Supercast

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Rebecca Chandler:
I was so lucky to have this amazing little girl in my class named Sariah, and wouldn't you know it, she interviewed for our school kindergarten position last year.

Sariah Schmelter:
She really was a great teacher and set the mood right off the bat for me and I just grew up knowing I was gonna be a teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a full-circle moment for two former students and their teachers at Rose Creek Elementary School. On this episode of the Supercast, listen as former students are reunited with the teachers they grew to love in elementary school. They are reunited as co-workers, now teaching side-by-side in classrooms at Rose Creek. It is a story that speaks to the lifelong impact a good teacher can have on his or her students, leading to lasting friendship and future success.

Anthony Godfrey:
Talking now with two kindergarten teachers at Rose Creek Elementary. Introduce yourselves and how you know each other.

Rebecca Chandler:
Well, my name is Rebecca Chandler and I have been a teacher for 14 years in Jordan School District; took a little bit time off in the middle for about six years before returning back to teaching. I know this teacher when I started teaching at Hayden Peak Elementary in kindergarten and it was my second year teaching and I was so lucky to have this amazing little girl in my class named Sariah. And, wouldn't you know it, she interviewed for our school kindergarten position last year. Wow.

Sariah Schmelter:
I'm Sariah Schmelter. This is my first year teaching here at Rose Creek and I'm teaching kindergarten, and like Becca mentioned, I had Becca as a kindergarten teacher which was amazing. One of the reasons I actually wanted to come to Rose Creek was because I remembered how amazing she was as my teacher and I knew that she would be a good leader and mentor to me.

Anthony Godfrey:
You just called your kindergarten teacher ‘Becca’ twice. So how long did it take for you to get used to that or are you used to it yet?

Sariah Schmelter:
It was really weird, especially around my family, because my younger sister actually had her the year after. She to this day is still my mom's favorite teacher and so we always talk about Miss Chandler, Miss Chandler, Miss Chandler. So when I started calling her Becca, my mom's like “wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! This doesn't make sense.” Yeah, it's taken a while.

Anthony Godfrey:
I remember that as I have maintained contact with some students that I taught as well, they called me Godfrey for a while like they would drop the beginning. They finally called me by my first name a few times but I think it's still uncomfortable for them. Thirty years later, they still do, you know. It's ingrained, it's ingrained. Now you taught or you sought out the opportunity to teach with your kindergarten teacher. Tell me about that.

Sariah Schmelter:
Yeah, so I was just looking for jobs last year and I would do like a little bit of snooping, I guess, through the websites for each school, and just kind of seeing who's teaching there because I had a couple friends that taught at different schools.

Anthony Godfrey:
And it makes a difference who you're teaching with.

Sariah Schmelter:
It does, it really does. You want to be with people that you know will support you and and lead you. So when I saw Becca on there I was kind of like mind-blowing because for some reason, I thought she moved out of the state, which I don't know why I thought that.

Anthony Godfrey:
We have a lot of myths about our teachers in our mind, that they never go to the grocery store, or yeah, exactly.

Sariah Schmelter:
Yeah, so I remember I saw her there and I like took a picture of like my computer screen. I sent it to my sister, was like, Miss Chandler still teaching! Then she's like, “that's so crazy!” So I applied and when I got to interview, it was, it just felt right and so yeah, it's been fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic. What was it about her that made you want to teach with her?

Sariah Schmelter:
She just I always remember her as being one of my favorite teachers. She was just always so kind and patient and I really enjoyed kindergarten. Because I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, I knew that having a good kindergarten teacher that like I had already experienced be my leader and be my mentor was going to be a great option for me. So that's one of the main reasons that that I kind of sought out this position over some other ones.

Anthony Godfrey:
And just for context for our readers who may be more advanced in years, what year did you go to kindergarten?

Sariah Schmelter:
Oh, let's see. Okay, it was 2006 to 7.

Anthony Godfrey:
2006, 7 in kindergarten and now in your first year of teaching. You’re a very young teacher at the time. Becca, tell me about the experience of realizing that you're gonna get to teach with your former student.

Rebecca Chandler:
Oh, it was so fun. I didn't I'll be honest I didn't recognize her right off the bat but as soon as she asked if I had taught at Hayden Peak and she told me her name. I she didn't have to tell me her last name. I just knew it right away, oh my gosh, and I remember your little sister, Nicole. It's like I could just see their little faces exactly. Then once I realized that, I'm like oh I can totally see you just as a little five-year-old. I just remember them being just both so sweet and kind to everybody. It just took me right back. It was such a wonderful time for me teaching there and just starting my career and everything. One of the things was our community was so great and my students were amazing and so it was just, just a flood of memories and it was just so fun to be back.

Anthony Godfrey:
She's tall for five years old.

Rebecca Chandler:
She's tall for five years old.

Anthony Godfrey:
And very accomplished.

Rebecca Chandler:
Just like a parent, you don’t like it when they get taller than you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Your kindergarten student has outgrown you but she hasn't outgrown learning from you, I'm sure. What are some of the things that you have picked up from Becca that have really helped you as a teacher?

Sariah Schmelter:
I don't even know where to begin. There have been so many things especially as a first-year teacher that I'm still learning and developing. Becca's been amazing and has come in and observed me several times and has helped me kind of figure out what I need to work towards especially, in like student engagement which can be sometimes be hard. I feel like that's one of the main things I've learned from her but also just how to be like kind and empathetic. She's an amazing teacher and her students love her. I mean,, I still love her like from a student perspective and her kids will come in during Walk to Read time and they're just like, “oh, we love Miss Chandler,” and like, “I love Miss Chandler, too.” So just learning how to be kind and empathetic to the kids so that you form that connection so they can have that healthy learning environment. I think that's one of the biggest things I've learned.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's wonderful! Tell me what you love most about teaching kindergarten.

Rebecca Chandler:
Oh, I don't even know where to start. Probably because I just find it so satisfying. What I mean by that is they come in just babies. I mean, they are babies. I still remember my kids that that little and I just couldn't imagine sending them off. So their parents are trusting us to have them and nourish them and teach them. It's just so satisfying to watch them come in, and while some may know how to read and things like that, they still don't know a lot about how school works. So to see the amount of growth from the beginning of the year to the end of year is incredible. I'm sure other grades see that too, but for me it feels just even more spectacular in kindergarten.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is something different when you're teaching students how to be in school but you're also teaching parents sometimes how to have kids in school. Tell me about what that's like.

Sariah Schmelter:
I feel very fortunate I have some amazing parents this year who seek out advice and really follow things. We work together as a team and so that's been really awesome. But yeah, I think there definitely is that learning curve when especially I have a lot of first kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
So first-time parents. first-time students,

Sariah Schmelter:
Yes, yeah, exactly, and but again I feel very fortunate that they they're willing to work with me. We talk about their students and how we can help them in class. They're just very open and willing to learn and grow and I'm open to it or an open and willing to learn and grow, so I think it's just been a good experience. They've all done really well.

Rebecca Chandler:
It is it is really fun to see some of these first-time parents because they I feel like are more nervous than the kindergartners. It is an extra responsibility to try and ease them into the into the role of being a parent of an elementary school student. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and training but overall, this is a great community.

Anthony Godfrey:
A kindergarten teacher I spoke with a couple of months ago told me about how they consider the parents on the first day of kindergarten like the paparazzi taking all these pictures, getting all the photos, and then like you said, they trust their child to come in and that's a big responsibility. When I came into your class Becca, it was obvious what a great teacher you are because the processes for getting kids in, seated, accounted for, lunches, all the procedures are there. I think that's really comforting to a kid to know to know how this works. I'm coming in, I'm part of this. You know everyone knows their place and what to do but they also get to be themselves.

Rebecca Chandler:
For sure. You know that you always learn and it's, I mean it, you will notice this in real life that behavior to how to manage behavior will always start with routines and procedures and I am a firm believer of that. My students, we work so hard on those routines that on the days that we have to vary sometimes they are so well trained in just their muscle memory, they're like Pavlov's dogs and they'll just do whatever; and I'm like wait, wait, wait! But we're changing today and they are just so used to the routine and the procedure that it's hard for them to even switch, but it makes our day go so much better.

Anthony Godfrey:
What it does is it creates time for learning to happen and for those positive interactions to happen. I've always been impressed by the way that elementary teachers in particular are able to set up those routines and you learned a lot from Becca about that just from what you described.

