SPS Podcasts

For Hispanic Heritage Month, 3rd grade students from Libby Center's Spanish Immersion program learned about "El Grito", a battle cry that helps mark the beginning of independence festivities in Mexico."We learned about how Mexico started their independence," said teacher Nancy Gonzales, "and so in order to inspire them to go and fight and really get them motivated, they yell things like, 'Viva la independencia!' So, they're fighting for independence, they're fighting for democracy. Historically, they then relive that moment at midnight, every year. The president will come out of his balcony and he'll go through all of the heroes who fought in the war and it's a huge event. The president says all of his people, all of the ideas like democracy, honesty, quality, and then at the end, he rings the bell and then there's fireworks."Learn more about this special recreation at www.spokaneschools.org/readmore

“How’s everybody doing today, did you have fun at recess?”“It’s too hot!” students shout.Paraeducator Phil Saunders stands in front of a group of fourth through sixth graders at Audubon Elementary’s summer camp.“So, I’ve got some questions to start off, OK? What is sound?”All eyes are fixed on an antique wooden box he’s brought from home.A student in the back row leans forward. “Vibrations in the air current makes it so you can hear people,” he says. Saunders agrees, then leads a brief discussion on the nature of sound waves that segues to Thomas Edison, often described as America's greatest inventor who took out more than 1,000 patents before his death in 1931.“So, Edison is most known for what? Does anyone know what his most known invention is?”“The lightbulb.”“That’s right, he invented the lightbulb. And this an Edison player.” Saunders opens the box to reveal an Edison phonograph cylinder player. It’s the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound and a precursor to the record player. This one is circa early 1900s.The class talks through the dynamics of amplification and what life was like prior to widespread electricity before considering the invention’s usefulness in a time when many people couldn’t read, write, or travel cross country to see loved ones.“So, [Edison] thought, well this would be handy, because somebody on this side could say, ‘Hi Aunty, we’re doing great, we just planted the crops.’ And it’ll record on a cylinder that looks just like this. And you can each take one.”Students choose from a box full of hollow cylinders, then line up at the player to hear what they hold.“What you’re holding in your hand is 100 years old, at least!”Saunders winds up the machine, places a cylinder onto the rotating chamber, then carefully releases the stylus.A violin crackles to life.

Welcome to another episode of Spokane Public School’s monthly podcast series, where we are sharing the great work of our amazing community partners.This month, we’re featuring Communities in Schools – a non-profit whose mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Communities in Schools has been an incredible partner to our district, and we are grateful for how they’ve been able to help countless SPS students through the years.If you’d like to learn more about Communities in Schools in Spokane County, head to spokane.ciswa.orgHost/Producer: Ally BarreraGuests: Nakia Arquette & SarahListen to more episodes at www.spokaneschools.org/listen

Welcome to another episode of Spokane Public School’s monthly podcast series, where we are sharing the great work of our amazing community partners.This month, we’re featuring College Success Foundation – a non-profit that empowers students, families, and communities with the resources they need to ensure students are prepared for college, or any other post-high school academic endeavor, and complete their degree. CSF has advisors at three SPS middle schools and at our five largest comprehensive high schools, helping eleventh- and twelfth graders prepare for a successful post-high school experience.If you’d like to learn more about College Success Foundation and their student programs, head to collegesuccessfoundation.org. Guests: Shannon Demant, Mayah LaSol, Julie-Ann PearsonProducer: Ally Barrera

Welcome to another episode of Spokane Public School’s new monthly podcast series, where we are shining the spotlight on some of our amazing community partners.This June, we’re featuring The ZoNE – a community initiative that’s for people from Northeast Spokane, by people from Northeast Spokane. The ZoNE has a hand in helping so many different causes around the NE – from expanded learning (which we’ll talk about in depth in this episode), to help with employment and healthcare, to access to healthy food. Their reach is bigger than most people probably realize.If you’d like to learn more about The ZoNE and how they help in the NE, head to thezonespokane.org.Producer & Host: Ally BarreraArabic Interpreter: Areej Al Abbasi

