Lutheran Education Podcast

Episode 84: Episode 84: Matt Bergholt talks about creating continuous improvement across an organization

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:18:32 +0000

Matt Bergholt returns to the podcast after several years and a career change to talk about his new role as Director of Project Management Office and Continuous Improvement for Lutheran Church Extension Fund in St. Louis, MO. He was tasked to help the organization migrate into a modern financial institution and help push CEF forward. He’s excited about being able to work across the entire organization help everyone come together for continuous improvement.

Episode 83: Episode 83: High school theology teachers talk about the importance of teaching faith to young adults

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:22:38 +0000

Two high school theology teachers join the podcast this week. David Pratt, from Faith Lutheran Middle and High School in Las Vegas, NV, and Doug Braun, from Lutheran High Westland, in Westland, MI, talk about the importance of sharing their knowledge and faith with students who are about to embark on college and adulthood. They talk about the current challenges facing teachers of theology in educating teenagers in high school in an ever-changing culture as well as the wide variety of backgrounds that establishes their students’ world views.

Episode 82: Episode 82: Kasey Mathews joins the podcast to talk about her role as an LSEM resource room teacher

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:01:36 +0000

We kick off Season 9 of the Lutheran Education Podcast with one of LSEM’s resource room teachers, Kasey Mathews. Kasey recently was named LSEM’s inaugural recipient of the Kathy Krause Resource Room Teacher of the Year award. In this episode, Kasey talks about the close relationships she’s built with not only her students, but also their parents and what makes them successful in helping their children in their education.

Episode 81: Episode 81: Donna Lucas talks about a career that's taken her across all corners of the country

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 27 May 2026 18:07:37 +0000

Donna Lucas, Principal at Abiding Savior Lutheran School in Lake Forest, CA, is the recipient of the 2026 Charles A. Winterstein Administrator of the Year. She joins the podcast to discuss the various stops across the country that she’s made throughout her career. Through those roles she’s embraced diversity and has learned that people from all corners of the country are still all pretty much the same. However, how she communicated and learned from colleagues changed depending on the amount of Lutheran schools there were in the areas she served. She also talks about how she went from teaching to eventually joining the administrative side of education.

Episode 80: Episode 80: Justin Fierro and Brooke Weise discuss their school's approach to special education

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:05:30 +0000

Justin Fierro, Principal, and Brooke Weise, Director of Student Services at Immanuel Lutheran School in Giddings, TX, join Dr. Tracie Salgado to talk about their school’s partnership with LSEM and their unique approach to supporting their students with learning differences.

Episode 79: Episode 79: Brian Broderick talks about the state of non public school education in Michigan

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:57:44 +0000

Brian Broderick, Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Non-Public schools and President/CEO of LSEM, Stacy McGhee, talk about education across the state of Michigan and MANS involvement with legislative matters in regards to being able to participate in funding and aid to non-public schools. In this conversation, Broderick, McGhee and Richard Schumacher talk about the wide range of efforts and value that MANS brings to non-public schools and LSEM.

Episode 78: Episode 78: Travis Grulke returns for a conversation on the state of Lutheran education

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:03:21 +0000

Travis Grulke, the district education executive at the Michigan District LCMS and assistant to the president, makes another appearance on the podcast. Travis and Richard talk about some important topics and current events in Lutheran education as well as happenings in education across the country and within the political climate. They also chat about slowing down some of technology and AI that students have access to.

Episode 77: Episode 77: LSEM's Richard Schumacher talks about the benefits of partnering with LSEM

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:21:17 +0000

Richard Schumacher, Senior Director of Operations at Lutheran Special Education Ministries, hosts a solo podcast about LSEM – including stories from the beginnings back in 1873 when it was founded as the Lutheran School for the Deaf to where it is today serving students with various learning disabilities within their own Christian schools across the country. Schumacher talks about the value and benefits of partnering with LSEM and its flexibility in working with schools both large or small — a mission that enables LSEM to reach and serve any student within a Christian setting.

Episode 76: Episode 76: LSEM's Mindy English talks about hands-on, multi-sensory learning

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:52:39 +0000

Mindy English, LSEM’s Director of Programs and Services, joins the podcast to talk about hands-on, multi-sensory learning. English spent most of her career in education in early childhood education, specifically with children from ages 0-3 through kindergarten.

Episode 75: Episode 75: Dr. Linda Hensel and Dr. Kara Bratton talk about social emotional learning

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:56:46 +0000

Dr. Linda Hensel, professor of education and department chair for special education at Concordia Wisconsin, and Dr. Kara Bratton, assistant professor in the School of Education Doctoral Program at Concordia University Irvine, join the podcast to talk about social emotional learning in our classrooms. They talk about their passion in working with children on these skills in a Christian setting rather than letting outside influences like social media sway our students.

