Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

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Receive the best school culture resources monthly to inspire your planning.

Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021
I’m excited to share that I’m coming back to the ed-tech space to help schools build amazing shared cultural systems.

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Subscribe via Email

Receive the best school culture resources monthly to inspire your planning.

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

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My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

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Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021

About the Event

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Register Now

About the Event

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

About the Presenter

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Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021

I’m excited to share that I’m coming back to the ed-tech space to help schools build amazing shared cultural systems.

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

All Reward Ideas for Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Read Across America
Grades K-8
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Dress Up or Down Day
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Amazing Race
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Recess
Grades K-5
Class/House
Privilege
Free
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🎁
Extra Reading Time
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Concert
Grades 6-8
Class/House
Privilege
Free
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👑
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Special Pen
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Operate Equipment.
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Silly Science Experiments
Grades K-5
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Video Game Rewards
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch with an Admin
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Stickers
Grades K-5
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Movie Night
Grades 9-12
Student
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Water Bottle Stickers
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY

All Reward Ideas for Elementary School Students

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👑
🎁
Free Dress
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Ice Cream Sundae Party
Grades K-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Trip to the Treasure Box
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
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🎁
Lunch with an Admin
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Wristband
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
STEM Field Day
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch With the Teacher
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Firebird of the Month
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Video Game Rewards
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Career Day
Grades 3-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Snowball Fights (& Popsicles!)
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Holidays Around the World
Grades K-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Drop Lowest Quiz
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Family Feast
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free

All Event Ideas for Schools

All Free Reward Ideas for Schools

🎉
👑
🎁
Classroom DJ
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
🎉
👑
🎁
Follow a Friend
🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
🎉
👑
🎁
Podcast
🎉
👑
🎁
The Big Ticket
🎉
👑
🎁
Drop Lowest Quiz
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Q&A
🎉
👑
🎁
Homework Pass

All Reward Ideas for High School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Get-to-Know-You Bingo
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Meme Party
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Homework Pass
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Glow Party
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Bonfire
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Holidays Around the World
Grades K-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Game-Based Simulation Learning
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Gift Cards
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Fake The Funk
Grades 9-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Snack Pack
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
School Spirit Day
Grades K-12
School
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Locker Choice
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Silly School Leader
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Books
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
School Supplies & Merch
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe

All Reward Ideas for Middle School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Uber by a Principal
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Dress Up or Down Day
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Kickback Vibes
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Show & Tell
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Talk Time
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Picnic Lunch
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
The A-List
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Holidays Around the World
Grades K-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Books
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Drop Lowest Quiz
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Gift Cards
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Old School Cookout
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Awards Show Afterparty
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Board Game Party
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY

All Student Reward & Incentive Ideas

💰
🎨
Stuffed Animal in Class
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Line Leader
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Stickers
Grades K-5
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Gift Cards
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Rolling Chair Rental
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Tutor
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Assist the Custodian.
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Hat Pass
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Technology
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Principal for a Day
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Lunch Reservations
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Operate Equipment.
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Talk Time
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Create the Seating Chart
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Design the Bulletin Board
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY

All Virtual Reward Ideas for Schools

🎉
👑
🎁
Digital Escape Rooms
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Show & Tell
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Donate $1
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Q&A
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Host a Virtual Party. 🎶
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Classroom DJ
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Student Spotlight Board
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Field Trip
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Stickers
Grades K-5
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Certificate of Achievement
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
See all Rewards

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Why I'm Joining LiveSchool

Aaron Briggs, co-founder of GoNoodle, shares his story and why he has decided to join the LiveSchool team.
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
February 1, 2021

I’m excited to share that I’m coming back to the ed-tech space to help schools build amazing shared cultural systems.

My ed-tech story

From 2011 to 2018, I had the pleasure of being a co-founding member of GoNoodle — first as the founding product manager, then later as VP of Product. On that 7-year journey, my team and I created and launched a product idea, grew a monthly audience of 14M students and 700K teachers, and engaged kids in millions of minutes of movement + learning.

