In this episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Dr. Rick Surrency, Superintendent of Putnam County School District in Florida, and Laura France, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction. Together, they share how a district once labeled “in decline” moved from a 54.9% graduation rate and multiple failing schools to over 92% graduation and zero schools in failing status.

Mindy, Dr. Surrency, and Laura unpack how stable leadership, stronger Tier 1 instruction, and a relentless focus on systems not quick fixes have transformed teaching, learning, and literacy across the district. From novice teacher support to near-peer tutoring, this is a masterclass in long-game, student-centered change.

Key Moments

00:04 Welcome to the OnYourMark Podcast & Today’s Guests

01:25 Rick’s 48-Year Journey in Education & Returning as Superintendent

02:18 From District in Decline to 92.5% Graduation Rate

03:53 Turning Around a Chronically Failing School & Scaling What Worked

04:56 Laura on Strengthening Core Instruction vs. “Intervening Our Way Out”

07:19 Building a Common Language for Instruction & Real-Time Professional Learning

11:15 Making Learning Relevant: CTE, STEM, and Portrait of a Graduate

13:51 STEM Pathways, K–12 STEM Accreditation & Cambridge Acceleration

33:18 Inside Putnam’s K–12 Comprehensive Evidence-Based Reading Plan

37:42 Trend Walks: Non-Evaluative Classroom Visits that Drive PD

39:52 Raising Future Teachers: Near-Peer “RAISE” Tutors & Grow-Your-Own Pipelines

44:45 Looking Ahead: Five New Schools, a $300M Bond, and What’s Next

Why You’ll Love This Episode

If you care about literacy, leadership, and long-term system improvement, this conversation will stay with you. Dr. Rick Surrency and Laura France share openly about moving a district from decline to stability, rebuilding core instruction, and creating systems that last beyond any one leader. They unpack how relevance, strong pedagogy, and community trust come together to help every student grow and how investing in teachers keeps the whole system moving forward. Their clarity, humility, and deep commitment to kids make this an energizing listen for any education leader focused on sustainable change.

Connect with Our Guests

Dr. Rick Surrency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-surrency-221a69a5
Laura France: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-france-376602a7

Follow Us:
Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom
OnYourMarkWebsite: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/
OnYourMark LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education

About OnYourMark Podcast
The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what’s possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child.

👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Danae Reynolds, Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Palo Alto Unified School District, to explore how a high-performing district dug beneath its overall scores to confront unfinished learning and better support student groups who weren’t yet meeting grade-level expectations.

Danae shares how Palo Alto Unified built the Every Student Reads Initiative—grounded in structured literacy, explicit phonics instruction, and a districtwide commitment to training every K–3 teacher and principal. Together, they unpack how system alignment, strong core instruction, and a deeper understanding of multilingual learners reshaped early reading across schools. From rethinking decodables to building model classrooms, this is a clear look at how sustained adult learning drives lasting student growth.

Key Moments

00:04 Welcome to the OnYourMark Podcast

00:24 Introducing Danae Reynolds & Palo Alto Unified’s literacy focus

01:29 Danae’s journey from classroom teacher to district leader

03:17 Why strong averages masked gaps for specific student groups

04:37 Discovering Orton–Gillingham and early signs of improvement

07:14 Rethinking decodables and unlearning whole-language habits

09:56 Supporting multilingual learners with explicit phoneme instruction

13:34 Why decoding gaps—not comprehension alone—drive early struggles

16:37 Districtwide training: every K–3 teacher and every principal

22:24 Using student photos to humanize data and drive goal setting

31:05 Building model classrooms and cross-site learning structures

37:09 Naming dips in progress and planning the next phase of work

Why You’ll Love This Episode

If you’re committed to early literacy and systemwide coherence, this conversation offers practical clarity and grounded insight. Danae shares candidly about confronting inequities hidden beneath strong averages and how evidence-based instruction helped create more consistent experiences for students across schools.

You’ll hear how shared language, predictable routines, and deep support for teachers shaped the district’s approach to early reading. Danae’s honesty about the learning required—both personally and systemwide—makes this a powerful listen for leaders focused on sustainable improvement.

Connect with Guest

LinkedIn: Danae Reynolds: https://www.linkedin.com

Website: https://www.pausd.org/

Follow Us

Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom
OnYourMark Website: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/
OnYourMark LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education

About OnYourMark Podcast

The OnYourMark Podcast is where Mindy Sjoblom talks with school system leaders shaping what’s possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child.

👉 Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.

In this episode, host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with Dr. Edie Sohigian, Executive Director of Elementary School Education for Sampson County Schools in North Carolina. Together, they dig into Edie's journey from major urban school districts to leading in a rural setting, exploring the unique challenges and opportunities of each. The conversation unfolds around resource divides, leadership strategies, and the power of relationships in education.

Mindy and Edie get candid about current literacy instruction, especially the district’s big shift towards aligning teaching with the science of reading and the importance of high-quality instructional materials. They discuss how Sampson County is tackling support for struggling readers, building clarity and coherence for teachers, and fostering a culture where vulnerability and learning go hand in hand.

This episode is full of insights and practical takeaways on literacy, supporting educators, and what it takes to enact real change in schools. Stick around to hear Edie's vision for literacy five years from now and some personal reading recommendations to keep you inspired!

Key Moments

03:16 Rural vs. Urban Connections

08:34 Collaboration Brings Transformational Change

12:01 Student Self-Efficacy in Learning

15:04 "The Art of Gathering Insights"

16:46 "North Carolina Reading Initiative"

21:27 Adopting Effective Teaching Materials

25:48 "Job-Embedded Support Strategy"

26:32 Early Literacy Through Close Reading

29:42 Evaluating Tiered Instruction Effectiveness

33:39 Strength-Based Literacy and Rigor

37:28 "Spectacular Leadership Lessons"

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This is a thoughtful look at what it takes to lead literacy with clarity and heart. Dr. Edie Sohigian shares how Sampson County Schools is closing gaps, empowering teachers, and embracing the science of reading to give every child a strong start. From rethinking instructional playbooks to building trust and transparency, her leadership shows that change in education begins with people, not programs. If you care about literacy, equity, and the power of clear vision, this episode is for you.

Connect with Dr. Edie Sohigian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edie-sohigian
Website: https://www.sampson.k12.nc.us/

Follow Us:

Mindy Sjoblom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-sjoblom
OnYourMark Website: https://www.onyourmarkeducation.org/
OnYourMark LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/onyourmark-education

About OnYourMark Podcast
The OnYourMark Podcast is where host Mindy Sjoblom sits down with school system leaders shaping what’s possible for early readers. From high-impact tutoring to building trust with families, each episode dives deep into what it really takes to make early literacy work for every child.

👉Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the OnYourMark Podcast for more conversations on literacy, leadership, and lasting change.