Smart Social Podcast: Keeping students safe so they can Shine Online
The Smart Social Team teaches parents, educators, and students how to stay safe on social media so they can Shine Online. We show you how to audit your Google results and use your social media accounts as a portfolio of positive accomplishments. We keep it tactical and practical with tips you can use to better understand how to navigate the digital world as a parent, student, and educator. Learn more at SmartSocial.com
Building Responsible Technology Use from a Young Age | Foxley & Bautsch
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with MJ Foxley, Safety Strategy Leader at American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and Brian Bautsch, Director of Safety Strategy at American Honda Motor Co., Inc., about distracted driving, teen safety, and the responsibility families can build before a child ever gets behind the wheel. Foxley and Bautsch explain why safety technology matters, but human b...
“Engage your students, engage your children, don't let the device take your place”-Dr. Rick Surrency
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Rick Surrency, Superintendent of Putnam County Schools, about screen time, social media, AI, and the role parents play in helping kids build healthier habits with technology. Dr. Surrency shares a real example of how excessive screen time can affect a young child’s sleep, attention, mental health, and ability to adjust to sch...
"It's not just about AI, it's about innovation and how we tackle innovation" - Dr. Melissa McCalla
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Melissa McCalla, Chief Technology Officer for Pasadena Independent School District, about AI, screen time, student wellbeing, and how schools and families can help teens use technology with purpose. Dr. McCalla explains how excessive screen time can affect sleep, face-to-face relationships, self-esteem, online behavior, and the fear of missing out, especially when phone u...
"We need parents to talk about good habits" with Dr. Shane Barnette
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Shane Barnette, Superintendent of Cullman County Schools, about healthy phone habits, screen time, AI, gaming safety, and the role families and schools play in helping students make safer choices online. Dr. Barnette discusses how excessive screen time can affect student focus, behavior, and wellbeing, and why ongoing parent dialogue is one of t...
We're not trying to build cynical learners. We're trying to build critical thinkers -Chris Reykdal
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Chris Reykdal, Superintendent of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington, about tech overload, student focus, media literacy, and responsible AI use in schools. Reykdal explains how students are being shaped by constant digital content, algorithms, and business models designed to keep them watching, clicking, and engaging, and why families should n...
“AI Can Be an Effective Tool…But It Can Become a Problem Pretty Quickly” | Dr. Sauce & Dr. Belcher
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Norman Sauce and Dr. Kermit Belcher about AI, screen time, student safety, and the guardrails families and schools need as technology becomes more powerful. They discuss how excessive screen time and social media can affect teen mental health, self-image, and behavior, including the role cyberbullying can play in how students see themselves. T...
"We need to help them develop knowledge and skills... as opposed to just making them reliant" - AAden Stern
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with AAden Stern, Deputy Superintendent for Bronx High School Districts 8, 10, and 11, about screen time, AI, student attention, and why kids still need to build real skills before relying on powerful technology. Stern brings both an educator and parent perspective as he explains how phones, apps, games, and school-issued devices can create compulsion, distraction, and a...
“Staying in tune to your child is the greatest safety measure parents can take” with David Reilly
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with David E. Reilly, Superintendent of Elk Grove Unified School District, about screen time, AI, student safety, and how parents can stay connected to what their children may be experiencing online. Reilly explains how social media can make adolescent mistakes feel more permanent, public, and overwhelming, and how hidden online stress can show up a...
“Use AI to complement their learning… but not as a replacement” with Kerrie Torres
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Kerrie Torres, Deputy Superintendent of Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Orange County, California, about AI, screen time, student safety, and the guardrails families need as technology becomes part of everyday learning. Dr. Torres explains how excessive screen time and social media can affect teen mental health, focus, anxiety, and feelings of disconnection, e...
