Driving Learning and Improving Relationships

A Washington Post report found that 33% of U.S. students now have chronic absenteeism — and half of students who miss just 2 to 4 days in September will miss more than a month by year’s end. Meanwhile, AJ Juliani just led 150 school leaders through building their own AI-powered data dashboards — no coding required. Data is everywhere in our schools, but are we actually using it to see our students? In this episode of Cool Cat Teacher Talk, I sat down with three remarkable educators who are redefining what data driven schools look like — and proving that the most data-driven schools are actually the most human schools.

You’ll hear from AJ Juliani on how educators are building custom AI tools that replace expensive vendor software, Victoria Setaro on the game-changing difference between “cold data” and “warm data,” and Dr. Deborah Dennie — a NASSP 2026 National Principal of the Year finalist — on what a decade of data-driven leadership looks like when it’s done with heart. Whether you’re driving to school, grading papers, or unwinding after a long day, this episode is for you.

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Transcript

Key Takeaways for Teachers from This Episode

AJ Juliani: Build Your Own AI-Powered Data Dashboards

• 150 educators with no coding experience built custom AI data dashboards using Claude Code. AJ walked them through a conversational process where the AI interviewed the educator about their needs, built a first version, and then refined it through ongoing conversation — what some call “vibe coding.” The result? Dashboards that rival tools costing districts tens of thousands of dollars, built in-house with full control over data privacy.
• Data privacy must be baked in from the start, not bolted on. AJ’s cohort de-identified all student data before uploading, used browser-only processing (nothing saved to servers), and encrypted all communication via HTTPS. His rule of thumb: if your vendor can’t give you a CSV export, they’re not a vendor you should work with.
• Discernment — not prompting — is the most important AI skill right now. The old conversation about “perfect prompts” has shifted. Now it’s about knowing when to use AI, how to use it, and where it’s applicable. AJ warns that rushing into AI without a strategy creates the same problems as rushing into 1:1 laptop initiatives — technology fueling compliance rather than learning.
• One school connected their gradebook, attendance, and Google Classroom feedback — and it flagged struggling students within days instead of weeks. Teachers and counselors could intervene before a student fell into a hole they couldn’t dig out of. AJ’s advice to his earlier self: “Think bigger.”

Victoria Setaro: Cold Data vs. Warm Data

• “Don’t let data get done to you” — step into the driver’s seat. Victoria introduces a powerful framework: “cold data” is the numbers (test scores, attendance rates, demographics), while “warm data” is the human story behind those numbers — the reasons why a student is absent, the fact that a straight-A student secretly hates her ELA classes, or that a family can’t afford laundry. You need both to make data actionable.
• Focus groups and simple checklists reveal warm data that spreadsheets never will. In one school, a top student — compliant, high-achieving, 95+ in every AP course — revealed in a focus group that she hated her English classes. Guidance counselors used that warm data to redesign her senior year around math and science. The cold data said she was thriving; the warm data told the real story.
• Design to the edges, not the bell curve. When one teacher gave a student a 5-minute decompression break after a stressful math class, it wasn’t just helping that one student — it was modeling a strategy that could help many. Victoria urges educators to memorialize those strategies and share them with their teams.

Dr. Deborah Dennie: A Decade of Data-Driven Leadership with Heart

• Data-driven leadership means looking at ALL the data — not just test scores. Dr. Dennie reviews pass/fail rates every two weeks, compares teacher averages to building averages, and sends pointed follow-up questions when gaps appear. But she also tracks attendance data, discipline data, and school climate data, because “if the kids are not present, they are not learning.”
• Incentivize everything — from classic car shows to Miss Maryland. When discipline data improved by October, students earned a community classic car show where they judged “Best in Show.” For attendance, Dr. Dennie recruited Miss Maryland to record a video shout-out when the school hit 94% attendance — making Leonardtown the only secondary school in the county to reach that mark.
• Collaborative planning is funded, flexible, and expected. Dr. Dennie restructured her school’s schedule so content area teachers share planning time. She offers stipends for after-hours collaboration — “I don’t care if you do it at Starbucks” — and encourages cross-curricular and special education co-planning.
• Grow your people from within. A food service worker became her principal’s secretary. A building service worker became her attendance secretary. An ELA teacher she mentored left, grew, and came back as an administrator. Dr. Dennie’s philosophy: “It doesn’t matter where you start off, it’s where you end up getting to.”

