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Jordan Supercast

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  • Episode 202: History Teachers Share Passion for Studying the Past and Rich History of Utah

    Did you know that Utah became the 45th State in 1896? Did you know a Utah man invented the very first pedal steel guitar and the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened, not in Kentucky, but 1500 miles to the west in Salt Lake City?

    On this episode of the Supercast, as many people prepare to celebrate Pioneer Day on July 24th, we sit down with two history teachers who have a passion for studying the past, bringing it back to life, and educating kids in the classroom about Utah’s rich history.

    Audio Transcription
    [Music]
    Anthony Godfrey:
    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Did you know that Utah became the 45th state in 1896? Did you know a Utah man invented the very first pedal steel guitar and the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened, not in Kentucky, but 1500 miles west of Kentucky in Salt Lake City?

    On this episode of the Supercast, as our state holiday Pioneer Day approaches on July 24th, we sit down with two history teachers who have a passion for studying the past, bringing it back to life, and educating kids in the classroom about Utah's rich history.

    We're here with two of our Utah Studies teachers here at Hidden Valley to talk with them about some Utah history given that our state holiday of July 24th is coming up. So first just introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about how you got into teaching Utah history.

    Christina Jacobs:

    I'm Christina Jacobs, and I'm the Utah Studies teacher at Hidden Valley Middle. And I got into Utah Studies actually kind of by accident. I was originally supposed to be teaching US History in a different district. And last minute, they moved me to Utah History. And so I had to actually learn it because I wasn't born and raised here. And so that was a fun experience of being able to learn alongside the students. And then when I moved districts to Jordan the next year, I then just taught Utah Studies and I've taught it ever since.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Fantastic.

    Madison Feist:

    My name is Madison Feist. I teach at Fort Harriman Middle School. I've been in the district for nine years now. I started teaching at a high school and then switched over to a middle school. Always thought I would switch over to US History at some point, but I just fell in love with Utah history and I never want to switch. It's the best.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What are some of the things you love about Utah history?

    Madison Feist:

    I, like her, did not grow up in Utah. So I was like, what is Utah history about? This is gonna be so boring.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now I'm gonna triple down on that because I was not born and raised in Utah. And then I came here, I'm like, you mean everybody studied Utah history?

    Madison Feist:

    I know!

    Christina Jacobs:

    Exactly.

    Madison Feist:

    In 7th grade? There’s a core?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I did not study Indiana history in seventh grade.

    Madison Feist:

    There was no California history.

    Christina Jacobs:

    There was no New Jersey history.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, see? From three different states. It’s alright, here we go. And so I've always felt a little bit behind. It's like I had my own personal pandemic during Utah studies itself, and I didn't get a chance to learn that. So that's partially why I've been so excited to talk with you guys. It's like, all right, let's fill in the gaps for me as much as anything else. So anyway, you again, were not born and raised in Utah, so you were interested in learning.

    Madison Feist:

    Yeah, and starting off again, I thought I would move to US history or go back to a high school, but I fell in love first with middle school students and that age group and second with Utah studies and the fact that it was not boring. It proved me wrong. It’s very interesting.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Let's just talk about a few of the maybe misunderstandings about Utah history. Are there some things that people generally think are true of Utah history that are, in fact, inaccurate?

    Christina Jacobs:

    Yes. I mean, and I know that I was guilty of this, too, especially in college when I had to take a Utah history class. I always just thought it was Native Americans, mountain men, and Mormons. And that was it. And there is so much more to that, too. And even when you dive deep into those topics, there's so much more that meets the eye. And then when you kind of dive deeper and get into the early 20th century and then start learning about the different groups that come here and learning about inventions that are made here, learning about, like the progressive movement, learning about how we mobilize for war and how uranium was used with the uranium boom down in Moab and things like that, I then realized there's so much more than just those little generalizations we just throw them into.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So there are there's a deeper, richer history than some might believe. How about for you Maddie?

    Madison Feist:

    I'd say very similarly I have a lot of parents come very concerned to back to school night, or the first parent-teacher conferences thinking that this is going to be some sort of Sunday school class and it could not be further from that. It is not only religious history. It goes through the lives and experiences of so many different groups of people and it's really interesting to sit it next to general US history because the Utah experience is a little bit different and just to see how Utah became part of the United States and how they contributed to world events is really interesting.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Let's talk a little bit about statehood. One of the things that has reminded me of that process a little bit is this discussion about the flag and the change in the state flag. Because the state flag to me seemed to represent how American we wanted to show that we were here in Utah with an American flag on our flag and lots of symbolism around the United States of America. So tell me a little bit about Utah becoming a state.

    Madison Feist:

    Utah wanted to be a state so bad. Just a few years after the pioneers arrived, they applied for statehood. They applied, I think it was seven times for statehood over--

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Seven times.

    Madison Feist:

    Seven times.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's like the story about the movie script that was shopped around and all the studios said no, and finally somebody said yes.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Yes, and they were rejected six times.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Rejected six out of seven, yes.

    Madison Feist:

    And it was over a span of 50 years that they were applying for statehood and they came back every time and said that there was something wrong that they had to fix. And that was really disheartening for the people. And it's an interesting story because they fled, these people who are applying for statehood fled the United States for religious freedom. And two years after they get here, they switch and they're like, we love the United States and we wanna be a part of them. Obviously, they become a territory just a year after they get here. But they tried so hard to become a state, and it wasn't until eventually, polygamy was illegal in the state that they were able to become a state. There were other issues, but that ended up being the largest issue.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And I've never heard it said quite that way. Of course, if you think about it, it's absolutely accurate, but they fled the United States. Because ultimately the territory became a state, it doesn't feel that way, but that's exactly what happened. Christina, other thoughts about statehood?

    Christina Jacobs:

    Well, I agree with Maddie 100% on all of that. And one thing that was interesting when she said that they had been fleeing the United States, which was true because their religious freedoms weren't protected, even though when you look at the First Amendment, they should have been. What's interesting is that the US Army approaches them while they're on their journey west to say, “we need your help in fighting the war against Mexico” when they were literally fleeing to what would have been Mexican territory because they were looking at getting away at that point. And so then, in turn, some of them decided to go with the US Army and go and fight for the US freedoms and everything else. And when one looks at it, it's like they– it's not that they hated the United States. And it's not that they were fleeing because they didn't  believe in it anymore. It was just that their rights weren't protected, so they were trying to go to a place where they could be. They still believed in those principles. I think that's very evident when immediately they become a territory and they immediately want to apply for statehood

    Anthony Godfrey:

    In other words, they were trying to go somewhere where they felt like they could follow the law that was actually in place.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Yeah

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So let's talk about people. Who are some of your favorite figures in Utah history?

    Christina Jacobs:

    Martha Hughes Cannon is one that comes to my mind,

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Let’s talk about Martha.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Mainly because, and this is just a fun fact that I know, is that she was a polygamist wife, but she also was very interested in politics. And when Utah became a state she actually ran to be a senator. More of a state senator, not at our national level because that couldn't happen yet, and she was running against her husband and she won. And there's a statue of her up at the Capitol building and I read that they're going to be putting it in the US Capitol as well. But there was no animosity between them afterwards, which some people would think that there might be with some political tension and whatnot, but instead, they seem to have a decent marriage. But then also kind of see how she was able to kind of break through that glass ceiling, which was kind of unheard of at that time.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And she could not have been a Utah or a Senator representing Utah at the national level at that point. Like it was not possible.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Yeah, not until 1920 with the 19th Amendment.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's right. That's right. That's the fascinating thing for me is it was a state senator position, but that was the highest she could achieve at that point. And I've seen that statue, I think it's a really cool story. And you're right you would assume that that would create some serious marital tension but apparently not. Tell me about some of your favorites of Maddie.

    Madison Feist:

    Brigham Young is so interesting. He has some interesting views and just the way that he set up Utah I think is so impressive, and is studied across the world as an incredible method of setting up a city. One of the projects I have my students do that's really fun is they are put in the shoes of Brigham Young. They have 5,000 people with them, they have a blank plot of land, and they have to create a city. And what they come up with is insane, like Donutville. They have some weird ideas, love them. But his ideas were so brilliant and so visionary for the future of what Utah could become. A lot of what we have now is thanks to Brigham Young and his forethought on a lot of these ideas.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So he was an urban planner in addition to a list of many other things.

    Madison Feist:

    Yes, exactly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me some of the things that we're still benefiting from that initial design and those initial ideas.

    Madison Feist:

    Yeah, so the grid pattern that Salt Lake City and a lot of other cities are based off of all the way down to where I teach in Herriman and here in Bluffdale.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Streets that are as wide as this school.

    Madison Feist:

    Exactly, right? They are still - the number system still goes back to Temple Square, even down here, which is really interesting that it has stuck around for so long. And then again, the wide streets. So I don't think we have as much traffic as we could in downtown Salt Lake and historic buildings didn't have to be torn down to put in a bike lane or a turn lane or multiple lanes where previously, it was just wagons. You can see in front of the Governor's Mansion, there's still a step in front of the house, like right along the curb that was the step that they used to get out of a wagon.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Really?

    Madison Feist:

    Which is so interesting. There's a few along, what street is that? North Temple?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I've been there before, but I've never noticed that so I'll have to take a look, yeah.

    (upbeat music)

    Anthony Godfrey:
    Stay with us. When we come back, I'll look at Utah history before the pioneers arrive.

    [Music]
    Break:
    Hello, I'm Tracy Miller, President of the Jordan School District Board of Education. There are seven members on the Board of Education, one in each voting district. We are committed to listening and serving our constituents as we work together to provide the best possible learning environment for the students we serve. As members of the Jordan Board of Education, we believe it is our duty and responsibility to: increase student achievement; provide parents with the choices they deserve and desire; recognize and reward quality in educators; empower school leaders through policy governance and professional development; and communicate with the public, legislators, business leaders, cities, and parents. We invite you to get to know the Board member who represents you in your voting district and to please join us at our monthly board meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Or listen from the comfort of your home, on our live stream. For more information and to find your Board member, visit jordandistrict.org. With parent and community input and support, we will continue our work to give students every opportunity to succeed in Jordan District schools and beyond. Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you soon.

    (upbeat music)

    Anthony Godfrey:
    What are some of the things that kids learned in this class that surprised them the most, do you think, about Utah State history?

    Christina Jacobs:

    One thing I love to show them is historic lands of Native Americans past and present. And we have a discussion about reservations and the different treaties that the Native Americans were forced to sign or that they signed thinking it meant something, but instead that it meant something else, or the US going back on their word. But to me, it's really interesting having them see that because then we talk about, you know, different places that they've been here in Utah and how they've found arrowheads, like even in their own backyards or other things too, then recognize that Native Americans did live here and they still do, just maybe not in the same capacity as they did back in the 1700s and previous to that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I would imagine that's a pretty good portion of Utah history curriculum is pre-territory, pre-statehood, the native population and the impact that settlers had on those populations.

    Christina Jacobs:

    And also learning about the different conflicts that happened. There were hundreds of conflicts between the Native Americans and the settlers here. But we mainly only focus on about the big five, if you will. Like Bear River, the Goshute War, the Posey War, which was the last grandstand, if you will, and then a couple of others. We don't go into as much details on some of the smaller conflicts just because if we did, it would have to be its own class because there were so many clashes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about one of those.

    Christina Jacobs:

    We'll talk about Bear River just because that's probably the one- that's the one I know that I use for a document analysis. And, Maddie, I think you might do that as well. It's an incident that occurs up at Bear River, pretty much in the present-day Utah-Idaho border, between the U.S. Army and the Shoshone. And there's a lot of things that end up factoring into it, like conflicts between the Mormons and immigrants moving west, conflicts between the Mormons and the Army, conflicts between Mormons and the Shoshone, and the Shoshone and immigrants and things like that. It all comes to a head in January of 1863 where the US Army goes through and pretty much the entire Shoshone tribe is destroyed there. Historians technically debate this and the US Army still holds to its official report saying that it's a battle, but the Native Americans on the other hand, specifically the Shoshone tribe, say that it's a massacre and there's evidence to support both sides depending on which documents you look at.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tragic no matter how you look at it.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Exactly. And so I have my students do an analysis, like a document analysis, going through different documents and then writing their own argument of saying, "Here's what happened there." And then they determine whether it's a battle or a massacre. And I only--and I refer to it as an incident in class even though that downplays it because I want them to figure out where they lie based on the evidence that they pull out, where do they feel that it is?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And what you're talking about is a document review of primary documents that students use to make up their own mind. And I love, like you said, it's downplaying a terrible tragedy to call it an incident, but it provides that opportunity for students to make up their own mind based on the direct evidence that others would use to make that determination as well. Yeah, that's what a great learning experience and I'll bet it's very sobering for them to consider that.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Yeah.

    Madison Feist:

    Yeah, there's a few days that my English teacher asks, "What are you talking about today?" They're so sad and that is definitely one of them. I think students are surprised that Utah history is not just like sunshine and rainbows. There are really, really tragic and dark parts of history that are hard to stomach. Like Bear River Massacre, like the Mountain Meadows Massacre, like different aspects and sections of polygamy and what the US thought of Utah and what Utah had to say about the US. There's just like a lot of stuff in our curriculum that is surprising to students.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now you have a couple of posters here as well and we have the benefit of being at your school so I know you have some of these things in your classroom here. Tell me about these posters.

    Christina Jacobs:

    So my students are also asked to do an ancestor project. We tie this into two of our standards. One which asks about how our own family history is kind of connected to Utah's history, and then one that deals with people and culture and learning about different cultures. And so I kind of combine the two into doing an ancestor immigration project where our students find an ancestor who immigrated to the United States from another country in their family line. And I give them a month to do it mainly because the hardest part, honestly, is finding that ancestor.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Sure.

    Christina Jacobs:

    I know for some families it might be a little bit easier than others. And so then I just have them answer basic questions like who were they? What did they do? When did they immigrate? Did they come with people? Did they come by themselves? And kind of tell their story a little bit. And the country that they came from, tell me a little bit about that country's customs and like traditional foods and things like that. To kind of bring in that cultural piece because sometimes students realize like, "Oh, that's why we have, we participate in this tradition or that's why we make this dinner and whatnot." And then the last question I ask is how and why did your immediate family come here to Utah? Some students, their families came with the pioneers in 1847 or a little bit later, and then others, many of them came here just recently, whether it is for asylum or whether it's because families got jobs here or they wanted to be closer to other members of their family and etc.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Great. Well, that personalizes learning at a very deep level. So let's do that project for ourselves. What brought us all to Utah? I'll tell you, I'll start. What brought me to Utah is my grandpa lived here, my dad grew up here, he went to Ogden High School and moved away and went to school and had jobs and then when I was in high school we moved back here so I lived here since I was in high school.

    Madison Feist:

    I went to school, college, in Idaho and it was far too rural to have enough student teaching in place so I student taught in the Jordan District and here I stayed.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, awesome.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Growing up in New Jersey, obviously, that's a little ways from here, but I came out here for school. I attended BYU and then kind of like Maddie, we did student teaching, but I ended up doing a teaching internship instead down in a Nebo District and then I stayed because my teaching license was here and I got jobs in Alpine District and then later on I moved here to Jordan District and I've been here in Jordan District since 2016.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well whatever brought you here, all these things that got you to this point, I'm really grateful for. I'm glad you're here and glad you're doing such a great job teaching our students Utah Studies. And thank you very much for taking the time this morning.

    Christina Jacobs:

    Thank you.

    [Music]
    Anthony Godfrey:
    Thank you for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.
    [Music]
    23 min
  • Episode 201: Exploring Job Opportunities in Jordan School District

    If you are in the market for a new job, you’re in luck! Jordan School District is hiring.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we explore the many opportunities for you to work in our schools and buildings; working and making a difference in education in careers like teaching, school counselors and custodians, driving bus, and dishing up delicious food in our cafeterias. If you are in the market for a job, tune in and let’s talk.

    Audio Transcription
    [Music]

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. If you are in the market for a new job, you're in luck. Jordan School District is hiring.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we explore the many opportunities for you to work in our schools and buildings; working and making a difference in education in careers like teaching, school counseling, and custodial, driving bus, and dishing up delicious food in our cafeterias. If you're in the market for a job, tune in and let's talk.

    We're here with Brent Burge, one of the administrators from our HR department, and with Tammy Rajczyk, one of our special education administrators at the district level here, to talk about some of the job opportunities available in Jordan School District. Thanks for joining me.

    Tammy Rajczyk:

    Thank you.

    Brent Burge:

    You're welcome.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We have the good news from the board that there's a 7% pay increase for our education support professionals. So I know we have a lot of interest in the positions that are out there, but we always have a lot of positions to fill. We need a lot of great people. So I thought I would talk with you about some of the things that are, some of the positions available and what we're doing to connect with potential candidates out there. I know we have a job fair coming up. Mr. Burge, talk to us a little bit about that.

    Brent Burge:

    Well, this is a great opportunity. Many people think that during the summer things slow down a bit, but this is the time when all schools are trying to fill those open positions for the upcoming year. And it's a great time to get your application in for those positions if you're interested.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I know we have a job fair coming up in August, but we have a lot of opportunities to apply between now and then. If someone is looking for a job, tell us the mechanics of hopping online to see what's available.