Welcome to another episode of Spokane Public School’s new monthly podcast series, where we are shining the spotlight on some of our amazing community partners.This month, we’re featuring the NATIVE Project, which provides wrap-around health services for both Natives and Non-Natives in the Spokane community.I learned a lot about native American healthcare and culture while putting this episode together, as well as what a lot of members of the native community are doing to support the youth and help them succeed. I hope the listeners learn a lot as well. If you’d like to learn more about the NATIVE Project and the services they provide, head to nativeproject.org.

Welcome to a new monthly podcast series from Spokane Public Schools, where we’ll spotlight some of our amazing community partners.You might know about some of them already, and there might be others you’ve never heard of. We want everyone in Spokane and beyond to know about the great work these local organizations are doing in our schools and in the community. And not only will you hear from folks within these organizations, but you’ll also hear from the people who use and rely on these organizations day in and day out. Whether it’s for food, clothing and other essentials, or to help them get into college, or through after school programs that help keep their kids out of trouble. We’re so happy that this series’ first episode is about the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Outreach Center in East Central Spokane. The center has been around for over 40 years and has left an indelible legacy as a regionally recognized community social service center providing comprehensive education, social services and cultural enrichment programs for children and families.I spoke with one family in particular who says they consider the MLK Center a home away from home, and that the impact the Center has made in their lives is immeasurable.If you’d like to learn more about the MLK Family Outreach Center, you can go to their website mlkspokane.org.Find more episodes of this series at spokaneschools.org/listen.

For this month's episode of SPS Extra, Stephanie and Taylor highlight the Northeast region of Spokane Public Schools. In-field interviews feature Rogers Football, Communities In Schools and 21st Century Learning, as well as the Esports team at NEWTech Prep. 

For this month's episode of SPS Extra, Stephanie and Taylor dive into leadership and what it takes to rise to the challenge. In-field interviews  feature North Central boys basketball, Shadle Park volleyball, the pickleball club at Ferris as well as the knitting club at Lewis and Clark. 

Groovy Shoes and Rubber Chicken has come and gone once again for North Central, Shadle Park, Lewis and Clark, and Ferris.This year, school pride and spirit was overflowing at the arena as North Central took home the groovy shoes for the eighth straight year, and Ferris won the rubber chicken for the first time in three years. Let's not forget about the newest tradition in Spokane Public Schools though, and that's the Railroad Rumble between Rogers and Cheney. The Railroad Rumble will take place at Reese Court in Cheney on January 31st with a 5:30 PM tip. 

SPS Extra is ending 2023 by celebrating the non-traditional extracurricular activities in our schools!Taylor Scheib (Brooks) and Stephanie Splater dive into the unique and intriguing clubs across our elementary, middle, and high schools. They interview the Cooking Club at Franklin Elementary School, Saxon Snow Sports at Ferris, and the Pep Squad at Peperzak Middle School. 

In October, the world celebrated Mental Health Day. This was a day to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to show efforts in support of mental health. In this month's episode, we dive into the importance of mental health awareness and how extracurriculars statistically prove a better well being. We have interviews with the Wellness Club at North Central as well as health and fitness teacher at Lewis and Clark, Heather Lefriec. We head to Hutton Elementary School and talk with school counselor Gretchen Snider and navigating teaching students social and emotional learning. Student athletes at Ferris High School have a candid conversation with Taylor Brooks (Scheib) about the pressures of high school and how they keep a positive attitude on the field and in the halls. 

The start of the 2023-24 school year is here, and Spokane Public Schools is leveling up! On this month's episode of SPS Extra, hear from district superintendent, Dr. Adam Swinyard.  He is encouraging students to participate in at least one extracurricular activity this school year! Along with Dr. Swinyard, you will hear from North Central girls soccer and Ferris cheerleading. Both teams are in full swing right now as they anticipate their One Spokane Stadium debut in either late September or October. 

