More Than Hashtags

(Topher Booth)

Most mornings the produce man is already waiting when Chiquita Stratford gets to Morton Middle. Before breakfast is served, she has carts packed for a few elementary schools and her own kitchen cooking. At Standing Bear Elementary, Torrey McIntosh starts around 5:30, checking the lights, the boiler and the freezers, and he knows nearly all of the school's 600 students by name. Superintendent Matt Ray visits both to hear how a full belly and a fresh start every morning keep kids ready to learn.

Transcript

Transcribed automatically and lightly corrected.

[0:00] Matt Ray: Is it the A plus biscuit? The A plus biscuit. 30 years almost never had one.

Chiquita Stratford: Funny thing. So in elementary, you have the A plus biscuit or you just have the sausage. So they would come through and sometimes they would ask me, Ms. Stratford, is it the A plus biscuit or the A minus? Oh, today's the A minus biscuit.

OPS promo: 52,000 amazing students. 9,000 dedicated staff. 96 schools and programs. The largest and most diverse school district in Nebraska. OPS proud and prepared for success. We are Omaha Public Schools.

Chiquita Stratford: Hello, my name is Chiquita Stratford. I have been with OPS going on 11 years with Morton going on five years.

Matt Ray: What do you enjoy most about being here at Morton?

Chiquita Stratford: The students actually, they give me energy. I look forward to seeing them in the morning times, greeting them, helping them wake up.

Matt Ray: OPS serves 10 million meals a year. What does that prep look like for you?

Chiquita Stratford: So for me, my particular kitchen, I'm a central kitchen. Right. So that what that means is I'm not only responsible for students here, but I'm also responsible for some elementary schools, sending them produce. So I get up early in the morning. The produce man is waiting for me. Sometimes when I get here, uh, we have to fill carts, send those out. All this is done before breakfast, by the way, while that's being done, breakfast is being prepared. So breakfast gets done. We fix sandwich boxes, salad boxes, um, hot meals to get ready to go out. Then after breakfast is over, then we are starting our rotation of now we have to fix lunch for the day. So that's always fun. I just, I just enjoy it. I just enjoy saying good morning to the milk man, to the produce man, too. I just enjoy saying good morning, giving somebody a smile. That's just my personality.

[2:02] Matt Ray: How does your role contribute to the Moonshot?

Chiquita Stratford: A student can, I feel should be able to concentrate better if they know they have a meal, they know they're not hungry. They don't have to worry about being hungry. So on a full belly, they can concentrate better. They can learn better. Maybe the teacher have a better day. So it all go better.

Torrey McIntosh: [I'm] Torrey McIntosh and I am the head custodian here at Standing Bear Elementary.

Matt Ray: And you've been here since 2012. 2012. Okay. What's your day look like from like, what time in the morning do you get here till the end of the day?

Torrey McIntosh: So I started about five 30. I, uh, you know, first off, when I pull in every day, always check to make sure our parking lot lights are on, building lights are on, checking the freezer and cooler temperatures, checking the boiler room, make sure the hot water heater is on temperature, the water coming in from the loop for the heat pumps is where it's supposed to be. And then, you know, it's continuing on the locking doors or whatnot, you know, checking to make sure that there's nothing leaking. There's no funny noises that are not normal. There's a heat pump issue. I try to take care of before the teachers come because they'll come make sure I know that this happened.

Matt Ray: First thing you hear about.

Torrey McIntosh: Yes, indeed. Every morning I got a couple of teachers that get here pretty much pretty bright and early, which is a good thing because they get the good jump starting on the morning. Okay.

Matt Ray: Then the rest of the day, till the end of the day, what, tell me about your day.

Torrey McIntosh: What I'll do is I'll go outside, mow, edge, just continue to do that. Do my trash pickup, which is from grab-and-go breakfast. Make sure the cafeteria's ready for lunch.

Matt Ray: When you approach the building at the beginning of the morning, what, what are you thinking like for a student's experience?