GoNoodle was the outcome of an intentional career move. In 2009 it dawned on me that my career calling was in the education space. I assumed that my path was to go into the classroom as a teacher, but in doing my research on how to get there, I realized I was way more interested the technology of education than the teaching. Fast forward a few years of education and hustling: at GoNoodle I found the opportunity work closely with educators and solve real challenges in the classroom — at scale — with technology, content, and creative thinking. And after 7 years in that world, I was ready to go in new directions, to try new spaces, solve new problems, serve new audiences.

I followed GoNoodle with a two-year run outside ed-tech. I explored fintech, healthcare, product mentorship, and more — but there was a nagging absence. Over that period, I re-learned a truth about myself — I like building products, but I love building products for educators.

That’s why I’m excited to say I’m joining LiveSchool as Chief Product Officer in 2021. My goal: help build a world-class product team that lives to deliver exception experiences for schools. Our mission: help schools use technology to build amazing shared cultural systems.

About LiveSchool

LiveSchool helps schools build transformative school-wide cultural systems that involve everyone — teachers, students, administrators, and parents. The outcome is a clear set of expectations, and meaningful feedback loops that reinforce them. LiveSchool helps students stay motivated by making the culture tangible. It gives educators and parents data that they can use to support, encourage, recognize, and reward students for excellence. LiveSchool helps schools create a school culture that everyone believes in.

My history with LiveSchool actually started years ago: LiveSchool launched around the same time as GoNoodle, and as the only two ed-tech startups in Nashville, we stayed in touch. I regularly met Matt Rubinstein, LiveSchool’s CEO and founder, for sandwiches and brainstorming sessions about the ed-tech space. Over time, I began to see Matt’s vision for what LiveSchool could be and became a contributor to that vision as an official advisor. In that role, I had the opportunity to talk regularly with LiveSchool-powered schools and see firsthand the amazing work these schools are doing with this product.

Why school culture?

I’m joining because school culture is so central to student achievement. In their classic guide to school leadership, “Shaping School Culture” authors Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson lay out a 300-page argument for how deeply tied a school’s culture is to meaningful student achievement. They write, “If a school does not stand for something more profound than raising achievement levels, then it probably does not make a memorable difference to teachers, students, or parents.”

For something so crucial, culture is notoriously hard to manage. It takes effort to define it, reinforce it, make it tangible. It’s even harder to measure, iterate, and improve on culture. But LiveSchool makes that possible.

Allow me to get big picture for a moment: culture is heavy on my mind right now because I am first and foremost a parent. Like many parents, I’ve watched my two kids navigate school virtually for the last few months in the midst of a pandemic. I’ve also watched this happen in parallel with cultural divisions in our country that sometimes seem too wide to span. That division fills me with concern for the generation I’m trying to raise.

I want a better culture for our kids. I want them to have strong connections with their peers, to share values with their community, to trust each other, to expect accountability from each other, to see collaboration as rewarding and enriching. And I believe that if they experience these intangibles when they’re young — if they see culture that works — they’ll carry those ideas into adulthood.

And that’s a perfect encapsulation of why I love the school space: because schools are unique, powerful, community-centered institutions where we can make meaningful long-term impact on this world. Every year, a new set of school-age kids enter our education system and develop the habits, mindsets, and knowledge they’ll take with them into life. The responsibility — and the opportunity — in that space is staggering. It’s humbling. It’s exciting.

I believe this, with all of my being: if you want to build a better world, build better schools. And I want to do both of those things.

Let’s make change.

I’m excited to take up a new mission as a leader on the LiveSchool team. I believe we can make positive change.

Can we help schools give kids the best cultural systems possible? Yes, we can.

Can we help students feel safe and supported and seen at school by their educators? Oh heck yeah.

Can we encourage educators to give kids more positive feedback than negative? Without a doubt.

