Some stories do not get easier with time. They shape who you become.

On this episode of BeTempered, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr sit down with Superintendent and educator Mike Derringer. What begins as a conversation about leadership in education quickly turns into something much deeper. Mike shares a life marked by early momentum and purpose-driven work that was later shaped by unimaginable loss. He and his wife buried two daughters, years apart, and still found a way to lead, love, and serve with integrity while carrying grief that never fully leaves.

Mike walks us through his journey from agricultural education and FFA leadership into county-level service, where his Educational Service Center exists to reach students who often fall through the cracks. MD units. Nonverbal autistic classrooms. Behavior coaching. Alternative placements. Speech therapy. Mental health supports. He also names a quiet crisis many do not talk about. When kids cannot access pediatric care, they cannot attend school consistently. When they cannot attend, they cannot learn. His vision is clear. Invest locally. Build partnerships. Treat education, health, and community as one system with kids at the center.

The heart of this episode comes when Mike speaks as a father, not an administrator. He describes grief not as something you conquer, but as something you carry. A sharp rock that never disappears, but one you learn to walk with. He refuses to hide it. Instead, he honors all four of his daughters by choosing to live fully in the middle. The space between birth and death. The daily choice to stay present.

He talks openly about marriage as an action, faith when anger would be easier, and the strength found in what he calls a strand of three. That same belief shapes his leadership. Titles are tools, not identities. Kindness is a decision. And service still matters, even when your own heart is healing.

This episode is for anyone walking through loss, leadership, or quiet perseverance. It is a reminder that resilience is not born in comfort. It is forged.

Listen now, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs hope.

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