Episode 74: Episode 74: Glenn Rollins talks about recruiting Lutheran educators

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:52:08 +0000

Glenn Rollins, is a manager with the Set Apart to Service initiative at the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. In that role he’s responsible for finding those who are set apart to serve in the church. A pastor at his Lutheran grade school encouraged him to consider a career in church work and from there he attended Concordia University, Seward, NE. He taught at various levels of Lutheran education throughout the years and during his time in education he realized the need for better recruitment efforts to identify new teachers.

Episode 73: Episode 73: Dr. Thomas Wrege talks about his new role at LEA

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:20:08 +0000

Dr. Thomas Wrege, a frequent guest and the new Executive Director of the Lutheran Education Association, revisits the podcast and talks about obtaining his role with LEA after being a consultant in Lutheran education the last several years. He talks about his predecessor, Dr. Jonathan Laabs, and the impact he had on LEA for the past 29 years. Wrege was LSEM’s first Charles A. Winterstein Administrator of the Year Award in 2023.

Episode 72: Episode 72: Dr. Alan Freeman talks the latest trends and topics in Lutheran education

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:34:43 +0000

Dr. Tracie Salgado and Richard Schumacher welcome Dr. Alan Freeman, Director of LCMS School Ministry to the podcast. Freeman talks about his background in Lutheran education and how it prepared him to be able to do what he’s doing today. The three talk in depth about the latest trends and topics in Lutheran education.

Episode 71: Episode 71: Dr. Kim Marxhausen talks about the anxious generation and their use of technology in part two of this conversation

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 19:37:08 +0000

Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a long-time friend of the podcast, joins us for another conversation about Lutheran education. In the second part of their conversation about the anxious generation, Dr. Kim Marxhausen explores the influence that adult technology usage has on children. She emphasizes the importance of mindful technology habits among adults, especially when children are present.

Episode 70: Episode 70: Dr. Kim Marxhausen visits the podcast again for an extended conversation on anxiety in our students (Part 1)

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:37:40 +0000

Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a long-time friend of the podcast, joins us for another conversation about Lutheran education. In this first of two parts, this conversation is around anxiety in our students and the “great re-wiring of childhood” and how that is contributing to mental illness. Dr. Marxhausen spent 25 years teaching in Lutheran schools before going back to graduate school to earn her PhD in educational psychology. She’s currently teaching a course on expertise and creativity at the University of Nebraska and is currently writing a book to help teachers who don’t have special education experience to work with students who are neurodivergent.

Episode 69: Episode 69: Dr. Drew Gerdes rejoins the podcast and talks about student anxiety and Mr. Rogers

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:52:25 +0000

Dr. Drew Gerdes, Assistant Professor of Education, Director of Undergraduate Early Childhood Education and Director of Student Teaching at Concordia University, Nebraska, once again joins the podcast to revisit last year’s discussion about students with heightened levels of anxiety. He also discusses the values of the late Fred Rogers and how is show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, stands the test of time.

Episode 68: Episode 68: Ronda Spalding, one of LSEM's teachers, talks about dyslexia

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:25:38 +0000

Ronda Spalding, one of our LSEM teachers, talks about diagnosing and the definition of dyslexia. Tested for dyslexia when she was nine, Ronda heard a lot of “you can’ts” and turned them into “you cans”. Ronda wanted to offer that opportunity to her students. In this episode Ronda talks about the various types of dyslexia and her passion in helping her students and their unique needs.

Episode 67: Episode 67: LSEM's President & CEO, Stacy McGhee, talks about celebrating the children in our classrooms

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:08:27 +0000

Stacy McGhee, President and CEO of LSEM, joins the podcast and talks about how the group of educators, support staff, parents, pastors and administrators should join together in celebrating the students in our classrooms and resource rooms so they feel supported, loved and safe in a positive way. By providing structure in the classroom there’s comfort and trust so students can thrive. Stacy also talks about her career through various levels of education and what she loves about leading LSEM.

Episode 66: Episode 66: LSEM's Mindy English start new role outside of classroom

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 22:40:00 +0000

Mindy English, Lutheran Special Education Ministries’ new Director of Programs and Services, joins the podcast to talk about her new role and her background in special education. A Lutheran educator for over 30 years, Mindy spent a great majority of them as a resource room teacher at LSEM.

