ClassCast Podcast Ep.077 features Grant Schafer, the Supervisor of Community Connections for Loudoun County Public Schools. Working closely with Career & Technical Education, Computer Science Experiential Learning, and a few other specialized programs in the school system, Grant strives to connect community resources with individual teachers, students, and classrooms to make school-based learning as authentic as possible. His hard work, power skills (soft skills), and ever-growing rolodex make him an asset to the whole community because he fosters relationships between local businesses, non-profits, and schools. Host Ryan Tibbens met Grant, a fellow JMU Duke, at the 2021 Loudoun 40 Under 40 celebration where he was being recognized for his amazing work connecting public schools with community resources. (Ashley Tibbens -- Ep.021 -- was also among the honorees this year!) If you are interested in project-based learning, making school more "authentic," getting involved in public education without becoming a teacher, or understanding how community members can work together to improve education, this discussion is for you. You can learn more about Grant's work by following @LCPSpartner and @CommunityLCPS on Twitter.

Table of Contents (*highlights)

0:00-5:38 -- Intro to Grant Schafer & Community Connections
5:38-13:31 -- Project-Based Learning, "Authenticity," & Grant's Rolodex **
13:31-20:53 -- Loudoun 40 Under 40, Networking, & Community Buy-In *
20:53-28:26 -- Grant's Education: James Madison University & Outreach Services
28:26-37:48 -- The Future of Community Connections in Schools **
37:48-47:25 -- The Purpose of School According to Grant
47:25-50:44 -- Equity & Social-Emotional Learning as Job Skills *
50:44-57:04 -- Grant's Ideal School
57:04-1:07:06 -- The Inflexibility of Education Bureaucracy **
1:07:06-1:14:58 -- Grant's Book Recommendations & Wrap-Up

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Ep.077 -- Grant Schafer -- Connecting Communities & Schools