Friday 5 9/9/22: Check Out Across Colors, Your New Favorite Education Podcast, and More For Your Weekend

Hey everybody,

Ed Post Staff Writer Rob Samuelson here with another Friday 5, our weekly newsletter where our staff shares how the outside world affects the work we do for your kids.

This Week

There’s no one-size-fits-all equity solution for America’s schools. 

That’s why we launched Across Colors, a five-part podcast about how parents and educators from across the country are pushing to make schools better and more equal places for children to learn and grow. 

Hosted by journalist Tanzina Vega, Across Colors will run for the next several weeks. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts to keep up with the conversation.

How You Can Help

• First Thing First: Subscribe, rate, and review Across Colors on your podcast listening platform of choice. Share with your networks, especially any school, district, or elected officials in your area.
• Go Deeper: What are YOU gonna do about racial inequality in public schools? We want to know. Get in touch with your ideas and stories.
• Take Action: When you’re sharing Across Colors with those school, district, and elected officials in your area, ask them what their plans are to address unequal outcomes for Black and Brown students. Let us know what they said.

What We're Watching

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel is a future Hall of Famer with a well known “bulldog” personality on the mound. But there’s another important ingredient to life as a successful MLB reliever: a short memory for the moments when things don’t go your way. 

Kimbrel’s new entrance song, “Let It Go” of “Frozen” fame, amusingly reminds him—and the rest of us—to give 100% every time, regardless of past mistakes. The switch worked, per the Dodgers’ broadcast team. Kimbrel’s been lights out since Elsa began announcing his appearances, with zero hits allowed in five appearances. 

Ed Post Editorial Intern Trinity Alicia hopped aboard the “Gilmore Girls” train for another go-round.

“It’s the perfect watch for fall in New England (or in general, but since I’m here and the show takes place there it just makes sense)!” she said. A recent college grad, she reminisced through the show about what life was like getting into college. 

“I’m in the third season, where Rory and her schoolmates are all preparing to apply to college,” she said. “Although their stories are completely fictional, their process of boosting their resumes for college and touring campuses reminds me of the stress I endured this time of year five years ago. Glad we’ve made it to the other side.”

Antonio Parés, brightbeam Senior Partner for Strategy, was thrilled to hear about some “Gilmore Girls” chatter on our work Slack channel. 

“I have watched GG through many times,” Parés said. “I have a love-hate relationship with the whole show, and I keep coming back to it. The characters, the dialogue, and the speed of the conversations—love it! My wife and I have dressed up as obscure characters and scenes for Halloween.”

What We're Listening To

Parés even had a podcast recommendation related to the timeless coming-of-age show: 

“Ever listened to ‘Gilmore Guys’?” he asked.

Arctic Monkeys returned last week with new single “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” from upcoming record “The Car.” 

While I’m bummed to learn “sci-fi is off the table” for the new album after 2018’s “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino” told the story of a Vegas-style lounge on a moon base, the new song at least continues the band’s compelling turn toward swelling strings and other cinematic flourishes.

What We're Reading

We’ve all been bewildered by the education system at one point or another. Indiana mom, educator, and administrator Shawnta Barnes has spent a lot of time helping folks navigate the ins and outs of a confounding system, so Ed Post’s Digital Team had an idea.

Why not give Barnes her own advice column to help you, our readers, have better, more cooperative relationships with your kids’ teachers and school leaders? 

So this week Ed Post launched “Hey Shawnta,” a new weekly column where an education expert who’s been through it all can help you get the answers to unlock your kids’ highest potential. 

The first edition of “Hey Shawnta” features clear, easy-to-follow advice to break through all the noise at the start of the school year so you can have the brass tacks conversations you need to have with your kids’ educators. 

Be sure to read and share with your networks. 

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!