    Brent Burge:

    The best thing for you to do is to go to our website at employment.jordandistrict.org. There's many links based on the information that we have and if you click on the APPLY HERE button, that will take you directly to our application portal where you can see all of the available jobs that we have available throughout the district at each school, at each department. And it's easy to complete an application and submit that for whichever jobs you're interested in.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And you can, you know, if you're interested in working close to home or at a particular location, you can sort jobs that way or you can also look for something in a particular job family as we call it with a, you know, custodial nutrition services, information systems, those sorts of positions.

    Brent Burge:

    Absolutely. There's a great way to just sort. A lot of people like to work at schools close to their home and that's a great way to sort through those postings.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Another way to connect with a job is just to call the school and see what they have available. And some folks may only want to work very close to home or where their children are attending. And just a quick call to the school to see what openings they have is also a good way to get that taken care of.

    Brent Burge:

    And you can also call our HR department, 801-567-8150, and we'll be glad to help you get your application submitted.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That number again.

    Brent Burge:

    801-567-8150.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, call now. Operators are standing by in our human resources department, ready to connect you to the job of your dreams. Now Tammy, let's talk a little bit about special education. There are lots of different positions in special education and one of your responsibilities has been to help find great people and match them up with the jobs we have open. Tell me a little bit about some of the jobs that are available in special ed that people might be interested in.

    Tammy Rajczyk:

    Sure, right now we have 14 teaching positions in special education. That ranges from resource positions to self-contained positions in a variety of different schools including elementary, middle, and high school. We also have itinerant positions that are also available so we're looking for teachers of the visually impaired, teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, and SLPs, speech-language pathologists as well. If you're looking for a job, Jordan's the way to go. I highly recommend Jordan School District to all of our candidates. please come to the job fair. We will be there with our booth and ready to answer any questions that you have.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now you talked about resource and self-contained. Will you describe the difference there for those who are listening as well as itinerant positions?

    Tammy Rajczyk:

    Sure. So our resource positions we have full-time and part-time and it looks a little different in each school. So our elementary is usually for our mild-moderate students and it can be a pullout or a mainstream or an inclusion classroom. We also have in our secondary, our middle schools and high schools, resource as well and those are for mild-moderate students with a learning disability typically sometimes other health impairments it just depends on the students' individual needs we try to match that.
    So we also have our self-contained classrooms that we're looking for teachers and our self-contained students might require a little bit more additional support and we have opportunities available for you to teach in those as well. Usually typically a little bit smaller classroom sizes and you get the more individualized support there.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So there are opportunities part-time full-time to help students who have greater needs for support, less need for support. You may even be helping in a regular education classroom but helping support them to make sure they're successful there. Just lots of different opportunities and when you work closely with students, then you really get addicted to having that connection with them and it's really important. Having great people is the difference between students being successful and not, so those are really important positions.

    Tammy Rajczyk:

    Correct, yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about, what is it that's rewarding about working with special education students and supporting our teachers as an ESP for example?

    Tammy Rajczyk:

    Working with students with disabilities is extremely rewarding in all aspects. Whether you're a teacher, an instructional assistant in the classroom, you really get to know those students and get to build those relationships. And not only are you helping them build the skills they need to become independent, you're also establishing those relationships with them as well as the families. You get to work with a team of people you're never alone and that team you work very closely with because we want to make sure we're meeting those needs of each student.

    I've worked in special education for over 20 years and I've never turned back. It's something that I hold near and dear to my heart. I love each and every student that I have worked with, each staff member, each family. I still keep in touch with some of them. It has impacted my life tremendously with my own family and my own children at home and just looking at the benefits of giving each student what they need to be successful.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Anyone who's thinking, "Maybe I would be interested in that," give it a shot. There are some great kids that you get to work with and some wonderful educators. And if you have any questions regarding special ed, please feel free to call myself or Mike Trimmel at 801-567-8904. And we're happy to answer any questions.

    [MUSIC]

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're here with Nathan Morgan, the head custodian here at West Jordan High School. Nathan, thanks for taking a few minutes with us.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Yeah, no problem, it's great to be here.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You were described as best of the best and I've only been here about 90 seconds and somebody already told me that.

    Nathan Morgan:

    [LAUGH] Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I know you do a great job and you've done a great job for us for a long time. Tell us about your career as a custodian in Jordan's school district.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Okay, so I started in 2004.  I was just barely married and we had two kids. I was going to school at the time and I just needed a job with insurance. So I came here and was actually placed here as an assistant custodian at West Jordan High. And then I worked here for about eight years. And then in 2012, I got a head custodian job at Fox Hollow Elementary. And I was there for about a year and then I went to Valley High in 2013.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh wow.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Yeah, and I was there for about, probably another eight years and then 2021, I moved over here to West Jordan High.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I say a while because I knew you at Valley as well and it doesn't seem like it's been that long since you were there.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Time just flies.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Time does fly.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Yeah, I've been here for 19 years total, so.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's fantastic. I'm glad we've had you for so long and like I said, you do such a great job. Tell us about some of the opportunities for custodians in Jordan School District.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Oh, there's a lot of opportunities. So you start out as an assistant custodian, and our director, Steve Peart, has made a lot of positions open. You have assistant custodian and then after that, if you take some training classes, you can move up to lane three. There's JCOS Basic and JCOS Management. And then after that, you can get a lead custodian at a middle school, and then you can also move up to a lead custodian at a high school, which is a little bit more pay. And then you have head custodian at an elementary school, and then a head custodian at a middle school, and then they have the custodian specialists that go out and, you know, they're just kind of, they help you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    They rove and help and train and support when somebody needs to be there. And they are substitutes for all of those positions as well.

    Nathan Morgan:

    All those positions, yep.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I also want to mention the sweeper positions that are available. It's one of the few jobs that you can start when you're 14 years old.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Exactly, yes. You have the sweeper positions.  We have at West Jordan High, we have about 12 sweeper positions. We have eight regular ones that come in every day and we have four subs that come in as well and they check in with me. The subs are kind of like the ones that are in band and they can't show up every day or football.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    But they can come by when you need them sometimes.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Yeah, exactly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's perfect. You mentioned JCOS and that's the system that we use to organize the jobs, explain exactly what's involved and what's expected and to do the evaluations. So there's a lot of training, there's a lot of clarity about the job. You can come not knowing anything about the job and we're ready to train you and get you ready.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Oh yeah, the district does a great job of prepping you. I didn't know anything about custodial when I first started and they sign you up day one on those JCOS classes. Anthony Godfrey:
    And tell me what would you say to those who are considering possibly getting involved and seeking a custodial position?

    Nathan Morgan:

    It's a great job. Jordan School District is a great place to work at, and you know every day I come to work I'm happy. And the students, the students make it even more great. That's why we're here. Without the students, we really wouldn't have a job.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I know you're happy every day because you're always smiling and you always bring a high level of positivity wherever you go so I really appreciate that.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Thank you so much. And we're standing here in the Commons at West Jordan High School it looks fantastic I know things are underway and you're working hard but this is an old building that looks really good.

    Nathan Morgan:

    This is our last hall. Yeah. We have done all the waxing. This is it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, you can see your reflection everywhere you look. It's probably kind of a nice time when the building is more empty. It's never empty. By the end of the summer, you're itching for the kids to be back.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Oh yeah, we miss them.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, thank you very much for your time Nathan and thanks for all your great work over the years.

    Nathan Morgan:

    Thank you so much. Appreciate you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Take care.

    Stay with us when we come back. We'll tell you about Jordan's upcoming summer job fair. A fair where you just might get hired on the spot.

    Break:

    Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    If you are thinking that maybe I'll be interested in a job in the fall when my kids are headed back to school. We also have the job fair coming up in August that we mentioned. Tell me about where and when that's happening and what that looks like.

    Brent Burge:

    Yes, we have our second job fair coming up August 16th. It will be held at Oquirrh Hills Middle School from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The address for that is 12949 South 2700 West. We had a lot of great response the last time we did this and we are inviting everybody to show up and find available positions.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Part-time, full-time, every job family. We have 9,000 employees total in Jordan School District. Last year there were 11,000 W2 forms created for all of the people who worked for Jordan at one time or another. There are a lot of opportunities as a result of that. And it's a great environment to work in, working with kids, working with other great people who've chosen education, they're just, whatever your skills are, we have a spot for you and we have a way to help make good use of those abilities and talents and experience that you're bringing. We have a lot of other education support professional openings, classroom aids, this is any position that doesn't require a license. And we have 13 job families that those positions are organized into. So, Brent, can you talk to us a little bit about some of the opportunities there?

    Brent Burge:

    Absolutely. The education support professionals keep the schools running. We have bus drivers and bus attendants who get the kids to school. The custodians are there before everybody else preparing the school.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And long after everyone else.

    Brent Burge:

    And long after... There's a lot of cleaning that goes on in the buildings. Our nutrition employees who are preparing those nutritious meals for our students, along with those that are classroom assistants, those who work directly with students. We also have a lot of office assistant positions, whether part-time or full-time, that do a variety of jobs within the district.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What's really nice is for a lot of the positions you have a schedule that may match your child's schedule. Not for all positions, but a lot of them you can only work during the day after your child has headed to school. You'll be home by the time they get home. But it's also a great retirement position. We have people who have retired from a lot of different careers that decide to come to education. If you're looking for a connection with great people, kids are a great way to do that. Being around students is energizing and can be really really rewarding.

    Brent Burge:

    Absolutely, the schedule works really well with a lot of our employees. It just fits to what their family needs and it works well for them. One of the additional things that we have is we're offering a sign-on bonus for certain positions within the district that we consider hard to fill. For example, our assistant custodians, some of our six-hour nutrition workers, our bus drivers, and a few within the facilities department. So there's a $500 sign-on bonus if you stay with us for a certain amount of time.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell everyone about those positions. Let's start with custodial assistant.

    Brent Burge:

    Yes, this is a position that does not have any minimum requirements. In essence, you are working at a school either during the day or a majority of our positions are in the evening where you are cleaning hallways, restrooms, preparing the school for the next day.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And that's a full-time position?

    Brent Burge:

    It is full-time, but we also have some part-time positions at elementaries in the afternoons to supervise the student sweepers as well. We also have the six-hour nutrition position. Their job is to do the heavy baking.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Heavy baking.

    Brent Burge:

    Heavy baking.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's not a term I use very often.

    Brent Burge:

    As we bake most of our own breads and things like that, they do a lot of the baking and preparing of the food. And not only that, but serving and then cleaning up afterwards. Very rewarding career as well.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And that's six hours a day, but that's a benefited position.

    Brent Burge:

    That is a benefited position, correct.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    As is the full-time custodial position. What are some of the others that you mentioned? Bus driver, let's talk about that. And you mentioned bus attendant. You don't have to drive a bus to work on a bus.

    Brent Burge:

    No, you do not.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Just to help students manage that trip. Generally students who are on an individual education plan, there's an attendant that helps make sure that everything goes well on the bus. So bus attendants but also we always need bus drivers.

    Brent Burge:

    Absolutely. So our bus attendants, like you said, are there to help the driver while the driver drives. They're there to watch after the students and to help them get on and off the bus. We do have full-time positions. We also have substitute bus attendants as well. If you're not looking for a full-time job you can help out when you're available. Our bus drivers, the great thing about bus driving is we provide all of the training for your CDL. It does require CDL and so the district is willing to pay you to go through that training program. Bus drivers arrive early in the morning, pick up students, drop them off, and then do the same thing in the afternoon.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about some of the other jobs that you listed?

    Brent Burge:

    I talked about facilities positions. We have frequently different positions with the facilities. This group takes care of all of our HVAC, our plumbing, our electrical, anything that's heavy-duty work dealing with the facilities.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Not heavy baking. Heavy-duty work.

    Brent Burge:

    Not heavy baking, heavy duty. Yes, absolutely. And so they are there to handle all of the things that maybe the custodian isn't trained to do or might require a little more skill or expertise.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And any other thoughts about some of the positions we have open or just general tips for those who are interested in a position in Jordan?

    Brent Burge:

    Like Tammy mentioned, we have a lot of special needs positions that are available both

    hourly and contracted. We also have classroom assistants that work mostly with regular education students, helping them read, helping them on the playground to make sure they're safe, a whole host of positions.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And the walk-to-read positions are really important positions. Every position is, you said it earlier, every person we hire in this district ultimately makes the education of children possible. Thanks for joining me on the podcast and we really look forward to all the great new people we're going to be able to hire this year.

    Brent Burge:

    Thank you.

    Tammy Rjaczyk:

    Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

    20 min
  • Episode 200: Jason Mraz Thanks West Jordan High Students for Their Breathtaking Music

    It was a music video made from the heart and souls of some very talented West Jordan High School students under the direction of choir teacher Keith Evans.

    On this special two-hundredth edition of the Supercast, meet members of the West Jordan High pop group Encore and find out why popular music artist Jason Mraz reached out to them with a message the students will likely remember for a lifetime.

    Audio Transcription
    [Music]

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It was a music video made from the heart and souls of some very talented West Jordan High School students under the direction of choir teacher Keith Evans.

    On this special 200th edition of the Supercast, meet members of the West Jordan High pop group Encore and find out why popular music artist Jason Mraz reached out to them with a message the students will likely remember for a lifetime.

    We're here at West Jordan High School in the choir room with choir director Keith Evans and with members of the Pop Vocal Ensemble Encore. Now I've seen your work over the years as people have enthusiastically emailed me the videos that you've put together out on the salt flats if I'm not mistaken. Those are amazing videos, high production quality. At first, you're taken by the scenery, but you're very quickly mesmerized by the vocal performance, it's really incredible. I always look forward to that. People generally know that I'm a music fan, so I always get it from various sources. They always send me your video each year, which is really cool for me. And I'm really excited to finally get to talk with some of you about it. So we're gonna talk with the director here first and tell me a little bit about Encore’s history and purpose.

    Keith Evans:

    Yeah, so when I took the job from my predecessor, Kelly DeHaan, he's a very well-known--

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You took the job from your predecessor. You wrestled him to the ground and said, “It's over, I'm taking over.”

    Keith Evans:

    As a matter of fact, he texted me and said, “Hey, I'm moving high schools, would you like to throw your hat in the ring to be the replacement?” And I thank him forever more for that text. But Kelly is well known in the community as very classically trained. I am not. My background is pop music. I sang with a pop group at BYU as a student, and I've mostly worked in that realm. And so when I took this job, I said, “I can't be another Kelly DeHaan, and I shouldn't try to be. I’m going to be me.” And so I took one of his one of the choir ensembles which was called Junior Madrigals and I said we're gonna do what I know instead and we turned it into Encore which is a pop a cappella ensemble. It's small. There are 11-12, there have been as many as 16 members of the group.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You don’t combine it into Pop-a-Pella or something?

    Keith Evans:

    No other groups have done that before and it's a little cringe. But we came up with the name Encore and we said what we're gonna do is what I know, and it's covers and occasionally original music of contemporary music. I feel like there's a lot of contemporary music that purists kind of turn their nose up to and ignore.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thank you.

    Keith Evans:

    For whatever reason.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes, it gets overlooked.

    Keith Evans:

    It does. People say, well, you know, it wasn't written 400 years ago by a person in a powdery wig so why should we care?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right.

    Keith Evans:

    And I think that there's a lot of great music that gets missed because of that. And so Encore focuses on this newer stuff, and frankly, that's one thing that gets the kids so excited is they're able to sing stuff that, "Oh, I listened to that guy already in the car. That person's on my playlist," or whatever. Our other choirs are very traditional, like you'd expect a choir in any high school to be, but Encore is a little bit different. For the last three years, we've been focusing on that. One of the elements of Encore's mission is to engage the students in all aspects of music production including music videos which is a huge element in any musical artists, you know, oeuvre they do these days.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Ever since I was in middle school it has been an important component of pop music.
    Keith Evans:
    Thank you MTV.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes, exactly. So I'm going to butcher the quote but I agree with you that there's so much great music overlooked. The quote from Duke Ellington that I've always liked is “If it sounds good, it is good.”

    Keith Evans:

    Oh, I love that. I've never heard that before but that's I'm putting that in my phone when we're done today.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    There's a lot that sounds good out there, and that is good out there, that gets overlooked like you said. I'm a huge pop music fan and so that's only part of why I'm excited to talk with you.

    Keith Evans:

    No, I'm so glad. I didn't know you were a pop music fan, Dr. Godfrey, that's cool. So am I. And hopefully, at the end of the year, I can look at my students and say that they are too even if they weren't as familiar with it at the beginning of the year.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So let's talk with some of the members of Encore about what being in Encore has meant to you. Introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about your experience.

    Nate:

    My name is Nate. I joined Encore this year as a junior and kind of joined this class. I had a couple of the seniors that were in it just kind of tell me, "Oh, you’d do kind of well in it, I think, and so you should audition." And I did and I got in and I was terrified because I am more of a musical theater performer and much less of a pop music and I'm not super familiar with it. But I got into the class and just the minute that we stepped into that class, it was basically just a family. We were able to connect really well with each other because it was so small. And we just like the first day just kind of huddled around the piano and started like singing together. And it was just a really cool and magical experience just to like connect and create music with each other. And it was just really awesome and magical.