"The human interactions are really the critical pieces that can't fully be replaced" with Ruben Aurelio
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Superintendent Rubén Aurelio of Vallejo City Unified School District in California’s Bay Area about helping students rebuild connection, use AI responsibly, and develop healthier habits with technology. Aurelio shares how post-COVID screen time affected student engagement, anxiety, loneliness, and the way young people compare themselves to curated online “highlights” instead of real lif...
"We can't be afraid to ask the questions because that's what starts dialogue" with Dr. Thomas Toohey
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Thomas Toohey, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Special Services in Edison Township Public Schools in New Jersey, about helping students build safer habits with screen time, social media, and AI. Dr. Toohey shares how his career in special education shapes the way he thinks about student support, then explains how excessive screen time c...
"AI can help us increase the critical thinking and decision-making of a student" with Rory Gesch
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Rory Gesch, Deputy Superintendent of Alvin Independent School District just south of Houston (serving about 30,000 students across nearly 40 campuses), about how AI and screen time are reshaping student well-being and learning. Rory explains why the nonstop pace of online life can outpace healthy child development, what schools can do to help families build s...
"Screen time does not equal learning time" with Dr. Brian Beckley
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Brian Beckley, Chief Information Officer for Everett Public Schools (just north of Seattle, serving about 20,000 students across 28 schools), about the difference between being on a screen and actually learning. Dr. Beckley explains why “screen time does not equal learning time,” and how too much device time can weaken peer interaction, conflict-resolution skills, and s...
"Don't just give them a test at the end of the school year" with Tom Horne, J.D.
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Episode Summary:
On this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs sits down with Tom Horne, J.D., Arizona’s State Superintendent of Schools, to talk about what school safety looks like right now and what leaders can do that actually helps. Horne explains why campuses need both trained school officers and mental health professionals working in tandem, then shifts to what teachers need most to stay in...
"AI should not replace your critical thinking skills"- with Christine Mai & Brett Stidham
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Brett Stidham (Enterprise Innovation Strategist) and Christine Mai (AI Initiatives Lead) from Houston Independent School District about what responsible AI use should look like for students, educators, and families. They explain why AI should stay a support tool, how to build real AI literacy, and what guardrails matter most, including privacy, “walled garden” tools...
“We see a lot of stress and anxiety that's brought forth by screen time” with David Wildy
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with CTO David Wildy of Dublin Unified School District (about 12,790 students across 14 school sites) about what school leaders are seeing as screen time reshapes teen mental health and daily behavior. Wildy explains how algorithm-driven feeds can amplify anxiety, body image pressure, anger, and attention issues, especially when students are constantly shown more of whatever k...
"Make sure that we do not lose the human aspect when talking about AI" -Dr. Dionel Waters
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Dionel Waters, Executive Director for IDEA Public Schools Dallas–Fort Worth, about why AI conversations with students have to stay grounded in real human connection. Dr. Waters breaks down the student struggles schools are seeing right now, including mental health concerns, attendance challenges tied to late-night screen...
"We have to make sure that we do not lose the human aspect when talking about AI" -Dr. Dionel Waters
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Dionel Waters, Executive Director for IDEA Public Schools Dallas–Fort Worth, about why AI conversations with students have to stay grounded in real human connection. Dr. Waters breaks down the student struggles schools are seeing right now, including mental health concerns, attendance challenges tied to late-night screen time, and the way social fee...
"The better we can prepare our students, the more successful they're going to adapt" - Dr. Adam Clark
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Adam Clark, Superintendent of Mount Diablo Unified School District (29,000 students across 55 schools), about the mental health realities schools are facing and what families can do to stay aligned with campus support systems. Dr. Clark explains why sleep deprivation, chronic absenteeism, and nonstop social comparison can push stress to a breaking point, and w...
"We have to be more cognizant about building real world Relationships" with Dr. David Cintron
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. David Cintron, Superintendent of NYC Public Schools District 14 in Brooklyn (26 schools serving about 11,000 students), about the digital challenges showing up in real classrooms right now. Dr. Cintron shares what phone addiction, sleep loss, cyberbullying, and viral trends can look like on campus, and why students and families need to become critical consumers o...
