BV Unmuted

School funding can be complicated — but the impact of those dollars is anything but abstract.

In this episode of BV Unmuted, Superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman is joined by Jeremy McFadden, Chief Financial Officer; Shelly Nielsen, Chief of Schools; and Amie Bybee, a Blue Valley Southwest parent, for a conversation about the financial realities Blue Valley Schools faces.

💰 How is public education funded in Kansas — and why can some dollars be used for buildings but not teachers or programs?

📚 What happens when special education funding falls short of the cost of providing required services?

💙 And behind all those numbers, what do those resources actually mean for students and families?

Amie shares her family's experience with special education and the educators who helped her son grow from needing one-on-one support in marching band to performing independently on the field as a senior.

The conversation also looks ahead at the difficult budget decisions Blue Valley faces, what the district is working to protect and why decisions made at the state level have a direct impact on the opportunities available to students.

Listen to better understand the dollars, the decisions and — most importantly — the people behind Blue Valley's budget.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

What happens when a community invests not only in buildings, but in the future of its students? 🏫

In this episode of BV Unmuted, Superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman sits down with district and school leaders to explore how the community’s $251 million investment in Bond 2023 is creating safer, more engaging and more flexible learning environments across Blue Valley.

In this episode, we go beyond the construction projects to examine how these spaces are shaping the student experience:

• Building for what’s next: Celebrating the opening of Wolf Springs Middle and exploring how student voices helped influence the design of Blue Valley’s newest school.
• Creating spaces where students belong: Discovering how flexible, intentionally designed environments encourage collaboration, strengthen connections and support different ways of learning.
• Expanding student opportunities: Exploring how renovated Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) kitchens, weight rooms, fitness facilities and other learning spaces are helping students develop skills, confidence and new aspirations.
• Protecting the community’s investment: Discussing the importance of maintaining Blue Valley’s schools and infrastructure while continuing to provide safe, high-quality environments for students and staff.
• Looking toward the future: Examining what Blue Valley is considering as the district looks ahead to a potential March 2027 bond referendum.

Tune in to discover how Bond 2023 is moving Blue Valley beyond the blueprint and creating spaces where students can learn, grow and prepare to navigate their future with purpose!

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

Welcome to the season premiere of BV Unmuted for the 2026–27 school year! Join Superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman as she sits down with district leaders — Kelly June (Chief of Academic Services), Dr. Jessica Meisenheimer (Chief of Support Services) and Dr. Eric Punswick (Chief Human Resources Officer) — to reflect on key milestones and look ahead to the next chapter of the Cultivating Blue Valley strategic plan. 

In this episode, we explore how our strategic priorities are directly shaping the classroom experience: 

• Advancing Academic Excellence: Celebrating historic AP results and state assessment gains in high school math and ELA, exploring our shift toward conceptual problem-solving and balancing emerging AI tools with essential human-centered learning. 
• Fostering Supportive & Healthy School Communities: Expanding our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) into behavioral and social-emotional wellness, including the elementary rollout of the Character Strong curriculum focused on being kind, strong and well. 
• Empowering Exemplary Educators & Staff: Highlights from our staff retention efforts, investments in competitive compensation and benefits and how everyone from substitute teachers to food service teams powers student success every day. 

Tune in to discover how Blue Valley continues to innovate, support students, and cultivate lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose! 

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

What does balanced screen time look like for children and families today, and how can schools and parents work together to create balance?

In this episode of BV Unmuted, Dr. Gillian Chapman is joined by Children's Mercy pediatrician and Blue Valley parent Dr. Libby Milkovich, executive director of school administration Amy Farthing and executive director of academic services Kelly June to discuss healthy screen time habits at home and in the classroom. Together, they explore the evolving role of technology in kids' lives, practical ways families can model healthy digital behaviors and how Blue Valley is taking a thoughtful, balanced approach to screen use in schools.

Whether you are a parent, educator or community member, this conversation offers practical takeaways and reassurance that there is no one-size-fits-all approach—just intentional steps toward balance and well-being.

Listen now and discover how Blue Valley is partnering with families to help students thrive in a digital world.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

A freshman recognized for AI work, a chef earning James Beard attention and a broadcaster making Kansas City Royals history walk into the same conversation, and what comes out is a blueprint for growth. We sit down with Ash Jackson, Swetha Newcomb and Bridget Howard to hear the real stories behind the headlines and the school moments that helped set everything in motion across Blue Valley Schools.