    Ellie:

    I'm Ellie. Encore was the first choir I did. I didn't want to do choir at all, but then I went to one of the pop concerts and I was like, “Oh wait, this is actually kind of cool. I kind of want to do that.” So I saw Encore and I was like, “OK, maybe I should try it.” And I did. And it was really fantastic.

    Antonella:

    I'm Antonella and honestly, Encore is my favorite music class. For somebody that loves music, I love all kinds of varieties, and it's just amazing. But Encore has just been such an amazing experience. When I heard that I was finally allowed to audition for Encore, some people actually told me that they didn't think I was fit for Encore because I'm more of a classical kind of girl. Yeah, I'm more of just like a musical theater, more of like opera kind of, you know. And honestly, I was like, you know, I think Encore is actually fitting more for me 'cause I love reading music and it gives such a big opportunity to read music. So I joined and I don't regret it at all and I just wish everybody could do it, you know, it's so fun. And I'm really grateful that we have this opportunity and it just, it brings us all together and gives us a lot of friendships, so yeah.

    Xander:

    I'm Xander. I got thrown in like two weeks after they got together. So they were already a family by then.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So they adopted you, but how did you get in without an audition?

    Xander:

    Oh, there was an audition.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Antonella said that they were even discouraging her from the audition. So there are some layers to getting in. How did you make it in after it started? I mean, I took classes because there was an empty seat, not because my talents brought me there. So tell me about how you got into the class after the family had formed.

    Xander:

    Well, they needed an extra guy and Keith during Madrigals was like, "We need an extra spot for Encore." And I didn't have a class during that period, so I'm like, "Might as well." So I auditioned and so did a couple of other people and I just got it apparently.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Apparently, because you are here.

    Xander:

    I am here.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    A year has lapsed and you have been a participant throughout that year.

    Xander:

    Yes, and it was quite the experience. I didn't expect any of it. I'm not very good at making up music on my own. I usually go by the books and try to read the music and do my best on that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm best at making it up on my own because then there are no rules at all. So I haven't broken any rules. I've just made the music that I want to make.

    Keith Evans:

    No one can tell you you're wrong.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, that's right, that's exactly it. Now, tell me about a song that you have loved this year that you did not expect to or that you didn't know before you were a part of Encore.

    Nate:

    There was a song that we just kinda did at the beginning of the year, and it was called Lose Somebody by One Republic. We did this song for the last like two years.

    Keith Evans:

    Every year that Encore has existed, I wanted to do Lose Somebody by One Republic, and finally this year, we were up to snuff to be able to do it.

    Nate:

    And so it was probably the second day that we were in this class and we're like, we're gonna start creating it. No sheet music, no tracks, it hasn't been done before, we're just gonna do it. And so we started talking about parts and who's gonna sing what, and we just started doing it. And I was really skeptical of how this was gonna go because we just had created it on our own. And then we performed it at the first concert and people just loved it and I ended up just falling in love with that song. It was so much fun to sing. And I think for a lot of us, it was just one of our favorite songs, because it showed us how we could create something on our own and together as well.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And it helps that every performance is an encore performance, and people seem to clap more loudly for an encore performance.

    Keith Evan:

    It's a subconscious little prodding to the audience, too.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're getting an encore performance right from the start.

    Keith Evans:

    That's right.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This feels amazing. Okay, tell me about a song that you discovered through Encore.

    Ellie:

    Well, it wasn't really discovered, but my favorite that we did was probably Cruella De Vil. We started working at it in like September of last year, but we're like, "This is too hard. We're not gonna do it." But we all just loved it so much and we pushed so hard to like perform it, but like he didn't trust us, I guess.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now I'm sensing a lot of trust, but I'm sensing a high bar, a high standard. We are not going to massacre this song. We are going to do it justice.

    Keith Evans:

    Well, to clarify, so I was the faculty director of a performing ensemble at BYU for several years called Noteworthy, and this was one of their arrangements. So this was an arrangement that I had given to collegiate level, some who were literally music majors, right, and that had put together this really tricky jazz piece. And I said, "I wonder if we can do it in Encore, if we can take this collegiate piece and have the high schoolers do it." And it took a little bit of doing is all. You were able to get there and it sounded fantastic by the time we were able to get it. It just took a little bit longer. Jazz is more tonally complex and the chords and everything like that. So ultimately I was really proud of you guys for being able to take a piece that high schoolers shouldn't be able to do because it's meant for a much more advanced ensemble and you guys still did it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's like the bumblebee flying. You can't explain how it works, but it works.

    Keith Evans:

    It does.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right.

    Keith Evans:

    It's a mystery.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about a song that you discovered or had a deeper appreciation for it because of Encore.

    Antonella:

    Honestly, I love all the songs, but when I first joined Encore, I actually thought it was gonna be more of a modern pop culture kind of songs. Just like, you know, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, you know. I was like, are we about to sing "Baby" by Justin Bieber?(laughs) But--

    Keith Evans:

    We would never sing "Baby" by Justin Bieber.

    Antonella:

    That's why I like this class. No, but one of the songs that I truly enjoyed was Autumn Leaves by– sung by Nat King Cole. And I am such a '50s girl. I am such an 'oldies. And I just-- I appreciated how all of us were able to just serenade with the melody. And all of us just– I could see all of the connection that we all had, the eye connection and everything. And I just felt so connected with that song.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's a great one.

    Antonella:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Even Bob Dylan's version works for me. It probably doesn't work for you, but it works for me.

    Keith Evans:

    I actually didn't know Bob Dylan had covered that song. Now I'm interested in that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    The melancholy, it's dripping with melancholy and regret. It's such a great song. You and I need to talk about more 50s songs Antonella. (laughing) Okay, tell me about your song.

    Xander:

    Cruella De Vil was really fun to me 'cause I got more into it 'cause I am a huge Disney fan and I grew up watching 101 Dalmatians and I loved that show so much. So it's more of like a mentality and a personal connection with that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What does it mean to have Mr. Evans as your choir director? What impact has he had on you?

    Keith Evans:

    Be kind. (laughing)

    Nate:

    I mean, in so many ways he's given me just like the love and drive to succeed in music that I hadn't really had before. He showed me as, and just being an example of somebody who was able to make music work for him as a career, and also just who just had a genuine love for it, and a desire to share it with other people, and just to make us the best that we could be as people. Not even just musicians and as singers, but as humans as well. And just, it's meant so much to have him, and just be a mentor and a guide, and just an inspiration to be just the best that I can be.

    Ellie:

    Yeah, he's made music fun, I guess, for me. Usually, it's so serious and competitive. And if you're not this great, then you can't do music. But it's just like, no matter what level you're at, you can still sing. You can still do whatever. And it can be fun. You don't have to make it so serious.

    Antonella:

    I definitely agree. I think he's put a balance in what we love most. And also just for those that want to just do it for fun as a habit or for people that actually want to do it professionally. He gives us the opportunity but still gives us fun. And honestly, I think he's definitely gave us a huge love for this, and especially for acapella, because a lot of high schools don't do acapella. So I'm just really grateful that we have a teacher that has come from a more professional background, especially BYU. And he's just brought it to us. And I think I'm so grateful for having that opportunity.

    Xander:

    He's pretty cool. Since he is young, he's more in tune of how we're aware of what we're going through.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I mean, kind of like me. The young guys, we get it.

    Keith Evans:

    Yeah, absolutely. Which, again, it just means that I'll become less and less capable as a teacher, the older I get it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, because you basically built in an expiration date for his effectiveness. But, you know for now, it seems like things are going great.

    Keith Evans:

    Yeah, it's fun here at West Jordan. I know that most of the kids that come into the choir program aren't planning to become professional musicians, right? They plan to do other things. They're here to have fun. And the two lessons that I hope to instill in my students is that you have more fun when you're good rather than just when you're goofing around, right? But that also you have more fun when you trust each other and trust yourselves. And that's, I think, one of the things that has made our program kind of make this shift in the last couple years toward more inclusivity, more broader range of genres. You heard we've got an opera singer and a musical theater and a more traditional, conventional guy. We can all still sing together because in the end it's just music.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Stay with us. When we come back Encore performs and it is something you simply don't want to miss.
    (upbeat music)

    Break:

    Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about how you came to choose this year's song and what resulted from that recording and that video.

    Keith Evans:

    Yeah, the way we chose this year's song, it was all kind of serendipitous. We go on tour every year and as part of that, we fundraise. And so in the fall, we had a fellow come to organize one of our fundraisers and just kind of by happenstance, he started talking about how his dad had had this dream of co-writing a song with Jason Mraz his whole life. Ever since he'd seen Jason Mraz as an up-and-coming artist, his dad had said, "I'm gonna write a song for that guy to sing." And that he'd spent 12 years kind of in the industry on the fringes trying to make this happen. And then finally, he was able to connect with Jason Mraz and he co-wrote "I Won't Give Up" which has gone six times platinum with Jason Moraz, like he was able to fulfill his dream.

    And I said, "Oh, I won't give up, I love that." And we all started kind of like singing it and making it up on the piano as we went and it blew this guy's mind. And he said, "Oh, you've gotta put that in your show somewhere this year." And we said, "We will, and we'll let you know." And he said, "I will send it to Jason Mraz when you do."

    And we followed through, we decided to make our music video this year in Encore was a mashup of "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz and "Hey Jude" by Paul McCartney. And once we'd made the music video, we sent it to Lennon Natter, who sent it to his father who had written the song, who lives now two doors down from Jason Mraz.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh wow.

    Keith Evans:

    The royalties allowed him to retire and build a house in the neighborhood that Jason Mraz lives in, they're neighbors now. So by that sort of like friend of a friend of a friend, we sent the link to, and it got into Jason Maraz's hands and he saw it. And according to the sign photo that he sent to us, he was impressed by it and he liked it. And it's just kind of cool to know that we put this thing together and the guy that originated it saw it, right? And to let him know, I mean he knows it's being covered by a million different artists, but to let my students know, you're now part of a bigger world. It's not just in the classroom, right? The education and what you're learning and what you're experiencing exist in a bigger sphere. And that was a cool thing, I hope, for you guys to experience.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And it's a lesson in the impact that music can have.

    Keith Evans:

    Yes, absolutely. You never know who's gonna watch that music video and be like, "Man, I needed that today." And that sounds silly, but that's the responsibility you have as an artist, as a musician, is to put your best foot forward always, because you never know who's listening.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Speaking of the photo, You've got it here. It's a big nice framed photo of Jason Mraz performing. Read what he wrote on there for us.

    Keith Evans:

    Yeah, so he wrote on the photo to Keith Evans and West Jordan High Choir. Let's take a deep breath together. Inhale. (exhales) And exhale. Thank you for your breathtaking performance. Keep singing. And then he signed it. As Lennon, the fellow whose dad worked with Jason on this song said, he's sort of a kind of a Bohemian fellow and so this inscription is very on brand for him apparently. But it's cool again to know that he's supportive of this. I'm sure once upon a time he was a kid in a high school band or choir saying, "I hope I make it one day."

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah. I think it's fantastic and it's exciting. I'm envious of this interaction you've had with Jason Mraz or as I like to call him, Mr. A to Z.

    Keith Evans:

    Mr. A to Z, that's right. Is that his real last name?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, it is.

    Keith Evans:

    It is? That's cool, man. It's like that's such a marketable last name.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes, it is. I'll bring a link to the video in the show notes.

    Keith Evans:

    Cool.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Watch for that. Click on it. It's a great video. Like it is every year. Like I said, I always look forward to it. Thank you so much for providing this rich learning experience that I'm sure these students will never forget. And thank you for putting your own personal twist on this music program. And thank you for the annual videos that I'll continue to look forward to and those are just the great performances coming out of this program. So thank you.

    Keith Evans:

    Thank you, Dr. Godfrey.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now here's a little clip from their music video.

    Encore singing:

    When I look into your eyes
    It's like watching the night sky
    Or a beautiful sunrise
    There's so much they hold
    Just like them old stars
    To see how you've come so far
    To be right where you are
    How old is your soul?
    And I won't give up on us
    Even if the skies get rough
    I'm giving you all my love
    Still looking up

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

    [music]
    23 min
  • Episode 199: Great Deals and Big Discounts Offered in JSD Surplus Auctions

    Are you looking for a great deal on a used piano or other musical instrument, a piece of furniture, practical and industrial kitchenware, even workout equipment?

    On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside the Jordan School District warehouse where surplus items from our schools and buildings are stored and priced to sell pretty fast. Find out how you can get your hands on some great deals and fabulous finds by participating in the monthly online surplus auction.

    Audio Transcription
    [MUSIC]

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Are you looking for a great deal on a used piano or other musical instruments? A piece of furniture, industrial kitchenware, or even workout equipment?

    On this episode of the Supercast, we take you inside the Jordan School District Surplus Warehouse, where surplus items from our schools and buildings are stored and priced to sell fast. Find out how you can get your hands on some great deals and fabulous finds by participating in the monthly online surplus auction.

    We're here with Kurt Prusse, Director of Purchasing. Thanks for taking time, Kurt.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Thank you. Great to be here.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And we're in the surplus warehouse. We talked with you once from the warehouse before for an earlier episode a couple of years ago. Now we're in the surplus warehouse, also at the Auxiliary Services Building at about 7800 South Redwood Road.

    And this is where our surplus items go to be processed for the next stage in their journey. There are lots of chairs around, desks, tables, old equipment of various kinds. I would also add that we work hard as a district to make the very most of the resources that we have. And schools have a greater tendency to hold onto things than they do to let go of things through the surplus process. So I don't wanna give the impression that we buy things and then they're quickly consumed and put into surplus. Would you agree with that?

    Kurt Prusse:

    Absolutely correct. We get our well use out of those items. And if one school decides they no longer need something or want something, they are brought here. For instance, these Chromebook charging carts they'll buy them at one school and if they go to a one-to-one, they don't need computer labs anymore, then they are made available and another school can grab those at no cost at all. So we can take those schools that are not one-to-one and use them in computer labs. So that's just one example.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell everyone a little bit about the surplus process, how this works and where all this stuff is headed.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Great, I'd be happy to. It all starts off when you decide to purchase something, whether it's equipment and there are laws in place to identify equipment. We tagged those originally and they go into a system, into our Skyward system to keep track of. Because we know at the schools, it's for their inventory process to keep track of those things. They can tell them what room numbers are in or where they're located. And so it's easy for them to be accountable for the equipment that they've purchased.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And that tags a little blue tag with a number on it. And there are administrative assistants at each school who are responsible for tracking those assets.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Exactly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And what is it that, what's the threshold? Describe that to everyone, the threshold for something being considered a consumable versus a fixed asset.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Right, and so originally it was a $500 to $1,000 when I first started, but they raised that, the federal government raised that limit to $5,000. Everything else is considered supply under that dollar amount.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So under $5,000 it's consumable, it's a supply, it's not something that you track.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, but we do have an exceptions list that we go go by in that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So the federal rules $5000. What are some of the things that we require beyond that?

    Kurt Prusse:

    So things like printer, computer, a laptop, those those are typical items that are $1000 to $1500 but we tag them anyways. You know other things like some of the furniture in here, a refrigerator, maybe a planer saw, you know, those types of things that we track.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    But the school decides we don't need to use this anymore, we want someone else to get some use out of this. The surplus process is put in place so that we get the very most out of that asset that we can, even if the department or school that purchased it initially doesn't need it anymore. So talk us through the way that works.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, it's a process that we go through that it's identified first that they don't need it. The principal or administrator at the school will sign off on that. And sometimes they even know where it's going to go. They've talked to another principal and they'll just say, "Hey, we need to transfer this." Or they'll surplus it. And those are kind of two options. Our warehouse, surplus warehouse guys can go out and pick it up and then it's either brought here or if it's of no value then sometimes we'll just take it directly to a recycling place or or to the dump if it's that's all if it's a very little value. The mantra is in surplus one man's garbage is another man's treasure. It really is that way someone might think this is trash and someone else might think this is the greatest thing ever. They will do that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah right. It's remarkable the use that folks can find for some things. So at first, either a principal already knows, hey, there's someone else that can use this and we just need to transfer it to them. Or it can be brought to the warehouse and still then principals and other school district employees and school employees have the opportunity to take anything from the surplus warehouse that they want to use at work. They can take that free of charge or have that delivered free of charge. So we want to use it within the organization, if at all possible, to prevent the need for additional purchases.

    Kurt Prusse:

    That is correct. In that process, we use a surplus website to list all these things. And if someone even from the district that wants to use it for district purposes sees it on the site, we'll actually pull it off the public site for auction. It's kind of a mini eBay where you can find an item and bid on it. It's the highest bidder wins.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And that's the next phase. The next phase is that it's then out for the public to bid on. And we get everything from charter schools and private schools that want to purchase furniture and equipment to individuals who want to buy equipment and any of our surplus items that are posted on the website. Like you said, eBay style. So how frequently are those auctions posted?

