Spotify
Apple
Amazon
Episode #51 Ops Team Essentials: Building Trust & Running Effective Meetings with Jill Dunchick
SHOW NOTES
2 min read
SHOW NOTES
GUEST INFO
Episode Guest:
Keith Vigraham, VP of HR at Vertex Education
Website:
EPISODE SUMMARY
When it comes to teacher retention, onboarding isn’t just the first step—it’s the foundation. In this episode, Keith Vigraham, VP of HR at Vertex Education, shares his two decades of experience working with charter schools across the country to break down what a successful onboarding process really looks like. From the moment a teacher signs an offer letter to their first chaotic day in the classroom, Keith offers smart, tactical advice to ensure your staff not only stays—but thrives.
He and host Daniel Casselli dive deep into why onboarding is your school's first cultural impression, the difference between pre-service and mid-year onboarding, and how to creatively engage staff through every phase. Whether you're a seasoned operator or rethinking your process for the upcoming school year, this episode offers actionable takeaways you can implement now.
EPISODE TAKEAWAYS
-
Onboarding = Retention: Great onboarding isn't just about training—it's about connection, culture, and first impressions.
-
Pre-start engagement matters: Touchpoints before day one help keep new hires committed and excited.
-
Avoid the ‘Godspeed Gap’: Mid-year hires often fall through the cracks. Create a plan just for them.
-
Logistics are culture too: Don’t underestimate the power of polished paperwork, clear directions, and warm welcomes.
-
Head, Heart, Hand Framework: Focus your training on what new hires need to know, feel, and do to succeed.
-
Leverage data: Use engagement signals and new hire feedback to evaluate and improve your onboarding process.
-
Make it joyful: Scavenger hunts, coffee meetups, and buddy systems aren’t fluff—they’re culture in action.
RESOURCES
Free Mid-Year Onboarding Template - Download a 2-week onboarding schedule plus guiding questions to help your school design a better experience for mid-year hires.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background of Keith Vigraham
02:53 The Importance of Onboarding in Staff Retention
06:49 Pre-Hire Engagement Strategies
15:20 Maximizing Teacher Training Before School Starts
22:21 Mid-Year Hires: Unique Challenges and Solutions
22:36 Evaluating and Improving Onboarding Processes
30:48 Resources and Conclusion
ABOUT OUR GUEST
ABOUT OUR HOST
Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History.
You can listen to Charter School Insider: Lessons from the Nation's Top Charter School Operators on your favorite podcasting platform...