“Children need to develop their skills, and hopefully AI will not hinder that" -Torrance Lewis
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Torrance Lewis, Assistant Superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Massachusetts, serving about 1,000 students across two campuses, including a school on Hanscom Air Force Base. They dig into the digital issues showing up across K–12 right now, from phone addiction, sleep deprivation, cyberbullying, and FOMO to viral trends and the way algorithms can pul...
"Our students need to be very adaptable" with Shaney Valencia
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Shaney Valencia from Irvine Unified School District, Director of Learning Design, Differentiation, & AI Integration, about what it means for students when AI is suddenly everywhere. They dig into the struggles schools are seeing nationwide, including screen time, mental health, and the growing temptation for students to offload their thinking or cheat with AI t...
"We have to make tough decisions to protect our kids" with Dr. James Soltis
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Dylan Smith, Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning in Oldham County Schools (Kentucky), about what ethical AI use really looks like for students and why “keeping the human in the loop” matters. Dr. Smith shares the digital safety trends schools are seeing nationwide, what has improved since Oldham County strengthened its phone policy, and h...
"AI is just a helper in a process" with Dr. Dylan Smith
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Dylan Smith, Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning in Oldham County Schools (Kentucky), about what ethical AI use really looks like for students and why “keeping the human in the loop” matters. Dr. Smith shares the digital safety trends schools are seeing nationwide, what has improved since Oldham C...
"All Screen Time Is Not Negative Screen Time" with Dr. Sherri N. Wilson
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Sherri N. Wilson, Director of Innovative Learning for Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about what it really takes to keep students safe in a fast-changing digital world.
Dr. Wilson explains why online issues like hidden DMs, TikTok challenges, and group text dram...
"Participate in Your Kid's Screen Time to Know What They're Exposed To Online" Andrea Messick
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Episode Summary:
Host Josh Ochs welcomes Andrea Messick, Chief of Staff and Communications at Midland ISD, to discuss key digital safety challenges impacting schools and families, including group texts, disappearing messages on apps like Snapchat and Signal, and inappropriate content that surfaces off campus and disrupts school days. Messick shares how her experience as a district leader and single parent shapes her approach, including regularly checking her son’s p...
"It's so important that we teach students how to be safe in using AI" with Dr. Dawn Ramseur
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Dawn Ramseur, Assistant Superintendent in Hoke County Schools in central North Carolina, to talk about the real digital safety issues school leaders are seeing right now across 14 schools serving 8,500 students. Dr. Ramseur breaks down how hidden DMs, group texts, and repeated TikTok challenges can turn into school problems fast, especially when o...
"Students have posted online, gotten expelled, & embarrassed their families at home" —Dr. Lawrence
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. David Lawrence, Superintendent of Dayton Public Schools in southwest Ohio, to talk about student digital safety, phone addiction, and how AI is showing up in classrooms. Dr. Lawrence explains how online behavior can lead to real consequences at school and at home, from posts and videos that bring embarrassment to families t...
"We have to teach our kids to engage in online communities positively and responsibly" Harry Sherman
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Smart Social.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs talks with Harry Sherman, Community Superintendent of School District 9 in the South Bronx, about the challenges and strategies related to keeping students safe and responsible online. They discuss issues like screen addiction, inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and the role of AI in education. The conversation highlights the importance of building trust, transparency, and positive online b...
"My Attention Span Is So Short, Studying Is Harder” (Snapchat, TikTok & Instagram Teen Panel)
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs is joined by four teenage girls who share their experiences and challenges with social media. They discuss the impact of social media on their mental health, the pressures of maintaining streaks on Snapchat, and how the constant comparison and fake appearances online affect their self-esteem. The teens provide insights into the benefits and drawbacks of h...
