Author: communications

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Michelle Lovell:
Planet Kindergarten is a movement that we've started in Jordan School District where teachers are working to have their kindergartners know all of their letters and sounds by the 1st of November. I love the sense of community that has come from this school and just getting everyone involved in the success of these youngest learners.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to The Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a unique program that is helping students achieve huge success in reaching their reading goals, and students and teachers alike are having a blast in the process. On this episode of The Supercast, we take you to Riverton Elementary School, where kindergarten students and teachers are dressed as astronauts to celebrate their incredible accomplishments in a districtwide initiative called Planet Kindergarten. The space-themed program is helping students reach for the stars in achieving their literacy goals, and we're about to hear from some of the amazing educators behind it all.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with two of our literacy gurus in the District. Introduce yourselves and tell us why we're here today.

Michelle Lovell:
I'm Michelle Lovell. I'm the literacy consultant for Jordan School District for grades K through 6.

Lori McCarty:
And I'm Lori McCarty, a literacy specialist, specifically for kindergarten.

Anthony Godfrey:
And we are here for Planet Kindergarten. Tell us about what Planet Kindergarten means.

Michelle Lovell:
Planet Kindergarten is a movement that we've started in Jordan School District, where teachers are working to have their kindergartners know all of their letters and sounds by the 1st of November.

Anthony Godfrey:
And this has made a huge impact. We've seen big increases in literacy among kindergarten students, specifically for years running. We have had our best scores ever, year over year and this is a big part of that. Tell us about some of the success we've seen lately.

Michelle Lovell:
Well, so last year, we had three kindergarten teachers who made that goal, and we were so proud of them. But this year, we're happy to report we have 13 teachers who have made the 100% goal.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's every student in their class, regardless of where they started out--

Michelle Lovell:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
--and every letter and sound by the 1st of November.

Michelle Lovell:
And we have over 25 teachers who are in the 90% range. So huge amount of growth from last year to this year. It's been really exciting to watch the data come in.

Anthony Godfrey:
And that's out of how many kindergarten teachers total?

Lori McCarty:
140-ish.

Anthony Godfrey:
So that's a whole lot of kindergarten students that are reading better than ever.

Michelle Lovell:
Exactly. Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, there are some students who may come to kindergarten already knowing letters and sounds. Talk to us about what we do to help make sure that we're meeting their needs as well.

Lori McCarty:
So in Jordan School District, we don't have ceilings. So if kids are already reading, if they already know their letter names and sounds, we want to make sure that they're challenged as well. And one of the pieces that we have in place in our structure with Walk to Read is all of the students who need extensions should be getting extensions.

Anthony Godfrey:
And extensions are for those who are advanced beyond--

Lori McCarty:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
--the expectations for that grade and age.

Lori McCarty:
Accelerated reading, accelerated experiences with both reading and writing and so we want to make sure that that differentiation is still happening. I really believe that a good, solid phonics program, having kids know-- have that experience of having a structured phonics program as they go through, even if students are reading, is really beneficial for them. Because they may be able to read, but they may not know how the language works. And so I think that knowing how all the language structures put together, how all of the syllable types work together, will strengthen their reading and their writing abilities.

Anthony Godfrey:
Now, beyond this, there's an additional goal for whole words read by the end of kindergarten. And I think these benchmarks have made a big difference in making sure that our pacing on kindergarten instruction is exactly what it ought to be.

Michelle Lovell:
Exactly. And this isn't the end goal. This is just step one. This is the beginning. Because the goal is that we want to have all of our kids being able to blend words automatically by the end of kindergarten. We want them to really be reading sentences. We want them to be writing fluently and knowing their letter names and sounds early in the school year gives them time and opportunity to practice throughout the school year and to gain that automaticity that they need in actually putting it all together and reading words and writing words. We're hopeful that by the end of the year, if we have all of our kindergartners reading closed syllable words, those consonant, vowel consonant words to automaticity, by the time they hit first grade, they'll be ready to take off running in first grade. So this is a trajectory getting us to that spot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us the number of words that a kindergartner should be able to read, ideally, by the end of the year.

Michelle Lovell:Michelle Lovell:
Well, as we've been looking through data and we've been analyzing this, not just our district but other districts, what we're finding is if a student can read at least 10 whole words read, that they're more solid in those blending skills, which are the precursors to being able to read fluently. If they have at least 20 whole words read, we find that they don't lose any of those skills over the summer. So somewhere between 12 and 20 words is where we're aiming for. If we could get to 20 whole words read for every student, that would be amazing. It would set them up for success in first and second grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Then when first grade teachers start with those students, they're able to hit the ground running. Instead of doing so much review, they're able to take off and really start at a place where they normally wouldn't be for a few weeks into the year.

