Fresno Unified Superintendent, Bob Nelson.

This week Schools on the Frontlines host Carl Cohn talks with Bob Nelson, the ukulele-playing superintendent of Fresno Unified School District.

Nelson, who has been called “the Mr. Rogers of school superintendents,” has taken a hands-on approach to the job, interacting with the community via social media and even reading children’s stories on YouTube. Carl asks Nelson about his unique approach to the job. They also discuss the district’s plans for the fall and lessons learned during the ongoing pandemic. 

With fifty years of service as a counselor, teacher, district superintendent, State Board of Education member, and executive director of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, Cohn brings a unique understanding of the challenges school districts face as they try to regroup and reopen in the fall. 

For more information about Fresno Unified School District, please see:

• Fresno Unified School District homepage
• Fresno Unified School District profile on Ed-Data

This is the fifth in a special series of podcasts hosted by Carl Cohn and sponsored by EdSource and the Ball/Frost Group.