Episode 65: Episode 65: Richard Schumacher kicks off the season talking about school communication and parent teacher conferences

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 18:27:34 +0000

Richard Schumacher, Senior Director of Operations at Lutheran Special Education Ministries, kicks off the 8th season of the Lutheran Education Podcast. In the season opener, he talks about school communications and how it’s changed over the years from printed newsletters to today’s preferred electronic methods like email and apps. Rich also talks about do and don’ts of parent teacher conferences.

Episode 64: Episode 64: LSEM's Kathy Krause joins the podcast to reflect on her career in Lutheran special education

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Richard Schumacher and President and CEO, Stacy McGhee, are joined by LSEM Programs & Services Consultant, Kathy Krause, to talk about her career in Lutheran special education. Kathy has served numerous roles throughout her years of ministry with LSEM and now looks forward to her upcoming retirement. The three also talk about some of their fun hijinks along the way. Join us in congratulating Kathy on her second retirement from LSEM!

Episode 63: Episode 63: Angela Swazey, LSEM's 2025 Charles A. Winterstein Administrator of the Year recipient

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 27 May 2025 20:02:57 +0000

Angela Swazey, the 2025 Charles A Winterstein Administrator of the Year award recipient and principal at St. Michael Lutheran in Wayne, MI, joins the podcast to share her feelings on being nominated and winning the award. She talks about her philosophy behind the special needs program at her school and the benefits that her families and students gain from having LSEM in their school. She also has some words of wisdom and encouragement for up-and-coming teachers starting out in their careers.

Episode 62: Episode 62: Chris Singer talks about the role of comfort dogs in our ministries and schools

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 13 May 2025 20:41:18 +0000

Chris Singer, president and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities Canine Comfort Dogs program, joins the podcast to talk about the importance and role of comfort dogs in their ministry. They’ll help in the wake of a disaster or emergencies and get an opportunity to respond and help people deal with trauma and tragedy. They currently have 128 teams in 30 states.

Episode 61: Episode 61: Larry Sand discusses teacher unions and government in education

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:20:08 +0000

A teacher for over 28 years, Larry Sand joins the podcast to talk about teacher unions and government’s involvement in education. Sand, who writes about education issues, founded the California Teacher Empowerment Network in 2006 to help teachers get information that they may not be able to obtain from their unions and districts.

Episode 60: Episode 60: Trip Rodgers returns to the podcast to talk about recent research on trauma

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:42:40 +0000

Trip Rodgers, Education Executive for the Central Iliinois District returns to the podcast to talk about the latest research on trauma as well as some of the residual effects as we look back on the Covid pandemic.

Episode 59: Episode 59: Dr. Lisa Joyner and Dr. Bunnie Claxton join Dr. Tracie Salgado to talk about IEPs.

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:56:31 +0000

In this episode Dr. Lisa Joyner, from Veritas Baptist College, and Dr. Bunnie Claxton, founder and CEO of Dissertation Research Specialists, talk about individualized education plans in private school settings.

Episode 58: Episode 58: Patti Bartsch, PhD. and Tori Yocum discuss nutrition in our schools

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 18:22:56 +0000

Patti Bartsch, PhD.,, founder of Naturally Unbridled Wellness, a holistic therapy center in Onalaska, WI, and Tori Yocum, a Biophotonic and Brainergy Specialist with Naturally Unbridled Wellness talk about nutrition and food choices in our schools and how they affect learning and brain development in our students.

Episode 57: Episode 57: Pastors Todd Bentz and Rich Steensma talk about their transition from education to a pastoral role

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:11:28 +0000

Pastor Todd Bentz, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hamburg, MN, and Pastor Rich Steensma, senior pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Jefferson City, MO, join the podcast to talk about how they each made a significant change in ministry and what went into those decisions. Both pastors shifted from education to a pastoral role and chat about how God pressed this change upon their hearts.

Episode 56: Episode 56: Three LSEM teachers share their journey to special education

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:09:05 +0000

Three LSEM teachers from across the country — Erin Muth (Minnesota), Rebekeh Symank (California) and Kasey Mathews (Illinois) — join Dr. Tracie Salgado for a roundtable conversation and talk about and share their journeys and paths in becoming special education teachers. They discuss some of the challenges in their profession as well as their successes and their unique approaches in working with their students.

Episode 55: Episode 55: Mick McCoy talks about his scripture songs for children

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 21:45:34 +0000

Mick McCoy is the creator of Holidays in Scriptures (HIS) Songs, a curriculum of scripture songs for children. In this podcast, McCoy, who goes by Grampa Ralph in his songs, talks about how he came to Christ in 1971 while working at a coffee house in Hawaii. He left everything behind to follow Christ but soon came back to music when he realized that music was one of his gifts from God. You can find his curriculum at scripturesong.org.

