Summary

Elizabeth Cushing, CEO of Playworks, joins Jethro Jones to talk about how play builds belonging, emotional resilience, leadership, and attendance at school. They discuss what changes when recess becomes a predictable, inclusive place where every student can join a game, how adults model connection by playing alongside students, and how junior coaches turn older students into peer leaders.

They also talk about the practical side of bringing Playworks into a school: choosing games that keep students moving, reducing conflicts that follow students back to class, using Title I and other funding sources, and helping school communities make recess a meaningful part of the school day.

Chapters

• 0:00 — Welcome to Transformative Principal
• 0:59 — What Playworks changes on the playground
• 2:45 — Games that keep every student included
• 5:30 — Bringing play into classrooms
• 7:01 — Why play builds emotional resilience
• 10:16 — Adults, attendance, and belonging
• 13:30 — Junior coaches and student leadership
• 17:25 — How schools pay for Playworks
• 19:37 — Why every age needs meaningful play
• 20:40 — Transforming a playground community
• 23:10 — Recess, school pride, and belonging
• 25:40 — A practical invitation to go play
• 26:00 — Dynamic ad break placeholder

Show Notes

• Guest: Elizabeth Cushing, CEO of Playworks
• Playworks: playworks.org
• Playworks podcast and 30-Day Attendance Reset: playworks.org/podcast
• Topics: inclusive recess, emotional resilience, attendance, school climate, peer leadership, junior coaches, and funding school-based play

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