In episode eight of SPS Extra, Taylor Brooks and Stephanie Splater pump up the excitement around ONE Spokane Stadium. All Spokane Public Schools girls and boys soccer teams as well as football teams will play their home games at ONE Spokane Stadium. The stadium is set to open on September 28th with Shadle Park hosting Pullman in girls soccer with a 4 PM start. North Central and Clarkston will go head to head in football at 7 PM that night as well. Building a new stadium to replace the aging Joe Albi Stadium is one of many projects funded by a school facility bond passed by voters in 2018. The new stadium is being built downtown near the Spokane Arena and new Podium Sportsplex. Also included in the $495.3 million district-wide plan are three new middle schools; replacements of three existing middle schools; adding space for option programs at two locations; safety/security and technology updates for the entire school district; and building, field or playground improvements for all schools.This episode will feature Shawn Jordan, the Chief Operations Officer, as well as Shelly Radtke, North Central athletic director. 

Happy Summer Break! Stephanie Splater and Taylor Brooks jump into everything summer programming and how everything is going in our schools. Before we know it, the school year will be here, but for now, let's enjoy what summer has to offer at Spokane Public Schools!This episode will feature Le'Andra Myers, the after school activities director as well as Shadle Park football. 

In this episode, Taylor Brooks and Stephanie Splater dive into what's it like to be a senior in high school. You will hear from Catherine Dietschak, a recent graduate of Lewis and Clark High School. She shares her experiences about Tiger Drama and how the program set her up for her future. Brooklyn Holbrook also just graduated from John R. Rogers. She spent four years immersing herself in the legendary dance program. With all of this future talk, career and college readiness counselor, Dawn Hilsendeger, chats about how the world has changed when it comes to life after high school. 

For the month of May, SPS Extra focuses on the building of programs and schools from the ground up. Spokane Public Schools opened two brand new middle schools named Denny Yasuhara Middle School and Pauline Flett Middle School. SPS also replaced Glover Middle School and Shaw Middle School with new builds. In the fall of 2023, Carla Peperzak Middle School will open and Sacajawea Middle School will be replaced with a brand new school as well. In this episode, Taylor Brooks and Stephanie Splater interview athletic director, Sarah Goodey, as well as seventh graders at Sacajawea Middle School. 

Spring has sprung in Spokane! With the weather finally turning around for the better, Taylor Brooks and Stephanie Splater check in on spring sports around Spokane Public Schools. Unified sports also introduced pickle ball for the spring. This episode features interviews from Lewis and Clark Athletic Director, Dave Hughes, as well as Hutton students who participated in Fit For Bloomsday. We also visit with Ferris girls track and field. With spring acting like its here to stay, summer is on the horizon too as we talk about SPS summer programming. Check out: spokaneschools.org/summer for more details! 

Spokane Public Schools offers so many different types of extracurriculars. Each school has the typical sports programs, but Taylor Brooks (Scheib) and Stephanie Splater dive into the non-traditional extracurriculars like Cyber Patriots, theatre and drama, esports, and so on. If you want to see what schools have to offer, please visit spokaneschools.org. 

We hit the court in the second episode of SPS Extra! The school district and AAU have combined their efforts with Hoopfest to create the Hooptown Youth League. This is a league where there are three levels: recreational, competitive, and advance competitive for youth participants grades K-6th. In this episode, Stephanie Splater and Taylor Brooks talk about the importance of youth development when it comes to extracurriculars. Joining Stephanie and Taylor is Hoopfest Executive Director, Riley Stockton, and Gonzaga Strength and Conditioning Coach, Mike Nilsen. They talk about how successful the Hooptown Youth League was this season and where they want to see it go. Roosevelt Elementary hoopers also express how much they enjoyed HYL.