Resources from This Episode

Books

Tools & Links

Featured Guests

AJ Juliani

A.J. Juliani is the Director of Technology and Innovation for Centennial School District. As a former English teacher, football coach, and K-12 Technology Staff Developer, A.J. has worked towards innovative learning experiences for students in various roles. A.J. is also an award-winning blogger, speaker, and author of multiple books including the best-selling LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring out the Maker in Every Student and the newly released “Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Learning.”

Website: ajjuliani.com • X: @ajjuliani • Instagram: @ajjuliani • LinkedIn: @ajjuliani

Victoria Setaro

Victoria Setaro is currently an instructional lead focused on data analytics and professional development for Ulster BOCES in New York State. She has been a school and district leader in public education for over 20 years. Experiences such as assistant principal, classroom teacher, technology integrator, district special education liaison, and professional development specialist have provided Victoria incredible insight on how to best support teaching and learning. Current areas of interest and speciality include data visualization, humanization of data analytics, and inspiring educators to take risks and fall in love with the process of teaching and learning.

X: @victoria_Setaro

Dr. Deborah Dennie

Deborah Dennie, EdD, has served as the principal of Leonardtown Middle School in St. Mary’s County, MD, for 10 years, providing steady, visionary leadership grounded in high expectations and genuine care. During her tenure, she has strengthened instructional practice through data-driven decision-making, elevated student accountability, and cultivated a culture of continuous professional growth among educators. Widely recognized as a mentor and advocate, she empowers staff to pursue leadership opportunities and expand their professional capacity, contributing to improved teaching and learning outcomes schoolwide while prioritizing the emotional and physical well-being of students and staff. She ensures instructional time is purposeful, distractions are minimized, and collaborative planning is both funded and prioritized. This shared focus has resulted in rising proficiency, greater equity in classrooms, and stronger student readiness for high school and beyond. Dr. Dennie is a NASSP 2026 Middle Level National Principal of the Year finalist.

LinkedIn: Dr. Deborah Dennie

Other Episodes You’ll Love

Data Driven Schools: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between cold data and warm data in schools?

Cold data refers to quantitative numbers: test scores, attendance rates, demographics, and grade percentages. Warm data is the human story behind those numbers — the reasons why a student is absent, why a high-achieving student secretly hates a particular subject, or why a family struggles to get their child to school. Cold data tells you WHAT is happening; warm data tells you WHY. Both types are essential for making meaningful changes in data driven schools.

How can schools build AI-powered data dashboards without coding experience?

AJ Juliani’s cohort of 150 school leaders used Claude Code to build custom AI data dashboards through conversation — no programming required. The AI acts as an interviewer, asking educators questions about their specific needs, then builds a first version of the dashboard. Educators refine it through ongoing dialogue — a process called “vibe coding.” The AI asks you questions to understand your purpose, rather than requiring you to write detailed code.

What are the most important data privacy practices for schools using AI tools?

According to AJ Juliani, schools should: (1) de-identify all student data before uploading — replace names with labels and remove addresses and identifying information; (2) use browser-only processing so files are never saved to servers; (3) ensure all communication is HTTPS-encrypted; and (4) only work with vendors who provide CSV exports. Building tools in-house gives schools more privacy control than using external vendors.

What is chronic absenteeism and why does it matter?

Chronic absenteeism means missing 10% or more of school days — roughly 18 or more days per year. A Washington Post report found that 33% of U.S. students now experience chronic absenteeism. Research shows that half of students who miss just 2 to 4 days in September will miss more than a month by year’s end. Identifying attendance patterns early and understanding the warm data behind them enables schools to intervene before the problem compounds.

How does data-driven leadership improve school culture, not just test scores?

Dr. Deborah Dennie at Leonardtown Middle School tracks attendance, discipline, and school climate data alongside academic data — because all of it is connected. She ties creative incentives to data milestones: classic car shows when discipline data improves, and a Miss Maryland video shout-out when the school hits 94% attendance. Data-driven leadership means using numbers to celebrate people and build culture, not just to measure performance.

What is “vibe coding” and how can educators use it?

Vibe coding is the practice of building software tools through natural conversation with an AI, rather than writing code directly. You describe what you need, the AI asks clarifying questions, and you refine the result through back-and-forth chat. AJ Juliani used this approach to help 150 non-coding educators build custom data dashboards. For educators, vibe coding removes the technical barrier and lets them focus on solving their specific school problem.

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About Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis is an award-winning classroom teacher, IT Director, author, blogger, podcaster, and talk show host based in Albany, Georgia. She has been teaching computer science and digital film since 2002 and blogging at CoolCatTeacher.com since 2005. She is the creator and host of the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast (900+ episodes) and Cool Cat Teacher Talk, a weekly radio, TV, and YouTube show featuring conversations with remarkable educators from around the world.

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