Episodes
3 days ago
3 days ago
This week we sit down with some of the folks working behind the scenes to make this year's All Bethel Community Day a spectacular event for our students, their families, and our community! ABC Day is Saturday, October 5, from 9am to 3pm at Bethel High School.
Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
This week we learn what it's like to open a brand new school with one of our amazing principals! We discuss her diverse school community with its 18 different languages, what exactly a "walking school bus" is, as well as her favorite places to camp in Washington state! We also sit down with students to get their take on the new school, as well as a few favorite Halloween costumes.
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
Wednesday Sep 18, 2024
This week we discuss our district's new grading standards for our middle and high schools. We also talk Disney, things that turned 100 this year, and TV shows that didn't make it to 100 episodes (like we just did!)
Tuesday Sep 10, 2024
Tuesday Sep 10, 2024
This week, we chat with a teacher about her trip to Washington D.C. where she was one of 32 lucky educators to take part in the Smithsonian's Teacher Innovator Institute! We discuss A.I. in the classroom, must-see museums, and how STEAM is helping students grow and learn.
Thursday Sep 05, 2024
Thursday Sep 05, 2024
This week we dive headfirst into our school district’s budget to better understand school funding in Washington. Once we finally resurface, we’ll have a caffeinated conversation about coffee.
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
This week we discuss the difference between "lockdowns" and "modified lockdowns" as we spotlight safety and security here in Bethel. We also get a preview of the upcoming high school football season.
Thursday Aug 22, 2024
Thursday Aug 22, 2024
This week, our lead nurse joins us for a conversation about riding quads, true crime podcasts, urban chicken farming, and what parents need to be thinking about as school gets underway.
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
This week we talk to students and staff who got to travel to Seattle as part of their summer school experience! We also ask them who they consider to be the voice of their generation.
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
We're kicking off Season 3 of the Bethel School District Presents Podcast with a very special guest! Our new Executive Director of Special Services joins us for a great conversation to talk about how her team supports students across the district. We also talk drag racing, old Volkswagens, and have a summertime trivia showdown!
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
In the second part of our conversation with GoodRoots Northwest, we find out how students and technology are helping innovate the experience for families suffering from food insecurity in Pierce County.
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
This week we sit down with the fine folks at GoodRoots Northwest and learn about the ways they're involving our students in their innovative spin on food banks.
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Conor and Doug go head to head in a trivia challenge for the ages before chatting with a former student and her teacher about our Careers in Education program and how it's preparing students to become future educators.
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
This week, we get a little sporty discussing the most popular sports in the world before we revisit an interview with one of our amazing teachers who ran the Boston Marathon!
Thursday Jul 04, 2024
Thursday Jul 04, 2024
Happy Independence Day! The podcast crew is off this week and we have a special rebroadcast of an earlier episode for your podcasting pleasure. Bethel legend Ed Niehl joins the show 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!
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
This week we talk summer blockbuster movies and bid a very fond farewell to Superintendent Tom Seigel, who is retiring after 23 years at the helm of the Battleship Bethel! We'll talk to him about movies, history, archaeology, and more in this jam-packed episode!
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
Thursday Jun 20, 2024
This week we peruse the list of America's 50 favorite foods and are equal parts surprised and hungry afterwards. Then we venture to the Pierce County Skills Center to learn about the newest happenings there, including a student created video game that's going to PAX West, the new Mechatronics program, and some culinary innovations that are feeding hungry families in our community.
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
This week we celebrate the Class of 2024 with several seniors who join the show to talk about their high school experiences, their plans after graduation, and which celebs they wish had given their commencement speeches.
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
This week we're featuring podcasts made by students! Press play for some family fishing fun, near death experiences, and some behind-the-scenes podcast data you'll have to hear to believe!
Thursday May 30, 2024
Thursday May 30, 2024
This week, we find out which states are the happiest in the USA before sitting down with the Bethel High School band to talk about music, life after graduation, and the school's new marching band, which will take the field this fall.
Thursday May 23, 2024
Thursday May 23, 2024
This week, members of the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Council join the show to discuss the way they are helping to influence district and school culture, engagement, policies, procedures, and practices. We also chat about their dreams for after graduation, and find out what song was last stuck in their heads.
Thursday May 16, 2024
Thursday May 16, 2024
This week, we venture to the Pierce County Skills Center's Criminal Justice class to talk with students who are learning Crime Scene Investigation in high school. We also find out where they're heading after graduation, and ask them about a key moment in history they'd like to visit.
Thursday May 09, 2024
Thursday May 09, 2024
Our annual Elementary Battle of the Books is upon us! This week we sit down with students at Katherine G. Johnson Elementary to hear more about the competition, books they recommend, and what their dreams are after high school.
Thursday May 02, 2024
Thursday May 02, 2024
This week we chat with students about how their high schools have prepared them for life after they cross the graduation stage. Conor and Doug also ponder the following question: If you could snap your fingers and instantly become an expert in something, what would it be and why?