Michelle Lovell:
Exactly. They don't need to go back and review kindergarten skills. They'll have kids that are ready to just jump in to those first grade skills. They'll be able to teach long vowels, vowel teams. They'll be able to jump into more complex sentence structures and hopefully just have the kids in books. That's the most important thing. Any time we learn a new skill, whether it's dance, learning to play an instrument, learning to read, practice is key. So we want the kids reading. We want the kids in books. We want them to practice these skills that they're learning.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, practice didn't help me with dance, but I do take your point. Whatever it is you're learning--

Michelle Lovell:
It didn't help me either.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, it does make a big difference when kids are able to learn these skills and then practice them. And this celebration is really exciting because even kindergartners have a very clear understanding of what their goal is and the celebration when they've met it. And really, it gives them a sense of their own learning and their own progress, even as a five or six-year-old.

Michelle Lovell:
Absolutely. I think what's been really fun is when I've talked with schools, the whole school is involved. It's the fifth graders, the sixth graders, the fourth graders who are all aware of this goal for kindergarten. And they're all helping the kindergartners. I've talked to schools and they say, during morning announcements, that they've got the sixth graders who are at the end of morning announcements holding up letter cards saying, all right, kindergartners, here we go. We're going to practice. We've got kindergartners who are walking around the fifth grade classrooms with all the fifth graders holding sticky notes on their hands with a letter. And the kindergartners are giving them a high five and saying the letter name and sound. They're all just working together. So I love the sense of community that has come from this goal and just getting everyone involved in the success of these youngest learners.

Anthony Godfrey:
What can parents do to help support these goals?

Michelle Lovell:
Again, I think practice is key. And so if your students are learning letter names and sounds, practice with them at home. It doesn't have to be hours. It can just be a few minutes here and there and practicing in different ways. It could be a chart that you go over that's on the wall. It could be flashcards that you're working with. It could be games that you're playing that have letter names and sounds. Reading to your child is really an important piece. If it's 10 minutes a day, if you can spare that, I think that's fantastic.

Anthony Godfrey:
We all live on Planet Kindergarten.

Michelle Lovell:
We do.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yes. All right. Well, thank you for everything you're doing. I appreciate the research you've done to just know where those benchmarks are that are going to give our students rocket fuel for everything that they need to learn going forward.

Michelle Lovell:
Thanks. I love it. I'm excited for what's coming these next few months to these next few years.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back. We'll hear from the students at Riverton Elementary School.

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.

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 @jordandistrict. We can't wait to connect.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're here at Riverton Elementary talking with two of the kindergarten teachers who have taken that journey to Planet Kindergarten. Introduce yourselves and tell us about that journey.

Janae Barron:
My name is Janae Barron. I am so fortunate to work here at Riverton Elementary with Julie George and Tiffany Rappleye. This is my third year here in kindergarten. I came from fifth grade.

Tiffany Rappleye:
So I am Tiffany Rappleye and it's my first year here at Riverton Elementary. I was at Bastian last year and doing other things before that and I'm so excited to be here and get our kiddos to Planet Kindergarten. We've worked really hard and included parents in engagement and worked in small groups. Every chance we get, we're just throwing those letters at them to make sure that they are getting them down.

Anthony Godfrey:
This has been the theme as you've talked with students along the way. We're working to get you to Planet Kindergarten and the way you arrive is by knowing your letters and sounds by the beginning of November. So what are some of the activities that you have done in order to make that possible?

Tiffany Rappleye:
Well, our walk to read has been awesome. We are doing the Planet Kindergarten steps, where we put them in different groups based off of the letters that they know and work on. So we're spending small group time focusing on a certain set of letters and then once they pass those letters off, they can move up to the next ones. We're also including the parents, sending flashcards home, letting them know exactly what letters and sounds their kiddos are working on.

