Creativity, collaboration, and storytelling take center stage in this conversation with Brett Salamim and Mike Cappalletti from the School of Film at Detroit Country Day. Together, we explore how their film program immerses students in the creative process — where ideas are developed, shaped into stories, tested, revised, and ultimately brought to life through shared effort. Filmmaking becomes a powerful medium for students to think creatively, collaborate meaningfully, and craft narratives that reflect both technical skill and personal voice.

Throughout our discussion, we highlight how students learn to navigate the complexities of storytelling — balancing vision with feedback, working within constraints, and building cohesive narratives alongside their peers. From short films to full-length features, each project becomes an opportunity to deepen communication, perspective-taking, and collective problem-solving, all in service of telling stories that matter.

This episode showcases how film education, at its best, is not just about producing content, but about developing storytellers and creative thinkers who can collaborate, adapt, and bring ideas to life in compelling and meaningful ways.

Our episode delves into the role of literacy in education, specifically in the sweet spot of the fourth and fifth grades at Detroit Country Day School. My guests: Tara LaBarre, Lisa Momblanco, and Nicole Jakubowski emphasize that literacy is not confined to English Language Arts (ELA) but is a foundational skill that permeates all subjects. They share that writing is a tool for demonstrating understanding post-learning as well as a critical means through which students develop and refine their understanding. Our conversation highlights teacher efficacy -the ability to positively affect student learning, behavior, and engagement, We continue on to discuss how teachers collaborate to create a consistent literacy framework across disciplines, fostering a shared responsibility for student learning. This approach enhances students' writing skills as well as builds their confidence in academics. By embedding writing practices throughout the curriculum, students learn to view writing as a communication tool essential for thinking and learning across all subjects. Tara, Lisa, and Nicole illustrate this through practical classroom examples, demonstrating how writing is integrated into science experiments and discussions, ultimately shaping students into capable thinkers and communicators who see their voices as valuable in the learning process.

In this episode, I dive into the importance of departmental leadership in the arts, featuring insights from KT Robinson, Upper School Art teacher and Visual Arts Department Chair at Detroit Country Day. We explore how effective arts leadership involves more than fostering collaboration and a supportive environment among colleagues, it also requires nurturing each individual's creativity . KT emphasizes the significance of setting clear goals, expectations and being consistent in communication, especially when tough decisions need to be made. KT also interviews me about my path to Detroit Country Day and my partnerships with students and teachers at DCDS. We discuss how The Studios allow students and teachers to create, explore, and share their artistic stories, bridging various disciplines and enhancing the overall educational experience. Join us as we chat about the impact we have on our school community.