West Ada School District Podcast

Mental health and teacher retention have been topics of conversation across the country the past few years.  We’re joined by a father and son teaching duo to discuss what they see in the profession and why they do what they do.

Alan Heikkila is in his 37th year of teaching.  He’s a West Ada Ag instructor focusing mainly on small engines.  His son, Daniel, also teaches welding at Meridian High.  You’ll be encouraged and perhaps surprised by some of what they reveal about teaching in Idaho.

If your daughter or son would like to learn more about Career and Technical Education (CTE) and any of the pathways West Ada offers, click here.

For more on this year’s Ag Expo click here. Or on this story from KTVB.

To learn more about welding in West Ada click here.  Or here’s a look at the collision pathway.

To learn more about Varsity Tutor, click here.

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel, click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

We all pay taxes.  But are you aware of how our tax bill has gone down over the past 20 years, while the quality of education has improved in West Ada?  It’s phenomenal!

We’re joined in this episode by Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Gillen and Zone 4 Trustee David Binetti.  If you’ve never gotten excited about spreadsheets, today is your day!  😀

In all seriousness, the fiscal responsibility in the district is leading to a smaller tax bill for all of us, and a higher quality education for our children. In this episode, you'll hear about how and why that’s happening – and the plans to continue that trajectory in the future.

To learn more about Varsity Tutor, click here.

For more information concerning free and reduced cost meals and the community eligibility provision click here.
Anne Brock is West Ada’s Director of School Nutrition.  You can reach her at [email protected].

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

The task of helping your student become career or college ready can seem overwhelming.  There is A LOT to know and consider.  Thankfully, we’ve got outstanding College and Career Counselors throughout West Ada.

We’re joined in this episode by two of them; Anna Bemis from Eagle High School and Rae Peppley from Owyhee. We discuss everything from career or military readiness, to navigating the college scholarship maze.

Mark your calendars for March 5 and this year’s College and Career Fair.  Here’s a video from last year’s Fair.

To learn more about Varsity Tutor, click here.

For the Thank a Teacher Program, click here.

Here are other helpful links from things we discuss in today’s episode…

Next Steps Idaho

CollegeXpress: Scholarships, College Search, Lists and Rankings

The Scoir College Network | Scoir

Step Ahead Idaho | Empowering Your College Dreams

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

Season two of the West Ada School District Podcast has arrived!  We’re joined by Jennifer Swindell and Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News. 

If you’re not familiar with their work, Ed News is a nonprofit covering public education in Idaho. These two veteran journalists chat with us about everything from what it’s like covering the legislature to the controversial library bill that was recently passed.

We’ll also dig into what West Ada families and educators need to have on their radar in the coming school year.

If you’d like to learn more about Idaho Education News click here.

For more information concerning free and reduced cost meals and the community eligibility provision click here.
Anne Brock is West Ada’s Director of School Nutrition.  You can reach her at [email protected].

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.

#WeAreWestAda

For the first time ever, the West Ada Podcast is on location!  Thank you to our friends at Roaring Springs for hosting us. For many West Ada students, Roaring Springs serves as their first foray into employment.  Parents, how did you help your kids navigate landing that first job?  What advice do you have for other parents?  Join the conversation, respond here, or send us an email at [email protected].

We’re joined by Elizabeth Martin and Kade Andrus.  Elizabeth is an Eagle High grad and is currently studying at Georgetown University.  You can see her West Ada Ready interview from a year ago here.

Kade Andrus graduated from Mountain View in May.  He discusses everything from the rigor of applying to service academies, to what it was like to be honored with a “We Are West Ada” award this spring.

In addition, we chat with several West Ada elementary and middle school students enjoying the fun at Roaring Springs.  Check it out!

To learn more about the West Ada Enrollment Fair click here.

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda 

Cell phones and social media are impacting all of us – especially our children.  Two leading experts in the field join us in this episode to break down what that affect is from a neurological aspect, and how criminals are utilizing cell phones for the sexploitation and manipulation of our children. 

Dr. John Condie is a medical doctor practicing at St. Luke’s Health System specializing in child neurology.

Officer David Gomez is at the forefront of educating parents and youth about the dangers of social media on electronic devices. He was a School Resource Officer in West Ada for years and is now an SRO in Idaho City.

This is not an easy listen, but we believe it’s a necessary conversation in terms of understanding the impact and dangers of social media in the lives of our kids and ourselves.

We want to hear from you!  How are you dealing with social media in your home?  How can our community best utilize technology while mitigating the dangers?  Send us an email at [email protected].

To follow Officer Gomez on Facebook, click here.

To learn more about Save My Family Events, click here.

To learn more about the replacement levy on the ballot May 21, click here.

Want to learn more about the upcoming Primary Election? Check out the Ada County Election Guide which is full of helpful election information you need to know in order to successfully cast your vote. https://adacounty.id.gov/elections/election-day-information/

·       Register to Vote

·       Find Where You Vote

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

Ready or not, it’s time to start planning for summer break.  Unfortunately, summer learning loss is real, but we’re joined by a couple of experts to help us brainstorm ways to keep our students happy, healthy, and engaged.

Monique Bosse is West Ada’s Student and Family Engagement Liaison and Andrew Fletcher is the Executive Director of Child Development at the YMCA.  We discuss everything from healthy minds and bodies to the community partners investing in our families and students over the course of the summer months.

In fact, here’s a helpful link to just a few of the resources we discuss in this episode.

To learn more about the replacement levy on the ballot May 21, click here.

Want to learn more about the upcoming Primary Election? Check out the Ada County Election Guide which is full of helpful election information you need to know in order to successfully cast your vote. https://adacounty.id.gov/elections/election-day-information/

• Register to Vote
• Find Where You Vote

 To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

We want to hear from you. What topics are you most interested in, and which guests would you like to hear from? Send us an email at [email protected].
 
To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the world around us in what feels like real time.  For educators, the technology is both challenging and exciting. 

Gina Kwid is one of our guests.  She teaches second grade at Galileo Stem and is one of the teachers leading the AI charge in West Ada.  She’s a doctoral candidate at BSU in the Educational Technology Department and is part of West Ada’s AI working group.

We’re also joined by Dr. Paul Bodily, an assistant professor of Computer Science at Idaho State University.  Dr. Bodily is on the cutting edge of the field.  He’s created Artificial Intelligence that composes music.

These two guests have incredible insight into the environment today’s students now inhabit and the technology that is shaping the world around us – enjoy the listen!

To learn more about tutor.com click here.

To subscribe to West Ada’s YouTube channel click here.

We want to hear from you. What topics are you most interested in, and which guests would you like to hear from? Send us an email at [email protected].
 
To learn more about the podcast, or for past episodes click here.
 
#WeAreWestAda

Boise State head football coach Spencer Danielson joins us for a wide-ranging interview.  Seriously, we talk about A LOT...everything from what it’s like to be a #GirlDad, to his faith, to the leadership principals that drive him.

Promise, you don’t need to know the definition of “cover 2” or a “hook and ladder” to enjoy this one.  Whether you lead a classroom, a school, a business, or your family, there’s something in this episode for everyone.

Specifically, if you have a child that plays sports in West Ada, you’re going to want to hear what Coach Danielson has to say about academics and who he calls first when it comes to recruiting.

To learn more about the West Ada Fundraiser click here.

We want to hear from you. What topics are you most interested in, and which guests would you like to hear from? Send us an email at [email protected].
 
To learn more, or for past episodes click here.

#WeAreWestAda