    Kurt Prusse:

    We do one minimum once a month, sometimes a little bit more often. But it is quite the process because you have to list it for seven to ten days and then after the bidding is over the winner has a week to pick it up. So we bring stuff in all month long and then we try to get rid of it and it usually takes two to three weeks to actually get rid of it and then we start the process again of going out to the schools and bringing it in organizing it and then getting it up for sales.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And how much of this is as a result of state law versus policy versus federal requirements? Mostly just kind of district procedure. There's not anything that dictates other than the hundred dollar value under a $100 that you can throw away and then the $5000. So kind of anything in between is it's up to us how we want to dispose of it. And, you know, we have a surplus warehouse lead that makes a lot of those decisions. I meet with them regularly and we go over certain things. For instance, there might be an item that doesn't sell on the auction originally that's just too low a price. We'll do it again just to make sure that we're not getting rid of something that might have a higher value.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah. I'll bet you have your regular customers on these auctions.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yes, we do. Yes, we do.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    If someone is listening and thinks, you know, I could maybe use some things off a surplus, we're going to talk about some of the items that end up on the auction block. But tell them where would they go, what website would they go to to get alerts about upcoming auctions and to participate in those.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, we have a website through www.publicsurplus.com and you'll have to kind of select the state. They work in multiple states, so you select a state and then Jordan School District and you're able to see whatever we have on auction.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It is pretty amazing to see not only what's available in Jordan, but what's available across the country.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Oh yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    There's some pretty wild stuff that has been purchased with public funds that is now available for auction.

    Stay with us when we come back, we spot some of the more unusual items waiting for sale in the Surplus Warehouse.

    [MUSIC]

    Break:

    Hello, I'm Tracy Miller, President of the Jordan School District Board of Education. There are seven members on the Board of Education, one in each voting district. We are committed to listening and serving our constituents as we work together to provide the best possible learning environment for the students we serve. As members of the Jordan Board of Education, we believe it is our duty and responsibility to: increase student achievement; provide parents with the choices they deserve and desire; recognize and reward quality in educators; empower school leaders through policy governance and professional development; and communicate with the public, legislators, business leaders, cities, and parents. We invite you to get to know the Board member who represents you in your voting district and to please join us at our monthly board meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Or listen from the comfort of your home, on our live stream. For more information and to find your Board member, visit jordandistrict.org. With parent and community input and support, we will continue our work to give students every opportunity to succeed in Jordan District schools and beyond. Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing you soon.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I know that there are some odd items that come up over the years. Let's just wander and see what we've got right now. Let's just walk through. We've got a lot of desks and chairs.

    Kurt Prusse:

    That's desks and chairs. And when we talk about desks and chairs, these are typically 20 plus years old. Sometimes 30 years old that we are, you know, sometimes we'll go to a charter school and they can use them, but most of the time they're pretty old. This looks really old. This is like a step of some sort, a box and just very random.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, lots of people have stepped on that one. And these are these are babies. Well, not actual babies. Dolls.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah we deal in babies.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, they're actually surplus dolls. Let's pull them out of the cage here. This looks like the type of of a doll that's used in like a childcare class. Real Care Baby 2+.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yes, that is, and you probably just found the most unique items.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Apparently there's a Baby 3+ out now, and I'm sorry baby, but you are now outdated. Well, it even has a little wristband tag, like it was just tagged in the hospital.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay.

    Kurt Prusse:

    I don't know what the plan is on this, whether we'll surplus that or what the deal is, but we've got about six or seven of them looks like that we need to surplus or dispose of you know in a proper way.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, we've got a fridge. Lots of chairs on a rack.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Here’s some old tripods.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh yeah very old.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Very old tripods.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This is like Ansel Adams taking pictures for National Geographic type tripods.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, and we have some some exercise mats that were used at different schools. A scale. One of those tall scales to to weigh yourself on.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You move the weights over this direction or that and we have some. What is this red octane brand dance. It looks like a dance pad that goes with a video game.

    Kurt Prusse:

    It does look like that, doesn't it?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Huh. All the outdated equipment that you imagine from your days in school, some e DVD players and VCRs.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, even VCR players. And even dual ones DVD and VCR. Get to the point now where no one really wants to buy these. We can put these on the site for five dollars and no one will want them. So we use a recycler that will take all our old recycling material. One of the good things about our recycler is if we take a laptop or a Chromebook or something that might have some student data on it or something more sensitive, they'll wipe it. And actually they do a triple wipe and they give us a certificate for every piece of equipment that they either surplus or they'll resell. They'll also take out some hard drives. We'll have copiers and those types of things. They'll actually take the hard drives out because most people might not know this, but a copier stores images. And they'll store images of medical records if necessary. Anything you make a copy of at school. And so we don't want that out in the open when we're getting rid of those. And so they'll actually surplus our electronic computers and things like that and they'll actually give us a percentage of that. And that's kind of the way we've done that here.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I see. Now we've got stools. These are, these look like the type of stools that I sat on when making pots in middle school in my pottery class.

    Kurt Prusse:

    I think you're spot on with that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So anyone looking for a very short stool or 30 would have a heyday here.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, just go on publicsurplus.com you can buy them in batches. Sometimes we'll sell it in a batch. They'll call that a Dutch auction. And so you can either take the whole batch or you can take whatever amount you want in there. But typically, they'll try to do the whole batch. And we have someone coming through and playing the piano.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, yeah, just to see if they want to purchase that piano. So you do have some pianos on surplus on a regular basis.

    Kurt Prusse:

    We do every once in a while, we'll get some pianos. Exactly. Most of the time, those pianos will get transferred to another school. Yeah, however this one is an old piano. It's about almost as tall as I am,  so you know that's an old variety of piano.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And you load the paper in the back? The paper roll with the little holes in it and then it will automatically play The entertainer by Scott Joplin or not quite that old.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Maybe not old.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, now let's see. There's some rideables here. Looks like some of the custodian Zambonis that they drive around to clean the floors are here. One of those.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yep. And they may not be working or they are too much money to fix but they'll, someone will come that is a fixer professional or person that just fixes things up and they're able to use those things.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, we also have an ice cream freezer. So there are, yes, a few odd items. This actually seems fairly tame compared with some of the times I've been down here. Oh, are these scuba tanks? What exactly do we have here?

    Kurt Prusse:

    No, these are overhead lighting for stage systems.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, yes, there we are. Look at that. Old, old stage lighting. I'll bet there are some items that come through here that you think nobody's going to be interested in this and then lo and behold somebody bids for it or you might even have a couple of people bidding for something that you didn't think was going to find a home.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Oh yeah. In fact vice versa, something I think is of great value and no one seems to want it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah.

    Kurt Prusse:

    I'm not a good judge of what's going to sell and what's not going to sell.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We put it all out there and we see what happens.

    Kurt Prusse:

    Exactly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay. And what is this over here?

    Kurt Prusse:

    Well it looks like we've got a steamer here and right next to a kiln.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That steams what?

    Kurt Prusse:

    They'll steam all sorts of things. Potatoes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Wow. And what is this here? What is this stackable? It looks like a... Oh, this is a kiln.

    Kurt Prusse:

    For all the short stools that are for sale.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh yes, that's right. Then the things made on short stools go into this large kiln. Okay, well hopefully all these things can find a nice home.

    Kurt Prusse:

    We hope so too.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Any tips and tricks for people who are bidding on an item on the surplus website? They find something they really want. Are the auctions still the type that extend if you get an additional bid? Or do you just bid right up until the end of the time?

    Kurt Prusse:

    It bids right up to the end of the time. So those that are familiar with eBay, putting in a maximum bid and then it will auto bid anytime someone outbids you. So sometimes you put in what you're willing to pay for and if it doesn't get that value, or doesn't get that amount, then you'll be the winner. If it exceeds that, then you'll be the loser. So it's really putting your maximum, what you're willing to pay is probably what the best bet I would say.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Is there any, I believe the term is sniping at the last second, where people come in at the last second with a high bid to try to surprise people with a last minute bid?

    Kurt Prusse:

    Yeah, I'm sure there is. I don't get to see what transpires in each of those purchases, but I can imagine, yes, sniping is, if you're good at online auctioning, then there's ways to get what you want.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Any advice about timing? What time of year might they be checking back for the best selection?

    Kurt Prusse:

    We do surplus all year long. However, typically, schools don't want to get rid of their old stuff until they have new stuff. So typically it's at the end of the year when they're cleaning rooms out, cleaning departments out that they'll do that. So we do a lot of our work during the summertime. And so any auction starting in July, August, September are good months to get some things. But sometimes you'll get gems in the middle of the year too. You never know.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay. It's entertaining just to look, even if you don't have anything specific in mind. So thanks to you, Kurt, for taking the time and to your staff for everything that you do to help us make the most of the resources that we have.

    Kurt Prusse:

    My pleasure, appreciate your time.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right.

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

    [MUSIC]
    20 min
  • Episode 198: Foothills Elementary First Grade Student Makes School History in “Battle of the Books”

    She began reading chapter books in kindergarten and her love of literacy just keeps growing, so much so that Audrey McDonald is making history at Foothills Elementary School.

    On this episode of the Supercast, meet the first grader who is the youngest ever to participate in the schools “Battle of the Books,” helping her team to victory. A team made up of kids several grades older, but like Audrey, they all share a love for literacy and a passion for reading.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She began reading chapter books in kindergarten, and her love of literacy just keeps growing, so much so that Audrey McDonald is making history at Foothills Elementary School.

    On this episode of the Supercast, meet the first grader who is the youngest ever to participate in the school's “Battle of the Books” competition, helping her team to victory. A team made up of kids several grades older, but like Audrey, they share a love for literacy and a passion for reading.

    We are here at Foothills Elementary School with first-grade teacher, Ms. Larson. How are you today?

    Alisha. Larson:

    I'm great, thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I have heard about your student who's sitting right here with us, Audrey. Will you tell me a little bit about Audrey before we get started?

    Alisha Larson:

    Yes, Audrey is a very kind, bright, little first grader. She loves to learn. She comes to school excited to learn, she's great at making friends, she helps others along the way. She's just a delightful student to have and a great friend and a great person.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You meet some great people as a first grade teacher, don't you?

    Alisha Larson:

    Very much so.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    The very early stages of the great people that they will ultimately become. Tell me a little bit about “Battle of the Books” and Audrey's involvement in “Battle of the Books” everyone may not know what that is. So tell us about “Battle of the Books” and how she got involved.

    Alisha Larson:

    Yeah, so “Battle of the Books” is for grades third through sixth grade. And it's for people just to have a little extra reading and to make sure that they are enjoying reading and have like a little competition with it. And Audrey, for how much she loves to read and how great of a reader she is, I thought it would be a great idea to challenge her a little bit being in first grade to go into this fun battle to be able to read all these wonderful books that she was already reading at home and to give it just a little bit more of an exciting challenge for her. So usually, yes, as I said, it's for third graders and up.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    An extraordinary, one extraordinary first grader as well.

    Alisha Larson:

    Yes, a very extraordinary first grader.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now tell me about the battle part because it sounds like you just are throwing books at each other. Throwing the book at someone, literally and figuratively, is something that does happen, but I don't think that's involved.

    Alisha Larson:

    Right, and I will be honest I actually don't know a whole lot about “Battle of the Books.”

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You’re a first grade teacher. Most of the time this doesn’t happen.

    Alisha Larson:

    Because I’m a first grade teacher. All I know though, is you get put into teams and you have to read so many books, and together as a team you have to answer questions. You have to know the author and so that's kind of where the battle part comes out is how much do you know of the books and how much can you remember of those books and the authors.

    Audrey:

    I also can tell you a little bit more because if the most team, there are two teams who go against each other. So you have team names, mine is “The Book Masters" and so basically the team, at the half point, each team gets 24 questions. At the half point which is 12 questions, they tell you what's your score. How you get scores is if one team answers both the title and the author for one question correctly, they get two points. Each thing is one point. But whoever has the most points at the end of it wins. And the two teams that are left for “Battle of the Books”, then they face each other in a school assembly, except first graders don't get to see that assembly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So your friends didn't get to see you because you were propelled so far beyond?

    Audrey:

    Well, the principal thought that it would be fun if our class could come to see me do it to support me. And so then third and fourth graders face each other. They don't face fifth and sixth grade books. You have to read 20 books, but third and fourth graders read different books than fifth and sixth graders.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I see. So you read the third and fourth grader books?

    Audrey:

    Yes. I read 18 or 17 and I read quite a couple of the 5th and 6th grade books too.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, you delved into the 5th and 6th grade books. Just for a challenge.

    Audrey:

    I read some of them, yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, well done. Audrey, you said that you have to be able to name the title and the author.

    Audrey:

    To get two points.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    To get two points.

    Audrey:

    But if you only, but if you, hold on a second, there's a little more time I have to explain.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, give me the nuances.

    Audrey:

    If you only get the title correct, then you only get one point. But the other teams, you have the chance to steal, to name the author correctly. But if you, same thing with the author, if you name the author correctly but you don't know the title, then the other team gets a chance to steal the title. Also, if you don't know any of the questions in your 30 seconds, then the other team has a chance to steal both the title and the author. By the way, you only get 30 seconds to talk over with your team and then say the answer so that way you don't take all day.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So I've never seen the “Battle of the Books.” So do they read part of the book out loud to you? And what are you trying to identify?

    Audrey:

    So see, you read the “Battle of the Books” books on your own.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right. And then in the competition-

    Audrey:

    And then in the competition, they don't read the books to you because they want to see how much you remember from those books.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So they ask you a question? What do they ask you?

    Audrey:

    So they ask you questions about it. Like one of them might be in which book did a boy mail himself to freedom, then you would answer that book. Like let's say I only knew the title, Henry's Freedom Box, then the other team would have a chance to steal and what if they get the author wrong? Like, what if they say Betsy Byers and then it doesn't.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right, Betsy Byers, come on. Everyone knows that.

    Audrey:

    It's Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh, of course.

    Audrey:

    So then they don't have the other team steal again because then again they didn't get the author, they didn't know the author so then they wouldn't know the author from that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Alright, so let me back up because I haven't seen this before and clearly I need to.

    Audrey:

    Yes, you can see it next year.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes, I look forward to it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So you're lined up, you're in teams and they say in what book did a bird sing happy birthday? And then you look to each other as a team, you talk it through, you have 30 seconds and you say, "It was Bye-Bye, Birdie, by Jennifer Beale." And then they say, "Wrong. It was Bye-Bye, Birdie, by someone else." Now the other team has a chance to steal and get that point that you didn't get?

    Audrey:

    Mm-hmm.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's how it works.

    Audrey:

    Yeah, but if the other team steals, see, they don't have the full 30 seconds. They only have 15.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I see. That seems fair because they've already been thinking about it during your 30 seconds.

    Audrey:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So did you win the entire competition, your team?

    Audrey:

    Mm-hmm.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Wow, that's pretty impressive. Did you lose to any of the teams?

    Audrey:

    We lost to the “Reading Robots”, which then we again faced them in the finals, but we won them twice, so. I would have brought in my winner medal, but it was too loud.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You had a winner medal that you got as a result? Tell me about the winner medal.

    Audrey:

    It's just a red, white, and blue like ribbon thingy and then at the end there's just a medal that says winner.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That seems pretty cool.
    Stay with us when we come back, more with Audrey and her teacher.

    Break:

    In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists and counselors. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What did your team think of having a first grader on their team with third and fourth graders? Were they nice to you?

    Audrey:

    Yeah, none of them were mean. I think they were actually surprised.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And were they surprised at how well you knew all of the books that you'd read?

    Audrey:

    Yeah, our Captain Amelia, well, there's two Amelia's, but our Captain Amelia, she told me that she was really happy that she had me on our team.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about your teacher. What's she like?

    Audrey:

    She's amazing. She's really nice and she's never been mean. She just sometimes uses her teacher voice when people are being bad.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me something else about your teacher. What do you think makes her so amazing?

    Audrey:

    Well, she's been teaching for 12 or 13 years and she's probably have a lot of practice with kids. She's probably not. She's probably been teaching younger grades so she's learning to be nice to them.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What is one of your favorite books? I won't make you pick one favorite, but what's one of your favorites?

    Audrey:

    Well, I usually like informational stories.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay.

    Audrey:

    And there's like a section about that, like a bin about that. And I don't know my favorite because I just love learning about animals. And usually I finish writing before she starts the music, pretty close. She starts like music when we play writing, pretty close to the beginning, pretty close to the beginning. And I sometimes finish before she even starts the music.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What do you like most about reading books?

    Audrey:

    Well, I love learning their meaning and I love understanding what that book wants to teach you and I also like hearing the stories because I think that some of them are pretty fun and silly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Do you remember when you could first start reading on your own?

    Audrey:

    No, not really. I think I just remember that once I learned, I think of why I'm so good at reading is because once my mom taught me to read, which was pretty early, then I would just start reading books the entire day.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    When do you read? I know that you read when you're a fast finisher and you have time in class.

    Audrey:

    I also read at home, and I read before school, and I read before I go to bed.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Before school, at home. Do you read in the car sometimes?

    Audrey:

    Yeah, I always bring books in the car whenever it's far away.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's a great idea. What do you want to do when you grow up?

