Interventions and Detentions

Episode 2:38 Books Are Fun & Book Blast with Ben Kaplan | Season 2 Finale

We’re closing out Season 2 of Interventions and Detentions with a conversation that every educator, school leader, and parent should hear.
In this episode, I sit down with Ben Kaplan, President of Books Are Fun, to discuss the Book Blast program and how it’s helping schools across the country build excitement around reading while putting more books into the hands of students.
We explore:
* What makes the Book Blast program different
* How schools can implement it with minimal staff time
* Why access to books at home is so important for developing lifelong readers
* The role family engagement plays in student literacy
* How Books Are Fun is helping schools create a culture where reading thrives
Whether you’re a principal looking for meaningful literacy initiatives, a teacher passionate about getting books into students’ hands, or a parent who wants to encourage a love of reading, this conversation is packed with practical insights and inspiration.
Thank you for being part of an incredible Season 2. Your support, downloads, shares, and conversations have helped grow this podcast into a community of educators committed to making a difference.
The interventions may be ending for the season… but the impact continues.
Guest: Ben Kaplan, President, Books Are Fun
Topic: The Book Blast Program
Host: Brad Targgart
Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in Season 3!

Episode 2:37 Catching Up With Kylie

After more than a year apart behind the microphone, Kylie returns to Interventions and Detentions for a special reunion episode.
In Episode 2:37, Brad and Kylie catch up on everything that’s happened since their last episode together. From career changes and personal growth to lessons learned along the way, this conversation is filled with laughter, reflection, and the kind of authentic dialogue that made listeners enjoy them as co-hosts in the first place.
Where has life taken Kylie over the past year? What has surprised her most? What challenges has she faced, and what accomplishments is she most proud of? Brad and Kylie revisit old memories, share new experiences, and discuss what the future holds.
Whether you’ve been listening since the early days of the podcast or are joining the conversation for the first time, this episode offers a genuine look at friendship, growth, and the value of reconnecting with people who have been part of your journey.
Episode 2:37 — Catching Up with Kylie.

Episode 2:36 | Staff Celebration Isn’t Fluff: It’s a Retention Strategy

What if one of the most effective staff retention strategies in your school doesn’t require a new initiative, a larger budget, or another professional development session?
What if it’s appreciation?
In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we explore why staff celebration is much more than a feel-good activity. It’s a leadership practice that directly impacts morale, engagement, culture, and retention.
Brad dives into the realities of educator burnout, why employees stay or leave, and the critical role administrators play in helping people feel seen, valued, and connected to the mission of their school. You’ll learn practical strategies for celebrating teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, food service staff, counselors, and every member of the team who helps students succeed.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
* Why appreciation is a leadership responsibility, not an extra task
* The difference between recognition and appreciation
* How positive school culture impacts staff retention
* Common mistakes leaders make when celebrating employees
* Practical, low-cost ways to recognize staff throughout the year
* How to build a culture where people genuinely want to stay
Whether you’re a principal, assistant principal, superintendent, instructional coach, or teacher leader, this episode offers actionable ideas you can implement immediately to strengthen relationships and improve culture in your school.
Because great schools aren’t built by programs.
They’re built by people.
And people thrive where appreciation lives.
Lead. Inspire. Impact.

Episode 2:35 Reflective Leadership and Reflective Teaching: Finishing Strong, Growing Stronger

As another school year comes to a close, educators everywhere are packing classrooms, submitting final grades, and looking ahead to a well-deserved summer break. But before we rush into the next season, what can we learn from the one we’re leaving behind?
In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we explore the power of reflective practice for both teachers and school leaders. Reflection is not about dwelling on mistakes. It is about transforming experiences into growth. Whether you are a classroom teacher, principal, instructional coach, counselor, or aspiring leader, intentional reflection can help you identify what worked, what did not, and what deserves your attention moving forward.
Join Brad as he discusses why reflection is one of the most valuable professional growth tools available, the questions every educator should ask at the end of the year, and how reflective leaders build stronger school cultures. You will also hear practical strategies for turning reflection into action, celebrating successes, learning from challenges, and creating a clear path forward for the year ahead.
The end of the school year is not just an ending. It is an opportunity to become an even better educator for the students who are waiting for us next fall.
Interventions and Detentions with Brad. Where the real learning begins.

