The Bethel School District Presents: A Podcast About the Bethel School District

This week, Bethel legend Ed Niehl joins the podcast to celebrate the district's 75th anniversary! Ed taught in our district when it was formed back in 1949. Hear about the history of the district from a man who was there, along with plenty of stories, advice, and lots of laughs!

This week, 8th grade students who have been in our Dual Language program since kindergarten talk about the impact it has had on their lives, both socially and academically. Conor and Doug also kick around the age-old question, if you could walk in someone else's shoes for 24 hours, who would it be and why?

This week, all three of our Daffodil Princesses join the show to talk about their high schools, their future plans, and which fictional family they'd like to be part of. Find out why the "Jones family" is a top pick, which student store sells the most iced coffee, and a whole lot more!

On this week's show, a mystery guest stops by the studio to talk about the ways her school is innovating and changing the game when it comes to PLTs. We also discuss social/emotional skills for students, why our elementary schools are talking about high school graduation, and how running, coding, and Dungeons & Dragons are making an impact on students.

Before the COVID shutdown, teachers and principals on our Behavior Task Force were already working hard to create strategies to help educators across the district. This week, Conor and Doug sit down with members of the Task Force to learn more about the work they're doing, how COVID changed behaviors in students, and how they plan to keep our district moving in a positive direction.

This week, Conor and Doug discuss inclusive building design with some experts from NAC Architecture. NAC has designed many schools in our district and has a philosophy that uses classroom design, building layout, and more to help special education students feel welcome and included.

This week, Conor and Doug analyze the recent projections of student enrollment growth for the next 20 years. Along with this week's special guest, Executive Director of Operations Paul Marquardt, they talk about the need for future schools, learn about the work of the community's Facility Advisory Committee, and examine county zoning changes that are accelerating families moving into our district. To wrap it all up, Conor, Doug, and Paul also discuss who would play each of them in a blockbuster movie.

This week, students from Camas Prairie Elementary join the show to talk about LEGO Robotics. Their team recently advanced to the semifinals and they share their thoughts on the competition, teamwork, and the future of robotics.

This week, Conor talks karaoke anthems and bowling scores with the Spanaway Lake High School bowling team. Learn who on the team recently bowled a 299, and how bowling fosters a welcoming and inclusive "family" at school.

Kristyn Dahl and Jodi Borrelli went to junior high school together. They stayed in touch into adulthood until Jodi disappeared. It was a period Kristyn refers to as the "blank pages" from Jodi's life. Jodi resurfaced and those blank pages are now full of her harrowing story – from being a soccer mom to being one of Washington's Most Wanted – all thanks to an addiction that started with a prescribed pain killer and ended with heroin. But Jodi's is a story of hope. She is now a drug and alcohol counselor and public speaker, sharing her story to give hope to others. On this special episode, we talk with Jodi and Kristyn about the dangers kids are facing when it comes to drugs, how kids are, "the great experiment" when it comes to legalized marijuana, and what hope looks like, from a mom who was lucky to survive her spiral into addiction. As Jodi said, "I don't dwell on the minutes I've lost. I focus on the minutes I have." And we thank her for spending some of her minutes with us to help educate our families and students about a dangerous world that is just one pill away.