Janae Barron:
Dr. Godfrey, you have the most amazing literacy staff. They made this happen. Lori McCarty and her group--Lori McCarty is the kindergarten specialist for those of you who might not know throughout the District. She cut out thousands of paper bags with her team to make Planet Kindergarten happen all over the District, not just here at Riverton, but all over the District. She did a literacy launch during the summer and then at the very beginning of the year-- I was so fortunate to go at the beginning of the year and jump in. But I know that Tiffany and Julie George, they went during their summer. These dedicated teachers took time off their summer to go and receive more training about how to get our kids to Planet Kindergarten. There were games. There were activities that was data driven and that information allowed and directed our instruction. So we were very effective in being able to do this. As a school, I think we decided we were 92% successful on getting all our kids on Planet Kindergarten.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's amazing and it's a great launch to all the other things that they need to learn throughout their lives, really. The time in kindergarten is so important. I really appreciate all the efforts you're making and the reference you made to paper bags, that's cutting out paper bags so they can be helmets that the students decorate for their trip to Planet Kindergarten once they've learned their letters and sounds.

Tiffany Rappleye:
And they looked so cute.

Anthony Godfrey:
They looked fantastic.

Janae Barron:
And our reading buddies, who were paired with upper grade reading buddies, they were the ones who have been working with us throughout the year. Every Friday, they come in and they help us as well. So having a peer mentoring that takes place, they helped us decorate our helmets, our paper bags that we were looking so sharp when we landed on Planet Kindergarten.

Tiffany Rappleye:
We've also had buddies come other times, not just during that time, to work with our kids that were struggling to get to Planet Kindergarten and just work with them playing different games. Like we played “Memory” and we played different things with their peers and small groups to help them get to Planet Kindergarten, too. So it was a whole school effort.

Janae Barron:
Very much so.

Anthony Godfrey:
I know they have a whole solar system of learning that awaits beyond Planet Kindergarten. So thank you for getting them there and doing such an incredible job and doing it with such a joy and excitement. I love the blend of just the research, the fun, and just the intentionality around making sure they reach that goal. So thank you for your hard work.

Tiffany Rappleye:
Of course. Thanks for coming and visiting.

Janae Barron:
Yes, thank you.

Tiffany Rappleye:
It was fun to have you at our party.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, I'll come to Planet Kindergarten any day.

Tiffany Rappleye:
Awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hi, tell me your name.

Charlotte:
Charlotte.

Anthony Godfrey:
Charlotte, what is your favorite letter?

Charlotte:
C.

Anthony Godfrey:
C. And why is C your favorite letter?

Charlotte:
Because C starts with my name.

Anthony Godfrey:
What other letters do you like besides C?

Charlotte:
D.

Anthony Godfrey:
D? What do you like about the letter D?

Charlotte:
Because it's fun to write.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's fun to write the letter D.

Charlotte:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Upper case or lower case?

Charlotte:
Both.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, both? Oh, so D is really fun to write no matter which one you're writing. OK, well, thank you, Charlotte. Good job. Congratulations on learning all your letters and sounds. Tell me your name.

Addie:
Addie.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hi, Addie. What is your favorite letter?

Addie:
W.

Anthony Godfrey:
Why is W your favorite letter? Do you like the shape of it?

Addie:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey::
What other letters do you like?

Addie:
K.

Anthony Godfrey:
K. What do you like about the letter K?

Addie:
Because it's pointy.

Anthony Godfrey:
Because it's pointy. Can you tell me all the letters in your name?

Addie:
A, D, D, I, E.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, very nice. And what's your name?

Gracie:
Gracie.

Anthony Godfrey:
Gracie. What's your favorite letter, Gracie?

Gracie:
My favorite letter is G.

Anthony Godfrey:
G? And why is G your favorite letter?

Gracie:
Because it starts with my name.

Anthony Godfrey:
OK. That's a good reason to like the letter G. And what other letters do you like?

Gracie:
I like A.

Anthony Godfrey:
You like A? You also have an A in your name. Why do you like the letter A?

Gracie:
Because it's the first letter in the alphabet.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, it's number one, just like you. Right?

Gracie:
Right.

Anthony Godfrey:
I brought Grayson. Hey, Grayson, how are you?

Grayson:
Good.

Anthony Godfrey:
What letter do you like the most?

Grayson:
G and Z.

Anthony Godfrey:
G and Z?

Grayson:
A and Z.

Anthony Godfrey:
A and Z. Why A and Z? Why do you like those two letters?

Grayson:
Because I like how there's a game called Legend ZA.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, OK. Legend ZA. So those letters remind you of that game, huh? That's awesome. What are your favorite activities? What are the favorite things you've done in class to learn your letters, Gracie?