Sariah Schmelter:
Yeah, for sure I've learned a lot about routine and procedure. I've been able to observe her class as well and kind of see how she formulates her day, how she does transitions. Those can be really hard for kids when you're all the sudden transitioning from the carpet to the table. They want to kind of talk with their neighbor and they get lost in time. But I'm watching the things that Becca does. Sometimes she'll have them like have a task to do while they're going to their table or something like that, so it kind of keeps those kids engaged and in learning while they're transitioning. I've seen some really positive effects from doing stuff like that.

Anthony Godfrey:
You give them a great launch. Look at the launch that you gave her.

Rebecca Chandler:
She's given me a lot of credit, but she is one of the most incredible first-year teachers I have ever seen. In my observations, I've all made notes about, I love that, I'm gonna steal that idea. So, I even made a couple of notes and then I've used them in my classroom. My students have really loved it. So she's given me a lot of credit but she needs to give herself credit because she really is an amazing first-year teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
I talked to a lot of teachers and it's really obvious what a great teacher you are right out of the gate, so I hope you have many years ahead in Jordan District. You have as many as you want, but it's a real thrill to talk with both of you and enjoy celebrating this year of progress that your kindergartners have had. You've given them a great start.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back as we talk with Stacy Marshall and Riley Butterfield, teacher and student who became a teacher.

Male voice:
Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Sandy Riesgraf:
Are you looking for a job right now? Looking to work in a fun and supportive environment with great pay and a rewarding career? Jordan School District is hiring. We're currently filling full and part-time positions. You can work and make a difference in young lives and education as a classroom assistant or a substitute teacher. Apply to work in one of our school cafeterias where our lunch staff serves up big smiles with great food every day. We're also looking to hire custodians and bus drivers. In Jordan School District we like to say, “people come for the job and enjoy the adventure!” Apply today at employment.jordandistrict.org.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with two teachers at Rose Creek Elementary. Go ahead and introduce yourselves and then we'll talk a little bit about how long you've known each other and why.

Stacy Marshall:
My name is Stacy Marshall and I taught Riley in kindergarten in 2002, so that’s why we are here.

Riley Butterfield:
I'm Riley Butterfield and I am now here at Rose Creek for my second year of teaching.

Anthony Godfrey:
Riley, the former kindergartner, what do you remember about being in that kindergarten class?

Riley Butterfield:
Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot just because that feels so long ago now.

Anthony Godfrey:
It’s a long time ago.

Riley Butterfield:
Yeah, I just remember having so much fun. She really was a great teacher and set the mood right off the bat for me and I just grew up knowing I was gonna be a teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you knew the way that it felt to be in her class. How did it feel to be in her class?

Riley Butterfield:
She made it a very loving environment, fun, welcoming, made sure that everyone was, you know, greeted and then sent off in a good way.

Anthony Godfrey:
Did it feel organized?

Riley Butterfield:
Oh year. She's always been organized.

Anthony Godfrey:
The reason I ask that is I know she's highly organized and has the processes, has the procedures. Do you think there's a little bit of her teaching DNA that has inhabited the way that you run your first-grade classes?

Riley Butterfield:
I would hope so. I try to be as organized as I possibly can and I think there's a little influence there.

Anthony Godfrey:
How many years have you been teaching now?

Riley Butterfield:
This is my second year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Your second year teaching and both here at Rose Creek?

Riley Butterfield:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
What brought you to Rose Creek specifically?

Riley Butterfield:
I finished my student teaching in November and I saw that there was an opening and kind of hard to find a job in the middle of the year. This one was open.

Anthony Godfrey:
At what point did you realize you would be teaching at the same school as your former kindergarten teacher?

Riley Butterfield:
It took us what like three months to realize. My mom had come and helped me set up the class and she was like, “gosh, that teacher looks so familiar.” We were trying to figure it out, me and my mom, back and forth, and she's like, maybe your brother had her. So, then I was telling Stacy about it. She pulled out all of her yearbooks and there I was, and so it was not even my brother. It was me. So, it was fun to make that connection and see that after.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now just so that everyone listening can feel a little older, in what year were you in kindergarten and now second year, now you're a second-year teacher?

Riley Butterfield:
Yes, I believe that was 2002.

Anthony Godfrey:
2002 in kindergarten.

Riley Butterfield:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Half-day kindergarten back when we did not offer that. Oh, the old PM kindergarten.

Riley Butterfield:
Yeah, I was the PM kindergarten.

Stacy Marshall:
A letter a week.

Anthony Godfrey:
Very nice. All right. How do you enjoy teaching? How do you feel about teaching now that you're now that you're in it?

Riley Butterfield:
Oh, I love it. I love being able to interact with the kids and just joke with them and teach them and watch that light bulb moment. You know, when they're reading and be able to really think back and when they're writing, thinking about their six syllable types and how they can break that apart to like, figure out the word. It's just fun to watch them do that.

Anthony Godfrey:
When you're teaching first graders you really get to see that huge progress. I taught middle school and high school and I got to see progress and you saw the light bulbs go on. But I feel like a first-grade teacher or a kindergarten teacher gets to see that all the time, that they are lighting the boards up all the time. You see this huge progress and that they're growing up before your eyes. Tell me about that.

Riley Butterfield:
Yeah, it's weird to watch them like even our beginning of the year photos, and like looking back at class photos that you take during your class parties, and then you have them flipping through on the screen. Then all of a sudden, you're at the end of the year and you're like that's a different kid. They hardly look the same. Yeah, so it's crazy to even just like look back on the photos that are flipping through the screen.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a lot of time that they, that you, spend together every day. They get to know every stitch of clothing that you own, every mood that you are feeling. Do they, do they tell you all the time you look kind of tired or you look kind of sad?

Riley Butterfield:
No, I haven’t gotten that one.

Anthony Godfrey:
Or oh yeah, I got that all the time. Or it would be about oh are you tired, Mr. Godfrey? You seem tired. Anyway, how about you? What do you remember about Riley when she was a kindergartner?

Stacy Marshall:
Well, you know this is my 24th year of teaching so that would have been, you know, a little bit back then but I  . . .

Anthony Godfrey:
She's the only one you remember? She was a standout. I mean she's shown like the sun.

Stacy Marshall:
Your first year.

Anthony Godfrey:
I mean, she shown like the sun.

Stacy Marshall:
When I first started, I was eight months pregnant with my youngest. I know people say, “oh, your first year is like a train wreck or something.” You just hope they survived you, know so I was hoping. I was looking at her now. I'm like, okay, one made it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, she made it, she made it.

Stacy Marshall:
That year is just a little bit of a blur because so much was going on and it's your first year. But it was it was a good class. I look back at that yearbook and some of the kids that were there. I taught siblings of those families. I made good connections that way with the families at Jordan Ridge and then yeah, I watch her now, she's just amazing. She's an amazing teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that was your first year teaching and you had a career in law enforcement before that, is that right?

Stacy Marshall:
I did, I did 11 years with police.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about being a police woman and then coming in to be a kindergarten teacher. Tell me about the skills that transferred from one job to the next.

Stacy Marshall:
You know I tell people that it's kind of the same because, except that the kindergartners are better because they're supposed to behave that way instead of adults behaving like they're fine you know.

Anthony Godfrey:
So, they match your expectations a little better than the adult behavior did.

Stacy Marshall:
Sometimes. Wow, you know. But I don't know. I just I think because my last part of my police career was in detectives and in crimes committed against children, it just kind of led me to want to see that positive side versus I was in so much of, you know, the sadness of the things that can happened to kids. But being on the teaching part of it just brought me back that happiness. That yeah, kind of like you said, that growth and the kids are so empathetic in first grade. If you're having a rough day, they're like, “oh are you sad? You know, or how can we help? Can I give you a hug?” They're just like that and that's my attraction to first grade, too, for that the kids are just wonderful.

Anthony Godfrey:
What would you say to those who are thinking about becoming a teacher? The kindergartners out there listening to the podcast were thinking one day maybe I can teach first grade?

Riley Butterfield:
Do it. I don't know I've loved every single minute of it. I know that some people are like, “oh, never become a teacher,” but I just can't relate. I can't relate to that. I look forward to coming every day and I can't wait to hear the stories that the kids are going to share or tell me of what happened last night. I just I love it. It's really what I want to be doing and I just would say do it.

