PODCAST · education
Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff
by Osceola County School District
We invite you to join Superintendent Shanoff as he discusses important topics happening in our schools and gets hands-on experience working multiple jobs within our school district.
Episodes
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What are Advanced Course Options and How Do You Know Which One is Right for Your Student?
Today’s students have more pathways than ever to challenge themselves, earn college credit, and explore real‑world career skills. But with choices like Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, and Career & Technical Education, how do families decide which route is the right one? On this episode of...
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Shanoff Shadows: Head Custodian
On this episode of Shanoff Shadows, Dr. Shanoff gets a behind-the-scenes look at the hard work, hustle, and heart it takes to keep our schools sparkling. A huge shoutout to Elvin, the incredible Head Custodian at Deerwood Elementary, who not only showed Dr. Shanoff the ropes but does so much more...
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Shanoff Shadows: 8th Grader
On this episode of Shanoff Shadows, Dr. Shanoff spends the day traveling from class to class with Omar, an eighth grader at Denn John Middle School whose academic achievements and personal growth truly shine.
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Shanoff Shadows: Truancy Officer
In this episode, Dr. Shanoff shadows Moya Campbell, a truancy officer with our Student Services team, as she works behind the scenes to remove barriers, support attendance, and help students stay connected to school—because showing up can change everything.
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School-Related Employee of the Year: Ms. Jessica Mintz
On this episode of Marking Excellence, Dr. Shanoff talks to our 2026 School-Related Employee of the Year, Ms. Jessica Mintz. Ms. Mintz is a paraprofessional at St. Cloud Elementary School, and she is inspiring students from Pre-K through 5th grade to chase their dreams and become the best version...
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Utilizing Technology in the Classroom
Technology is reshaping how our students learn. On this episode, Dr. Shanoff sits down with one of our Top 10 Teacher of the Year Finalists, Mr. German Ortiz, to show what that looks like in action. Mr. Ortiz shares how he empowers students to take ownership of their learning by tracking their…
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Harmony Middle School's FFA Program
It’s FFA Week, and we’re celebrating in a big way! Dr. Shanoff sits down with Ms. Kyndall Brown and three of her powerhouse students for a lively conversation about the world of agriculture: from hands‑on learning to the impact FFA programs are having across our schools. And there’s even bigger...
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Shanoff Shadows: Fifth Grade Student
Dr. Shanoff went back to fifth grade for a day to shadow Devonna, a student at Hickory Tree Elementary School. During his time in Ms. Weeks' class, he participated in vertical learning activities that challenged students to use context clues to craft high-level answers about the text.
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Shanoff Shadows: Research, Evaluation, and Accountability
In this episode, Dr. Shanoff works alongside Ashton Terry, one of our Senior Managers for Research, Evaluation, and Accountability, to highlight how data-driven practices are improving student achievement across our district. Ashton leads strategic projects such as early identification of...
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State of Education
Every year, we have the privilege of sharing our progress as a school district with our business partners and community at the State of Education event. On this episode, Dr. Shanoff and School Board Chair Heather Kahoun highlight the incredible strides we’ve made and how we’re continuing on the...
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Shanoff Shadows: PE Coach
On this episode of Shanoff Shadows, Dr. Shanoff explores the HOPE program and Team Sports with Coach Davis at Professional and Technical High School. Coach Davis has been instrumental in helping students discover new passions, build connections, and experience the benefits of physical activity.…
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Shanoff Shadows: Facilities Project Manager
Our Facilities team is managing dozens of projects across the district, from upgrading HVAC systems to constructing brand-new schools from the ground up. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes with Tim Gough as he shares what it’s like to help bring the new "AAA" High School to life on…
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Transportation Updates
Our Transportation team isn’t just focused on getting students to school safely and on time—they’re also driving innovation across the state. In this episode, Orville Watson shares how our district is leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic resources to optimize routes, improve…
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Back to School with Gary Dunn
We are just days away from the start of a new school year. In this episode, Dr. Shanoff and Principal of Discovery Intermediate School, Mr. Gary Dunn, discuss everything from transportation to school lunches to volunteering at your child's school to the importance of being connected and involved…
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OBC Athletic Awards featuring Ryan Adams
At the end of every school year, our high schools come together to celebrate the academic and athletic successes of our student-athletes. Our district Coordinator of Athletics, Ryan Adams, shares some of the highlights from this year's Athletic Awards.
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Shanoff Shadows: College and Career Counselor
Our College and Career Counselors provide specialized support to our students so they can achieve their post-secondary dreams! On this episode, Ms. Soto from Liberty High School shows Dr. Shanoff the various ways she communicates important information with her students.
