In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast

About In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast

In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast is a monthly series exploring what it truly takes to support children with language-based learning differences. Hosted by Andie Levinger, Director of Placement, each episode features candid conversations with classroom teachers, speech-language and occupational therapists, parents, alumni, and field experts. Together, we dig into best practices, common challenges, and the everyday wins that help students thrive—academically, socially, and emotionally—through a whole-child, integrated model.

Publisher

The Parkside School

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Oct 2025

Latest episode

30 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Sept 2026

   A Toolbox for Big Feelings: Coping Skills with Cara Levinson

   How do children learn to handle big feelings? In this episode of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, Director of Placement Andie Levinger sits down with Cara Levinson of Parkside's Social Work Department to talk about coping skills: what they are, how they develop, and how families can support them at home. Drawing on six years at Parkside and a background in both education and social work, Cara walks through the building blocks of emotional regulation. She starts with naming feelings and noticing where they show up in the body, moves to co-regulating with a trusted adult, and ends with children who can recognize what helps them and advocate for it. She also shares how to tell a healthy habit from avoidance, why sitting with discomfort matters more than rushing to fix it, and how self-care and coping skills work together for kids and grown-ups alike. The episode closes with five practical tips parents can use today, followed by a conversation with Quinn, a member of Parkside’s upcoming Class of 2027, about the tools that help her relax, focus, and power through a tough math problem.

2. 

   14 Aug 2026

   Big Feelings, First Days: Preparing for a New School Year

   Season 2 of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast opens with the moment every family knows well — the first day of school. Host Andie Levinger, OT and Director of Placement, sits down with Caity Stetner, a seasoned Parkside social worker, to talk about what children (and their parents) really carry through the school doors: excitement, separation anxiety, fear of the unknown, and the quiet bravery it takes to walk into a new classroom. Caity shares how she meets big feelings with curiosity and play, why relationship and regulation come before productivity, and how families can prepare — from attachment objects and beloved books like The Invisible String and Go Away, Big Green Monster to simply pausing to reflect on what this season of change brings up for them, too. Then we hear from Charlotte, a Parkside student heading to the fifth floor, who offers her own honest take on starting somewhere new: it can feel scary and new — and it can feel exciting. Whether you're sending a little one through the doors for the first time or navigating another new beginning, this episode is a gentle, practical companion for the weeks ahead.

3. 

   11 Jun 2026

   This Is Who We Are: The Class of 2026

   In the season finale of In Conversation, host Andie Levinger sits down with six members of The Parkside School’s Class of 2026 — and then looks back on the whole season with Jessica Scovel. The season began with co-founders Leslie Thorne and Albina Miller describing the school they set out to build four decades ago: a community rooted in collaboration, creative problem-solving, and care for the whole child. It moved through the voices of teachers and a parent. And it ends, fittingly, with the graduates themselves. They talk about Parkside Singers and the cast of Matilda, about teaching themselves animation on YouTube and piano scales by ear. About the deep breaths that steady them, and the reading that once felt impossible and now doesn’t. They describe exactly what they’ll need from their next teachers — and how to ask for it. And they reflect, with real tenderness, on friendship, forgiveness, and second chances. Listening to them, Jessica kept a running list of words: positive, confident, creative, humorous, courageous, spiritual, forgiving, philosophical, self-aware, earnest, hopeful. As she puts it, this is who we are — and these remarkable young people are about to go out into the world and show it.

4. 

   28 May 2026

   One Day at a Time: A Father's Journey

   In this episode of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, host Andie Levinger sits down with Parkside parent Adam Francique for a moving and deeply honest conversation about parenting his son, AJ, who is about to graduate and begin a new chapter in middle school. Adam — a born-and-raised New Yorker, marathon runner, and graphic designer — shares AJ's journey from a little boy whose first teacher meetup happened on a stoop during the pandemic to a confident young man who reads novels aloud, excels at math, and serves as a student ambassador welcoming prospective families. Along the way, Adam speaks openly about navigating the turning-five process and the New York City special education landscape as a single father, and about the people, resources, and community that carried him through. The conversation touches on the power of a strong parent-school partnership, the importance of teaching a child to advocate for himself, and Adam's commitment to paying forward the guidance he received to families just beginning their own journeys.

5. 

   30 Apr 2026

   Connection Before Correction: Celebrating OT Month with the Parkside OT Team

   April is Occupational Therapy Month, and host Andie Levinger is joined by all four members of The Parkside School's OT department — Christine Yen, Abby Chirokas, Leah Bataille, and Sophie Norris — for a wide-ranging conversation about the profession they love and the work they do every day with our students. The team shares how each of them found their way to OT (some as early as high school, some after a first career), how they describe this often-misunderstood field to friends and family, and the specialties they're each drawn to — from assistive technology and handwriting development to trauma-informed practice and the polyvagal theory. They unpack what makes school-based OT at Parkside distinct, why task analysis is one of the profession's superpowers, and how working alongside teachers, social workers, and speech therapists allows them to see the whole child. Along the way, you'll hear about beloved go-to activities (the hot dog swing, bubble mountain, balloon tapping, obstacle courses), simple regulation strategies families can try at home, and a moving story from Leah about how a daily movement break became the foundation of a student's whole school year. The episode closes with a Fast Five and a reflection from Andie on how an OT lens shapes her own work in admissions and placement. A warm, generous, and informative listen — and a fitting tribute to a department that lives by connection before correction.

