The Rural Scoop

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - another episode in our special series this season! Our guest is Superintendent Tom O’Malley from the Modoc Joint Unified School District located in Alturas, California! Tom, who was also named the 2021 Binderup Superintendent of the Year for his state, talks about the unique challenges his district faces with distance learning, teacher recruitment, new ways of doing things that they will take into next school year, and some leadership lessons he has learned – including taking on some classroom responsibilities himself! Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join me as I talk with Dr. Andy Smith of Prescott College! Andy has worked in education over 25 years as a teacher, administrator, superintendent, and adjunct professor. He recently took a full time position with Prescott College as the Coordinator for Teacher Education. He shares both his experience in the last year guiding novice teachers through their student teaching experiences, and those of the student teachers creating a new paradigm in  pre-service towards the attainment of their certification. We discuss what online student teaching looked like, what might be on the horizon for teacher prep program curriculum, and how both he and the students he worked with grew over the last year and a half. Come get the Scoop on what’s happening for rural pre-service student teachers and maybe get a glimpse of the future of educational preparation!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - another episode in our special series this season! Our guest is Superintendent Bill Stiteler from the Mountain Institute CTED District in western Yavapai County, Arizona! Bill talks about reimagining student engagement in a hands-on curriculum that went virtual, what the CTED looks like for next year and some leadership lessons he has learned. Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - another episode in our special series this season! Our guest is Principal Kim Schaefer from Whitehorse High School in the San Juan School District located in Montezuma Creek, Utah! Kim talks about how they used school-wide curriculum units to connect and engage with students and families, lessons they will take into next school year, and some leadership lessons she has learned. Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join me as I talk with Marie Caldwell of SiskiyouWorks! Marie has worked in education over 25 years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. During her tenure as an educator she has worked to align public and private partnerships to ensure student success. Through extensive grant writing, she has helped to secure over $8 million for Siskiyou County schools to further career technical education and school to work partnerships. As a founding member of SiskiyouWorks project, she has worked to establish a collaborative partnership of industry, education, non-profit, and government to develop and implement a RoadMap for Workforce development in the County of Siskiyou. Over the last year as Director of the SiskiyouWorks program, she has secured an additional $535,000 in grant funds to implement the Siskiyou County Workforce Development plan. The project has further worked to align the Adult Education Pathways, College of the Siskiyous, and K-12 systems to ensure training and certification for the workforce needs in Siskiyou County and the North/ Far North Region. Come get the Scoop on what's happening for rural students that you might be able to replicate!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - another episode in our special series this season! Our guest is Superintendent Kevin Imes from the Southwest Technical Education District in Yuma, Arizona! Kevin talks about reimagining student engagement in a hands-on curriculum that went virtual, what CTE looks like for next year and some leadership lessons he has learned. Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Come get the Scoop with Mary O’Malley! Mary is the Director of AZ Collaborative Partnerships for ASU Prep Digital, working closely with rural schools, tribal area schools, and opportunity/foster youth. She started her teaching career in Nogales USD and Glendale Union High School District in 1993. Prior to ASU Prep Digital, she worked with multiple education companies, supporting K-12 schools across the U.S. with online and blended learning programs, at-risk learners, ELL teaching strategies, and integrating technology into staff development. An ASU alum, Mary teaches in the Learning Design and Technologies program at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. We will discuss the support ASU Prep Digital lent to rural schools and leaders in the last year, the AZ Virtual Teachers Academy, and opportunities that are available moving into a brand new year. Don’t miss getting the Scoop!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - another episode in our new series this season! Our guest is Stuart Packard from the Buttonwillow Unified School District in Buttonwillow, California! Stuart talks about the team effort his district made during the last year, some creative ways they are using new fiscal resources, and some leadership lessons he has learned. Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join the Scoop as we listen to a few "Stories From the Rural Schoolhouse" - part of a new series this season! Our guest is Dr. Robert Koerperich from the Holbrook Unified School District in Holbrook, Arizona! Robbie talks about the last year for his schools and community, some lessons learned, and how HUSD is coming back better this fall. Don't miss out on getting the Scoop from a Rural Schoolhouse!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081

Join us as we welcome Christie Olsen to talk about some work her rural school district is doing around teacher efficacy. Christie shares the structures and protocols they have put in place to develop collective teacher efficacy. It has had some powerful effects on teacher retention in the Lake Havasu Unified School District in Arizona. Christie has worked in the Lake Havasu Unified School District for 29 years, teaching grades 4-6. She is currently a K-6 Academic/Instructional Coach and serves beginning teachers and their mentors in six elementary schools as an Arizona Master Teacher. Christie is a Middle Childhood Generalist National Board Certified Teacher and a graduate of the Learning Forward Academy of 2019. She and her husband, a high school math teacher, have two daughters who are graduates of Lake Havasu High School. Their older daughter graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2019 and is currently a second lieutenant, serving in the United States Marine Corp, and their younger daughter is a senior at the Colorado School of Mines, studying environmental chemistry. Come get the Scoop!

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞:

© 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved.

The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

For permission requests, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (520) 266-0081