    Audrey:

    Well, I either- I maybe want to be a teacher like Ms. Larson, or since I love informational stories so much and I love to learn information about different things, or be a scientist. Because I love informational stuff and I think that I would find out a whole bunch more if I became a scientist.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I think you can do whatever you decide you want to do. And if you want to be a teacher like Ms. Larson, I probably won't be the Superintendent anymore when it's time for you to do that, but shoot me an email and I'll call the person who is in that position and I'll make sure they hire you.

    Audrey:

    Well, or I can make you, or maybe the superintendent then could make you a principal of that school.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's true. I'll get hired to be a principal so that I can hire you as a teacher because I'd hire you in a second. Audrey, thank you for taking time after school to talk with me. Ms. Larson, thank you so much for providing this unique opportunity for Audrey, for recognizing that ability in her and providing that chance and for taking time to talk with me today.

    Alisha Larson:

    Yes, thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

    15 min
  • Episode 197: West Jordan High’s Coach Lei is Inspiration to Kids and Community

    She is beloved in her classroom, on the basketball court, and in the community.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we meet West Jordan High teacher and head girls’ basketball coach, known as Coach Lei. Find out how this former West Jordan High student is changing lives and inspiring winning ways on and off the court.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She is beloved in her classroom, on the basketball court, and in the community.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we meet the West Jordan High School teacher and head girls' basketball coach, known as Coach Lei. Find out how this former West Jordan High student is changing lives and inspiring winning ways on and off the court.

    We're here at West Jordan High School talking to legendary basketball coach Lei. I wanted to make you uncomfortable right from the start by calling you a legend.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, you did a great job of that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I know you're very humble about your accomplishments, but I also know that I've heard a lot of positive about you just as people found out I was going to be talking with you today. You've made a really big impact in this community and that's something to be proud of.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Thank you, I appreciate that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I understand that you were a student at West Jordan High School as well.

    Lei Lolohea:

    I was, yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about your time as a student at West Jordan High.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Oh it was, I mean it wasn't as diverse as it is now but it was still probably the best three years of my life. I mean that's when Jim Birch,  Michael Kochevar they were VPs here. Anthony Godfrey:
    Oh really?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, Argyle was our principal so I mean it is still a small world around here. I loved it, I loved it here at West Jordan.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You've already mentioned some of the administrators that were here and Mr. Birch of course was back as principal and is retiring this year. Tell me about some of the other people that had an impact on you while you were a student here at West Jordan.

    Lei Lolohea:

    I mean George Hughes, he was my coach for a couple of years, and then Carlson Boudreaux became one of my head coaches when I was a senior. But I mean there were so many people. Dan Cowan, he was our athletic director back then as well and so I mean there's a lot. There's a lot. We also had like hall monitors, Gary Erickson, he's still here.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, he is.

    Lei Lolohea:

    We had JoAnn, she was one of our main hall monitors back in those days too. And she had a big influence on the school as well.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    When did you know that you wanted to come back to West Jordan High School as a teacher and coach?

    Lei Lolohea:

    I think after my playing days were done, I knew that there was just more to what I can  give back with the sport, whether it was playing or coaching. I knew that I wanted to come back to my high school and help make an impact wherever I could.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And how long have you been back at West Jordan now as a teacher?

    Lei Lolohea:

    This is seven years of teaching. This is my sixth year as a head coach. But I was also the assistant under Carlson Boudreaux for quite a few years.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So even when you were preparing to be a teacher, you were an assistant coach.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah. And I think that was three, four years. That was like four years under Carlson Boudreaux. So I mean, I've put in some work here at the school.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, no wonder people view you as the heart of West Jordan High School. It's exciting to talk to you about that. So tell me, when did you start playing basketball? And when did you realize that you maybe had some talent in the area?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Well, I was raised in California and so I've never really played organized basketball until I moved here to West Jordan. I moved here when we started high school. So I was just kind of just playing and I didn't really fully understand how basketball could change my life until I started in high school. So I started playing in high school. I knew that it was my way to go to college for a free bachelor's degree. But I also knew that it was– I was very passionate about it in high school. When I knew that, hey, I was a freshman playing against the big girls on the varsity team. And so I figured, you know, maybe this could be my ticket.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And tell me about your college experience as a player.

    Lei Lolohea:

    It was fun.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    On a scholarship.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, yeah. So I got a scholarship to play at BYU Hawaii. And so I went over there, played for a couple of years, and then I transferred over to a small school out in Oregon

    where I finished off with my bachelor's degree. And so then I was able to dabble with a little bit of playing in Germany. But all good things come to an end. And they say those who can't do anymore, coach. So that's what I hopped in.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, I'm so grateful that you're here and that you've chosen that path. There are very obvious ways that basketball has changed your life. But tell me about, as opposed to just the teams you've been on and the jobs that you've had, how has basketball impacted your life and what has it taught you about yourself?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Honestly, I think the game of basketball saved my life. It kind of saved the direction of it. And it was the best thing to ever happen for me to fall in love with the game and know that there is more to life than just basketball and how we can use that to help myself. It taught me hard work, dedication, accountability, time management. It taught me all this. But it also was something that I told myself, hey, I needed to be– I want to be a coach for girls that I needed when I was younger. And so I think that's where I wanted to change that whole, I'm not a basketball player anymore, I want to be a coach. And I think basketball is one way that I am able to connect with a lot of my players is because it's– besides the classroom, it's in the gym, and it's a whole different ballgame.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What are some of the rewards that you get as a coach for working with these girls?

    Lei Lolohea:

    The relationship, that's the biggest thing. Speaking with Lauryn Melton, she's one of the biggest role models of my life. And that's not just her, but there's so many girls that I know that I will have a long-lasting relationship with them. Not just with them, but with their family.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    There are a lot of things that you expect of the girls that are not directly related to basketball. That build that team and that family feel, and I think teach them a lot of life lessons that they'll carry with them. Tell me more about some of the projects that you've involved in.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, we do a lot of community service. We do a lot of that. The biggest ones that we've done is our Monster Mash, our Halloween Monster Mash. It started off as like a trunk or treat kind of thing for the kids in the community, we give out free candy. We have them walk around and stuff. It just kept building year after year. Then we did our Easter egg hunt just recently. That was a big hit. It was great.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now the Easter egg hunt was out on the football field.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And eggs spread throughout the football field.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Oh yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And I understand it was quite a big event.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, it was awesome.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, tell me about the turnout from the community.

    Lei Lolohea:

    It was, you know, at first we're like, “oh, you know, are we gonna get people?” Just because it was, I think it was during like a break time. And so we were kind of nervous about that. But then, you know, also within our community, if you think about it, we have a lot of parents who have to work, you know, just with our social demographics. And so we also thought, okay, so we're going to throw this Easter egg on, but it's also going to be free eggs. You know, so everyone's going to get eggs. Everyone's going to have a good time. We also had community vendors come out and they were able to sell their stuff to the community, which was also a really great thing too. But the turnout was, to say the least, it was amazing. It blew me away.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah.

    Lei Lolohea:

    And so...

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's really exciting. And obviously, there's a need for it.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    When you do something like that and you see the turnout, that's very rewarding.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Now I also understand that you've done some things that are a little less glamorous, like having the girls wait until lunch is over and they clean the cafeteria.

    Lei Lolohea:

    We do, yes. But that's fine.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You say we do.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You're joining in on that.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Every once in a while. Yeah. But sometimes I like to hide in the corner and see who shows up and who doesn't. And there are consequences if you don't.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I’ll bet there are. I believe they're called ladders.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes, it is. Or it's called a nice lecture from Coach Lei.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    OK, which I'm sure they want to avoid. They don’t want to let you down.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah. But I mean, just like little things like that, we help clean the commons and stuff. I preach a lot to our girls, like our gym area, before we even start practice and before we leave practice, that gym area is as clean as it can be. We always leave a place better than how we find it. And that's just the same here. It takes 10 minutes out of our day, out of our practice time, our class time, to help clean up the commons. But it's such a big deal to help with Nate, with our custodian. It's such a big deal because that takes 30 to 45 minutes away from them having to do that. And it's also a great lesson for our girls to learn that there's no one too high and there's no one too low to help. We help anyone and everyone, whether they're in the school, in the community, or in our own families. We help everyone.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I love that. It's obvious that you're very intentional about creating a deep and broad and meaningful experience for these girls that's connected to community and connected to each other.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me, what are some of the lessons beyond basketball that you hope they take from the experience of being on your team?

    Lei Lolohea:

    I think the biggest one is that I hope that they just, the take away of just being a good human being. You know, just to be kind to anyone and everyone you come in contact with. But being a good human being is my biggest. Yeah, we're competitive. I mean, don't get us wrong. On that court, we are competitive.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right, no. That goes without saying.

    Lei Lolohea:

    But it's also like, if we knock someone down, we're gonna be the first one to help them up on the court. Whether or not they take our hand, we're still gonna be the first one to help them up off the court. And I would hope and pray that that's probably the biggest lesson that I hope my kids take away from being part of this program is that, one, they become, or they are good human beings and I hope they realize that. And they move in every way, I hope they move with pure and genuine intentions. And just, I mean, just to love. And I, you know, and my girls know, my coaching staff knows, like everything. I am a tough love coach, but it is like we love them.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, expecting a lot of them is the best way to show love.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And given everything I've learned about the type of coach you are, it's no surprise that you've won the Gold Star Coach award from UHSAA. You were selected from all the 6A nominees. It's a statewide award and it's given to someone for inspiring students and for being a positive role model. It's chosen by the UHSAA Sportsmanship Committee and the way that you teach lifelong lessons to the girls on and off the court. I'm just thrilled for you that you're getting this honor. I understand that when you found out that you received this award, you got a hold of this trophy, trying to keep people from finding out that you had it and you took it up to your room. Is that true?

    Lei Lolohea:

    It is.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So you stole the trophy.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Wait, wait, wait. It was in my box.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That was yours. You took it and quietly took it to your room and the athletic director had to go up there when you were out of the room and steal it back so that it could actually be given to you in a proper ceremony. Is that all accurate?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, I admire your humility, but I'm glad that they were able to honor you. You're very deserving of this award and I'm very proud of what you're doing here at West Jordan.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey;

    Stay with us. When we come back, we'll be on the basketball court where Coach Lei gives me a lesson in making a free throw.

    Break:

    Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District, and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here, every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're at West Jordan High School with one of Coach Lei's former players who recently graduated. Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your experience on Coach Lei's team.

    Layrn Melton:

    I'm Lauryn Melton. I've been playing with Coach Lei for seven years. I started when I was really young and just played throughout the summer with her. I really enjoyed my time here. I was a captain for three of my years and just loved being on that team.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    After three years as a captain, can you still remember back when you first met Coach Lei?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah, she was just an assistant coach at a summer camp I came to, and I remember she was just always there for us and just knew how to help us. And I was scared of her, but--

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, there's a good healthy little dose of fear when you first start out in a new program, right?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah, for sure.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And what was it that you liked about Coach Lei right from the start?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Her energy and I just knew that she loved the game and could help me grow my love for the game.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What are some of the things that you've learned from Coach Lei related to basketball specifically over the years? What are some of the skills, attitudes, and approaches that you've learned working with her?

    Lauryn Melton:

    I'd say just how much I can do. I doubt myself a lot and she was able to kind of just give me that confidence that I needed. Like I said, I didn't mention this before, but I have been a state champion for taking charges three years in a row and she helped me get there. I didn't have the confidence to do that until she motivated me.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    A state champion for taking charges?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me a little bit more about that.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah, I mean, it's the dirty work. I don't think many people do it or know about it. I've had to tell people even what a charge is throughout my experiences. But it's the one thing I knew I could help my team with. I struggled on offense and stuff, and defense is definitely my game. So once I found that I could take a charge and hustled down that court for that few seconds to help my team get a stop or get us back in the game.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So how many times have you hit the floor for your team?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Oh, a lot.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, I think that's one of the less glamorous aspects, as you call it, the dirty work. It's one of the less glamorous aspects of playing basketball, is that you take that charge, you set yourself, and you prevent the score.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah, I definitely walked home with a few scrapes and bruises after every game. They call me the wall, so I kind of just stand there and know that no one else wants to do it, so someone has to.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And has the skill of being the wall translated into other aspects of your life, like, hey, I know a difficult thing is coming my way, but I'm here to face it, and I'm ready to take it on.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yeah, I'd say so. It's helped me know that I have support, because my teammates were always supporting me once I fell, whether they called the charge or not. They were always there to pick me up. It's the same in life. They are there to pick me up. If I go for something, it doesn't work out.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's great. I love that lesson. You talked about how Coach Lei helped you believe in yourself. Tell me more about that.

    Lauryn Melton:

    I'd say just even on and off the court. She's always been interested in our life away from it. Especially at school, she always makes sure we set time aside to do our schoolwork and excel in it and not just do average work. We always are good. We have a lot of 4.0 students on our team. And yeah, I feel like she's always just pushed us outside of basketball as well as in the gym.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So it would be fair to say that well beyond basketball, you've achieved a lot of things you might not have otherwise because of Coach Lei's influence?

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yes, for sure.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    She shaped who you are.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Yes, our whole team. She's made us the women we are today.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's wonderful. Thanks very much for taking the time. Congratulations on a great career in basketball, especially here at West Jordan High School, and especially as the wall.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm going to think of you every time somebody takes one for the team.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Oh good. Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're now in the West Jordan gym. I have a basketball in hand and Coach Lei and Lauryn are going to teach me a little bit about the game of basketball. So first of all, show me what a stance looks like when you're ready to take that charge. How do you stand? All right, shoulder width.

    Lauryn Melton:

    Just with my arms up.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hands up. Give me, show me.

    Lauryn Melton:

    I just stare them down when they come all the way down.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right, stare me down. I'm coming down. That is intimidating. I definitely want to stop. I want to, you stopped me in my tracks. Okay, very good. All right, what do you want to teach me? Passing, shooting, dribbling, dunking. I mean, I'm ready for anything.

    Lei Lolohea:

    If you want to dunk, we can dunk.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm ready for anything.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Let’s do shooting.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right, some shooting.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Are you right-handed, left-handed?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm left-handed.

    Lei Lolohea:

    You're left-handed? Okay, so you're just, you got the ball right on your fingertips.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay.

    Lei Lolohea:

    And then when you shoot, you're gonna flick your wrist, but you're also gonna act like you're picking a cookie out of the cookie jar. That's how you're gonna end it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I do have some practice at picking cookies out of a cookie jar. So let's try that. Let's try that. Where do I want it? Do I want it kind of in front of my, right here? Okay.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Elbow tucked in.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Elbow tucked in?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yep.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This feels very, okay, let's try it, let's try it. I did not do what you told me to do with my wrist.

    Lei Lolohea:

    That's okay, are you aiming in the front of the room or the back of the rim?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's tough to tell, isn't it?

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Let me try the back of the rim. Should I aim for the back of the rim.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Up to you, just a little softer touch.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    A little softer touch.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Yeah, elbow tucked in.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Elbow tuck, okay.

    Lei Lolohea:

    You look like John Stockton right now. (laughing)

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, that's the best backhanded compliment I've ever received. Okay, here we go, here we go.

    Lei Lolohea:

    That's a nice shot.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, that's a little better, but I didn't aim where I needed to aim. So let's try it again, let's try it again.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Don't forget, pick your cookie.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    But I put my elbow in this time without being told. Okay, pick the cookie. And I made it. I picked the cookie and I made it. That's awesome! I have improved my basketball game in 90 seconds under your Coach Lei. Thank you for that.

    Lei Lolohea:

    And stealing the cookies are out of the cookie jar.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right. Okay. Let me try it again. Let's see if I can bring that elbow in. Pick the cookie.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Oh, there you go.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Wow, that's two in a row. You're a natural. I think you lied about not being able to shoot.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I did not lie. I was not sandbagging it. Okay. All right. Let's try. Let's try three in a row. Now I'm feeling pressure. Okay, man. Get right there. Lauryn, get right there and give me that menacing look. So that it's more,

    Lei Lolohea:

    I feel like we should do a wager.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Seriously, she just turns it on. She's nice and sweet and kind and then bam, don't mess with me all of a sudden. All right, let's try it.

    Lei Lolohea:

    I say if you miss, I get your salary.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh no, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You stopped the recording before she said that, right? Okay. All right, thanks very much. It's great spending time with both of you. I appreciate it.

    Lei Lolohea:

    Thank you. Go Jags!

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

    22 min
  • Episode 196: Bingham High Teachers Touched by Outpouring of Kind Words in Thousands of Handwritten Cards from Students

    They were heartfelt messages of appreciation written by Bingham High students delivered to every single teacher at the school.

    On this episode of the Supercast, find out why so many students jumped at the opportunity to tell teachers how much they care in a project that resulted in 3,300 personalized cards delivered to classrooms, bringing some teachers to tears.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Heartfelt messages of appreciation were written by Bingham High School students and delivered to every single teacher at the school.

    On this episode of the Supercast, find out why so many students jumped at the opportunity to tell teachers how much they care in a project that resulted in 3,300 personalized cards being delivered to classrooms and bringing some teachers to tears.

