Educational Teams Bridging School and Family Communication with Leah Mermelstein and Dr. Jennifer Gioia

In this episode, I sit down with literacy expert Leah Mermelstein and school neuropsychologist Dr. Jennifer Gioia to explore how educators can better support students who are "stuck" in their learning journey. Together, we unpack how schools can build effective support systems directly into their educational framework through three core elements: dedicated time for team dialogue, appropriate resources and curriculum, and shared knowledge of research-based practices.

The conversation delves into practical strategies for:

➡️breaking down educational silos 
➡️fostering family-school collaboration 
➡️ensuring equitable student support

Leah brings insights from literacy consulting and tutoring, while Jen shares perspectives on neuropsychological evaluation and empowering families with educational knowledge.

Join us for actionable strategies to create unified teams that support every student's learning journey while addressing both individual needs and systemic barriers.

Mentions: 

• S1E10: "We-Do" Writing: A Solution for Shaky Independence
• S2 E35: It's Time to Bend Curriculum & Create Our Own Integrated Units of Study
• Julie Wright - What’s Our Response
• New Jersey’s Intervention and Referral Services Committee (I&RS Committee)
• Orthographic mapping
• Sounds-Write: First Rate Phonics
• Cognitive load theory and individual differences
• With Speech to Teachers, Harris Waded into a Fiery Education Debate
• Students aren’t benefiting much from tutoring, one new study shows
• Ari Gerzon-Kessler - On the Same Team
• Making the Most of Team Time in Middle School
• LMC Literacy Toolkits

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.