Episode 54: Episode 54: Travis Grulke and Sean Martens, chat about state of Lutheran education in their districts.

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:19:27 +0000

Travis Grulke, assistant to the president in education and superintendent of schools at the Michigan District, and Sean Martens, assistant to the president in education at the Minnesota South District, join the podcast to talk about the state of education in their respective states. Each touch on the amazing growth they’re experiencing in their districts as well as the importance of the local Concordia Universities in their regions.

Episode 53: Episode 53: Kevin Creutz joins the podcast to discuss his career in Lutheran school administration

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 21:34:04 +0000

Kevin Creutz, Executive Director of the Lutheran Schools Partnership in Fort Wayne, IN, is a former teacher and principal. While he didn't always envision working on the administration side of education, Kevin talks about how his professional journey was encouraged by fellow administrators throughout his career. The Lutheran Schools Partnership provides services and resources to Lutheran schools.

Episode 52: Episode 52: Richard Schumacher recaps the year and 2024 podcast episodes

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:56:28 +0000

Richard Schumacher, Senior Director of Operations at Lutheran Special Education Ministries and host of the podcast, recaps the year, talks about the state of the ministry and what’s ahead in the coming year at LSEM. Richard also reflects on some of 2024's podcast highlights.

Episode 51: Episode 51: Dr. Drew Gerdes talks about the "anxious generation" and early childhood development

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:54:02 +0000

Dr. Drew Gerdes, Assistant Professor of Education, Early Childhood Education Program Director, Director of Student Teaching, Department of Education at Concordia University Nebraska, has served as an Early Childhood Teacher and Administrator at schools in the United States and Asia for nearly three decades. Noted as a professional who loves to share and develop other educators, Dr. Gerdes has been a sought-after speaker on a variety of topics in Early Childhood Education and Lutheran School Ministry.

Episode 50: Episode 50: Principal, Andrew Monkemeyer, talks about his school's relationship with LSEM

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:24:17 +0000

Andrew Monkemeyer, Principal at Concordia Lutheran School in Peoria, IL, joins the conversation with Dr. Tracie Salgado and talks about the relationship between his school and Lutheran Special Education Ministries. After 14 years as a teacher at Concordia, Andrew became principal last year and stepped into the role of navigating the special education needs in his school. He talks about challenges that all Christian schools face in regards to social and emotional learning and well-being as well as other needs of their students.

Episode 49: Episode 49: Dr. Thomas Wrege talks about helping schools access funding for programs

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:16:09 +0000

Dr. Thomas Wrege, a frequent contributor to the podcast, joins this episode and talks about his new endeavor as a School Funding Executive at DAST Consulting. A former teacher and principal, Wrege recently earned his doctoral degree in innovation and continuous improvement from Concordia University. In his new role, he helps school administrators find and access funding that they may not have realized is available to them.

Episode 48: Episode 48: Annie Palmer talks about the importance of writing proficiency.

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 16:12:31 +0000

LSEM’s Dr. Tracie Salgado talks with Annie Palmer, owner and literacy coach at Annie Palmer Consulting, about the importance of being proficient in writing. A parent and teacher, Annie knows what it takes to work with parents and educators in better equipping them to guide their children and students to become better writers.

Episode 47: Episode 47: Matt Dery talks about his career change into the classroom

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 21:19:36 +0000

Matt Dery, a sports radio broadcaster turned teacher, joins the podcast for a conversation about how he took a non-traditional path to becoming an educator and the ways he was able to connect with and bring a different perspective to his students and parents in the classroom. He talks about some of the approaches he used in getting on his students level and come across as equals. There are some great points in this podcast for anyone considering a career change and venturing into teaching.

Episode 46: Episode 46: Rebecca Friedrichs talks about the dangers of teachers unions and their influence on students and curriculum

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 18:01:38 +0000

Rebecca Friedrichs, author of Standing up to Goliath, has spent her career fighting within the school system to protect her students and parents from the darkness and grief that the teachers' unions have caused. Friedrichs wrote an editorial that was featured in her local newspaper. That piece started the wheels in motion in challenging the union and eventually led to their case appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court. By sharing her story and experiences, Friedrich wants to ensure that the issues that affect our public schools don't creep into our private school curriculum.

Episode 45: Episode 45: Rev. Joel Kaiser talks about evangelizing and welcoming new families to their Lutheran school

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 20:50:44 +0000

Rev. Joel Kaiser, Associate Pastor at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, MI, talks with Richard Schumacher on the role he plays in welcoming new students and families to their Lutheran school. With enrollment increasing during the pandemic, a wonderful opportunity presented itself to evangelize to these new students and families. Kaiser is involved with the school in working with staff and faculty on how to maximize the opportunity to welcome and bring the news of Jesus to these new families and what it means to be part of the Lutheran church.