    We're talking with some students here at Bingham High School, some of our student officers, about the project of writing cards for teachers. Tell me about how this happened and how it felt to express gratitude to your teachers.

    Student #1:

    Well, we had some time during the day to do the climate survey, the climate change survey, and a couple other things, and then they said, if you wanna do a form for your teachers and just thank them for all they do, You can do that, it's optional, but I mean, if you wanna take some time to thank your teacher, go ahead. 

    And so I think a lot of us took advantage of the opportunity to fill out that form and just thank some of our favorite teachers that we know truly care about us and just want the best for us. So I took some time to write some to some of my favorite teachers and ones that have helped me a lot throughout my years in high school. I'm a senior, I'm graduating soon, so I just wanted to thank them. I thought that was an awesome way. I'm glad the administration put that together. And yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    As a senior graduating, coming to the end of 13 years of public education, do you look back on teachers throughout your years and the impact that they've had?

    Student #1:

    Oh yes, for sure. Yeah, there are so many teachers, I mean, throughout elementary school and middle school, and now in high school that have really just been there for me and been there to help me. And when I've struggled, I just know that I could rely on them and they're always there to help.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What are some of the things you remember writing your cards to teachers?

    Student #2:

    Just telling them that they made me excited to go to school and school hasn't always been the best atmosphere for me personally with learning and just friends, but teachers really make it a safe place to be and they want you to learn. And that is super important to me. And I've had a lot of teachers, I could say every teacher's had a really good atmosphere to help me learn and help me grow. And you can just tell that everyone at Bingham really, really cares about their students and want us to succeed and go on, and it's really cool.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I remember those classrooms too. Where you knew, I'm going to walk in this classroom and it's going to feel good. And there's going to be something engaging and interesting for me to do that's going to push me and move me to places I hadn't been. 

    Student #2:

    100%.Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    How about for you?

    Student #3:

    For me, I was just thanking my teachers for all they'd done. I wrote one to my choir teacher. I started singing choir at Bingham, so it was my first year I was scared.  And he helped me just fit in with the class and it was really welcoming and now I love choir and it's definitely one of my favorite classes. So my teachers, they're just so nice and I was just thanking them for all they do to make me feel safe at the school and help me develop my education further.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    How about you? Do you remember some of the things that you said?

    Student #4:

    Yeah, so I wrote a lot about personal interactions that I've had with the teachers and I think for me, personal interactions with them, like make it or break it. And treating my teachers like they're my friends, you know. I like treating them with respect, and they also treat me with respect. And I think I'm really grateful for that. So showing that and being able to reciprocate that in a letter and them being able to read it on my behalf is so cool.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Looking back on the year, are you able to see kind of the progression? Like you start out kind of wondering what's this class going to be about. And now you get to this totally different place. And really, to me, that's what's amazing is how the relationships form over the year. It's kind of imperceptible and then you look back and you realize just how far you've come.

    Student #4:

    I'd agree. I think that like, I don't know, I feel like at the beginning of the year you're a little nervous like going into the first day of school. It's like, oh I don't know what to expect. What's going to change and what's going to be different from last year? But I think you grow and develop as a human throughout, I don't know, this is my junior year so very big year for me, just a lot of decisions. And I think there's a lot of personal growth and I think teachers helped with that. They're coaching me along the way and like helping me become the person that I want to be. So, yeah.

    Student #2:

    I agree. I think that throughout the year the teachers can, their excitement for that subject and what they're teaching is contagious and it's really helped me know what I want to do. Like specifically my physics teacher, Mr. Fish. He is amazing and he just really cares about us learning and it's made me think about how I want to apply that to maybe my future career.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Fantastic. Any other parting thoughts about your teachers?

    Student #1:

    I just, I personally think that the choice is up to them if they want to make the class super fun and engaging, or just do the bare minimum, and there are so many teachers that just, they want it to be engaging. They go out of their way, they take time outside of school to make school a place of learning, but also a place of fun. And with that, I think that me as a student, I like to give more respect to that, and I think a lot of other students do too.

    Just because that's hard to put in that much effort and that much time to try and just make the class something fun and not something that will bore students. And with that, you know, it just makes me a lot more grateful to see all the hard work they're putting in. As a result, I just, I have a lot of respect for them. So yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thank you very much.

    Students:

    Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's nice to meet all of you.

    Stay with us when we come back. Jordan School District's Teacher of the Year received a stack of handwritten cards of appreciation from students. Find out what they said and Andrea Call’s reaction. 

    Break:

    Does your student want to become a veterinarian? Commercial pilot? Programmer? Maybe they want to make a difference as a dental assistant. These are just some of the programs offered as part of Career and Technical Education. CTE in Jordan School District. CTE provides the technical skills needed to prepare students for future employment or for a successful transition to post-secondary education. Career and Technical Education provides work-based learning opportunities. We partner with industry experts to offer apprenticeships and internships with students working in the real world at real jobs while going to school. The CTE experience starts in our elementary schools with the Kids' Marketplace and grows through middle and high school. To explore all CTE has to offer in Jordan School District visit cte.jordandistrict.org today and let's get your child started on the pathway to a profession.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're here at Bingham High School celebrating Andrea Call, the Teacher of the Year for Jordan School District. How do you feel Andrea?

    Andrea Call:

    I'm shocked, I'm honored. Yeah, I feel like I represent so many amazing teachers so I hope I can do well.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    There are a lot of amazing teachers out there and you are certainly one of them. There's a great teacher in every classroom in Jordan School District but I've been so excited to be able to be in yours and to see you teach. To see really the connection that you have with students it's really something. And the connection that you made with the adults who have been in the classroom as well. 

    We were there for “Miner Tank” we did another Supercast episode about that. We just talked with some students about the project of writing thank you cards for teachers. So Andrea, as hard as it is to read things about yourself, would you mind pulling out a couple of the cards that you received? A couple of the thirty, I think it's thirty-three hundred cards that were written here at Bingham, and just read a couple of those for us if you would.

    Andrea Call:

    Okay.

    “Hi Mrs. Call, I just wanted to thank you for believing in me. You were the first teacher since elementary school who had faith in me. So I thank you for that.”

    “She is always there to talk to.”

    “ She is kind. I love her style of teaching and the activities we do to tie in the lessons. She is my favorite teacher.”

    “She is absolutely the best teacher at the school. She is a gem and a prize in our school community. She goes above and beyond for her students.”

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, that feels pretty good. They're not even about me and it felt great to hear those cards.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, but I am sure that if we had another teacher here reading it would be the same because I do feel like most of the teachers at Jordan District really care about their students. We have such a unique group of teachers and staff that support and care about the students and so I feel like we could read hundreds of cards about everybody.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Every student has a teacher of the year in their mind.

    Andrea Call:

    Absolutely.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What would you say to the students who took the time to write these cards, voluntarily,  as part of their school day?

    Andrea Call:

    I feel like these thank-you notes are probably the greatest gift and greatest payment that you could possibly give a teacher. Because I just feel like hearing that you have made a difference, that you have actually impacted a student is the best thing for a teacher.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about what it was that made you want to become a teacher.

    Andrea Call:

    Oh gosh. I feel like I have always felt sort of a responsibility to, I don't know, help and serve those around me. Oh gosh. And I feel like being in education is probably the most impactful way to do that. And we, you know, being a teacher is one of those things like you don't know if you're doing it well, and it's not really until students kind of come back and sort of say to you a couple years later, like, you helped me, what you taught me has impacted me. And to me, that's what it's about. Is helping students just be good humans and recognize that they have another adult cheering for them.

    I mean, I don't have to do that because you know your parents you kind of discount because you're like my mom and dad, they have to love me. But you know your teachers we really don't, we choose to. And so I think for me that is really impactful for my life, is choosing to love and serve.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You have described very well that unique relationship between teacher and student. It doesn't have to happen. Just because you're in the same room at the same time doesn't mean there's automatically a connection. It's when teachers like you reach out and give of yourself and have that focus on service, and caring, connecting. 

    And you're right. There is no number. There's no test. There's no analysis that provides you that type of feedback about the impact that you've had. Sometimes it's years later and it can sometimes be a student that in the moment didn't seem all that engaged with the class, necessarily.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, those are the best actually. 

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, exactly when you don't expect it. Tell me about some of the things that you've heard from students over the years.

    Andrea Call:

    I feel like most of it is you know, “you help me see the world in a different way.” “You help me, you know learn how to learn.” “You help me value myself and believe in myself.” That those are probably the most impactful, you know. And then I do enjoy the students that go to college and are like “you taught me everything I needed to know in marketing and so my class is easy” so that helps me.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    For those who haven't had the chance to be in your classroom talk about the classes that you teach.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, I teach a lot of business classes so I teach Business Communications. I teach Business Leadership. I teach Marketing and then concurrent enrollment Marketing, and then the Entrepreneurship Academy and the school store so a lot of practical business classes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And the entrepreneur class is the one that I was able to visit where we brought in business leaders who really helped mentor throughout the year students who have their own ideas and their own business projects. Tell me a little bit about that.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, that actually has been so fun because students have looked for like a problem that they see and then they've come up with a solution on how to fix it. Which is what an entrepreneur is. And then they've been able to develop that idea into businesses and have some guidance from people who have started businesses and been wildly successful. And even if they've decided that they don't want to continue the business, they've learned so many things just about being an entrepreneur or just being a person in business or having a job.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And you've already referenced it, but there are lots of things that your students take away from your class that have nothing to do with business or marketing.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's problem solving, and I think from what I saw, I feel like it's a sense of efficacy that they know ‘Hey, if I apply myself and really try this I can do something I didn't think I could do.’

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, absolutely. Honestly for me those soft skills, those real-world skills are probably more important than the content, you know, because you can Google the content.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right, and those skills are going to apply to a wide range of circumstances throughout their lives.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, yeah for sure.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about teachers in your life that have had an impact.

    Andrea Call:

    (laughs) - I mean, so many teachers in my life, and especially the ones who were able to believe in me when I couldn't believe in myself. I mean, there have been so many in so many different areas. I feel like, honestly, I have the attitude that most people that I come in contact with, I have something to learn from, and so honestly, there are so many.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    When you're interacting with as many high school students as you do, that's the perfect attitude to have. There's something to learn from everyone. I remember learning things from my students all the time.

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, I learned so much from them. I actually learn more from them sometimes than I'm sure they learn from me.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, it's a great concentration of humans that get to interact and learn from each other and make connections that just don't go away. So, any thoughts for those who may be considering being a teacher? Either adults who are thinking of coming to teaching or students who are thinking about pursuing it early on as a career?

    Andrea Call:

    Yeah, I mean, I feel like we desperately need more people who want to be teachers. And I think a lot of times we worry like, well, maybe we don't know the content area, but I think if you care about people, it's one of the best professions for you to be in. I'm not gonna lie, there's not a lot of money in it, But I do feel like there's a huge reward. So, and that matters. And at the end of your life, I feel like that may matter more.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Absolutely, absolutely. Thank you for being our Teacher of the Year, Andrea, and for being an incredible educator.

    Andrea Call:

    Thanks.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

    17 min
  • Episode 195: Inspiring Words from the Graduating Class of 2023

    It is a time to reflect on memories that will last a lifetime, while looking forward to the future.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we sit down with some members of the graduating class of 2023. Find out who inspired them to succeed and what’s next as they make new memories in their journey beyond high school.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a time to reflect on memories that will last a lifetime while looking forward to the future.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we sit down with some members of the graduating class of 2023. Find out who inspired them to succeed and what's next as they make new memories in their journey beyond high school.

    Introduce yourself and tell me about a teacher or adult that's been impactful for you at school.

    Linda:

    I'm Linda and I'm from Riverton High School. And a teacher that has been impactful for me through school. I'm so grateful because I had the opportunity to have so many great teachers in my life. I remember in third grade I had my teacher, Ms. Colgan, and even though we were homeless or the different things that we would struggle with, she was always so kind and always was so loving and it just always made my day brighter.

    I remember one thing, she brought me snow boots for the winter because I had no snow boots. And I will never forget that moment because she showed her love and her kindness. At the high school, I've had so many great teachers, Ms. Elliot, Brett Nelson, and my wonderful counselor, Mr. Christensen. Having these great teachers, having them not judge me, and be there for me, and know that I'm capable of greater and my grades don't define me, my past doesn't define me, and that I'm going to grow into a great person. Just having them and their great example has helped me a lot.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    He's taught you there's always that next step forward. I love that. That's great. What advice do you have for those who are entering high school or their senior year?

    Linda:

    I would say that life as well as high school is going to be what you make it. So I think oftentimes whatever life throws at us or whatever we go through like in middle school coming in, again like I said it won't define you. And if you want to have a fun time in high school, if you want to do all the things or want to grow or want to go into a certain career, just do the work to do that. Because anything in life is going to be work, it's just about how much you're willing to put into it.
    High school is such a great thing and I say just work hard and get there because it's gonna flash by quicker than you know.  I remember someone saying that to me when I was in like sixth grade and I was like "ha ha ha, like you're funny" and now I'm like "Oh, ha ha, it wasn't funny. Just kidding.” But just be willing to put in the work because you can do great things. It's just about how much work you're willing to put into it. And anybody's capable of great things and you've got this.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I love that. And just so you know, the time will go faster and faster. Take it from me.

    Linda:

    Okay. (laughing) Wow.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Introduce yourself and tell me about a teacher or adult who's had an impact on you from kindergarten through 12th grade.

    Graycee:

    I'm Graycee and I'm from Mountain Ridge High School. I've had a few teachers who have impacted me throughout my high school experience. I've had Cambria Robertson and Shane Busdicker. They helped me a lot my sophomore year. You know, going through COVID it's kind of hard to figure out who you are as a person, a student, and trying to make friends while, you know, going in person for school, then switching to online, and Zoom all the time. And they really helped me to get confidence in myself and to understand that everything will be okay, even when it's hard just to know that you can always push through life.
    And then my student government advisors, Richard Hoonakker and Shaila Keck, have taught me so much about leadership, dedication, motivation, time management, just all the skills that I feel like I need for a career path just to get through life in general. And I'm so grateful to them for their leadership to me and they're such a role model in my life. I'm just grateful that I had the opportunity to have them as my teachers.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Great teachers and great lessons. Tell me what advice do you have for students who are entering high school or entering their senior year?

    Graycee:

    I would say the most important thing is just, be yourself like everyone else is saying, but also put yourself out there and get involved, even if it's scary and uncomfortable. You can always grow when you push yourself past your comfort zone. And I've learned so much about myself doing student government or being on the cheer team. It's just something you wouldn't expect, but you're so grateful for the outcome afterwards because you're a completely different person after. And so without forgetting about your fears and all the doubts in your head, just stop being such a critic of yourself and just have fun and get to know people. Don't be afraid that you're being judged by other people. Just do you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Great advice, thank you. Introduce yourself, tell us your name and the school you're graduating from, and then tell me a couple of things. A favorite teacher or adult that had an impact in your life from kindergarten to 12th grade, and then advice that you have for anyone who is either going to be a senior next year or starting high school next year.

    Luseane:

    Perfect, hello, my name is Luseane. I'm graduating from Valley High, and one teacher, or actually a couple teachers, from kindergarten up to senior year, I would wanna say number one, my mom, of course. She's a teacher, she was teaching at Syracuse Arts Academy, and she was my theater teacher, but I want to say thank you, Mom, for everything, I mean, giving me life, number one. And number two, letting me sneak into your class and get snacks during my other classes. Also, I want to say thank you to Billy Zumbrun, that's my counselor from Clearfield High. He helped me strive to be better in every aspect of life, to show up to class, to actually put an effort after my dad had passed.
    And I also want to thank Crivello and Bany from Valley High that have given me a lot of opportunities to be myself and to make up a lot of credits whenever I have fallen short a little bit.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay. And what advice do you have for those who are entering high school or entering their senior year?

    Luseane:

    Honestly, I would say just to be yourself. There is no one else you can describe to be. You can look at your peers, and you can look at your friends, and foes because who knows? But look at everybody but also remember that you don't have to try to be anybody but yourself. You don't have to impress anybody to make friends. You don't have to be the best in your class or the funniest. Just live a little, you know what I'm saying?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Be yourself, live a little.

    Luseane:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    But you are the funniest, aren't you?

    Luseane:

    I mean, I don't know, I'm not gonna brag. (laughing)

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All right, thank you very much.
    All right, introduce yourself and tell me about a teacher or adult who's had an impact on you, kindergarten through 12th grade.

    Trevor:

    I am Trevor and I am the valedictorian of Copper Hills High School. One thing about me is I ask a lot of questions and they're always really deep questions that are not exactly inside the school curriculum. So the best teachers for me are the ones that put in the effort and have the knowledge to answer all the questions I ask. So Ms. Messervy, my calculus teacher, and Ms. Edelman, my psychology teacher, probably some of the favorite teachers I've ever had. Another teacher I really like is Mr. Taylor, my choir teacher because he's always so fun and so engaging while still being able to effectively and quickly convey all the material to his large classes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So they've had a big impact on you.

    Trevor:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me what advice do you have for students who are just entering high school or entering their senior year?