Anthony Godfrey:
The question I used to love that they would say is, you know, they can't wait to tell you about their lives but also what are we doing today? I think that's a big compliment like there's going to be something cool, what is it? I just can't wait. I can't wait to tell you about my life and I can't wait to see what you have for me today.
On the other end of a career, what would you say to those who are thinking about teaching?

Stacy Marshall:
I do think it's an innate calling that people just are drawn to that, you know, I really do. Especially I mean I guess if people stay in it for as long as they do, it has to be that connection. Yeah, and those connections, those daily connections, like you say, whether it's learning how to read or even those who are struggling, it just being a part of that struggle is a positive in your life. So, I can look back and say I know I made the right career choice. It's been a bumpy ride at times but it's been a good ride. I wouldn't have swapped up for anything. I really truly wouldn't have swapped up for anything.

Anthony Godfrey:
The bumps are part of the deal. Yeah, and what's nice is that you see the kids the next day and you're able to recover. You know, you get that consistency.

Stacy Marshall:
Well, you know, when they go to second grade the beginning of the year, I always feel like a rock star walking through the lunch room because that's always, “Miss Marshall, Miss Marshall!” Yeah, you do feel like a rock star. You've got your paparazzi back. It wears off. Third or fourth grade . .

Anthony Godfrey:
Fourth grade just kind of gives the head the head nod you know.

Stacy Marshall:
But second grade is like, but it's even fun. Still I've got the kids that I first taught here are in fifth grade now and they'll walk by and say, “Hey, Miss Marshall,” and so that's kind of fun to still have that connection with them. But yeah, beginning of the year second graders, you're just a rock star.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, enjoy your rock star status both of you and good luck with the remaining days of the year.

Stacy Marshall and Riley Butterfield:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right take care thanks for talking with me. Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember. education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see out there. Bye.

Melanie Dawson:
What's really tapped into developing skills that they may have already had somewhat, but to really expand that and give them this connection to school that might they might not have had before; something that they love and they love to come here for.

Eddie:
I was mad one day, so I just wrote a song.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah?

Eddie:
About how I was feeling.

Anthony Godfrey:
And when you wrote that song did you feel better after that?

Eddie:
Yeah, definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. You could say students are really rocking it at River's Edge School this year. On this episode of the Supercast, find out how music in a brand new school band is enriching the educational experience for students at River's Edge and how teachers are taking note, loving the experiences.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here at River's Edge School talking with the principal. Tell us a little bit about the school and introduce yourself.

Melanie Dawson:
Hi, my name is Melanie Dawson. This is my third year as principal. I've been here six years as an administrator. River's Edge School is a school serving the students in the District who need the most intense social, emotional and behavioral support. They come here through a placement process and we have a lot of supports that exist throughout our building where we can provide them what they need and I take very seriously that this is their opportunity, not only to get some behavioral supports, but also this is where they get their education. So really making sure that we have as high quality and rigorous classes for them, so that the time they spend in our building, they are being educated at the highest levels possible.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is where students go to receive the most intensive support for social and emotional needs and behavior issues. Is that correct?

Melanie Dawson:
Correct. That is the population that we serve and they all come to us for a variety of reasons. We serve elementary through high school, so that is one thing that makes us unique. We have smaller numbers than they have at typical schools, but we have a huge breadth of the things that we do and the programs that we provide since we serve all ages.

Anthony Godfrey:
And a K-12 school means that you, exactly as you described, need to provide support for lots of different ages, stages of development, lots of very unique needs based on a lot of things in that child's life.

Melanie Dawson:
Absolutely. Absolutely. That is one thing that makes us unique, and that's one thing I absolutely love about my job at River's Edge. Because we have a small number of students, we also have a smaller staff than is typical, but our ratio of staff to student is actually quite high, so these students can receive an individualized education. Our teachers have to do a lot of flexing. Sometimes they'll be teaching an elementary class at one point in their day but then they might be teaching a high school class and there's a whole lot of variety and change even from period to period and year to year for our staff.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to be ready for anything basically.

Melanie Dawson:
Yes, in more ways than one.

Anthony Godfrey:
There are some misunderstandings about River's Edge, and so I'm glad you laid it out so clearly. Some people think it's only secondary, first of all, and some may not realize that there is mainstreaming that goes on. Tell me about that.

Melanie Dawson:
Oh absolutely. I mean I view our top priority, priority one, is to stabilize students’ behavior with our supports. But one B, not two, one B is to get them back out to a mainstream opportunity so that they can be educated around typical peers to the extent that they are ready. And that looks different than it looks at other schools. I mean other schools that might have some type of a special ed program they can usually walk a kid across the hall for some kind of a class and they have a lot more access to what that mainstream environment is. But my team we are really working with any school across the District to mainstream a child and trying to coordinate what those services and what those supports look like to foster success as much as possible. And our goal is that when a student is ready to not need River's Edge, we hope that they're able to move on to another school as a more permanent placement. It doesn't always look that way but this is where we take it individual case by case based on what a student is ready for.

Anthony Godfrey:
And the point is that so for mainstreaming, that's more of a typical sort of school environment where this is a more restrictive environment for those who may not understand what that is. Can you talk about the range that students, where students might be placed based on their needs?

Melanie Dawson:
Absolutely. So there's what we consider a continuum of services especially when you're talking in the world of special education, and the general education classroom setting is the least restrictive. That's where students have full access to content and to peers, and then sometimes students need a little additional support so that might be like a resource pull out or something like that. But they still might receive the majority of their day in a gen ed classroom. And then we start to get more restricted from there where maybe an IEP team decides that a child would benefit from more of what we'd call a self -contained placement where they have more of their day in a room with students who have similar needs to them so we can kind of consolidate our efforts towards those students. And then we receive students who need even more than that, more than just a self-contained classroom. So we are considered a self-contained school. We are a special ed school that serves those students, where based on data, based on experiences in their other their other experiences throughout that continuum, the data and the team is able to get together and say yes, like this student would benefit, at least right now, from some additional support. So we're able to then have this entire beautiful school where we can focus our efforts on students who have somewhat similar needs.

Anthony Godfrey:
One way of looking at it would be that you try the least restrictive environment and you move toward a more restrictive environment cautiously thoughtfully until you realize this is the least restrictive environment. You place a student in the least restrictive environment where their needs can still be met.

Melanie Dawson:
Oh, that was beautifully articulated. That's exactly right, and that's why mainstream is such a big priority here, too, because as soon as we feel like they're ready for something less restrictive, even if that's only for one hour of their day, then the onus is on us to make that opportunity available to them.

Anthony Godfrey:
So the idea is not to play someone and say well, they’re River's Edge and we're done here. It's okay they're at River's Edge, now let's build back if we can, if there's any chance of building back, let's do that, so that a student can move toward the less restrictive environment over time.

Melanie Dawson:
Absolutely, again, very well-articulated. That's always our goal and I especially as the principal of this building I always keep my eye on that goal. That is where we're always trying to aim for student, and again, that may or may not be the reality depending on when they come to us, how much time we have left with them, what their actual combination of behaviors look like, but it's really important because although we I love River's Edge, this has been an amazing place and we provide as many opportunities as we can. But with a small number of students and a small staff, we also sometimes are a little bit limited in the variety of things that we can offer students so sometimes mainstreams give them access to electives and things that are so awesome for that child where we, you know you think of a typical high school and how many teachers they may have on staff there. We have eight full time teachers here, so we do our best to rotate electives and to match that to our student needs and interests, but honestly, sometimes mainstream gives them access to something new and different, not just typical peers, but also content that we have not yet provided within our walls. It also connects us as leaders to the kinds of things like, oh could we add something like this into the rotation? Do we have the right person to teach this, or to get creative about how to approach this content area?

Anthony Godfrey:
I love that. Being creative about how you can provide a wide range of opportunities for students, because opportunities will bring out the best in those students when they have a chance to connect with something meaningful and enjoyable for them.

Melanie Dawson:
Yeah, absolutely and that's really how our music program, that we're going to show you today, how it evolved. It was part vision on our part like knowing that we wanted to bring some more arts into their lives. We ended up hiring the right people, who personally had the right skill set and they had the right passion to give us some of these resources. Then we were able to create new opportunities under the umbrella of arts for our students. It's been so awesome to see how they have blossomed with these opportunities and how it's really tapped into developing skills that they may have already had somewhat, but to really expand that and give them this connection to school that might they might not have had before, something that they love and they love to come here for.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic and it is exciting. I can't wait to play with them and hear more about their experience being able to be involved in music here. Well, it's a remarkable school. You and your staff do an incredible job, and I'm really excited for people to learn more about it and to be here and jam out with some of your students.

