head: we've become increasingly focused on creating joyful experiences for students, but joy and purpose aren't the same thing.

School should absolutely be a place where students feel valued, connected, and excited to learn. But when we believe every learning experience should feel like Disney World, we risk overlooking an important truth: some of the most meaningful learning is difficult.

Purpose often requires struggle. It involves frustration, persistence, failure, and growth. The satisfaction comes not from avoiding the challenge, but from knowing why the challenge matters.

I also connect this idea to AI and academic dishonesty. We often criticize students for using AI to shortcut their work, but many of us looked up answers in the back of the math textbook when we were in school. The tool has changed, but the behavior hasn't.

The bigger question is why people feel the need to cheat in the first place.

When learning feels like nothing more than checking a box for graduation, it's easy to look for shortcuts. When students understand the purpose of the work, they're much more likely to embrace the challenge rather than avoid it.

This episode isn't a finished argument.

 

It's me thinking out loud, connecting ideas, and inviting the conversation. I'd love to hear where you agree, where you disagree, and how this resonates with your own experiences.

 

Questions for discussion:

Should schools prioritize joyful experiences or purposeful ones, or is that the wrong question?

How can we help students understand the purpose behind challenging learning before they look for shortcuts?

What is one learning experience that was difficult in the moment but became meaningful because of the struggle?

If this conversation sparked a thought, challenged your thinking, or made you see the issue differently, I'd love to hear from you. Please share your perspective in the comments. I'm genuinely interested in where this idea can be strengthened, challenged, or expanded.

 

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

What does it take to bring two rival school communities together and build something new?

In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros speaks with Derek Cantrell, Virginia’s High School Principal of the Year, about leading one of the most challenging changes a school leader can face: merging two longtime rivals into one school, one culture, and one community.

Derek shares how he helped lead the consolidation of Covington High School and Allegheny High School during and after COVID-19. Rather than waiting for change to happen and reacting to it, he entered the work with an intentional culture and communication roadmap focused on the questions that matter most: What are people excited about? What are they concerned about? And how can leaders address those concerns before the first day?

The conversation explores why culture is built long before people enter a new building. Derek discusses the importance of preserving traditions from both communities, involving students and families in the process, and even treating the selection of coaching staff as a critical opportunity to bring people together.

Derek and George also explore a powerful leadership idea: change is easier to navigate when we initiate it rather than simply letting it happen to us.

That same proactive mindset now shapes Derek’s approach to artificial intelligence. Guided by a philosophy of “people over paperwork,” he shares how he is using AI to reduce administrative burdens and create more time for what matters most: being present in classrooms, supporting teachers, and connecting with students.

From AI-supported teacher observations and data analysis to new tools for tracking graduation requirements, Derek offers practical examples of how school leaders can use technology not to replace the human side of leadership, but to create more time for it.

This conversation is about more than merging two schools. It is about how leaders build trust, create culture, honor the past, and proactively shape the future.

Derek’s book, Better Together: Building One School, One Culture, and One Community from Two Rivals, shares the full consolidation story along with practical lessons and culture systems school leaders can apply in their own communities.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQMYVJ5R?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Questions for Discussion:

How can leaders address people’s concerns about change before those concerns become barriers to moving forward?

What does it look like to honor the past while intentionally creating a new shared culture?

Where could AI reduce paperwork in your role and create more time for people, presence, and relationships?

Are you currently initiating change, or waiting for change to happen to you?

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/