Episode 44: Episode 44: Dr. Danisha Keating tells her story of growing up in foster care and how she's helping today's foster children and parents

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 23 May 2024 18:05:08 +0000

Dr. Danisha Keating joins the podcast and shares her story about growing up in an environment of abuse within a foster care environment. From homelessness and taking care of her siblings, to earning her Ph.D. Dr. Keating tells her story to help other children who are in foster care as well as foster parents. A research psychologist, Dr. Keating’s traumatic upbringing gave her the passion and tools to help others through her books and speaking engagements.

Episode 43: Episode 43: Dr. Tanya Calendo and Angie Schiller talk about what makes their schools succesful

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 07 May 2024 18:21:48 +0000

LSEM’s Dr. Tracie Salgado and Richard Schumacher are joined by Dr. Tanya Calendo, Principal at Christ Greenfield Lutheran School in Gilbert, AZ and Angie Schiller, Principal at Yuma Lutheran School in Yuma, AZ. In their conversation they talk about how each principal made their respective schools so large and successful. Each has a larger vision for their schools and are prepared for continued growth. Both principals talk about how they incorporated special education and the services of LSEM as one of their biggest differentiators.

Episode 42: Episode 42: Travis Grulke discusses the training and education he provides to Lutheran teachers

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 21:29:08 +0000

A frequent contributor to the podcast, Travis Grulke, Superintendent of Schools for the Michigan District, is also a frequent conference speaker where he provides education and training on a variety of topics including the difference between balance and harmony in our lives, what it means to be a Lutheran educator, decision making and the seven habits of highly effective educators.

Episode 41: Episode 41: Kyle Chuhran talks about helping young teachers find their financial way

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:03:45 +0000

Kyle Chuhran is the Elementary Education Coordinator at Concordia University Ann Arbor and Act Money Coaching. In this podcast we talk finances and help our teachers better use their God-given resources. He loves teaching and helps students become teachers and ultimately get placed in their student teaching positions. Seeing his students grow academically and spiritually is the most satisfying aspect of his career. He talks about the financial challenges teachers face as they embark on their careers and the services he offers to help them make sound financial decisions.

Episode 40: Episode 40: Doug Grove shares his experience in working internationally.

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:16:44 +0000

While the sun was rising behind Doug Grove, the Head of School at Concordia International School in Hanoi, Vietnam, we were recording our first international podcast the evening before. In this engaging conversation, Doug talks about his path to accepting the call to work internationally. Always interested in learning and experiencing new things, Doug and his wife took a major leap by studying the Asian culture and acclimating themselves to a whole new world; first in China and now Vietnam.

He talks about the challenges and benefits of working internationally and encourages those who may be interested in working abroad that it may not be as difficult as one may think.

Episode 39: Episode 39: Dr. Kim Marxhausen talks about learned helplessness

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:09:23 +0000

Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a frequent contributor to the podcast and a teacher in the honors program at the University of Nebraska, shares her insights with special education educators and in this episode covers the topic of learned helplessness. Learned helplessness occurs as a result of a set of circumstances that students face, including trauma, that can cause learning challenges. It became prevalent during and following the Covid pandemic. Parents and teachers can learn from this episode on how not to enable learned helplessness in their children and students.

Episode 38: Episode 38: Karin Freeland talks about living the best version of yourself

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:06:19 +0000

Karin Freeland, a life coach, speaker and author, joins the podcast for an inspiring conversation with LSEM’s new Director of Special Education, Dr. Tracie Salgado. Karin, a self-proclaimed recovered corporate workaholic, talks about the challenges teachers face in and out of their classrooms and what they can do to create the best version of themselves. She touches on focusing more on what’s important, self-care and setting goals so you can take control of your day, put God first and be more present in your life.

Episode 37: Episode 37: Dr. Tracie Salgado, LSEM's new Director of Special Education

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:08:24 +0000

In this podcast, we introduce Dr. Tracie Salgado — LSEM’s new Director of Special Education. Dr. Salgado has taught for over 25 years, both here and internationally in New Zealand, China and Mexico. She knew she wanted to become a teacher at a young age when she playeed the role with her siblings and friends growing up. She talks about the importance of building positive relationships with her students, the lessons she learned about edcuation on an international level and chats about her new responsibilities at LSEM. This is the website Dr. Salgado was referring to: https://www.wrightslaw.com/

Episode 36: Episode 36: Ted Neitzke returns to the podcast to discuss developing leaders in education

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 01:56:40 +0000

Ted Neitzke makes a return visit to the podcast and shares his insights on developing good leaders in our educators and helping teachers embrace the idea of being a leader and how administrators can support them in their roles. Neitzke has an extensive background in education and leadership. The former teacher, principal and superintendent is currently the mayor of Port Washington, Wisconsin and is also the CEO of CESA 6, an educational service agency focusing on the current education landscape and the changing needs of educators.