Melanie Dawson:
Oh, they're looking forward to it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back, more about the important work going on for students at River's Edge School every single day.

Male Voice:
Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Sandy Riesgraf:
Hello, I'm Sandy Riesgraf, Director of Communications for Jordan School District and we want to invite you to connect with us. So many exciting things are happening in your child's school, your neighbor's school, in every school here every day. Don't miss out on following the fun or simply staying informed when there's important information we need to share. Join us at jordandistrict.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at Jordan District. We can't wait to connect.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here to talk about the band and this music experience here at River’s Edge. Everyone, introduce yourselves, and let's talk about why we're here today.

Lance Weaver:
I'm Lance. I'm the music teacher and I'm here to teach these kids some music.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how long have you guys been working on this particular song?

Lance Weaver:
We've been working with Leryk the first part of the semester, or the first semester, and then with Eddie the second semester and Kai's been a drummer the whole time.

Anthony Godfrey:
Leryk, Eddie and Kai, those are great rock and roll names. So let's get to it. Let's get to it. Introduce yourselves and tell us what you play in the band and what type of music you like. I also want to hear about the type of music you listen to. I mean, it's on the shirts a little bit already, but tell us about it.

Leryk:
My name is Leryk and I like a lot of music.

Anthony Godfrey:
What do you play in the band, Leryk?

Leryk:
Guitar, sometimes bass.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. That's a common answer when you ask someone what they do in the band. It's sometimes bass. Tell me about what music you like to listen to.

Leryk:
I like older rock music when it wasn't so depressing and angry all the time, like it is now.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm with you. Yeah, let's get some bright, sunny rock and roll tunes. What are some songs or bands that you really like?

Leryk:
Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, which I rarely hear anything about.

Anthony Godfrey:
Very nice. Jefferson Airplane as opposed to Jefferson Starship as opposed to Starship.

Leryk:
There's a lot of modern bands to listen to. I also like electronic music, like Daft Punk.

Anthony Godfrey:
Daft Punk, very nice. Crossing the pond for that one, very good.

Leryk:
I also really like old 1940s and 50s jazz.

Anthony Godfrey:
Really? Wow. How about you?

Kai:
My name is Kai.

Anthony Godfrey:
Kai, what are you doing in the band? Your drums? Is that right?

Kai:
Yep. I'm a drummer.

Anthony Godfrey:
What drew you to the drums?

Kai:
My dad used to do it. He's a big inspiration for me, but he used to be in drum corps and used to play for a band. It was a tribute band. Not the actual Slipknot. They spelled theirs with an N instead of a K.

Anthony Godfrey:
Untied, maybe, would be the name of a cover band. The Slipknot cover band, that's intense. Very cool. What type of music do you like to listen to?

Kai:
Anything that sounds good and has a stable beat.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's about the beat for you?

Kai:
Pretty much. I don't care about the context of the song. As long as it sounds good and has a funky beat to it, I can jam to them.

Anthony Godfrey:
Any drummers or particular bands that you like?

Kai:
Stick Figure, Korn, Tool.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah?

Lerck:
Tool's one of the greatest bands ever. I can double it. Tool is my favorite.

Anthony Godfrey:
I went and saw Tool before I really knew who they were at Lollapalooza here. I had boots on, I had my whole rocking boat here on, and I had to walk for two miles in my boots. Tool was actually on the side stage. Primus was on the main stage, and Tool was on the side stage. It was in the early days, in the 1900s. How about you?

Eddie:
I'm Eddie, I play guitar.

Anthony Godfrey:
Of course, Eddie plays guitar. That's how it goes.

Eddie:
Yeah. I like metal, mainly.

Anthony Godfrey:
What kind of metal bands do you like?

Eddie:
Slipknot, mainly new metal bands, some death metal bands like Cannibal Corpse.

Anthony Godfrey:
New metal like the NU.

Eddie:
Yeah, NU metal. New metal for those listening, yes.

Eddie:
Yeah, like Korn, all those. Also, love Tool. I love Primus. Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, Primus is out there, but I like him.

Eddie:
Oh yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like him. They're coming in concert, actually.

Eddie:
Oh, that's cool.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me, what has it meant to you to be part of this band, to be part of this music program?

Leryk:
I think it's a great way to learn and instruments in general. And like, how do I describe it? It really, really helps you learn something when you're in a room with a bunch of random people. And it's like, okay, guys, be in rhythm with each other, figure out a song, play it.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's great. You've described exactly what my guitar teacher told me decades ago. That is, when you play with other people, you get better. You get better faster when you're playing with other people because you're supporting each other. So it's really being part of a team. How about for you? What does it mean to you, Kai, to be part of this?

Kai:
What it means to me is a group of random people coming together just to make music, stuff that sounds good, that just auditorily pleasing, so to say. And I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Sometimes it can be a little stressful not naming anyone. Anywho.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's always a little band tension.

Kai:
If I had a nickel for every time, they were like, "Stop tuning!" I'm practicing my fills. "Alright, Kai, I'm tuning."

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, you've got an instrument in front of you. It's hard to resist. I understand that. But there's that creative tension. That's what I like to call it.

Kai:
Oh, yeah. But besides from that, we cooperate pretty well with each other.

Anthony Godfrey:
Good.

Kai:
Being in the band, it helps me get a lot of my anger out. And also just play music with my friends. It's the part of the day that I look forward to.

Anthony Godfrey:
It gives you a way to express yourself.

Kai:
Yeah. It's what motivates me to come here.

Anthony Godfrey:
Good. That's fantastic. When you listen to... Do you listen to music differently now that you've been playing music? Appreciate it in a different way?

Kai:
Oh, yeah. You appreciate it in a different way. You can pick the music apart and listen to the individual beats.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Eddie:
Because before I couldn't tell what the beat was at all, but now I can, listening to the music, except for Tool.

Anthony Godfrey:
What about you, Leryk?

Leryk:
If I were to be honest, kind of, not really. I'm hearing more tone balancing out in my ear. But like, no, it still all sounds the same to me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. All right. Well, tell me about the song that you've been practicing. I heard that in the hallway. What have you been getting ready to perform?

Leryk:
1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, very nice. You know, I was around for 1979, but we don't need to talk about that. Why 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins?

Leryk:
I think it's a really interesting song about life in general. If I remember the story correctly, the lead singer, he wrote the song about how he felt like he kind of wasted life. The song is just about like limited time on earth and that you should spend it very well.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a message I can get behind.

Leryk:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
How about for you two?

Eddie:
The story for that song that I heard was that he was sitting in his car and it was raining. And he saw like out of his front windshield, that's all his life in front of him. But behind him in his rearview mirror, that was like his childhood and it was all ending and stuff.

Anthony Godfrey:
So growing up and assessing life.

Kai:
I really like the rhythm and beat of the song. I find it calming in a way, but it's a very good song and I love playing it.

Eddie:
Yeah. We're also going to be performing another song that I wrote.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, awesome.

Eddie:
Spitback.

Anthony Godfrey:
Spitback?

Eddie:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about writing Spitback.

Eddie:
I was just mad one day, so I just wrote a song about how I was feeling.

Anthony Godfrey:
And when you wrote that song, did you feel better after that?

Eddie:
Yeah, definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Good. So then did you bring it into the guys and said, all right, let's make this into a full song?

Eddie:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
And how did that go?

Eddie:
It went good.

Anthony Godfrey:
Did it go pretty quickly?

Eddie:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, can we hear that first? That's the one I want to hear right now.

Eddie:
Okay. Sure.

Anthony Godfrey:
Can we do that? All right. Here it is Spitback.

Eddie:
It's a magic wand. The most common one indeed.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, are there lyrics to Spitback?

Eddie:
No

Anthony Godfrey:
I like it, I like it.

 Anthony Godfrey:
The crowd goes wild.

Anthony Godfrey:
That was fantastic. You were up and down the neck of that guitar. That was really, really good. That was engaging right from the start. You are a skilled guitarist. Well beyond my hacking it out. That's wonderful. Let's travel to 1979. Okay, you guys ready?

Kai:
Nice and relaxed. One, two, three, four.