Gracie:
I have a lot of things, but the most favorite one is singing the alphabet on the alphabet chart.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, really? An alphabet chart. Alphabet chime? Oh, singing the alphabet on the alphabet chart? Can you do that for me?

Gracie:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, I, F, G, O, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Now I know my ABC. Next time won't you sing with me?

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. That was perfect. That sounded so good. You're a good singer and a good reader. That's wonderful. Thank you so much. We're out on the playground now talking with Julie George, also a member of the kindergarten team, but there's no rest. We celebrated Planet Kindergarten and now you're out watching students out on the playground.

Julie George:
That is correct. There's no rest in kindergarten, but it's super fun.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about this journey throughout the year to get to Planet Kindergarten.

Julie George:
Each year as we approach the new year in the fall, we want the kids to learn their letters and sounds by November 1st because it's really important that we can build on that and they can get fluency and they can start blending and reading. We have such an amazing leader, Lori McCarty, that gets us inspired and pumped up to do that.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it's really exciting to see the results today and the kids are obviously excited and proud of their progress. I think that in kindergarten it seems like you get the benefit of seeing this progress more than in any other grade level. As a middle school teacher, I saw progress, but not like you get to see in kindergarten. Talk to me about the beginning of the year as opposed to the end of the year and the progress you see.

Julie George:
Absolutely. That is the amazing perk or benefit, the reward of teaching kindergarten. It is super busy, but it is also super rewarding. You do see them coming in not knowing very many letters and at the end of the year they're walking out the door knowing all their letters and sounds and reading. That's been my goal the last three years in all day kindergarten. 100% of my kids will know their letters and sounds because on my watch, I want them to do a good job.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I love that goal and it's so important for everything that comes after, not just the rest of their schooling but for the rest of their lives. Getting this strong start, getting that confidence early on just means a ton. And it gives them that sense of connection with school when they know they can do things they couldn't do before.

Julie George:
Absolutely. We want them off to a great start because life is hard if you don't know how to read and write.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's absolutely right. Well, thank you so much for all your hard work and congratulations on your success.

Julie George:
Thank you so much for coming today. We really enjoyed it.

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.

Transcription coming soon.

Transcription coming soon.

Graham:
Today is the fourth annual Dia de los Muertos activity at Valley High School.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is experiential learning at its best and I would suggest that these are some of the most memorable experiences that students will have. Who are some of the people that you're honoring and remembering today personally?

Sylvia:
Celebrating my grandparents, two aunts, one uncle, and a student who passed in April.

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a long time tradition at Valley High School, thanks to the hard work and dedication of two incredible staff members. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Valley High's Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos celebration, a touching and colorful commemoration, remembering lost loved ones through family photos, favorite foods, and much more. At Valley, it's also an opportunity for students who participate to benefit academically through the school's credit recovery program.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're at Valley High today. It's a Friday and we're talking with Graham about what happens on Fridays at Valley. Graham is a friend of the Supercast. Graham, talk us through why we're here and what's going on.

Graham:
Well, Valley High School is a very special place that we are actually celebrating our 50th anniversary, kind of, sort of. Fifty years of graduations, 50 years of serving students and ensuring that we are helping as many kids get across that finish line as possible. I do not know the exact year that Friday activities started, but Friday activities kind of serve this purpose of bringing students into our building, giving them an opportunity to recover credits that they have previously not earned for a variety of reasons, engaging them in some sort of creative, fun, good activity, giving them some nuggets of knowledge, bringing them together, and helping them get that step closer towards graduation. It is one of the most important things that we do here at the school. Because of our schedule four days a week, teachers will volunteer their time, sell packets, create these experiences that are only as limited as our imagination and willingness as teachers.

Anthony Godfrey:
And experience is the right word for it. This is experiential learning at its best. I would suggest that these are some of the most memorable experiences that students will have as part of their secondary education. Just being able to delve deeply into some very meaningful opportunities.

Graham:
It is the most important part of everything that we do. Some of these students have not had experiences that have been very positive with schools, and they haven't had as much fun as they should have been having. So being able to really center everything that we do around bringing them in, having fun, giving them something that is going to serve them, and then pushing them towards where they need to get to. It's the best part of the job.

Anthony Godfrey:
Elective credit is an important part of it, but it's an enriching experience. That's what I think of most of all.

Graham:
Exactly. And we create and we write these packets so we can do any sort of credit that the teacher is licensed for. We align it to standards and we get to do so in a way that isn't just textbooks, lecture, it's projects, it's field trips, it's fun.

