On Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports, host Naren Balasubramaniam sits down with Hal Heard, Executive Director of Student Services at Plymouth-Canton Community Schools (Michigan), for a grounded conversation about what it looks like to coordinate academic, attendance, behavior, and mental health supports—without losing sight of the student’s real lived experience.

Hal shares his journey from social studies teacher to high school principal and district leader, shaped by a family legacy of education and a deep belief in the power of schools to change lives. Together, they unpack how PCCS is using an Early Warning System to bring cross-functional teams out of silos and into shared problem-solving—so students get the right supports before small signals become major barriers.

Listeners will also hear how PCCS is rethinking its virtual program through more flexible, asynchronous learning options to better meet student needs, how “BAG data” (Behavior, Attendance, Grades) helps flag risk early, and why real progress depends on pairing data with empathy and context. Hal also shares powerful stories that highlight the difference between reacting to symptoms and addressing root causes—and closes with how the district is preparing for the next frontier: AI in education.

|Key Moments

04:17 "Enhancing Whole-Child Virtual Education"

08:43 Early Warning System Team Meetings

10:26 Making Data Actionable for Students

13:27 Addressing Student Challenges Collaboratively

17:51 "Ensuring Access for All Students"

20:50 "Empowering Students Through Nurture"

23:01 Overcoming AI Fear in Education

26:05 Supporting Students Through Challenges

30:17 "Leveraging AI in Education"t

Why You’ll Love This Episode

This episode blends systems thinking with human-centered leadership. Hal offers a clear look at how districts can coordinate supports across roles and data systems, while still treating each student as more than a dashboard. If you’re building early warning systems, strengthening MTSS alignment, improving attendance and engagement, or redesigning virtual learning, you’ll find practical structures—and a reminder that the most important “metric” is whether students know where to go for help.

Connect with Our Guest

Hal Heard
Executive Director of High School Education, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
District Website: https://www.pccsk12.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hal-heard-8368152/ 

Metamorphix, Inc.
Website: https://www.metamorphix.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metamorphix-inc./

About Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports

Whole Child: Personalized Tiered Supports is the podcast where district leaders, school teams, and practitioners share how they are personalizing MTSS to support every learner. Hosted by Naren Balasubramaniam of Metamorphix, Inc., each episode dives into real systems, stories, and strategies for delivering the right academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports at the right time—so all students can thrive.