Anthony Godfrey:
So as a member of the band and the instructor, what type of progress have you seen in their musicianship?

Lance Weaver:
They are musicians now. Before last year they weren't really. Seeing that Leryk went home through the summer and learned some songs and he came to me with them. I tried to talk them into playing folk and bluegrass but they weren't having it so I said, well then, let's rock. So that's what we're doing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Outstanding. That's great. Well, the folk will come later. The folk is on the horizon.

Lance Weaver:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well I appreciate what you're doing with these students, giving them this opportunity. I think music is the best example of where you didn't know how to do something and then you do.

Lance Weaver:
Music can be their friend when there is no friend.

Anthony Godfrey:
No, I agree. Absolutely. How long have you been working with them now?

Lance Weaver:
Last year, I started just bringing in some instruments and letting kids play and try to direct them a little bit. This year, we turned it into an actual class. So yeah, all year long.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks a lot for talking with me today. It is super impressive stuff. I love what you're doing. The creativity that you bring to it and the dedication. Playing that over and over again, this is not easy stuff to play, so well done. Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, “Education is the most important thing you will do today.” We'll see you out there.

Anthony Godfrey:
You’re the total package, you can create the costume, direct it, pull the kids together, bring out the best in them.

Robin Michelsen:
Not alone.

Anthony Godfrey:
Singing, dancing, and acting.

Robin Michelsen:
Not alone, not alone.

Brynn:
She is incredible, you guys. She is amazing. You know what she did? She hand-sewed my entire dress. And she is just, she's amazing. It's incredible how much thought she put into this play.

(upbeat music)

(bell ringing)

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They took the audience back in time to the 1940s with period costumes, a creative set design, and delightful music.

On this episode of the Supercast, listen as Midas Creek Elementary School students take the stage in a lively and uplifting performance of the musical, "Don't Say No to the USO”. It is a family-friendly production with a focus on humor, suspense, and nostalgia. It was a spectacular student performance that had everyone clapping and doing some toe tapping.

We're here with Robin Michelsen at Midas Creek Elementary talking about the performances of "Don't Say No to the USO” that just completed last night. I was able to see it on opening night. What a wonderful performance. Tell us a little bit about what happened.

Robin Michelsen:
Well, I've been at the school for 15 years. We've done a play, we've tried to do a play every year. Of course, COVID came in, we had a couple of other years that got skipped that we didn't do it. We try to do something that correlates to the sixth-grade curriculum, but I will have to say this is my favorite play of all the plays we do. We do one in Egypt, we do one in the Middle Ages, but this is the one.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was really impactful for me. First of all, it really transports you to the 40s, takes place during World War II, and the hairstyles, the costumes, and the dialogue. It was just really cool to go back in time, and some sixth graders really pulled off looking like they were from the 40s.

Robin Michelsen:
They did.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about the costumes and the hair. I know that you made the costumes, so let's hear about that.

Robin Michelsen:
Well, this is the second time we've done this play. We did this play also in 2017. So I had some of the costumes, I had a lot of the military costumes. I didn't make those, I went to military, what do they call them?

Anthony Godfrey:
Surplus

Robin Michelsen:
Surplus stores. I went to some surplus stores and took them in and stuff, so I didn't make those from scratch. But a lot of the dresses I had, some of those dresses are actually authentic. They're actually 1940s, '50s dresses.

Anthony Godfrey:
That doesn't surprise me. Not that I was there, but it looks like what you imagine the 40s to be.

Robin Michelsen:
Yeah, some of them are authentic. Actually, a funny story that the girls don't wear those kinds of dresses. So I would ask them to wear something that they could change into, and then they come out and it doesn't fit or whatever, and they realize they didn't know how to undo the zipper or the buttons. I had to show them how to put it on. There was one that zips up the back, and she's trying to zip it up the front. It was just kinda cute. They just don't have dresses like that anymore.

Anthony Godfrey:
How did you figure out how to show these girls and their families how to do their hair?

Robin Michelsen:
I took pictures.

Anthony Godfrey:
40s hair for the boys is pretty easy.

Robin Michelsen:
It is.

Anthony Godfrey:
40s hair for the girls is complex. That is sculpture.

Robin Michelsen:
I found some videos on YouTube and sent them to the moms. Sent videos and some pictures, and stuff. Didn't they do an awesome job?

Anthony Godfrey:
They did so good.

Robin Michelsen:
I don't know how much hairspray that took.

(laughing)

Anthony Godfrey:
It really was amazing, and I understand that you involved more kids than ever in this one. This was a ton of kids to be part of the cast and part of the stage crew.

Robin Michelsen:
It was quite a few. In a previous time we did it, we actually had more, which turns out to be really hard when you have so many. And that time we double cast. We had two people for each part.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, that just shows how many people want to be part of this.

Robin Michelsen:
Yeah, so that was really hard. We've kind of said we'll never do that again. (laughing) Not with two for each part. But yeah, there were a lot of kids. You know, and they were so good about coming every morning. For the kids that committed from the beginning just stuck with it. We had only one kid move out from the signups in December.

Anthony Godfrey:
Really? That's incredible. And they had to sing, they had to dance. There was, of course, acting and dialogue. And it went so smoothly. They worked really hard, as did you. Their efforts were apparent in the outcome. It was so well done.

Robin Michelsen:
One of my favorite things about these plays is a lot of times you give a part to a child and they act like, “Oh, I don't know if I can do that. I don't know if I want a speaking part or I can sing.” And they just find something within themselves that they didn't know they had. It's like wonderful to watch. It's wonderful to watch them blossom, to find that within themselves.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's the beauty of this is that students may not come into this thinking, “Oh yeah, I'm going to be able to act, dance, and sing.”

Robin Michelsen:
That's right.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you help them discover something that they didn't realize was there.

Robin Michelsen:
Yes, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
And I heard that there are high school students who look back on their experience with you.

Robin Michelsen:
That has happened, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
And they are in theater in one way or another because of their experiences here. Tell me about some of those students.

Robin Michelsen:
I do, I have students. If I know, if they let me know that they're performing at middle school, I'll go watch them. I go let them know that I am still interested in their performing. And I do, I have them come back and say, “Oh, I was the lead in this part.” Yeah, it's really awesome to watch them grow into that.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a lasting impact.

Robin Michelsen:
It is a lasting impact.

Anthony Godfrey:
You can even just see it when the kids are on stage, how much they love being able to do that

and being a part of something like that. Now, for those of you who have not seen “Don't Say No to the USO”, there's something special that you do at the end of the performance that makes it very personal for all of the families involved. Tell everyone about that.

Robin Michelsen:
We do a salute to the military. So we have all the flags in there. We have the Navy and the Air Force, and the kids have learned a little bit of each of their songs. So as they're making a tribute to each of the branches of the military, we are showing pictures, their family donates pictures to us, and we've made a slideshow that is up on the wall that is going in a slideshow as they're singing the song. It really is moving.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, I also love the song about uniting, and we are one. I don't remember the exact--

Robin Michelsen:
That is it, you remember that is it. We are one, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was so well done, as everyone kind of comes together literally as they sing about that. It was very moving for me to see that, and it's a great message. I would think that students are impacted not only because they've discovered talents within themselves, but they connect to history, and they connect to a sense of patriotism.

Robin Michelsen:
They do, and so I did something different this year. I actually put together an assembly for this. Just the sixth graders this year. Because they kept asking what certain things were. What's the USO, or what's this line mean? So we put together an assembly and we talked about the history this time 'cause so they would know what they were doing. So I did a slide show, it was an hour, and they were really interested. They really were. We talked about World War I a little bit and how that led to World War II, and the USO and how it was created, and when did the United States entered into the war, and all of that. And I think it just, it really honed it in for them. Between finding their ancestors' pictures and hearing about the history. I think that's what really connected for them 'cause I did have students come and say, I didn't know, I didn't know I had veterans in my family. Because it's not something most parents are gonna talk about, really, right? It just over dinner table. So that was really amazing.

Anthony Godfrey;
Now we just stepped out, we pulled you away from the cast party at the end of the performances, and there were kids crying at the loss of not being able to continue to work on this show. Tell me about the impact on you and on the students.