Episode 35: Episode 35: Dr. Julian Petzold talks about safety in our schools

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:25:12 +0000

Dr. Julian Petzold, president of Lion Safety Consulting, joins the podcast to talk about safety in our schools, churches and buildings. He sheds light on the many things school administrators may not think of, but need to consider in today’s educational environment. After 28 years in education he earned his doctorate degree and did his research in best practices in school safety and started to present at conferences. He’s helped many schools and their families in developing their safety procedures and training programs.

Episode 34: Episode 34: Trip Rodgers joins the podcast to talk about trauma in the classroom

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Trip Rodgers is the Education Executive with the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. In this role he specializes in education and congregational life and talks today about trauma and trauma response in our schools. During the discussion, Trip discusses how the pandemic has affected students both socially and academically. He also addresses some of the traditional classroom tactics that can trigger a traumatic event for a student. This episode will make teachers and administrators reflect on how they can improve upon and create a safe and resilient space in their schools.

Episode 33: Episode 33: Stacy McGhee, Nicole Legalley and Richard Schumacher talk about LSEM's 150th Anniversary Celebration

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 13:57:49 +0000

Stacy McGhee, President and CEO of LSEM, and Nicole Legalley, LSEM's new Philanthropy Specialist, join the podcast to talk about the ministry's 150th Anniversary celebration over the course of 2023 and the exciting future that God has planned for LSEM as they look to serve even more children across the country as well as the world.

Episode 32: Episode 32: Dr. Kim Marxhausen, former educator at Lutheran Special Education Ministries joins the podcast to educate us about about "Neurodiversity".

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 19:00:39 +0000

Episode 31: Episode 31: Dr. Jonathan Laabs, Executive Director of Lutheran Education Association joins the podcast and talks about his role at LEA over the past 25 years.

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:23:51 +0000

Episode 30: Episode 30: Dr. Kara Bratton joins the podcast to discuss the latest at Lutheran Special Education Ministries. In this episode she discusses the “whole brain child” and how all the working parts need to work together and how to approach situations differe

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 15:34:16 +0000

Episode 29: Episode 29: Reverend Dr. Ryan Peterson talks about his role and leadership at both Concordia University of Ann Arbor and Wisconsin.

Richard Schumacher — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Reverend Dr. Ryan Peterson, Vice President of Concordia University of Ann Arbor joins our podcast to discuss his responsibilities and how he landed in his role of Vice President. In this episode he recalls stories of what led him into the world of ministry, how he lives and breathes both Concordia University of Ann Arbor and Wisconsin’s mission and how that mission drives both institutions. He sheds light on the importance of finding future church workers and with that paying attention to needs of churches in order to teach their students and give them the proper education.

Episode 28: Episode 28: Ted Neitzke talks about the ability of us all to be leaders

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 17:53:30 +0000

Ted Neitzke is CEO of Cesa 6, an influential and innovative education service agency based in Oshkosh, WI. His background consists of a life-long dedication to children; serving on all levels from middle school teacher to superintendent. Ted, who is also the mayor of Port Washington, WI, joins the podcast and talks about the ability for us all to be leaders. In this entertaining episode you'll learn about buffalo leaders and feel Ted's enthusiasm and passion for education and leadership jump right out of the speakers.

Episode 27: Episode 27: Dr. Chris Cody and Travis Grulke discuss their districts' COVID response

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 19:43:38 +0000

Dr. Chris Cody and Travis Grulke, education executives with the South Wisconsin and Michigan Districts, respectively, chat on the podcast about their districts' responses to COVID during these past two school years. They share how their schools and teachers have adapted to new ways of teaching that have included both virtual and in-person classrooms, the possibility of vaccination requirements and how the classroom may forever change in a post-COVID future.

Episode 26: Episode 26: Dr. Rebecca Schmidt talks about Lutheran education during the pandemic

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 20:01:23 +0000

Dr. Rebecca Schmidt returns to the Lutheran Education Podcast and shares how things have changed in Lutheran education over the past year. Dr. Schmidt talks about how schools have continued to keep their focus on God and the needs of their students in the midst of the pandemic.