Ash shares how coding and AI first clicked through character creation, and how being part of an online art community changed the way they think about ethics, credit and authenticity in generative AI. Swetha takes us from her mom’s home cooking to a major career pivot, then into the concept behind her restaurant: blending South Asian ingredients with Midwest comfort and Kansas City barbecue favorites. Bridget reflects on what it means to consistently appear on the Royals broadcast as the first woman in franchise history to do so, and why preparation, storytelling and professionalism still have to lead the way.

We also dig into what makes opportunities stick: mentors who notice your potential, programs that give you real reps and the mindset to keep showing up when it would be easier to quit. You will hear advice you can actually use, from “don’t wait for permission” to “be where your feet are,” plus the reminder that luck tends to favor the prepared.

Subscribe to Blue Valley Unmuted, share this with someone who needs a push to say yes and leave a review if these stories helped you. Which piece of advice are you taking into your own week?

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

What does Career & Technical Education (CTE) really look like in 2026—and how is it shaping the future for Blue Valley students?

In this episode of BV Unmuted, Dr. Gillian Chapman sits down with Kennedy Zellers, a senior at Blue Valley High, Director of Career Ready Programs Adam Wessel and Blue Valley alumna and local business owner Ethan Kushnir to discuss how CTE is transforming learning beyond the traditional classroom. From running a high school store to partnering with real-world businesses, you’ll hear firsthand how students are building confidence, discovering strengths and gaining the skills today’s employers are actively seeking.

Together, they discuss the rapid growth of Blue Valley’s Career Ready programs, the evolving needs of the workforce and what excites district leaders and industry partners about what’s ahead.

Whether you are a parent, student, business leader or community member, this conversation offers insight into how Blue Valley is preparing students to navigate their future with purpose.

Listen now and discover how Blue Valley is preparing students to navigate their future with purpose.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

Blue Valley Superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman is joined by Blue Valley board members Jan Kessinger and Clay Norkey and Chief Financial Officer Jeremy McFadden to discuss the district's 2026 Legislative priorities ahead of the 2026 Kansas Legislative session.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

What if academic success was about more than test scores—and every student had a team behind them helping them find their path?

In this episode of BV Unmuted, Superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman sits down with Melissa Blevins (Blue River Elementary), Dr. Tyler Alexander (Blue Valley Southwest) and Kelly June (Executive Director of Academic Services) to unpack what it really means to be a champion of learning from kindergarten through graduation.

You’ll hear how Blue Valley’s youngest learners are building powerful foundations in reading and math, with ACT scores nearly four points above the state average, 903 AP scholars, a 96.7% graduation rate and a growing number of students leaving high school with college credit and market value assets already in hand.

But the heart of the episode is how those outcomes happen:

• Teachers using data as a tool for support, not judgment, to personalize instruction for every learner.
• Classrooms where productive struggle, student voice and engagement drive growth for both AP and on-level students.
• Intentional work to connect learning to real life through Individual Plans of Study, career-connected opportunities, clubs, activities and strong relationships with staff in every building.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind Blue Valley’s results or how we’re preparing students to become curious thinkers, compassionate leaders and lifelong learners, this episode pulls back the curtain on the systems, mindsets and people making it happen.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

Meet Blue Valley’s new superintendent, Dr. Gillian Chapman, in this episode of BV Unmuted. From grilled cheese lunches to big-picture goals for innovation and personalized learning, Dr. Chapman shares her story and vision for the future of Blue Valley Schools.

Joined by students from elementary, middle and high school, the conversation is filled with honest questions and heartfelt answers about why she chose Blue Valley, what has surprised her most so far and how she hopes to be remembered by the end of the school year.

Tune in and get to know the person leading Blue Valley into its next chapter.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose. 

In this episode, we dive into Blue Valley’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, examining the district's progress and impact.    

We'll highlight advancements in student support, including mental health first aid training and social-emotional learning initiatives. The discussion also covers the district's commitment to staff wellbeing, professional learning and achievements in literacy and math.    

Hear from Deputy Superintendent Dr. Katie Collier, Director of Human Resources – Recruitment & Retention Dr. Kelly Wessel and Executive Director of Operations Jake Slobodnik as they reflect on the collaborative efforts of staff, the community and the Board of Education.

Cultivating lifelong learners prepared to navigate their future with purpose.