Robin Michelsen:
Well, first of all, they asked if they could put their costumes on for the cast party. I was like, no, we are done with that part. It was a lot of work to get them dressed before the rehearsals. Yeah, it's a lot of work. It's a lot of work, but I don't obviously do all the work. It's so many people helped. If I start naming names, I'm gonna leave somebody out. But we have teachers, we have a teacher who was, someone here who was a teacher who's retired now 10 years, who's always liked theater, and she came. She is the one who helped a lot in the mornings and--

Anthony Godfrey:
I think I saw her in the media center when I went to see the cast before the performance.

Robin Michelsen:
Yes, she hasn't taught in 10 years, and she still just loves, just wants to be a part of it. Yeah, and so we have parents that step up and teachers who aren't sixth-grade teachers. It really is a community endeavor, and it brings the community together.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, absolutely.

Robin Michelsen:
Which I think is really important 'cause that goes over into everything else. Into school, into academics, to have a close community.

Anthony Godfrey:
Absolutely, it's a huge impact. I'm sure there are students looking forward to being a sixth grader and trying out.

Robin Michelsen:
I've heard that a lot already. (laughs)

Anthony Godfrey:
It's a lot of pressure.

Robin Michelsen:
Especially, yeah, it's a lot of pressure, especially 'cause we haven't done it the last two years. So we skipped the last two years, and yeah, so now all of a sudden it's like, “You are doing this in three years, right? In four years, right?” I don't know. Let me catch my breath. (laughs)

Anthony Godfrey:
Everyone's staking their claim.

Robin Michelsen:
They are.

Anthony Godfrey:
What got you started in this? What got you started in theater?

Robin Michelsen:
The same teacher, Mrs. Goodman, that I'm talking about. So she taught here when I first started, and she started the play. Actually my background is, I'm a seamstress. It's what I did before I became a teacher: I sew. So she wanted some help with the costumes, and the next thing I know, that's what I was doing. So her and I are good friends, close, and that's just kinda how it developed. I would help with the background and all of that.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you're the total package. You can create the costume, direct it, pull the kids together, bring out the best in them. Singing, dancing, and acting.

Robin Michelsen:
Not alone, not alone.

Anthony Godfrey:
I know, I know, there's a lot, but it takes someone right at the center of it.

Robin Michelsen:
I don’t sing. (laughs)

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I was very impressed, so I called our communications staff and said, "Can we get out there in the next couple of days?" Because I wanted to really talk with you and the students about it. Because I was just so blown away at the quality of the performance, how excited everybody was about it, and the impact of the message. So bravo.

Robin Michelsen:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well done and thanks for all the extra effort you put into this.

Robin Michelsen:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's obvious that it's paying off in big ways.

Robin Michelsen:
Oh, thank you so much. I have one last thing to say. I feel like I'd be remiss in saying, if the administration at our school wasn't supportive, it wouldn't happen. I mean, a lot of things have to be bent. And a lot of, when I say that, like we take this room or we'll take that room, or there's just a lot of adjusting. 'Cause we have band in the morning, and choir, and yeah, without a supportive administration, we just, we couldn't get it on.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I'm glad that combination is available here with your talents and their support. It's created a great opportunity for these students and a great connection for the community, like you said. So thank you for everything you've done.

Robin Michelsen:
Thank you, thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
And I look forward to the next performance, whenever that is.

Robin Michelsen:
Oh, but they, do you know we already know what it is.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, all right. We won't– no spoilers.

Robin Michelsen:
No spoilers. Next year.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you very much.

Robin Michelsen:
All right, thank you.

Students Singing:

♪ A country young and bright. ♪

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, more from Midas Creek Elementary School.

Students Singing:
♪ Working hand in hand, together we must stand. ♪

Break:
Never miss an episode of the Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

(upbeat music)

Break:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists, counselors, and school psychology interns. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.

(upbeat music)

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here with two students at Midas Creek who were in “Don't Say No to the USO”. I had such a great time seeing this two nights ago, but I had to come back and talk with you for the podcast. Introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about what it's meant for you to be in that production.

Hank:
I'm Hank, and I was Professor Sullivan, the hypnotist in this play. And I really liked how the play brought us together in this school, and what it meant to me was really amazing.

Brynn:
I'm Brynn, I was Ruth Taylor. I was the director of the USO club in the play. You know, I really just feel like, you know, the play is, the coolest part about it was how close we were brought together. Because all the different things that we got to do and all the time we spent together just really pulled us close. And you've got to know all of your classmates and all of your crew and your cast. And you really just got to be close to them, which was so cool 'cause you make so many memories.

Anthony Godfrey:
How long have you all been working on this? Tell me what the rehearsals have looked like.

Hank:
We started around the end of Christmas break, and the first week it was all cast. We were learning the songs. We started really basic, just learning the songs, holding our scripts, just reading the lines off the pages. And then that first Friday, we started separating. All the G men would go there, or all the spies would go that day. And then after that, we would start, oh, this group comes then, and then this group comes later. And then we would do that so we can get each theme really good, and then we'd kinda like mash them together.

Anthony Godfrey:
Fabulous, well, the parts came together incredibly well. You guys made it look effortless. That's why I wanted to know what the practice schedule was like, it's like you've been practicing it for three years because it was super smooth.

Brynn:
Yeah, it was really fun. Like he said, we started out, we would go in the library and we would just learn the lyrics to the songs. And then it progressed, and slowly and slowly, and we would usually work on one to two scenes. And then the closer we got to the play, we would start working on more and more scenes until it came together, and we were all of a sudden doing rehearsals, and now we're having our cast party. It's just crazy how fast it flew by.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, the time goes by fast when you're that occupied and you're connected with your friends and classmates. You both were standouts, there were so many great performances and so many wonderful kids involved. I was impressed. It really blew me away. So you brought the magic, you brought kind of the fun to it. Tell me about, tell me, those who didn't get to see it, tell them about your character.

Hank:
I'm more of like the mystic hypnotizer. So I'm a-

Anthony Godfrey:
And you brought the comedy relief, it was really funny. The dogs, the chickens, you know, it was really entertaining.

Hank:
Yeah, let me remember. I think I'm like a spy for Germany in the play. So I would hypnotize choreographers, like people who get coded information to go bomb areas, and I would hypnotize them and steal the info. But then I'd also like hypnotize them and bring fun to the USO. I was also in a, and my cover story was an entertainer for the USO.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was a good cover story, and it had a little dark underbelly to that story. I really enjoyed that. You could be in charge of just about anything. You were up on stage, I'm like, I need to hire her as an administrator. She's good, she's good. You were in charge, you were in the middle of things. Tell me about your, tell everyone about your role.

Brynn:
You know, I will say, getting to know your character. I think my favorite was probably Angie Wilberforce. And at the end, I learned that she was a spy. But I would favor her, my character, and I would always find her, and I would always find my different helpers. And I think that's what my character relied on 'cause I don't think she could do it herself. She had, she was so good. She was so independent, and I loved being Ruth Taylor. But I think it was the other people, her assistants and all her helpers and the hostesses that she was with that made her who she was because of who she was around and who she was with and who helped her.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love how deep you got into the character. That's very method, very Strindberg, you know? I'm impressed. Speaking of that, did this give you a taste for staying involved in theater? Tell me about that.

Hank:
Since I've been in this play, I really wanted to go into stage crew when I got into middle school and do the lights and the staging and everything. But now that I've been in something, I really would get into stage crew and then go into plays, so then I still had the chance to be in stage crew, but I also could be in the plays.

Anthony Godfrey:
So you wanna be involved in every way you can, basically.

Hank:
Yeah.

Brynn:
Oh yeah. You know, I just think it's such a fun opportunity and there's a ton of people in my class who didn't get to do it and they're like, "Dang, I wish I would have gotten to do that. I wish I could have been there the day to play” or “I wish I could have done that. Or “I should have done that."

Anthony Godfrey:
And they wish they could have said yes to the USO.

Hank:
Yes.

Brynn:
I know, they didn't listen to our wonderful songs.

Hank:
They should not have said no to the USO.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I thought it was a tremendous performance. What did it feel like to go back in time to the '40s? Did that make you think about our nation's history and what things were like back then?

Brynn:
Oh my gosh. So before the plays, I would have to wake up early to do my hair, right? And at first, we did victory roles, which were very popular. I hated it. It hurt so bad, but then it was also like, why? Why would you wear this?

Anthony Godfrey:
No, wait, are they called victory roles?

Brynn:
They're called the victory roles. They're like these little curls on the top of the girl's heads. But we switched my hairstyle because I just could not handle it. I don't know how the women in the '40s wore that all day, every day.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that was a lot of sacrifice to look that way.

