WS Chronicle

TEVIN STINSON 

THE CHRONICLE  

Over the past decade podcasts have changed the way we engage with each other and how we consume information. The best podcasts are those that blur the line between education and entertainment. And that’s exactly what Dr. Thyais Maxwell is doing with her 2theMax podcast. Dr. Maxwell, who has more than 20 years of experience working in schools across the state, said her goal for the podcast is to create a space where you can go and hear real conversations about education. 

The idea for the podcast came from a group of Maxwell’s closest friends. Maxwell said she had thought about starting a podcast before, but the idea was awakened when it was suggested over lunch by her friends. “We’re always talking about how we can push each other and do something different and that’s when I said I wish I had a talent or something that I can do,” said Maxwell when discussing the start of the podcast. 

“I know I love people, I love to talk, and I like to help, and the idea was a podcast. I went home that night and the ideas just started flooding my mind.” 

Maxwell said at the time she needed something to keep her excited about education following all the changes due to the pandemic, and the podcast did exactly that.  “I did it because I wanted to do something fun, honestly. This is my fourth principalship and this is my twenty-sixth year in education, and I needed something to do that would excite the intellectual piece of me,” she explained.  

Dr. Maxwell is currently the principal at Carver High School where she has been since 2022. Before that she served in multiple roles for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, including EC teacher, curriculum coordinator, and instructional coach.  

Before coming to WS/FCS and turning things around at Carver, Dr. Maxwell worked in Guilford County. Under her leadership, The Middle College at Bennett College was named one of the U.S. News and World Report’s Best High Schools. She also served as turnaround principal at Hampton Elementary, principal at Summer Elementary, and assistant principal of instruction at Ben L. Smith High School.  

Although it started as something she wanted to do for fun, Dr. Maxwell’s knowledge of the education system and her personality that can light up any room, combined with some hard-hitting topics, it’s clear that the podcast has some real potential and is gaining momentum.  

Since officially starting the podcast three months ago, Dr. Maxwell has touched on a number of important topics including social emotional learning, restorative practices, school safety, and college and career readiness. Some of the guests have included former Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) Superintendent Tricia McManus, Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, and Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Chancellor Bonita Brown.  

When discussing the future of the 2theMax podcast, Ronnie Caviness, editor and producer for the podcast, said he believes it has the potential to change the way the entire community can learn about what’s going on in our schools and how to get involved.  

“It’s critically important that we meet students, parents and teachers where they are. And with this podcast, we have unlimited possibilities to reach people in a way they understand while also sharing information that is critical to the future of our local schools,” Caviness said.  

Maxwell said, “I hope that it continues to get me in places to be able to have these critical conversations with people about things that need to happen if we want to transform schools. Because if we don’t have strong public education, we have a weakened society and we have a weakened workforce. I want the podcast to be a safe space where we invest in our most valuable assets and that’s our people.”  

To watch episodes of 2theMax podcast, visit @DrMaxPodcast on YouTube. You can also watch episodes on Sundays at 5:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.on Spectrum Channel 8.