    Trevor:

    So I have two pieces of advice. The first is that time is by far the most valuable resource you have, and you do not want to waste a second of it. Every second you have is a second that you'll never get back and you've got to do what you can with the time you've been given because it's going to go away very quickly.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You have me regretting all that time I spent on TikTok this morning. (laughing)

    Trevor:

    That's why it's called TikTok.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's right.

    Trevor:

    Second piece of advice is to avoid apathy. Especially for all you seniors out there, as you go into your senior year, you're going to feel the urge to give up, to stop trying. But you've come this far and you cannot give up at this point. There is, you have so much potential and so much you can do with your life if you only continue to care.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Okay, great. Great advice. Thank you.

    Stay with us. Up next, we listen in on some graduation speeches from the Class of 2023.

    Break:

    Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org

    Linda:

    My name is Linda Curtis and I'm from Riverton High School. Good evening, class of 2023. I am honored to be here. Today marks one of the most significant milestones in our lives. Before we put on our big kid pants and step out onto the big world, I hope we all remember this important quote, "Don't forget where you came from and never lose sight of where you're going."

    A few short years ago, I thought graduating high school would be impossible. Thankfully, through hard work, dedication, great teachers, and a wonderful counselor, shout out to Mr. Christensen, you're a G for real, I get to do so today.

    My utmost gratitude, however, goes to my parents, Brian and Shay Curtis. Even though we found each other later in life when I was 16, I can say they have shaped me far more than I can put into words. I would not be the person I am standing before you today without them. I am so blessed to have their great example in my life and I thank God every day because I am so blessed. They have given me constant support, love and guidance. I went from believing I would never amount to anything to being able to look at myself in the mirror. I am who I am today because of their great example.

    I can tell you firsthand what blowing off school and your core values will do to you and your future families. In the neighborhoods where I grew up and in my biological family, survival was the most important thing, not traditional education. No one really graduated high school in my neighborhood nor in my biological family. Most of my childhood friends have dropped out of high school, are in jail, turned to drugs and violence, sadly passed away, or just living to survive.

    My GPA before I came to RHS was a 1.25. Through hard work, a home filled with love, and a caring neighborhood and community, I'm currently an A/B student. Mostly A, but English 1010 kicked me in the butt a little bit this year. And have raised my GPA from a 1.25 to 2.7. I'm really proud to say that I will be the first ever high school graduate in my biological family.

    Trevor:

    My name is Trevor Eldredge, and I am from Copper Hills High School. Ever since I was a kid, I thought of graduation as something far in the future. Something that wouldn't happen to me for a long, long time. Now, it still barely feels real. Like I'm still that kid, staring out into the future, wondering what it will hold.

    And in a way, I still am that kid. We all are. In the same routine for a dozen years, we've had our lives fairly figured out up until this point. But now, it's time to look forward to a future that's rapidly becoming our present, and soon, our past.

    Today is the first day of tomorrow, the first day of the rest of your life. Each one of us has spent tens of thousands of hours working, learning how to learn and how to succeed. It's time to put those skills to use in the next phase of our life.

    No matter what you're doing with the next phase of your life, I challenge you to make it something incredible, to do the things that no one thinks are possible, and to achieve the things that no one thinks you can achieve. Every one of us is capable of that. The fact that you are all here is living proof of that fact.

    Graycee:

    My name is Graycee Wells and I am from Mountain Ridge High School and then for part of my speech I talk about COVID so I say although COVID impacted us all we have emerged from this experience stronger and more resilient than ever before. We came out on top, we learned to embrace change and each time we were challenged or encouraged setbacks, we were given the opportunity to turn the negatives into positives.

    We learned to think critically, solve problems, and communicate more effectively. We learned to show people love and concern even if it wouldn't be in the same room together. We learned about loss and heartache and how to comfort those around us. And we learned how to have more gratitude for our teachers, staff, and one another. We have developed resilience, perseverance, and a strong work ethic. These are all qualities that will serve us no matter what path we choose to take.

    Today I want to speak on making a positive impact on the world regardless of our circumstances, achievements, failures, or even a pandemic. Minor Myers Jr., who was the president of Illinois' Westland University, said, "Go into the world to do well, but most importantly, go into the world to do good."

    Luseane:

    My name is Luseane Burke and I'm from Valley High. And this is just a little excerpt from my graduation speech.

    When I would bring home a report card, I would get in trouble if I had one A-minus. I was a 4.0 student through elementary and junior high. When I started high school, I kept my grades up for a while, but then my social life blurred my vision. My grades and attendance started to slip and COVID didn't help. I couldn't learn and exceed in my education attending school virtually. I attended Syracuse High and Clearfield High sophomore year, trying to find the best learning environment for myself.

    Then the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I got off work and while walking to my car I got a call from my sister saying something was wrong with my dad. I was yelling the whole way home hoping he could hear me, mad that he didn't reach out to me. I soon after got a call from my stepmom stating that my dad passed away. That was by far the hardest thing I've had to go through my entire life because not only did I lose my father I lost my best friend, my protector, and my twin. 

    Grief is nothing to play around with. I couldn't get out of bed. Depression started taking over my everyday life. I failed every class the entirety of my junior year due to my attendance. I felt like there was nothing to live for. My heart was ripped out of my chest and buried with my dad. Many of my friends' junior year asked me where I was and why I missed school. I told them I was sick, and really I couldn't fathom the idea of getting out of bed and living life as if nothing happened.

    Summer was coming to an end and I was contemplating dropping out of school permanently to be with my family. I then remembered what my dad would want and what he would tell his kids to do. I toughened up, moved in with my auntie and uncle, and grandma, and started attending Valley High School.

    As everyone here knows, this isn't the normal high school. We came to Valley for a reason, whether it be because you wanted to follow in your sibling's footsteps, the schedule or location was better for you, or this was your last option to graduate. I know many of us weren't planning on walking here, but I believe I can speak on behalf of our class and say thank you to the school for the many opportunities given to us to make up credits and help us be able to walk out of here with the diploma in our hands. 

    My fellow graduates, take a look at where you've been, the sacrifices you've made to be here, and if no one else will say it, I want to say I'm proud of you for graduating and being here today because we all know this diploma wasn't easy to obtain. Celebrate this huge milestone in your life, but never forget where you came from or your journey. Be thankful, be happy, this is just the beginning.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Congratulations to all of our graduating seniors. We wish you the very best.

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

    19 min
  • Episode 194: KSL NewsRadio Host Finds Joy Working with Students as Substitute Teacher in the Classroom

    She is one of the most recognized morning radio hosts in the Salt Lake Valley. Amanda Dickson has been a staple on KSL NewsRadio in the mornings for nearly three decades doing what she loves, connecting with people and sharing stories.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we hear about a newfound passion for the popular radio host. Amanda Dickson is now spending a lot of her time off air, in the classroom as a substitute teacher. Find out why she says students bring her such joy and why she believes kids in the classroom can do the same for others willing to try substitute teaching.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. She is one of the most recognized morning radio hosts in the Salt Lake Valley. Amanda Dickson has been a staple on KSL NewsRadio in the mornings for nearly three decades doing what she loves, connecting with people and sharing stories.

    On this episode of the Supercast, we hear about a newfound passion for the popular radio host. Amanda Dickson is now spending a lot of her time off-air in the classroom as a substitute teacher. Find out why she says students bring her such joy and why she believes kids in the classroom can do the same for others willing to try substitute teaching.

    I'm here with Amanda Dickson, radio personality for KSL and substitute teacher extraordinaire for Jordan School District.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I don't know about that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And I'm actually in a classroom at Golden Fields where you've been substituting today.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yes, I'm here in Miss Beck's class, her third-grade class and we had a really good day today.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It looks like it's decorated for Hogwarts.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Oh yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I don't know if it always is but the candles are floating in the air and pictures of children in robes are on the wall and it looks like a great environment.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Each group of tables is a different house like Slytherin, and this is Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor was particularly good today.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    No surprise there. That's how Gryffindor rolls. I have a lot of questions. So I assume that you interviewed me and others at Riverton High School not long ago, a few weeks ago, about just as part of your broadcasting out in the community. And that was a lot of fun. Everybody I talked with had a great time with that. I was amazed at how many things you can keep going all at the same time. You're talking to them, to the people on your earphones telling you what to do, you're connecting with me at the same time, you're looking at the screen, it's all happening in real-time. I suspect that prepares you very well to be a substitute.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Oh, that's brilliant. Yes, I think that doing, in fact, doing my show in particular, because we have to hit things at exactly the right time because people use us like a utility. So if they're not out the door by the time they hear three things, or traffic and weather, they know they're late, we have to be on time with those things. That makes us a little strange in the way we multitask because we're constantly looking at the clock and counting back in our heads, do we have enough time to do this? Will we hit at this precise time. I had a boss once that called me scatterbrained. I like to think of it more as multitasking.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's multitasking.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Multitasking, yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Lots of people think they can do it and can't do it. I sit in a lot of meetings where people think they can be looking at the screen and be very aware of what's happening all at the same time. They can't, but you absolutely can. I have witnessed it. And like I said, I'm sure that those skills are very helpful when you've got lots of children that you don't necessarily know that you're dropping in on. And that's the difficult part, is that you're dropping in on an established routine, established relationships among the kids, and then you're the new person. So tell me a little bit about what that's like.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Oh, it's wonderful. I feel like a grandparent Dr. Godfrey because I get to take them for the day and then I give them back. “So nice having them. Here you go.”

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's a great way to describe it.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Because I get to love them for a day and then I give them back to the teacher who is so responsible, so I get perfect instructions. I mean today was a perfect example. You do this for a half hour, this for 15 minutes, here's the instruction, these are the books. I mean, I'm given a perfect roadmap of what to do.

    But you're right, if I don't connect with them, then it's a very long afternoon. So I have to find a way to connect with them. And sometimes it's just as simple as energy. If I listen to their reading enthusiastically, they'll come to where I am. But sometimes it's more difficult.

    I had a great class today because these kids were obviously proud of their work, of their reading skill, of their writing skill, and they wanted to share it. And that's beautiful. And it's so different from the news if you'll forgive me for saying that. Because the news can be, as you well know, it can be very heavy and negative and at a distance. Substitute teaching is joyful and in-person and focused on the future and not on the past.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I love the focus on the future that's exactly it and the impact that you have keeps rolling. You're building momentum with these kids with a positive interaction. Listening enthusiastically to their reading is a great example of that. And you know, this is not to downplay the difficulties of being in a classroom or being a substitute teacher. It's a very difficult job but you also have some degree of control over what the climate is for that classroom. How do I want it to feel? And you've described that. I want to connect with them. I want to be sure that they feel loved and that I'm connecting with them but then I'm also going through the instructions left by the teacher.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Right.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That gives them a sense of comfort that those routines continue and they stay in place and the teacher's gone.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yeah because they'll try and get away with things as you well know.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    The news doesn't allow you to do that.

    Amanda Dickson:

    No.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, that comes at you and you have to deal with what's coming at you. But they do try to work it though. So what age do they try to work it the most?

    Amanda Dickson:

    Kindergarten on. I mean.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    All of the ages.

    Amanda Dickson:

    All of the ages in different ways. No junior high of course. It's junior high.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, I was a middle school teacher so I do understand that at a deep level.

    Amanda Dickson:

    God bless you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I liked eighth graders. I know that is a rare person that loves eighth graders but I had a blast with eighth graders.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I have found many kids in middle school to love and classes to love, but those have also been some of the hardest experiences. Because I've been spoiled these 30-plus years at KSL that when I talk people listen to me. Until I went to middle school and then I realized this is a whole… They don't know who I am, they don't care who I am, they just want to see what they can get away with. And yet there are students of course there who are more shy and more studious. So how do you make, this is a question, how do you make it a good learning experience for those students who are applying themselves and address the difficulties, the behavioral issues at the same time?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, you ask an important question. It's a question that I think teachers have to ask themselves constantly throughout the day. It's part of the stress of being a teacher. And you've understood this for a long time. At the end of the day, you've made so many decisions about, "Should I talk to that child? Should I talk to this child? Should I allow them to do that? Should I not?” That by the end of the day, you have decision fatigue. You're worn out. There's a lot of energy that goes into that.

    I think what you have to do is connect with kids that aren't outwardly begging for it because there's behavior that is meant to draw your attention. There are kids who will try to draw your attention in other ways, but there are kids who are quietly working and doing what they're asked to do, not doing things to outwardly reach out for your attention. And if you actively give it to them, then that is very meaningful to those students who are quietly just doing what they need to. It takes time to do that, it's hard to do.

    Amanda Dickson:

    And in so many of your elementary schools, the teachers have set up processes for that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes.

    Amanda Dickson:

    You know, and told me specifically something very similar to what you said. You know, here are the marbles. Give them marbles when they're on task. Give them marbles when they're reading. Or give the class a point, or take it away. So that reward structure is, it's structured in elementary school. In middle school, not as much, but yeah, that's good advice. I'll use that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    But you're right, the feedback structure, however that is, is really important to students. It's important to the teacher because it kind of allows everyone to feel engaged no matter what's happening. And then you get to focus on the content because you don't have to be worried about whether people are feeling like they belong in the class or whether they're connected with the adult in the classroom.

    When I visit classrooms for Outstanding Educator awards, we visit every school every year. So all 68 schools, we stop and we have a group from the Foundation and I like to play around with the kids and have fun. And one of the things that really gets the teacher's attention is if I notice what their reward structure is. I see the box of, you know, bucks, the teacher bucks that get handed out or whatever rewards or treats. But I really admire how teachers structure their classroom for maximum belonging and maximum teaching. I'm continually impressed as I see that.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Me too.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Even though I've been in education for three decades, it's amazing what they do.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I mean like in this classroom, you can see the love.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You can.

    Amanda Dickson:

    If you never met this teacher and never met her students, the walls are filled with their names and their likenesses, and their accomplishments. And the books are organized by mystery, adventure, history, biography. But this is not unlike all the classrooms I'm in. It's a version of love in color.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That's such a great way of putting it. And as I look around, I see evidence of love. I didn't notice it the first. Like, wow, they've got potion bottles.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And action figures and it really is a great way of describing it.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me, how long have you been substituting?

    Amanda Dickson:

    This is my first year.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This is your first year.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It feels like you've been doing it for a long time.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I wish I had.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You understand it so well, you've just connected with this job.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I love it so much more than I anticipated. I had had people, and I'm embarrassed to say this now, but I had had people tell me, "You're not gonna like this, you shouldn't do it. You're gonna hate substitute teaching, what are you thinking?” But we had stories at the beginning of the year about how there weren't enough substitute teachers. And I get done with work like 11, 11:30, and I thought, well, would I ever be able to do this?

    So I contacted the District Office and I went through the training and I take every afternoon that's offered that I can get because it's so joyful. Mostly in elementary, but I do some middle and some high school. And those can be joyful on different levels too, as you know.

    So I started this year and I found it challenging. I look forward to it. When I leave KSL and I value that job, I don't mean to say anything, I value that job very much, but I feel like I come into a place where my spirit almost belongs more, that it's a chance to, goodness, I'm emotional about it, but it's a chance to be with, my kids are mostly grown. My youngest is 16, my oldest is 34, and I miss kids of this age, I miss that light. I had four girls present today to the class with their poster and they were so good and so nervous and so creative and I miss that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It is a beautiful thing to get to see kids in action, to watch them learning, and to see them grow. It's what drew me to education.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yeah, I bet.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm so glad you found it so fulfilling and felt such a close connection to it.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I recommend it. If anyone out there is thinking about substituting, do not listen to the naysayers. Go and be in a classroom yourself. And I bet for every person, it would be different as to which age they connect with more or which subject matter. For me, it's elementary school, but there are lots of good middle school and high school classes too. I've had the chance to be in journalism classes in high schools and English. I was an English major in college. So for me, anytime I get to teach language arts, I'm happy. So there's--

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That was me. I was a language arts teacher.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Oh, were you? I mean, I love reading. I love reading and I love talking about books and I love reading the students' writing about books and their criticism of books and it just brings everything to life.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You get to know a lot of people this way. You get to know a lot of people with KSL. You're always interviewing new people. If you'd kept track, I'm sure it's in the many thousands of people that you've spoken with. But it's so fun to see kids at this stage of their life. And like I said, to see them grow and to see the third-grade version of them doing their very best and learning what they can and becoming who they're going to be.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yeah, I look at them sometimes and I think, I wonder, you know, but we have no way of knowing, of course, because it's like going to a high school reunion and the person who you thought was gonna be all that, you know, is not all that, you never, who knows? So even when I have a kid who's challenging, I think you never know. This kid could be the governor someday. I mean, I need to pay attention to this kid. He's very boisterous, he's very outspoken, he has complete confidence that he deserves the floor. (laughing) He deserves the floor at any given moment. Maybe he's a politician.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    See, that's the trick, is that you see this version of them and you have to imagine every possible version of them in the future so that the way that we interact with them doesn't limit in their mind what they're able to do.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Yes.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Stay with us, more with Amanda Dickson when we come back. And learn how you too can become a substitute teacher in Jordan School District.