Anthoy Godfrey:
And it's not just showing up. There's work expected beyond Friday of students in order to earn the credit. But this is the interactive aspect of it that really makes it stick. Makes it sticky and makes it something that students will retain for a long time.

Graham:
And beyond even just retaining, it makes them want to be a part of school more.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. It's motivating.

Graham:
Exactly. Because they can't do Friday activities if they're not passing. They can't have these opportunities if they're not doing what they need to do to be getting towards their goals. This is a privilege for them, but it is the most fun part of the job.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's rocket fuel. That's what it is.

Graham:
Exactly.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell us what today's activities focused on.

Graham:
Today is the fourth annual Dia de los Muertos activity at Valley High School. It started a couple years ago with a different teacher. People have kind of come and gone and we just keep on building this activity on top of itself every year. It started with a small group of students, and now we have the ability to offer this to over 100 students, which is about 30 percent of our entire student population at the school. Every year during the week, we set up the "ofrenda" and we place photographs of our loved ones that have passed, of animals that have passed, or the people that matter to us. We come together. It is the most emotional part of this activity, seeing the people that we care about and the people that we honor in our buildings. Students, grandparents, spouses, children, and we dedicate a large amount of our space to this, and we keep this up because this is the important thing. It is not inherently just about what we want to do, what we're thinking about. It is honoring everyone in the building, everyone that has helped and supported this place, everyone that has brought everyone in this building to where we are at, and provided us the ability to serve or to learn or to have the opportunities that we have in life. So this is a very meaningful day for a lot of people in this building. And being able to offer credits to students who need those opportunities is just the cherry on top. But this is a day that is about so many things that are bigger than just us, and being able to serve the students is far and beyond the most important thing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Is there someone you're honoring and remembering today?

Graham:
I have grandparents, friends, and students.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you, Graham. Thank you for making this possible for all of these students, and it will be memorable for everyone involved.

Graham:
It always is.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you.

Eva:
Welcome to our "Dia de los Muertos ." For those of you who don't know me, my name is Eva. I've been teaching here at Valley for a while, six or seven years. We are going to, in this activity, explore the deep roots of this particular holiday with the symbols and the food and the music, and we are thrilled that you are here to participate in it. We have an amazing crew that has been here nights. We've been cooking for two days. Sylvia Wilkerson. Erica Hernandez, who is our nursery manager, is an artist who put together all of our ofrenda, your photo booth, the backdrop for our speakers and musicians that's in the lecture hall. We're going to start with the pan de morto. They're going to explain what that's about, why it's important, and we're going to share breaking bread together. Breaking bread together is an extremely ancient way of being a part of a community and acknowledging our common human needs and our communal understanding of each other.

Owner, Cakes by the Bakery:
Thank you guys so much, Valley High School, Eva and Sylvia and Erica, for continuing this relationship with Cakes by Edith. My sister and I, we are owners of a bakery called Cakes by the Bakery, and we're a Mexican family-owned bakery. So we focus on a lot of pastries and traditional breads that we make throughout the year, this being one of the most popular ones. This one is called "Pan de Muerto," which translates to "Bread of the Dead," in celebration of Dia de los Muertos. I don't know how much you guys know about Dia de los Muertos, but it's a really big, . . .  I think one of the biggest holidays that Mexican culture celebrates, and it's a day or a couple of days to celebrate and honor your loved ones. So once again, thank you guys.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with Angelica, a student at Valley High School. Angelica, who are you honoring today?

Angelica
I have family members and I have friends that passed away. They were all very sweet, and they were always just a good person in your life.

Anthony Godfrey:
So when you think about these people that we've lost, what does that make you think about your own life?

Angelica:
That you really have to value every moment because you never know what can happen the next day, because you’re never promised if you're going to wake up in the morning.

Anthony Godfrey:
You have to make the most of the time you have.

Angelica:
Yep, makes every moment count.

Anthony Godfrey:
The impact they had in your life is the same type of impact you can have in the lives of others.

Angelica:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with Jose, who is a former student of Valley. Nice to meet you, Jose.

Jose:
Nice to meet you. I'm coming here to help teach about Dia de los Muertos, about some of the historical significance and the significance behind the different kinds of symbolism from the bread of the dead, for example.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about some of the people that you are honoring and remembering on Dia de los Muertos.