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Your Tax Dollars at Work
As our county continues to grow in population, we are continuing to build new schools while renovating and performing regular maintenance on others. Many of these projects are funded through your taxpayer dollars. Today, Dr. Shanoff is joined by Dave Sharma, our Chief Facilities Officer, to…
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Shanoff Shadows: School Psychologist
In this episode, Dr. Shanoff shadows Cynthia Franklin, one of our school psychologists. Ms. Franklin works with various schools, including Lakeview Elementary, to support the mental health and educational development of all students.
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2025 School-Related Employee of the Year feat. Joe Castillo
Joe Castillo found a passion for education after helping his son during the pandemic. He currently works with the ESOL students at Lakeview Elementary School and is finishing up his master's degree so he can begin teaching full-time.
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2026 Teacher of the Year feat. Coreen Goerner
Mrs. Goerner's impact extends schoolwide as she coaches a team of 21 math teachers and supports nearly 3,000 students through small group instruction, after-school tutoring programs, and math boot camps. She discusses how these initiatives and more have helped improve math scores across all grade...
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Arts in Our Schools Month with Dr. Chris Burns and Dr. Joseph D'Ambrosi
March is National Arts in Our Schools Month, a time to celebrate and recognize the vital role that arts education plays in our students' development. On this episode, Dr. Shanoff is joined by our district's Fine and Performing Arts Resource Specialists Dr. Chris Burns and Dr. Joseph D’Ambrosi to...
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Parental Involvement with Dr. Annette Kalloo-Molina
Research shows that when parents are actively involved, students experience positive outcomes such as higher levels of academic achievement, better attendance, stronger social skills, improvements in behavior, and an increase in motivation. Dr. Annette Kalloo-Molina joins Dr. Shanoff to share…
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Shanoff Shadows: Literacy Coach
On this episode, Dr. Shanoff shadows Mrs. Kodie Petrangeli at Canoe Creek K-8. As an instructional coach, Mrs. Petrangeli is responsible for supporting K-8 teachers and students in reading, writing, and social studies.
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Shanoff Shadows: Media Center Specialist
In this episode, Dr. Shanoff shadows Tohopekaliga High School's Media Center Specialist for a day full of reading, laminating, and supporting tiger students and staff.
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Shanoff Shadows: School Tech
On this episode of Shanoff Shadows, Dr. Shanoff joins Christopher Shaw from Voyager K-8. As a school tech, Mr. Shaw goes above and beyond to ensure all forms of technology are online and enhance the educational experience for all students.
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Come Work For Us!
Have you ever considered working for the School District of Osceola County? We have more than 8,000 employees, and the majority of them are not teachers. We have everything from bookkeepers to secretaries to school nutrition services employees to maintenance workers to bus route coordinators and…
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Shanoff Shadows: Transportation Mechanic
Did you know that our buses go through a rigorous monthly inspection process to ensure they are safe for our students and drivers? In this episode of Shanoff Shadows, you will learn about that process from one of the most thorough mechanics in the state of Florida.
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Leader In Me Schools
Voyager K-8 is our first K-8 school to adopt the Leader in Me framework. Helen Reid discusses how the curriculum helps students develop the skills needed to be successful leaders in their communities.
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The College Application Process
There are so many components to the college application process. Mrs. Malfara, our coordinator of college and career counseling, sits down with Dr. Shanoff to help simplify the process for students and parents.
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Reflecting on One Year as Superintendent
The learning gains and progress that our district has made over the last year have been a joint effort from students, teachers, staff, parents, and the surrounding community. Collaboration has played a huge role in that progress, which is why Dr. Shanoff is hosting a series of District Dialogues...
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Resources for Parents with Dr. Rivera Mieles
Parents, we know that there are a lot of resources out there to guide you and child through the school year. On this episode, Dr. Shanoff sits down with Dr. Francisco Rivera Mieles to discuss the best ways to communicate with your child's teachers, to track their grades, and to help them gain…
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Back To School Information with Chris Todd
Your principals, assistant principals, and custodians have been working hard throughout the summer to prepare for the new school year. Now, it's your turn to prepare! In this episode, Dr. Shanoff and Mr. Chris Todd, principal of Celebration High School discuss new policies for high school…
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Transitioning to Middle and High School with Monique Machado
We’re less than a month away from the first day of school and many of our students will be transitioning to middle school or high school for the first time. Principal Monique Machado has some tips to help parents and students ease into these transitions.
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Avoiding the Summer Slide with Nadia Winston
Did you know the best thing your student can do during summer break is read for 20 minutes every day? Reading will help them continue to build a strong foundation for success across all subjects.
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Shanoff Shadows: Business Education Teacher
Before the end of the school year, Dr. Shanoff visited Celebration High School to help Mr. Irving Reyes prepare his students for their final exams and industry certifications.