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
This week, we talk with students who are using their middle school years to challenge themselves academically. We also sit down with a principal who played a concert on the Great Wall of China!
Thursday Apr 11, 2024
Thursday Apr 11, 2024
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?
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
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!
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
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.
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
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.
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
Wednesday Mar 06, 2024
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.
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
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.
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
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.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
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.
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
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.
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
This week, Doug introduces us to Pancake the Wonder Dog, and Conor talks to some of our students who wrote persuasive essays for a local animal rescue. Find out how many dogs and cats got adopted, who owns a bearded dragon, and what happened after Conor's dog Cooper licked a toad – all on this week's episode!
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
This week, Conor and Doug daydream about where they'd buy a vacation home, before posing that question and more to a Spanaway Lake High School teacher and her students.
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Conor and Doug are joined this week by Principal Lisa Whitmire. Lisa has been in our district longer than Doug and Conor combined, and she shares her journey from teacher to principal, her excitement for the new bond-funded expansion to her school (thank you, voters!), and even weighs in on the question of the week: If you were the host of a late night talk show, who would be your first guest, and why?
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Thursday Jan 11, 2024
Conor reveals some surprising ancestral heritage which prompts today's titular question. The boys reveal their own answers and bring in some outside help to get some more perspective, including Transitional Kindergarten teacher Jennifer Kimble who tells them all about the TK program and how it's helping our youngest students be successful.
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
This week, Conor and Doug kick off the New Year with singer/songwriter Kage Dallas. Kage spends his days as a grounds maintenance specialist here in Bethel, and his nights as an up-and-coming country music star. They discuss life, love, and the pursuit of well-maintained school grounds before Kage performs his hit single, "Only If You're Sure."
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
This week, school counselor Sarah Avila joins the show to talk about her favorite Pixar film, what holiday movie character she most identifies with, and how counselors help students to, "become better humans."This is the last new episode of 2023.The next new episode will be posted on January 4th, 2024!
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
This week, Conor is banished from the studio to make room for all four members of our district's Equity Department. While Conor listens at the studio door, Doug directs the conversation which ranges from removing barriers to students' education, all the way to reality TV. It's our longest podcast ever, and it starts as soon as you click the play button.
Thursday Nov 30, 2023
Thursday Nov 30, 2023
This week Conor and Doug compare radio voices before talking with staff and students from the Transition Lab, a program for special education students between the ages of 18 and 21. The Lab assists students toward independence in independent living, community participation and future employment.
Thursday Nov 16, 2023
Thursday Nov 16, 2023
Conor and Doug weigh in on the age-old Thanksgiving Day debate: Do we watch football or the parade? Then Conor heads over to one of our high schools where two varsity footballers split their time between the gridiron and the grandstand pep band.In honor of Turkey Day, the next new episode will be on November 30.
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
Conor and Doug sit down with CFO Bryan Verley and learn how an EMT from Hollywood became the Chief Financial Officer of our school district. Conor also debuts a new segment called the Lightning Round and the boys kick around the age old question, "what would you do if you had a million dollars?"
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
Conor and Doug break out their bucket lists and talk dream travel destinations before visiting with a Namibian teacher who guest taught at Clover Creek Elementary! She discusses the differences and similarities between teaching here and in Namibia before talking about her experiences at Mount Rainier and the Puyallup Fair.
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
This week, students from Cougar Mountain Middle School join the show to talk indoor skydiving, native plant gardens and other amazing activities their school's science club is up to. Conor and Doug also find out what the kids favorite Halloween costumes are, and share their own 80s inspired picks.
Thursday Oct 19, 2023
Thursday Oct 19, 2023
A former Spanaway Lake High School alum stops by the studio to chat about his journey from the Pierce County Skills Center's Sports Medicine classroom, to the fields of Texas A&M where he now works in sports medicine for a living. Conor and Doug also discuss the district's new "Portrait of a Graduate" and annoy all the guests with the perplexing question, "When's the last time, you did something for the first time?"
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
New words are added to the dictionary every year. But before Conor and Doug scroll through some of the 690 new words that Merriam Webster deemed worthy, they're joined by one of our ASL teachers to talk about some of the new words in American Sign Language, the benefits of being bilingual, and much, much more!*An extended version of this week's interview is available on our YouTube Channel youtube.com/bethelschools
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
On this week's show, Conor and Doug talk "First Concerts" with three very special guests. First up, they're joined by Jodi Greyeyes and Todd King from our Behavioral Health Department, and then Principal Julie Shultz-Bartlett drops by the studio to chat about restorative justice, her new role at Challenger High School, and country music legend Kenny Rogers.
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Doug-a-mania finally runs wild before Conor reigns it in and gets on with the show. Community Connections Director Darius Alexander helps the boys with some breaking news about the Superintendent's Student Leadership Council, and they also discuss the upcoming game between the Harlem Wizards and the Bethel All Stars.
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
What if you could go back in time and have dinner with any person in history? Conor and Doug discuss the possibilities with none other than Superintendent Tom Seigel on this special, one-year anniversary episode of the Bethel School District Presents Podcast!