Hank:
Yeah, it was like, I feel very more patriotic now that I've done that play. And recognized all those veterans and people who went away from their homes to go serve in that war and lost their lives.

Anthony Godfrey:
I love how many layers there were to your experience. Connecting with soldiers, with veterans that you've never met, but now you can imagine what they went through and connecting to a completely different time and to characters and to each other. What a wonderful experience. What has it meant to work with Mrs. Michelsen through this process?

Brynn:
She is incredible, you guys. She is amazing. You know what she did? She hand-sewed my entire dress, and she is just, she's amazing. It's incredible how much thought she put into this play. She hand-sewed so many people's costumes and stayed up late at night so that she could do that. And then also she's just teaching us too, like through it all. She's amazing, you guys. We love Mrs. Michelsen.

Anthony Godfrey:
That’s pretty incredible.

Hank:
Yeah, it's just all, now that I look back on how much work it took to set the play up, I'm just so thankful that she, 'cause she's an awesome teacher. She also had to put days activities, like oh, a math lesson. Two math lessons even for both classes, 'cause we rotate. And history and science, and then juggling reading time and fun activities. That's just a lot of day out of your day to come early to help with the play and to teach school for all these wonderful kids in Midas Creek.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I appreciate the level of empathy you have for all the effort that she's put in. She really is amazing. And you two have great futures ahead of you with rocket fuel from Mrs. Michelsen. So, congratulations on a great performance. I'll let you get back to the cast party. Sorry to pull you away from that, but I've been looking forward to talking with you ever since seeing the performance. So great job and thank you very much.

Hank:
Thank you.

Brynn:
Yeah, thank you so much.

Hank:
This has been an amazing experience with the play.

Student Singing:
♪ Together we must stand
We are one, we are the United States of America.
We are one, we are a nation indivisible.
We are one ♪

(upbeat music)

Anthony Godfrey:
Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.

(upbeat music)

Students Singing:

♪ We are the land of the free.
Together we must fight. ♪

Addison Olsen:
A buddy bench is something that people can use when they're feeling lonely. They can go sit there, and it lets other people know that they need a friend.

Blair Jensen:
They gave me the idea of involving other teachers. They said, "Get your construction trades doing concrete." And as soon as they said that, you know, light bulb clicked, a teacher ed, I’ve got, you know, aspiring teachers that will crush the assembly much better than me and my students.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Some high school welding, construction trades, and teacher education students are using skills they learned in the classroom to make it easier for younger students to make friends at school.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Monte Vista Elementary School, where there was a big surprise unveiled during a school-wide assembly. The big surprise was a “Buddy Bench,” made entirely by high schoolers who want to help their younger counterparts combat loneliness and bullying behavior at school.

We're talking now with three of the students who were involved in making this project happen. Please introduce yourself, tell us your home school, and then the program that you're a part of.

Ruby Sullivan:
I'm Ruby Sullivan. I'm from Riverton High School, and I'm in the teacher education program.

Austin Edwards:
I'm Austin Edwards. I'm from Kings Peak, and I'm in the construction management.

Mason Goates:
My name is Mason Goates. I'm from Bingham High School, and I'm at the welding program.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us about the buddy bench project for those who don't know what it is. I think you're visiting about a dozen schools in the way that you did Monte Vista today. So tell everyone about it.

Ruby Sullivan:
Yeah, so it's an interdisciplinary project between the construction management, teacher education, and welding programs at JATC South. And basically, we're just trying to decrease bullying and loneliness in elementary schools by installing buddy benches, free of charge to the school. So it gives children an opportunity to meet and make new friends, and it gives us an opportunity to practice the skills that we're learning in high school.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, some of the skills that you're learning as a student in the teacher preparation program that's to command a group of students. And you did so beautifully today. You did a great job.

Ruby Sullivan:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
It would be intimidating for many adults to be in front of 600 elementary students and try to keep them on task. How does that feel, and how did you do it so well today?

Ruby Sullivan:
Well, thank you so much. Honestly, it's such an enjoyable experience. I love working with children. I love working with students. And it was a great opportunity to practice my behavior management skills on a larger scale. So it was amazing to really be able to implement the tactics that I've learned about in my classes and practicums, and to be able to see them work at such magnitude.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, when you stood up in front of them, there was no sense that, "Well, I wonder if this will work." You knew it was going to work. You knew what your message was, and it was awesome. Now, the sound we hear in the background is the buddy bench being installed. This isn't just being set down on the concrete. You guys are installing the bench. Tell us about that process.

Austin Edwards:
So what we do is we first put the bench on there, make sure it's centered, and then we take a hammer drill, and what we do is we use it to drill the holes. Then we've got special anchors that we put a silicone layer in the hole, and then we hammer it down. Then we put just a little bit more silicone around. Then we put the bench on top. Then we take a washer and a nut, and we anchor it down to the concrete.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us about the construction of the buddy bench.

Mason Goates:
The construction... it was a lot, I'll be honest. Welding had to do a lot of the project. We've been working on this project for almost half a school year, actually. We got the prototype metal in, and we actually had a lot of difficulties in trying to figure out how to assemble the buddy bench, especially with the seat slats, because we just struggled to figure out how to bend them at the right angle to make it comfortable to sit on. We built the entire layout of the buddy bench from scratch. We built everything on this project from scratch. The only thing that was used from somebody else is the design on the back, and we just took inspiration from it. So we actually had to plan everything out and try to execute it to the best of our abilities, basically. So it was a little bit of a struggle, but we were able to make 12 benches after planning everything out, and our advanced class started working on it all.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's pretty exciting that you're going to be able to walk by this or drive by and say, "Look at that bench.” There's something permanent about what you guys are doing here, and it's really exciting. The buddy bench concept, talk to people about how it's intended to be used, and how that's going to combat loneliness here at the school.

Ruby Sullivan:
The buddy bench mostly just provides a place for students to meet. It can be kind of awkward to go up and introduce yourself to someone, and so the buddy bench is just there to facilitate that kind of interaction. It's for students; if multiple students don't have friends or their friends aren't there today, they can go sit on the bench, and that just provides a perfect introduction for them to be able to talk to one another and have a conversation. Or then if students see somebody who's sitting alone on the bench, they feel like they can go speak to them. They feel motivated to go get to know that student, and that can be really helpful.

Anthony Godfrey:
So when you sit on the buddy bench, what you're saying is, "I could use a buddy, I need a friend."

Ruby Sullivan:
Yeah, exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, you were masterful, you and the other students, at modeling how this is supposed to work. And it was obvious that you studied how to be a great teacher because you gradually built, from showing an example to having everyone involved. Talk everyone through that process because I was very impressed, not only, like I said, at the way that you kept the attention of 600 elementary students at the end of the day, in May, no less, but how you showed them how to use the bench in a way that I really think will make sure it has a lasting impact.

Ruby Sullivan:
We really try to implement the scaffolding technique so that we can show students how to use it and then have them practice using it in a controlled setting before allowing them to just do it on their own. And this helps them to cement that knowledge more firmly, so that they can actually use it in the future and be prepared to teach others how to use it in the future.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like how you use construction terms, too. Scaffolding, cement, you know, you're really tying everything together. Well done, well done. The volunteers, when you asked for kids to volunteer, you guys saw almost every hand shot up. It was pretty incredible. How has it felt as you've gone school to school to be a part of this project?

Mason Goates:
I mean, it actually feels really good. I love helping kids feel included into the school. I'm actually a very big advocate for making sure that kids feel safe in a school environment, and making sure that they know that they are cared about by teachers, other students, by just district officials, by anybody. I enjoyed interacting with the kids. I enjoyed seeing their faces light up with joy when they see the bench or when they are jumping up and down to be volunteers.

Anthony Godfrey:
I saw you had to have kids, “Sit down, sit down.”

Mason Goates:
Yeah, “Quiet, quiet.” Sometimes I have to remind them to get excited. I've really enjoyed being able to help the kids get out there and realize that they can be a buddy for other students and for each other.

Ruby Sullivan:
And Mason's from welding program, but we're trying really hard to convince him to become a teacher because he's so good with the kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
He was very natural up there. It was really good. How does it feel for you to be involved in this?