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Ep. 11: Addressing Gaps in Education
During the spring semester, School Board Vice Chair Terry Castillo hosted a community conversation about educational gaps and how the school district is addressing those gaps to ensure all students receive a quality education. This podcast episode expands on that conversation.
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Shanoff Shadows: Superinten-dancer with Mrs. Burns
Dr. Shanoff attempts to learn ballet and jazz with Mrs. Burns at St. Cloud High School. Will he be successful in his attempt to master the grand jete? Listen to his latest episode of Shanoff Shadows to find out!
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Ep. 10: Overcoming Testing Anxiety
From FAST testing to end-of-course exams to AP Exams, our students will be taking multiple tests throughout the month of May. Dr. Shanoff knows that all these tests can be overwhelming for students, which is why he invited Dr. Leah Torres onto the podcast to talk about ways to overcome testing...
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Ep. 9: 2025 Teacher of the Year feat. Vanessa Gomez
Dr. Shanoff is thrilled to introduce you to our 2025 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Vanessa Gomez. Ms. Gomez is a Medical Assistant Instructor for Osceola Technical College and her students have achieved a 100% certification pass rate and graduation rate at the conclusion of her program. She discusses...
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Ep. 8: 2024 School-Related Employee of the Year feat. Mrs. Dawn Parker
Dr. Shanoff sits down with Mrs. Dawn Parker to talk about being named the 2024 School-Related Employee of the Year.
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Shanoff Shadows: Warehouse Mail Courier
Ride alone with Dr. Shanoff as he delivers mail to various schools and departments. You can read about his experience on the RoundUp blog at osceolaschools.net.
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Ep. 7 Student Advisory Council
Today, Dr. Shanoff is joined by Jake and Sara, two high school seniors who are part of his advisory council. During the first semester, Dr. Shanoff tasked them with creating a collaborative plan that would foster a greater sense of student connection across the School District of Osceola County....
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Ep. 6: Preparing for Kindergarten
It's time to prepare for kindergarten! Dr. Reyes, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, sits down with Dr. Shanoff to discuss some of the activities and routines you can start establishing now so they are ready for a successful first day. To register your child, visit...
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Ep. 5 Safety and Security with Terry Castillo
School Board Vice Chair Terry Castillo recently held a town hall with parents and employees regarding safety and security. Since safety and security are a top priority for our school district, Ms. Castillo brought those questions to Dr. Shanoff. In this episode you will learn some of the policies...
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Shanoff Shadows: School Resource Officer
Safety and Security is a top priority of our school district. In honor of School Resource Officer Day, Dr. Shanoff visited Partin Settlement Elementary to shadow Deputy Russ. You can read a brief reflection of his experience at www.osceolaschools.net.
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Shanoff Shadows: Poinciana High School Student
Dr. Shanoff trades his shirt and tie for a t-shirt and sneakers as he heads back to the classroom to experience a day in the lives of our students. Listen to his experience with Jahmoy, a senior at Poinciana High School, as he engages in Entrepreneurship, English 4, and Marketing. You can also…
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Shanoff Shadows: Varying Exceptionalities Teacher
Dr. Shanoff heads back to the classroom in this episode of Shanoff Shadows! Working alongside Ms. Torres at St. Cloud Elementary School, he helps her conduct various small group interventions centered around phonics, central idea, and reading comprehension.
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Ep. 4: Completing the FAFSA Application and Paying for College
Seniors, the FAFSA is your first step for securing money for college as it can open you up to college-based funding and various scholarships. The federal form opens in December and Mrs. Danielle Malfara is here to talk about everything you need to know when completing it. She also discusses other...
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Ep. 3: My First 100 Days as Superintendent
In this episode, Dr. Shanoff discusses some of the things he's accomplished and learned as the superintendent of schools. He has spent a large part of this time visiting schools and meeting with parents, students, community members, and staff to understand the strengths of our district as well as...
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Shanoff Shadows: School Nurse
Our school nurses are always busy attending to students and their needs whether that be receiving medication, helping a headache subside, treating an injury, or putting on a bandaid. On today's episode of Shanoff Shadows, you will here about Kaitlyn Griffin's role at Zenith Accelerated Learning...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We invite you to join Superintendent Shanoff as he discusses important topics happening in our schools and gets hands-on experience working multiple jobs within our school district.
HOSTED BY
Osceola County School District
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff have?
Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff currently has 55 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff about?
We invite you to join Superintendent Shanoff as he discusses important topics happening in our schools and gets hands-on experience working multiple jobs within our school district.
How often does Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff release new episodes?
Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff has 55 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff?
You can listen to Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff?
Marking Excellence with Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff is created and hosted by Osceola County School District.
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