Torrey McIntosh: Like when I, when I first get here and I, I know I've taken care of everything that needs to be taken care of with the building, I'm always looking forward to bringing my energy that I wake up with every morning and transferring to the kids as they walk in and try to put smiles on everyone's face, interact with them. I know pretty much all the kids by name, which is a plus. And I think that brightens their morning up as well. So that's kind of like how I jumpstart my day is making sure that. Try to get the kids to come in with a, you know, happy energy. And so that's about 600 kids' names. Yeah, it's really close.

[4:14] Matt Ray: You know, that's amazing.

Torrey McIntosh: At my previous school, I pretty much knew all the kids there too. That's right. It's one of those things that if we have any kind of interaction and I know your name, I don't forget it.

Matt Ray: How does your role contribute to the Moonshot?

Torrey McIntosh: Honestly, bathrooms are some of the most important areas in our building. The cleanliness of that is very important to me. Water fountains should be shined every day. So when you walk in, it's like a fresh start every morning. And if you've been in our building, you kind of can tell that we do a pretty good job here and I'm going to continue doing that as long as I'm here.

OPS promo: OPS Proud. OPS Proud and prepared for success. We are. We are Omaha Public Schools.

Superintendent Matt Ray discusses how Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has built lasting partnerships with Omaha Public Schools through decades of mentorship and a national commitment to literacy, and how that work directly supports the district's Moonshot goal of every student reading on grade level by 2030.

In this episode you will hear a few of the many incredible speeches given at the Top Seniors 2026 Recognition Event. Top Seniors celebrates two seniors from each high school and one senior from each program, selected by school leaders for their leadership, academic performance, role modeling for other students and community service. Members of the Board of Education, Omaha Public Schools Foundation, district leadership, high school principals and program directors attend, along with students’ family members, to honor their accomplishments throughout their career at Omaha Public Schools.

In this episode of More Than Hashtags, Omaha Public Schools celebrates 25 years of its Dual Language program. Serving about 4,000 students across ten schools, the program provides instruction in both English and Spanish while supporting strong academic outcomes. Hear from district leaders and educators as they discuss how the program works, the benefits of bilingual learning, and the impact it has had on students, families, and the community over the past 25 years.

In this episode, leaders from Omaha Public Schools discuss the development of the district’s new strategic plan and the shared work behind it. They talk about why strategic planning matters, how a singular focus on literacy guides decision making, and the importance of belonging for both students and staff. The conversation highlights collaboration across the district and a long-term commitment to ensuring all students are reading on grade level by 2030.

(Topher Booth)

In this episode of More Than Hashtags, we explore a significant achievement within Omaha Public Schools. The Legion of Valor Bronze Cross is one of the highest recognitions given to Senior ROTC and JROTC cadets across the country. Fewer than 100 cadets receive the award each year, and this year six OPS students earned that distinction.

We speak with two of those recipients, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Jamie Jordan of Westview High School and Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Sydney Sainovich of Benson High School. They share how JROTC has shaped their growth as leaders, what the Legion of Valor honor represents to them, and how they hope to carry these experiences into their lives after graduation.

(Topher Booth)

In this episode of "More Than Hashtags - the OPSProud Podcast" Omaha Public School's Superintendent Matthew Ray talks with 2nd Grade Teacher Keairra Watson. Keairra shares how the "Science of Reading" shapes her approach to literacy in the classroom setting. Additionally how this method connects to the wider OPS Moonshot for all students to be reading at grade level by the year 2030.

(Topher Booth)

Gearing up for back to school! In this episode, of More Than Hashtags - The OPSProud Podcast, Superintendent Matthew Ray speaks with Kama Konda-Varilek the OPS Family Engagement Coordinator about crucial, informative, back to school resources for families and students. We also hear from Principal Ayesha Station and the ways her team at Boyd Elementary are engaging families and students to bring literacy initiatives to life through personal connection.

Every year, the Omaha Public Schools foundation hosts the “Top Seniors” event. Over 20 students shared their story. These reflections are honest and real. They show us what it means to grow as a person and what it looks like when a school system supports the whole student.

(Topher Booth)

The OPS "Moonshot"

A conversation on how ALL Educators and ALL Student success starts with and is shaped by, literacy.