Can we help students feel invested in the communities they live in, and supportive of one another? 💯

We’re building something at LiveSchool that can accomplish those goals. But, we can’t do it alone. If you’re a passionate leader, educator, parent, or human who just cares about our future — reach out. We need all the support we can get. If you want to partner with us, support our efforts, or generally just let us know your thoughts about the school space, you can find me at aaron@liveschoolinc.com. I’d love to hear from you.

All Reward Ideas for Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Serenade
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Water Bottle Stickers
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher for the Day
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Game Week
Grades 9-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Silly School Leader
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Pie a Teacher
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Board Game Party
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Technology
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Firebird of the Month
Grades K-12
Student
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Toys
Grades K-8
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Hallway High-Five
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Silent Disco
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY

All Reward Ideas for Elementary School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Family Feast
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Pen Pouch
Grades K-8
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Tech Time
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Cut the Principal’s Tie
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch With the Teacher
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Donate $1
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Trip to the Treasure Box
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Read Across America
Grades K-8
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Trunk or Treat
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Certificate of Achievement
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Snacks
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Theme Party
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Serenade
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Partner Work
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free

All Event Ideas for Schools

💰
🎨
The A-List
💰
🎨
Meet the Teacher
💰
🎨
Family Feast
💰
🎨
Decades Party
💰
🎨
STEM Field Day
💰
🎨
Theme Party
💰
🎨
Music Fest
💰
🎨
Kickback Vibes
💰
🎨
House Induction
💰
🎨
School Dance
💰
🎨
Final Fridays

All Free Reward Ideas for Schools

🎉
👑
🎁
Line Leader
🎉
👑
🎁
Homework Pass
🎉
👑
🎁
Tutor
🎉
👑
🎁
Seat Swap
🎉
👑
🎁
School Assembly
🎉
👑
🎁
Operate Equipment.
🎉
👑
🎁
Classroom DJ
🎉
👑
🎁
Meme Party
🎉
👑
🎁
Free Dress
🎉
👑
🎁
Locker Choice
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Fast Pass
🎉
👑
🎁
Camp Read Away

All Reward Ideas for High School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Career Day
Grades 3-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
The A-List
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Karaoke Night
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch Reservations
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Game-Based Simulation Learning
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
“Let's Make A Difference Week"
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Video Game Rewards
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Create the Seating Chart
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Awards Show Afterparty
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
House Induction
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Drop Lowest Quiz
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Host a Virtual Party. 🎶
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Class Pet
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Amazing Race
Grades 9-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Water Bottle Stickers
Grades 6-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY

All Reward Ideas for Middle School Students

🎉
👑
🎁
House Induction
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Uber by a Principal
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Meet the Teacher
Grades K-8
School
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Trunk or Treat
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher for the Day
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Create the Seating Chart
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Lunch with an Admin
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
The A-List
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Be a Comedian.
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Food-Themed Party
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Passing Period Music
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Holiday Delivery
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Tech Time
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Theme Party
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Snack Party
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY

All Student Reward & Incentive Ideas

💰
🎨
TikTok with the Teacher
Grades 6-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Hallway High-Five
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Assist the Custodian.
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Virtual Field Trip
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Loudspeaker Shoutout
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Lunch With the Teacher
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Design the Bulletin Board
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Lunch Fast Pass
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Locker Choice
Grades 9-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Teacher v Student Competition
Grades 6-12
School
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Stuffed Animal in Class
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Backpack
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Student Spotlight Board
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Pen Pouch
Grades K-8
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY

All Virtual Reward Ideas for Schools

🎉
👑
🎁
Student Spotlight Board
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Stickers
Grades K-5
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Classroom DJ
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Field Trip
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Donate $1
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Show & Tell
Grades K-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Brain Break
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Host a Virtual Party. 🎶
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Teacher Q&A
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Digital Escape Rooms
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Privilege
Deluxe
See all Rewards

Want more ideas?

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