Austin Edwards:
It feels good. It feels like something I can look back and know that a lot of kids are going to have buddies, and they won't get bullied anymore, hopefully.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, I think that's absolutely going to be the outcome of this project. How about you? Did it cement, as you said, your desire to be a teacher?

Ruby Sullivan:
Absolutely. It's so fulfilling to be able to see the students so engaged and so motivated to help one another. It really just brings a level of joy that can't be described.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, be sure you apply in Jordan and nowhere else, okay? You guys are all fantastic. Thank you for making such an impact. How many schools do you have left to visit now?

Mason Goates:
Oh, we have like four, I think.

Austin Edwards:
Four more schools.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, most of the way through, but plenty left to do. It's a busy end of the year for all three of you.

Students:
Oh, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you so much.

Mason Goates:
You're welcome.

Ruby Sullivan:
Thank you.

Mason Goates:
Thank you so much.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back, we hear from the teachers involved in the Buddy Bench Project.

Never miss an episode of The Supercast by liking and subscribing on your favorite podcasting platform. Find transcripts for this episode and others at supercast.jordandistrict.org.

Break:
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Ruby Sullivan:
Hi, everyone. How are you guys doing today?

Students:
Good.

Ruby Sullivan:
That's so good. That's so good. I'm glad to hear you. So, who here knows what bullying is?

Anthony Godfrey:
We're going to talk now with the three teachers who are involved in this project. It was so fun to see this today. Just introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your involvement and how this got going.

Ryan Clayton:
Yeah. My name is Ryan Clayton. I'm the Construction Management and Trades teacher at JATC. My students... Well, Blair's got plenty to say, but he's the arbiter of all of this and got the ball going and involved me and Brenda in the process. And we were super excited to get on board. So our class, my class, the construction class, decided to help out by doing the concrete pads for them. And so we started talking in class. I took my class out for two months straight. We were... Instead of going to the shop in the classroom, we went out to elementary schools during class time and worked at all the different elementary schools, putting them in.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Well, that concrete work gets harder and harder. No, I'm just kidding.

Ryan Clayton:
No, it gets easier.

Anthony Godfrey:
It is pretty exciting for the kids to see something permanent, a permanent result of the work they've done.

Ryan Clayton:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
I answer a lot of emails, but I don't get anything permanent out of it. So it's pretty fun for them to see the fruits of their labor. Tell me about the teacher education program.

Brenda Straley:
Yeah. My name is Brenda Straley, and I do the teacher education program at JATC. Blair invited us to be a part of it as well. So we actually created the content, designed the assemblies, and did a lot of research on buddy benches and loneliness. And decided, you know, what was needed, what it was going to look like, and then just facilitated the process of skits. A perfect project-based learning experience, in that it was a culmination of everything that they've learned over the years. So, taking what they've learned and then realizing, like, in an assembly, they need proximity control, and they need, you know, let's experiment this way with this assembly, and let's see how quickly we can get this one to go up and down. So it was really a cool experiment of, like, their teaching. The culmination of everything they've done. And that relevance was really important. It's just been fantastic to see how it's increased the confidence of all of the students involved, you know, teacher education, welding, and construction.

Anthony Godfrey:
I was so impressed with the way that, the presence that students had in front of 600 elementary kids. There are plenty of adults who would be terrified of trying to keep things moving forward with kids aged 5 to 11 in May.

Blair Jensen:
That's me.

Anthony Godfrey:
Right. Blair being one of them. But it was very intentional. It was clear there was a lot of preparation. It was also clear they really understood how to really make the most of an event in front of students. They did a great job.

Brenda Straley:
They really supported each other in the process, too. And it was all them. They did an excellent job.

Anthony Godfrey:
It was great work. Talk about the bench's Blair and the welding program's involvement.

Blair Jensen:
Yeah. I'm Blair Jensen. I'm the welding instructor at Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers. The Buddy Bench has been something that's kind of ruminated in the back of my mind for a while. I've always been passionate about what their meaning is. And I knew that some of our schools didn't have them, but just trying to figure out how I could incorporate it into my program. When I won the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, part of winning that prize is they send me to a conference every summer with all of their prize winners. So I get to go and mingle with the best around the nation, the best instructors around the nation. They have a Community Impact Grant, which is what funded the majority of this project. So every summer, as part of our conference, the people who had won the grant the previous year showcase their projects. They do a review and say, "This is what I did with my grant. This is how successful it was." And then after they present, we have roundtables and discuss. And I brought up to the welding instructors and a few others, "I'd like to do these Buddy Benches, but I'm struggling with an idea of how to make it a little more impactful." They gave me an idea of involving other teachers. They said, "Get your construction trades doing concrete." And as soon as they said that, light bulb clicked of, "Yeah, construction trades, teacher ed. I have got aspiring teachers that will crush the assembly much better than me and my students."

Anthony Godfrey:
I think it's really exciting, like you mentioned, Brenda, that the students relied on each other, but the three of you brought your students together to show just how their skills can complement each other and literally build the foundation for where the bench is going to be, present it in a way that allows students to make the most of it, and build the bench in the first place, and get things going. So this has been really fun to see. I was quite touched seeing the reenactment. I thought that was really, really well done, really well done. And the way that they built from the skit to show how it's supposed to work, to involve another student, to involve two elementary students, and the volunteer rate was high. 97% of students raising their hand wanting to be up there helping.

Blair Jensen:
We don't get that at the high schools.

Brenda Straley:
In fact, a lot of the assemblies, they didn't bring their hands down. They just kept holding it up.

Anthony Godfrey:
I might get a chance to volunteer for something else. I'm just keeping my hand in the air. I can only imagine this is going to help with recruiting for the projects, too. Remember that Buddy Bench, everybody? You can come be part of a crew that can make those, and do the concrete work, and all of that.

Blair Jensen:
Well, think at least half the principals have asked, "When can we get another one?" So I think I'll probably be applying for the grant next year, and we'll try and do this some more. It's clearly been a great impact for the community. Not just for our students, but for these kids. The principals are loving it, everybody.

Anthony Godfrey:
I loved the idea, but it was very touching, very moving to see it in action, and see your kids in front of the elementary kids. Just really teaching them how to be better friends to each other, and how to connect in a deeper way. There's this concrete, literally, reminder of how they can do that. Thank you so much for all you're doing. This is fantastic.

Brenda Straley:
Thank you.

Blair Jensen:
Thank you.

Students at the assembly:

Student 1: Hi, my name is Hannah. What's your name?

Student 2: Hi, Hannah.

Student 1: What's your favorite movie?

Student 2: My favorite movie is probably Toy Story. What's yours?

Student 1: I like to watch Wish. Do you want to play at recess with me?

Student 2: I would love to, Hannah.

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm talking with two students here at Monte Vista Elementary just after the assembly. Tell me your name, what grade you're in, and what did you think of the assembly?

Ellie:
I'm Ellie. I'm in fifth grade, and I loved the assembly.

Addison Olsen:
I'm Addison Olsen. I'm also in fifth grade, and I think the assembly helped us understand a little more what a buddy bench is.

Anthony Godfrey:
What is a buddy bench? Tell us about that.

Addison Olsen:
A buddy bench is something that people can use when they're feeling lonely, and they can go sit there, and it lets other people know that they need a friend.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's a great summary. What did you think about that buddy bench when you saw it, and when you heard what that's all about?

Ellie:
I definitely was surprised, because we do have a few benches on our playgrounds that were supposed to be buddy benches, but no one really used them, and so this is more official of being a buddy bench, and I feel like more people will be looking out for that and seeing if anybody's on it.

Anthony Godfrey:
I like that the student showed an example of how it's supposed to work, and then they had some volunteers come up, and then everyone got to practice out there. What was your practice like? What did you talk about when you practiced with the students sitting by you?

Addison Olsen:
Me and my friend, we were just asking each other things about each other, and some of the things were things we didn’t already know about each other, even though we're really good friends.

Anthony Godfrey:
So even though you're good friends, you learn new things. That's awesome. How about you?

Ellie:
I feel the same, so I was sitting with my friends, and we were just asking each other questions, and I learned new things.

Anthony Godfrey:
So sometimes when you're intentional and you ask questions on purpose, really trying to get to know somebody better, even your good friends might have some things that would surprise you about them.

Addison Olsen:
Yeah, for sure.

Ellie:
Definitely.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, have a fun summer looking forward to being sixth graders.

Students:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Okay, see you girls.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you'll do today. We'll see you out there.