6. 

   2 Apr 2026

   In It for the Long Haul: Wisdom from Two Master Teachers

   In this episode, Andie sits down with Jackie Ament, Parkside's beloved head teacher on the fifth floor, and Rebecca Frank, our Instructional Coach, for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about what it truly means to dedicate a career to children. Jackie and Rebecca reflect on how they each found their way to teaching, what comes naturally, what has been hard, and how the profession has evolved over decades. They talk about relationship-building, self-regulation, self-compassion, and the unspoken hours teachers put in long after the school day ends. They also share advice for new teachers and what they each consider the greatest gift of their time at Parkside. Afterward, Andie chats with speech therapist Jessica Scovel about the conversation — and the qualities that make Jackie and Rebecca such extraordinary educators.

7. 

   26 Feb 2026

   Art, Empathy, and the Parkside Way

   In this episode of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, Andie sits down with two members of our extraordinary team to explore the essential role creativity plays in educating the whole child. First, Andie speaks with Clara Elser, a member of Parkside’s support staff, about her work with students and the importance of seeing and supporting each child as a complete individual. Clara shares how building rapport, fostering trust, and creating space for artistic expression can transform a child’s school experience. She reflects on her own creative journey and the ways in which community, empathy, and imagination shape both learning and personal growth. In the second half of the episode, Andie is joined by Jessica Scovel, Speech Therapist at Parkside, for a thoughtful conversation about the profound impact of the arts in education. Together, they discuss how creative outlets help students develop emotional awareness, perspective-taking, and confidence. Jessica shares practical insights into how creativity can be woven into daily life—both in and outside of school—to nurture connection and resilience. This episode is a powerful reminder that education is about more than academics. At Parkside, creativity is not an add-on—it is a pathway to empathy, understanding, and meaningful growth.

8. 

   21 Jan 2026

   Coming Full Circle: Remy Aubrun ’07 on Empathy, Growth, and Returning to Parkside

   In Episode 4 of In Conversation, Andie speaks with Parkside alumnus Remy Aubrun ’07, who has returned to the school as a member of the support staff. Remy reflects on his student experience, the transition to middle school, and how empathy and presence shape his work with students today. Andie is then joined by Jessica Scovel for a conversation about leaving and returning to Parkside, the school’s collaborative culture, and how adults can best support students through periods of change.

9. 

   11 Dec 2025

   Finding Their Footing: Movement, Confidence & Community with Mr. Jay

   In this episode of In Conversation, Andie sits down with Parkside’s gym teacher and Afterschool Program Coordinator, Jakiem Swinger, to talk about how movement helps our students build confidence, regulate big feelings, and find community. Jay shares his journey at Parkside—from starting as a one-to-one in 2008, to designing movement breaks, to leading our adapted physical education program and coordinating afterschool clubs. He talks about how structure and routine in the gym create room for silliness and joy, why he builds games like “toilet tag” and “6–7 tag” around students’ interests, and how he balances cooperation and competition in ways that feel safe and motivating. You’ll also hear how being a dad, a basketball coach, and a personal trainer shapes the way he connects with kids, welcomes anxious prospective students into the gym, and reframes “losing” as a chance to learn. It’s a conversation about movement, mindset, and the power of trusted relationships behind Parkside’s big feelings and big wins.

10. 

    14 Nov 2025

    Change the Context: Dr. Sima Gerber on Development, Play, and Four Decades of Parkside

    How do you truly meet a child where they are—and what happens when you “change the context” instead of trying to change the child? In this episode of In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, host Andie Levinger sits down with Dr. Sima Gerber, professor of speech-language pathology at Queens College and a consultant to Parkside’s Speech and Language Department for more than thirty years. Sima reflects on her path into the field, the moment that shifted her focus from adults to children on the autism spectrum, and what it really means to take a developmental, relationship-based approach. She and Andie explore the role of play, attunement, and mental health in supporting children’s growth—and why looking at the whole child across emotional, social, motor, and linguistic domains matters so deeply. At the conclusion of the episode, Andie is joined by longtime Parkside speech therapist Jessica Scovel, who has been with the school for the better part of two decades and offers her perspective on Sima’s enduring influence on Parkside’s practice. This episode is part of Parkside’s 40th Anniversary year. Learn more at parksideschool.org/40years (https://www.parksideschool.org/40years.).

11. 

    3 Oct 2025

    From Idea to Impact: Albina Miller & Leslie Thorne on 40 Years of Parkside

    How do you build a school that truly meets children where they are—and keeps learning integrated, consistent, and joyful? In this kickoff to In Conversation: A Parkside Podcast, host Andie Levinger interviews co-founders Albina Miller and Leslie Thorne about The Parkside School's origins, the complementary strengths that made their partnership work, and the “whole child” philosophy that still anchors the school 40 years later. At the conclusion of the episode, Andie is joined by colleague Jessica Scovel, seasoned Parkside speech and language therapist, who reflects on the conversation and adds her perspective as a long-time practitioner at the school. This inaugural episode of Parkside's first podcast has been produced as part of Parkside's 40th Anniversary year. Learn more at parksideschool.org/40years (www.parksideschool.org/40years).

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.