    Break:

    In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists and counselors. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What have you learned about teachers as a substitute?

    Amanda Dickson:

    I had no idea how hard they worked. I thought they worked hard. I was way off. I mean, think about how hard I work in the four hours I'm in the classroom, but they leave all their papers to be graded the next day by the teacher who filled out an entire list of what I was to do. So when she comes in tomorrow, she has to not only have her whole lesson plan do that whole day, but then grade everything we did the day before.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Right, they prepared everything for you. They'll grade everything afterwards.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Right, I did nothing. I'm exhausted.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And you're experiencing only the real-time in front of the kids part.

    Amanda Dickson:

    The easiest part. Their workload is outrageous. And their love is enormous.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes.

    Amanda Dickson:

    And their patience with we parents who are not supportive sometimes, their patience is like some kind of biblical thing. Frankly, Superintendent, I know one of my children has been a real challenge for his teachers. And I'm now going to go find their emails and write an apology email to each and every one of them because It's it takes an emotional toll on these teachers that they're not compensated for.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, there is an emotional toll it takes tremendous energy and you're right, teachers work very, very hard. No matter how hard you think they work you’re undershooting it.

    Amanda Dickson:

    It's hard. Yeah, because just thinking about what to cover, especially in elementary school when you're covering all these different subjects, what kind of an assignment will I give them that will bring them to life? That will engage them? That can't come straight out of a book. What do I have to teach them? What are the standards that I have to make? How can I make those two things jive? How can I give them enough work to challenge them but not leave them in the dust?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You describe it very well.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Oy vey Maria. I gave myself a headache just saying it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah, it's stressful talking about that work, much less doing it. The difficult part of it also is that teachers love their kids and they feel this responsibility. And just like you described, you want to be at your best, you want to be providing the best for students, and it's messy, it's chaotic. Kids' needs vary, and they vary from day to day. And meeting those needs and being at your very best is a very difficult thing, and it's a difficult thing to sustain day in and day out throughout the school year.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Why has the respect for teachers, or do you agree with the statement that the respect for teachers has gone down in some cases and why?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    That is very puzzling to me because…

    Amanda Dickson:

    They were the heroes during the pandemic.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    They were the heroes during the pandemic.

    Amanda Dickson:

    We stand outside holding signs, thank you. And two years later what happened?

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I'm afraid that teachers have been placed in the center of a lot of debates that don't have a lot to do with the classroom directly.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I agree.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    And our teachers need to be championed at every turn. You are someone who walks the talk on that.

    Amanda Dickson:

    You know what I loved seeing, and I saw it today, is the support that the teachers give each other.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yes.

    Amanda Dickson:

    I saw the third-grade teachers hanging out by the door right before we were going to get the kids from recess, just swapping stories and offering words of encouragement. And it made me think when was the last time I did that for my coworkers at KSL? I mean when was the last time I just hung out with them and told them, "Wow, what you did there was awesome and you really put a lot of effort into that. And I'm sorry if that wasn't appreciated because I appreciated it.” When was the last time I said the kind of things I heard your third graders, your third grade teachers saying today. That was beautiful. I'm glad they have each other.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    I love that description. It's something I've experienced personally as a teacher and that I've been able to observe over the years and it's a unique culture. People who come from outside of education marvel at that because you don't see that everywhere.

    Amanda Dickson:

    No, you don't.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What advice do you have for those who might be thinking about being a substitute? We always need more help.

    Amanda Dickson:

    If you can love children, you can do this job. I mean, you don't need to be an expert in-- I've taught science classes and math classes. YouTube is my friend. If I know what the subject is in advance, I'll go YouTube a little bit and get up to speed on something. But as long as you can come with an open mind and don't expect perfection, you're new. They're awkward around you. Imagine if it was your first day with a new person. They've had a woman or a man that they've trusted for months and months, and who's this stranger? So be patient with them when they're boisterous. They don't mean to be disrespectful. This is not about you. This is about them. So if you can go with an open mind and an open heart, you'll get so much love in return. And I have not been blessed with grandchildren yet. I hope I am someday, kids, if you're listening. But until then, I'm going to borrow your kids, Dr. Godfrey, and love them if that's OK.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You can have them anytime. We're so grateful that you choose to sub. And I'm very appreciative of the energy you bring to it and the love for our students. So thank you very much for your time today and for everything you're doing to support our teachers and our students.

    Amanda Dickson:

    Thank you for what you do too, Dr. Godfrey, and for all your teachers.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thank you. If you want to find joy in substitute teaching with a flexible work schedule in our elementary or secondary schools, Visit employment.jordandistrict.org.

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

    22 min
  • Episode 193: Students Step Back in Time Thanks to Passionate Teacher

    It looked like a scene straight out of an old movie. We’re talking about World War II Day at West Jordan High School.

    On this episode of the Supercast, find out why history teacher Alyse Almond is so passionate about the past and preserving American military history. She is giving students a life-like history lesson, with the help of World War II historians, hoping to let veterans know kids today do care about the stories of those who served our country and sacrificed so much.

    Audio Transcription

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It looked like a scene straight out of an old movie. We're talking about World War II Day at West Jordan High School.

    On this episode of the Supercast, find out why history teacher Alyse Almond is so passionate about preserving American military history. She's giving students a real-life history lesson, with the help of World War II historians, hoping to connect today's students to the stories of those who served our country and sacrificed so much.

    We're here with social studies teacher, Alyse Almond at West Jordan High School. And I'm finally getting to see this tradition of World War II Day. Tell me a little bit about this.

    Alyse Almond:

    So World War II Day started about eight years ago here at West Jordan High School. Me and my friends, we are the Utah Military History Group and we do living history from World War I through Vietnam. And our passion is World War II, so we wanted to bring the history to the students in a very tangible way.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, it's obvious you're doing that. I see vehicles, it feels like I'm on a MASH episode, I know that's the wrong era, but this particular ambulance gives me that feel. We've got uniforms, it looks like we've got all kinds of materials from the time period. So, and several vehicles that are probably getting the attention of people driving by, wondering if there's a military takeover of West Jordan High School. So can you talk me through what we've got out here.

    Alyse Almond:

    Yeah. So we have a World War II 1945 CCKW, which is a truck made by GMC.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Let's walk over there.

    Alyse Almond:

    It was built in 1945. So this is Layne Schoenfeld and this is his 1945 GMCCKW.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about your CCKW, Layne.

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    Well, one of the most common vehicles used during World War II, it was used to transport troops and material. It was the backbone of the Red Ball Express. I don't know if anybody's familiar with the Red Ball Express but that was basically a supply route from the beaches in Normandy, France, up deeper into Europe and on into Germany, supplying the troops the front line.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about the state it was in before you refurbished it.

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    It was a rust bucket. It had been sitting outside for 20 years, just filling up full of leaves and dirt and the water raining on it. So it was all rusty and it was missing a few pieces here and there.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's pretty amazing. How long did this restoration take you?

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    I'm ashamed to say it took me 15 years.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hey, that's something that you just chip away at over time.

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    Yeah, life got in the way a couple of times.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, it's pretty exciting that West Jordan High School is the first event. How does it feel to have it out in the public now?

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    It feels good.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah.

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    It feels good.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What got you interested in World War II initially?

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    My father was a World War II veteran,  and him telling me a few stories.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, thank you for sharing it with the students here at West Jordan High School.

    Layne Schoenfeld:

    You're welcome. It's a pleasure and an honor. And hopefully, the students learned a little something and we can keep history alive. That's what this is all about.

    Alyse Almond:

    We also have two World War II Jeeps here. One is a 1942 Willys and one is a 1944 Willys. These are both quarter-ton all-utility vehicles that were used in World War II. And then here we actually have, this is a weapons carrier and this is Dave Vuyk.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hi Dave.

    Dave Vuyk:

    How are you?

    Alyse Almond:

    And this is his vehicle and have you-

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me about this vehicle.

    Dave Vuyk:

    It's a 1944 Dodge weapon carrier. It's a three-quarter ton. This is a copy of the original build card that went through the factory with this truck.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Oh wow. So do you turn some heads when you're driving this down the road?

    Dave Vuyk:

    Yeah, for sure. And people love it. I think people find it fun.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    You might not beat people off the line.

    Dave Vuyk:

    Oh, we don't, yeah. No, we don't beat people off the line. My son Schyler, who's in here, he had Miss Almond for history. Kind of got the bug. And I have a little bit of it, but I'm not into the uniforms and some of that.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Between you and Miss Almond, he's hooked, huh?

    Dave Vuyk:

    Oh, yeah.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, thank you for sharing this with West Jordan High School.

    Dave Vuyk:

    We love it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So exciting.

    Dave Vuyk:

    This is fun.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah.

    Dave Vuyk:

    And you know, a little bit of education is fun.

    Alyse Almond:

    So this is Brent Fordham. He is our medic in our living history group and this is his medic display and ambulance.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Hi Brent. How are you?

    Brent Fordham:

    Good.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This is, you have not only the ambulance behind you, which looks incredible, but you've also got all kinds of first aid kits it looks like, and first aid materials. So this is everything a combat medic would have carried. Tell me, can you walk me through this?

    Brent Fordham:

    A lot of what you see is just like an assortment of like random bandages. A medic’s sole purpose, they weren't licensed doctors, so they really just did like band-aid work just get them stable enough to get them to an actual hospital.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What is it that got you interested in the medic aspect of World War II?

    Brent Fordham:

    Well, I've always been into history. My dad did reenacting when I was a kid, and I've just always kind of been drawn to the medical stuff. I don't really know why. I mean, as a kid, I wanted to be a paramedic.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, thank you very much for bringing all this here and for allowing students the chance to interact with this. I have no doubt that this will have a lasting impact on them.

    Brent Fordham:

    I hope it does, that's why we do it.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're at the board with lots of photos and bios, it looks like, from various veterans of World War II. Tell me about this board.

    Alyse Almond:

    So we do-- this is an honorarium for the family members of our faculty and staff who served in World War II. So I send out a message to all of our faculty and staff. And last year and this year, they sent me back their stories and their photographs of their family member veterans.

    So like up in the corner, we actually have Principal Birch's dad, who was a World War II, he was in the Army Air Corps in World War II and he was on a B-17 and he was actually shot down over Germany on one of his missions and he became a POW. And he was a POW for six months during World War II.

    And then we have the stories of like our, the woman who runs our Jag Stash here, her dad, was also in World War II. He was in the Army. He served on Okinawa. And so we have his story.

    We also have the story of my great-uncles on here. We have the stories of one of our science teachers here, actually. Her great-grandpa, when she sent me his name, all she had was his name, that he died and where he died, and the name of his family, so his wife and his kids. They didn't know anything else. And I actually ended up researching him and finding out what regiment he was with, what division he was with, and what happened to him and when he was killed in action.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So she didn't know all of this and you were able to uncover some facts about his life.

    Alyse Almond:

    Yep.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, this really ties it to the faculty as well. Again, another way of adding dimension to history and to make it personal.

    Stay with us when we come back, more on World War II Day, and we'll hear from a student who came back to West Jordan after graduating to show off his own collection and express appreciation for his experience in Ms. Almond's class.

    Break:

    Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say people come for the job and enjoy the adventure. Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    We're here with some of the students at West Jordan High School that have been able to be part of World War II Day. Tell me your name.

    Brayden:

    Brayden.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Tell me a little bit about your experience.

    Brayden:

    It's been really exciting to see all the vehicles and all the stuff. I've had family members that served, so that's why I took the class. And my great grandfather was a pilot, so they let me hold the aviator stuff. So it was really good to see what he would have worn and what he would have done.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    What are some of the things that you've learned that might have surprised you in this class?

    Brayden:

    How brutal the war was in the Pacific, because I feel like most of the time we think of the war in Europe and not in the Pacific. And also the other countries that were involved besides the United States and most of the European countries, like Brazil and Mexico.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    How about you? Tell me your name and some of the things you've learned from the class.

    Joseph:

    My name is Joseph and it's been an absolute amazing time being part of the class. I was largely and vaguely into World War II beforehand and I loved World War II and studying it, but this class has opened up so many more opportunities to learn. It's shown me stories about men on the front, it's shown me stories about how different things were, how Miss Almond usually brings in these uniforms. You get to see what did they wear, what were they working with, and it's more focused on the individual rather than the whole entire aspect of World War II. So it's been an amazing experience taking her class.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    It's true when you think about it as individual humans going through this it's very different from just talking about it in broad terms.

    Joseph:

    It went from tactical to more with the person instead.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Yeah exactly. Tell me your name and a little bit of your experience in the class.

    Tiernan:

    My name is Tiernan. My experience with the class is great. It's always easier to learn with a teacher who is very enthusiastic about the topic like Miss Almond is. Something I learned in the class that I didn't know before was how pervasive it was, not just in the battlefield or in the military branches but also everything in each of these countries just on a civilian level was also in aid of the war effort.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Citizens were a key component of war effort. Tell me your name and some of the things that stood out for you in the class.

    Peter:

    My name is Peter, but I go by Pidge. And I've always had a love for strategic battles and tactical warfare, and I study World War I on the side. I learned a lot about Italy and their involvement, the blitzkrieg that went into the Balkans and Greece. I've also learned a lot about the Pacific and the brutality of Japanese imperialism.

    We look at war through a iso commander.  We see the battles. We see these casualty numbers from official reports, but when you look down at the average day-to-day life, when you go down to the civilian level, you see the mass amount of destruction, the massive amounts of sort of these atrocities that happened and sort of this realization that War is a lot more grimace than we think it is because we are never exposed to the sort of nitty-gritty of it.

    Alyse Almond:

    So this is Schyler Vuyk and he is actually a West Jordan High School alum. You graduated in 2019? And then after he graduated he joined our living history group. His focus is on the Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine because his great-grandfather was in the Coast Guard.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So wow, this is a whole different set of artifacts. Tell me a little bit about what you have here.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    Well, we have an assortment of both personal objects and objects that they would have used on the ship anywhere between combat or if they had some time off. These are some objects that would have been privately purchased.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    This looks like a little kit that folds up together with playing cards. Is that what that is?

    Schyler Vuyk:

    Yeah, so it's playing cards, you have checkers, you have dice, and then this is a recent purchase. This is a wallet and the calendar was never used. This is fresh.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Calendar for 1943.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    It was never used. It was bought by a gentleman on eBay. He said he bought it and then never used it. It sat in his house for years and he never used it and he sold it. And then this one I have not a whole lot of information on him unfortunately but this is him, this is Bob Sherman and then here's another picture of him. He would have, it looked like he served in every single theater during the merchant marine, well he served in the merchant marine during World War II.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So you have photos from him and you have a case, is this a case of his medals.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    These are all of his medals, yes. And then what's interesting is this medal is actually a Russian medal, this top one right here. This is actually a 1985 Russian Jubilee medal. And from what I can gather, just by having a Russian medal is that he most likely would have supplied, he would have done what they called the Murmansk Run, which was when they had shipping boats transport shipping and stuff to the Soviet Union through the Arctic Circle, literally going over Finland and Sweden to get to Russia through like below zero temperatures and stuff like that. And some of them earned Russian medals if they were in Soviet waters that shot down planes. And then I believe what would have probably happened is he probably was invited back because some merchant marine and some Navy men were invited back to Russia if they participated and supplying the Soviet Union and I believe he was given that when he probably visited in 1985.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So you have moved your collection in all kinds of different directions I love seeing the personal effects and these personal medals it really reminds you that they were individuals that were involved in this. Now tell me about these uniforms that you have here.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    These are Alyse's uniforms but I could probably talk a little bit about them. This is a Navy wave uniform. This would have been something they would have worn anywhere that they went on duty and I think this was also used for ceremonial like funerals dances and stuff like that. They would have been able to wear something like this.

    Alyse Almond:

    That is their dress uniform.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    Their dress uniform.

    Alyse Almond:

    And it was actually a big part of what they used to entice women into the military in World War II was we're gonna give you a lot of clothes and they're gonna look really good on you. And so the guy who actually designed the waves uniform, he was a well known New York fashion designer and then he sold his pattern for that uniform to the Navy for a dollar to support the war efforts.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    His contribution.

    Alyse Almond:

    Yep and so this uniform would be one that would be worn for official purposes and then the one that's actually behind it which is a gray dress with a beret that one was a dress that the Navy nurse were issued and they would wear that if they were not on duty and they were say going out with friends or going to a dance or other places.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    So between Ms. Almond and your dad and your family history you've become a serious history buff.

    Schyler Vuyk:

    I think that's a perfect observation to say.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    A lot of effort by a lot of people from the community and it's a tremendous experience for students to get some hands-on connection to the war. Tell me what do you hope students take away from this experience.

    Alyse Almond:

    I hope that students walk away from this day understanding that history is not just something that you read about in a book. That history is something that actually happened and that individuals lived those experiences. And when you can see and interact with the artifacts and the uniforms that those men and women used, I think it brings it alive for these students and it makes it something that is not just two-dimensional.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Well, thank you very much for the time today and for creating such an incredible, immersive experience and unforgettable experience for our students.

    Alyse Almond:

    Thank you.

    Anthony Godfrey:

    Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.

    20 min

About Jordan Supercast

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