Episode 0, Part 1: Launching the Abre Podcast

Welcome to the premiere episode of the Abre Podcast! Host Ben Wiggins kicks off the series with an engaging conversation featuring Zach Vander Veen, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Abre, and James Stoffer, CEO of Abre. In this episode, Zach and James introduce the vision for the podcast, which centers on thought leadership and real stories of educational change. They discuss how Abre aligns with district strategic plans and addresses the challenge of limited time for educators, emphasizing the impact of streamlined technology on relationships with students and parents. Zach shares insights on the power of compelling storytelling and data-driven growth to increase classroom engagement. Tune in for an open and inspiring conversation as we begin this journey of exploring better outcomes for schools and communities. Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe! To learn more about Abre, visit www.abre.com Time Stamps & Show Notes (00:00 – 00:39) Introduction (00:40 – 02:59) The Narratives to Unfold (03:00 – 07:45) Diving Into Thought Leadership (07:46 – 08:23) An Open Journey (08:24 – 13:23) Heartfelt Memories in Education (13:24 – 13:42) Closing Key Quotes “The vast majority, 90%+ of our client partners start at the superintendent level. With that comes alignment to the district strategic plan. They’re almost a hired extension of their community via their board, so they have more of a pulse as to what’s happening within the community.” – James Stoffer, 03:55 “Every single educator that we talk to admit that they don’t have enough time in the day. When time goes away in education, what then happens with relationships with students and parents? They fall by the wayside. At the end of the day, what I envision this podcast being for us is bringing in leaders who have pragmatic stories with how they’ve changed, how they use leverage and execute better technology within their school system to drive better outcomes for kids.” – James Stoffer, 05:52 “A really good story with a compelling question, with good tech, you can really increase phenomenal engagement [in the classroom] and get that learning, especially looking at this through the lens of data and how you engage for that growth.” – Zach Vander Veen, 12:54