Episode 25: Episode 25: Aaron Rohde discusses brain-based education and his original music

Richard Schumacher — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:29:38 +0000

Aaron Rohde, a third/fourth grade teacher at Trinity Lutheran School in Reed City, MI, joins the podcast to discussed brain-based education. In the second half of the episode he shares news about the release of his upcoming record, Rooted to Grow — a collection of original songs written and recorded by Rohde over the course of his career as a teacher. Stay tuned at the end of this episode to hear a track he recorded for LSEM, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.

Episode 24: Episode 24: Dr. Kara Bratton talks about the idea of inclusion

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 18:32:14 +0000

Inclusion means a lot of things to a lot of different people. In this podcast, Dr. Kara Bratton, LSEM's Special Education Director, discusses how it relates to students with special learning needs. She talks about how these students are valued in the classroom and how their presence is felt by their teachers and peers.

Episode 23: Dr. John Brandt reflects on a career in Lutheran education

Richard Schumacher — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 12:24:40 +0000

Dr. John Brandt, Executive Director at Valley Lutheran High School in Saginaw, MI, joins the podcast for an entertaining conversation with host and former student, Richard Schumacher. The two share stories as Brandt reflects on his rewarding and successful career in teaching, coaching and school administration.

Episode 22: Brett and Heather Hardecopf talk about dealing with personal crisis

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 12 May 2020 15:38:41 +0000

In this episode Brett Hardecopf, Principal of St. John Lutheran Church and School in Elk River, MN, and his wife, Heather, share their personal insights for how church workers can deal with personal crisis.

Episode 21: Matthew Bergholt talks about adapting to the COVID-19 crisis through online learning

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 15:12:44 +0000

Matthew Bergholt, manager of online support and services for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, joins the podcast to talk about the use of online learning technologies in these times and how we can apply what we're using today when we return to the classroom.

Episode 20: COVID-19 Special Podcast with Kara Bratton

Richard Schumacher — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:53:41 +0000

Lutheran Special Education Ministry's Kara Bratton and Rich Schumacher talk about the current state of special education and how the pandemic and school closures are affecting their services to children and families.

Episode 19: Joel Landskroener and Kim Ross talk about the future of online learning

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 19:33:08 +0000

Recorded prior to the Coronavirus outbreak that has disrupted the traditional school year across the entire country, Joel Landskroener, the executive director at Mayer Lutheran High School in Mayer, MN and the Genesis Virtual Academy and, Kim Ross, Director of the Genesis Virtual Academy, join the podcast in what has turned out to be a very timely discussion about online virtual learning and the future of how we do school. They talk about the creation of the Genesis Virtual Academy — a Christian online learning program of Mayer Lutheran High School serving Christian schools and homeschool students.

Episode 18: DJ Schult Talks About Developing Stronger Relationship Within Schools

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 23:03:41 +0000

DJ Schult, Assistant to the President of the North Wisconsin District, joins Rich Schumacher on the podcast to talk about his efforts in developing stronger relationships with the schools within his district and creating better opportunities to share and provide ideas to help teachers and administrators with professional development in an ever-changing educational environment.

Episode 17: Continuing our discussion on parents and self-regulation with Dr. Kim Marxhausen

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 21:23:08 +0000

This is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a former Lutheran school teacher and current LSEM speaker. We continue the conversation around parents and self-regulation. In this episode we take a closer look at the essential interaction that needs to take place in order for a child to develop.

Episode 16: A discussion on parents and self-regulation with Dr. Kim Marxhausen

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 16:04:34 +0000

Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a former Lutheran school teacher and current LSEM speaker, returns to the podcast to talk about parents and self-regulation and its importance to learning. She'll discuss how students can take care of their own learning, behavior and emotions by appropriately activating, controlling and evaluating them.

Episode 15: Tom Wrege talks about how to run an effective meeting

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 23:35:08 +0000

Tom Wrege, principal at Zion Lutheran School, Walburg, TX, joins the podcast to talk about how to run effective meetings. With 35 years in ministry and 20 as a principal, he’s participated in all types of meetings with fellow leaders, teachers and parents. He’s seen the good and the bad and this podcast is for anyone in a leadership role looking for a few pointers on how to run a better meeting through proper planning and preparation.

Episode 14: Chuck Winterstein shares his insights on parent teacher conferences

Richard Schumacher — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 13:57:56 +0000

In this episode we chat again with Chuck Winterstein, Assistant to the Superintendent of Michigan Schools at the LCMS. He talks about turning those parent teacher conferences away from something that's feared and, oftentimes, full of surprises, into a useful tool for teachers to grow and develop their relationships with parents and students.