Jose:
We recently lost my grandmother, so that is someone that is heavy in my heart, that we are also honoring at home within our memorial. We also have lost other members of the family in the past, like my mother's uncle. That's someone who we hold close and dear. And other than that, we thankfully have been blessed not to lose many members of our family.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you for talking with me. It's nice to meet you. It's exciting to hear the positive impact Valley has had on you, and I wish you well on your continuing education journey.

Jose:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us when we come back more with Valley High School's Day of the Dead.

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.

Female Voice:
They're out on the job in the rain, sleet, snow, ice, and in the sunshine. As Jordan School District students navigate their way to and from school every day, we are truly grateful for our city crossing guards, always vigilant and looking out for students to ensure everyone's safety. Because they work so hard protecting our kids, let's give those crossing guards a hand. If you're driving near or around schools, slow down, pay attention, watch for students and staff, and follow instructions from the school crossing guards, and know our cities are always looking to hire crossing guards. If you like kids and need some flexible hours, contact your local city and apply to be a crossing guard today. Together, let's make this a safe and successful school year.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking with Sylvia and Erica at the heart of Dia de los Muertos today. Thank you very much for talking with us.

Sylvia:
Sure, thank you.

Erica:
Thanks for coming. Yes, thank you. This means a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
I think this is a really exciting activity just because of the deep personal meaning this has for every individual involved. Tell us about Dia de los Muertos for those who may not know exactly what this tradition means.

Sylvia:
So the celebration, we celebrate the lives of those that we have loved, whether they're family members or pets, friends, some of our students that have passed. And we just remember them because we believe that death is part of life, the circle of life. And as long as we don't forget those that we love, and we actually dedicate a specific date. It's focused on them and the memories we have of them.

Anthony Godfrey:
What have you seen this mean to the students of Valley as this has happened over the years?

Erica:
They have loved it. Every single time we've done it, they have always liked to, when we're getting all the decorations and everything together, they have always loved to help and just be part of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Who are some of the people that you're honoring and remembering today personally?

Erica:
My father, my grandfather.

Sylvia:
I'm celebrating my grandparents. Two aunts, one uncle, and a student that passed in April.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about what the display is and how that helps us remember those who have passed on. For those who can't see this beautiful display here.

Sylvia:
First of all, it's not a religious. It has no connection to religion. But in one way or another, we need to dedicate some time just to reflect on who they were to us. And also, we like to sit around, have dinner on Dia de los Marcos, and eat the food that they loved. So that's why we dedicate one day of the year, not saying that we don't talk or remember them any other year. For example, the flowers. We believe that the aroma of the flowers guides their spirits to come see us and give us some comfort. We believe that the light, the candles and stuff, represent the light that they need to come to us and then to go back.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's a beautiful way of expressing a connection to those who have passed on. And what I see is lots of marigolds. Is that what they are?

Sylvia:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Marigolds in bright orange and yellow strewn along the floor with candles lining each side and with butterflies on the floor. Tell me about the symbolism of the butterflies.

Sylvia:
The butterflies, they're the monarch butterflies. There's a town in Mexico that on Dia de los Muertos, where whatever day it is, whether it's a Monday or a Wednesday, they get to that town. And so it's always on Dia de los Muertos. You just see them. And we believe that there is a, you know, we like to associate the butterfly with the spirit of the person. And, you know, that it's free to come see us and just the sign that they love us just as much as we love them.

Anthony Godfrey:
I didn't expect to come to the podcast today and think about my own friends and relatives who have passed, but... Thank you for helping me remember them.

Sylvia:
We would love to invite you and the people that work with you to send us pictures, and we would be more than honored to add the pictures to our celebration.

Anthony Godfrey:
Thank you for helping me remember them, and I will do that in the future. I will send you pictures.

Sylvia:
Thank you.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you so much. This has been a really...

Sylvia:
No, thank you. Really, thank you for taking time out of your schedule because we know that, you know, you had other things to do, but this really does mean a lot to our community. Our students, just to know that you are here in the building.

Erica:
Yes.

Sylvia:
And I don't know if you know this, but we have a few parents that have volunteered. They volunteered to bring us food, too, because they want the younger generations to not disconnect themselves from traditions.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you for providing this opportunity. It's very important, and we'll be back.

Erica:
Thank you.

Sylvia:
We are so excited. We're happy to see you. And this is our fourth year, and I think it grows every year.

Erica:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wonderful. Thank you so much.

Both:
Thank you.

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. Bye-bye.