Stop the YouTube Shorts Scroll: Time Limits for Teen Accounts
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Episode Summary:
Short videos feel harmless because each clip is quick. But that’s exactly why time can slip away, especially at night.
In this episode, we talk about how parents can use YouTube’s settings for supervised teen accounts to add helpful guardrails around Shorts, plus how to set a simple family expectation that reduces pushback. If your teen has ever planned to watch one thing...
Apps, Attention, and Family Boundaries (8th Grader Teen Panel)
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Episode Summary:
Parents, what happens after your teen opens their apps to hit play has a way of making screen time quietly take over. Four students helped Josh pull back the curtain on the part parents rarely see: the moment a normal video turns into a feed, a streak, a suggestion, and suddenly your teen is still awake, still scrolling, and everyone’s frustrated. That’s when sleep gets...
"Focus on proactively limiting the need to repair an online reputation" with Dr. Gordon Amerson
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Episode Summary:
Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he chats with Dr. Gordon Amerson, Superintendent of the Val Verde Unified School District. They delve into the real-world impacts of digital information, proactive online reputation management, and the prominent challenges like TikTok dangers, group text messages, and the mental health impact of excessive screen time. Dr. Amerson shares his journey from professional baseball to education, o...
"We can't ban technology, but we can teach kids to use it responsibly" Dr. Kuhn & Dr. Balgobin
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs explores digital safety and student success online with Dr. Carmen J. Balgobin, Superintendent of Volusia County Schools, and Dr. Matt Kuhn, Chief Technology Officer for the district. They discuss strategies for responsible technology use, the impact of AI in education, social media challenges, and ways to foster collaboration between schools and parents. With tips on h...
"AI is used as a tool to supplement learning, not replace it" with Andy Beaton
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Andy Beaton, Assistant Superintendent in ISD 622, to discuss the challenges and strategies for keeping students safe online. The conversation covers a range of topics including the implications of AI on student learning, the dangers of social media, and the importance of digital citizenship. With valuable tips for parents, educators, and administrators, Andy s...
"Build skills so students become advocates of other students" with Dr. Stefan Bean
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Stefan Bean, the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, to discuss digital safety, emotional intelligence, and the integration of AI in education. Dr. Bean shares his journey from being airlifted from Vietnam with polio to his role as a superintendent and his mission to serve the most vulnerable students. Hear practical strategies f...
"Failure is not fatal, no mistake is unfixable" with Dr. Jen Schwanke
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the smart social.com podcast, hosted by Josh Ochs, Dr. Jen Schwanke, Deputy Superintendent of Dublin City Schools, discusses practical tactics for digital safety. They explore key challenges students face online, such as direct messaging, TikTok challenges, and screen addiction. Jen emphasizes the importance of teaching students resilience and the ability to manage their digital reputations. With references to educational trends and r...
"We have to help them maneuver the social media, the screen time, and AI worlds" Franklin Narducci
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Frank Narducci, Superintendent of Chandler Unified School District, to discuss digital safety for students. They delve into the challenges of managing students' screen time, social media use, and the impact of artificial intelligence. Superintendent Narducci shares practical advice for parents and educators on creating a safe digital environment, highlighting the importance of b...
Dangers of AI Toys: Check Before Your Child Starts Chatting
AI toys look like harmless gifts, but many of them work like a kid-friendly chatbot with a microphone attached. In this episode, we unpack why that matters for real families: how a child can start trusting a “friendly” toy voice, what that can lead to, and why privacy settings and data policies are not optional details. You’ll also hear a simple, realistic plan parents can use right away, including where these toys should (and should not) be used at home, what to check in the settings, and how to spot the red flags when a company’s privacy language...
"Learning to form great questions is the key to making good use of AI" with Dr. Mitch Young
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Mitch Young, Superintendent of Schools in Forsyth County, Georgia, to discuss the critical role of AI as a thought partner in education and the challenges schools face in maintaining digital safety. They cover a wide range of topics, including the impact of screen time on students, dealing with social media trends, t...
