Public Microschools Making a Difference. A Conversation with George Philhower.

How four promises led to hands-on, self-paced learning and better outcomes for every student.

Summary

We explore how clear promises to families can reshape a district and spark a statewide network of microschools. George shares the roadmap from listening to homeschoolers to opening a K–12 site at a campground, plus the courage and imposter syndrome that come with big dreams.

• four promises as the foundation for culture and decisions
• replacing compliance‑driven teacher evaluation with growth
• enrollment insights from homeschool and virtual families
• designing a statewide charter and governance model
• launching a K–12 microschool at a youth campground
• multi‑age, self‑paced, hands‑on learning in small groups
• founder support through district back‑office services
• honest trade‑offs on services, logistics and scale
• using microschools as living labs for district change
• practical advice for leaders facing imposter syndrome

About our guest
Dr. George Philhower serves as the superintendent at Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana. He holds a Bachelors in Elementary and Special Education from Cardinal Stritch University, a Masters in Instructional Leadership from the University of Indianapolis, and an Ed.S. and Ph.D. from Indiana State University. George imagines a future where every student and educator wakes up genuinely excited to go to school—not because they have to, but because they know it’s a place where they are safe to be themselves, where success is attainable, where their work has meaning, where friendships thrive, and where they are greeted by adults who truly see, support, and love them. George is convinced that the best way to make this vision a reality is through collaboration among leaders in the field of education who are committed to disrupting the status quo. George works hard to share the work happening in his district and learn from others in the field in order to make his vision a reality.

Connect with George
Indiana Microschool Collective

About the podcast
The KindlED Podcast explores the science of nurturing children's potential and creating empowering learning environments.

Powered by Prenda Microschools, each episode offers actionable insights to help you ignite your child's love of learning. We'll dive into evidence-based tools and techniques that kindle young learners' curiosity, motivation, and well-being.

Got a burning question?
We're all ears! If you have a question or topic you'd love our hosts to tackle, please send it to podcast@prenda.com. Let's dive into the conversation together!

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