Episode 2:34 The 10 Minute Fix

In this episode of Interventions and Detentions with Brad, we dive into “The 10-Minute Fix: Small Moves That Change Classrooms.” Education doesn’t always need massive overhauls to create meaningful change. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from the smallest strategies.\n\nBrad shares practical, research-based ideas educators can implement immediately to improve behavior, increase engagement, strengthen relationships, and create calmer, more connected classrooms. From quick behavior resets and engagement tricks to relationship builders and leadership takeaways, this episode is packed with realistic strategies that work in real schools.\n\nWhether you’re a teacher, administrator, interventionist, or support staff member, this episode will leave you with simple tools you can use tomorrow to make a lasting impact.\n\nSmall moves. Big difference.

Episode 2:33 What Should Actually Come to The Office?

Episode 2:33 – What Should Actually Come to the Office?
Office referrals can be one of the most inconsistent systems in a school.
What one teacher handles in the classroom, another sends to the office. What feels like a classroom-managed behavior one day suddenly becomes an office referral the next. Over time, that inconsistency impacts teachers, administrators, students, and overall school culture.
In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we take a practical, honest look at:
• What behaviors should actually be office-managed
• What should remain classroom-managed
• Why the “gray area” creates so much frustration
• How inconsistent responses affect students and staff
• And what schools can do to build more clarity and trust across the building
This conversation is not about blame or rigid systems. It is about creating consistency, supporting teachers, helping students, and building behavior systems that actually work.
Whether you are a teacher, administrator, counselor, or support staff member, this episode will likely sound very familiar.

Episode 2:32 What Actually Works in May

If things feel a little harder right now in your classroom or school… you’re not imagining it.
Late April and May bring a shift. Energy changes, routines get disrupted, and even strong systems can start to feel less effective. It’s not about losing control—it’s about navigating a different phase of the school year.
In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we break down:
• Why behavior tends to shift at the end of the year
• What’s really driving the change (it’s more than just “kids checking out”)
• The most common mistakes schools make during this stretch
• And practical, realistic strategies that actually work right now
This isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about simplifying, staying consistent, and finishing the year strong.
If you’re in the middle of the end-of-year push, this episode will give you tools you can use immediately.

Episode2:31 Support vs Reality — A Principal’s Take on Education Influencers

Social media has changed education—and not just for students, but for teachers and administrators too.
There are more voices than ever sharing what leadership should look like. Some of it is helpful. Some of it is inspiring.
But some of it… might be oversimplifying a job that’s anything but simple.
In this episode, I take an honest, balanced look at the rise of education influencers and how leadership messaging online is shaping expectations inside real schools. From the contrast between creators like Jared Lamb and Gerry Brooks to the broader impact of viral content, we explore the gap between what we see online and what actually works in a school building.
This isn’t about calling anyone out.
It’s about having a real conversation about leadership—the kind that doesn’t fit into a 60-second video.
⸻
🎯 In this episode, we discuss:
* The rise of education influencers
* Why leadership content goes viral
* The difference between supporting teachers and balancing all stakeholders
* How social media can unintentionally shape school culture
* What real leadership looks like beyond the highlight reel
⸻
🎧 New episodes of Interventions and Detentions with Brad drop every Friday at 8:00 AM.
⸻
💬 Join the conversation:
What are your thoughts on education influencers and leadership on social media? Let me know after you listen.

Episode 2:30 What Does a ”B” Even Mean? A Real Talk About Report Cards

In Episode 2:30 of Interventions and Detentions, we ease back in from Spring Break with a micro episode focused on one of education’s most familiar and debated traditions… the report card.
Where did report cards come from? What were they originally designed to do? Do they truly communicate student learning, or have they become more about labels than growth?
In this episode, we explore the history and evolution of report cards, their intended purpose in today’s schools, and where grading and reporting may be headed in the future.
Whether you’re an educator, parent, student, or simply someone who remembers the feeling of bringing one home, this conversation will have you rethinking what those letters and numbers really mean.
Tune in and join the discussion: What do you really think about report cards?

Episode 2:29 The Spring ”Slide”.

Something shifts in schools every spring—and it’s not just academic. In this episode of Interventions and Detentions, we take a real look at what educators are experiencing right now: shorter attention spans, increased behavior challenges, lower motivation, and overall fatigue from both students and staff.
This isn’t about the “summer slide.” It’s about the very real spring slide in behavior, energy, and stamina—and why it happens every year. From routine fatigue and testing pressure to the “almost there” mindset, we break down what’s really driving the shift you’re seeing in classrooms right now.
More importantly, we focus on what actually works. That includes resetting expectations instead of constantly correcting, shortening instructional “wins” to keep students engaged, strengthening relationships when capacity is low, and making small changes that can have a big impact. We also talk about why this is the time to double down on strong Tier 1 practices rather than just adding more interventions.
The key takeaway: this isn’t a failure point—it’s a predictable point. And when we recognize it for what it is, we can respond in ways that better support both students and staff through the final stretch of the school year.