Episode 13: Stacy Hoeft shares her journey from teacher to LSEM president and CEO

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 11:52:51 +0000

Stacy Hoeft, President and CEO of Lutheran Special Education Ministries, joins the podcast and talks about her journey to LSEM. From teacher to principal to CEO, Hoeft shares how each one of those roles shaped her into the leader she is today. She also reflects on some of her career experiences and talks about the valuable mentors and teachers who helped her along the way.

Episode 12: Matthew Bergholt talks about technology in the school ministry

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 16:25:57 +0000

Matthew Bergholt, manager of online support and services for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, talks about his role with the synod and how technology is ever changing in the school ministry. His schedule keeps him busy as he travels the country providing information and connectivity between the schools and the synod and helps teachers better use technology in their classrooms.

Episode 11: Dr. Chris Cody talks about the state of Lutheran education in his district

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 14:17:44 +0000

Dr. Chris Cody, Education Executive with the South Wisconsin District, joins the podcast and talks about the state of his district and the challenges in finding Lutheran-trained teachers to fill the growing demand. As an educator who moved the administrative side at a young age, Dr. Cody also touches on his passion for urban education, school of choice options, curriculum and the need for principals to move from being managers to becoming instructional leaders within their schools.

Episode 10: Dr. Rebecca Schmidt talks about the state of Lutheran schools

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 22 May 2019 16:09:41 +0000

Dr. Rebecca Schmidt, the Director of School Ministry at the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, joins the podcast to talk about her role and the importance of working directly with the districts and schools across the synod. She also talks about how Lutheran schools can better serve the non-traditional learner.

Episode 9: School Ministry in "Forgiven Sin" City with Dr. Steven Buuck

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 18:52:56 +0000

Dr. Steven Buuck, CEO of Faith Lutheran Middle School and High School in Las Vegas, NV, joins the podcast and discusses the opportunities involved in ministering in one of the most unique and iconic cities in the US. He also shares his passion and excitement on what it's taken to become the largest Lutheran school in the country.

Episode 8: Teaching Students to Defend their Faith with Brad Alles

Richard Schumacher — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 20:17:23 +0000

Brad Alles, a professor at Concordia University Wisconsin, joins the Lutheran Education podcast to talk about apologetics and preparing our students to defend their faith as they go out in a post-modern world.

Episode 7: Retention in Schools with Kara Bratton

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 18:28:20 +0000

Kara Bratton, Lutheran Special Education Ministries Special Education Director, joins the podcast again to talk about the topic of student retention. This episode tackles the difficult decision teachers and administrators need to handle when deciding whether or not to hold a student back.

Episode 6: Learn about LSEM with Stacy Hoeft and Kara Bratton

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:42:26 +0000

Stacy Hoeft, LSEM President/CEO, and Kara Bratton, Resource Center Director, join the podcast to talk about LSEM and its role in serving Lutheran and Christian schools across the country. They take us from the origins of LSEM where it began as the Lutheran School for the Deaf that assisted students with hearing impairments and how the focus has changed over the years to serve all students with learning needs.

Episode 5: Dr. Kim Marxhausen (Part 3)

Richard Schumacher — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 19:55:59 +0000

We conclude our series with Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a former Lutheran school teacher and current guest speaker for LSEM. In this episode we explore our third topic about trust in the classroom and how it's essential to learning.

Episode 4: Dr. Kim Marxhausen (Part 2)

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 18:59:51 +0000

We continue our conversation with Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a former Lutheran school teacher and current guest speaker for LSEM. In this episode we talk about repentance, the second way of being "smart."

Episode 3: Dr. Kim Marxhausen

Richard Schumacher — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:06:34 +0000

We interview Dr. Kim Marxhausen, a former Lutheran school teacher and current guest speaker for LSEM, and talk about building socio-emotional skills and the teaching of faith in this first of a three-part conversation.

Episode 2: Accommodations and Modifications

Richard Schumacher — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 17:55:50 +0000

We interview our very own Resource Center Director, Kara Bratton, and talk about the differences in and the importance of accommodations and modifications. As Kara points out, every student has a unique need and that the curriculum should meet the child right where they’re at in their learning. She also discusses the importance of documenting these accommodations and modifications in order to better serve the child as they continue throughout their education.

Episode 1: A Conversation with Travis Grulke and Chuck Winterstein

Richard Schumacher — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 18:48:47 +0000

In this episode we hear from Travis Grulke, superintendent of Michigan District Lutheran Schools, and Chuck Winterstein, assistant superintendent. They join the podcast to talk about the state of education in Michigan’s Lutheran schools.