Supe‘s On! With Dr. Steven Cook

This is the sixth year Superintendent Steven Cook has hosted his podcast exploring what’s happening in Bend-La Pine Schools. He’s trying something different in this first episode of the school year — taking a seat as the podcast’s guest. Dr. Cook — a former teacher, coach and school administrator — answers questions posed by Director of Communications Scott Maben. They explore:

• The origin and purpose of The Supe is On podcast
• What his days are like overseeing one of the largest school districts in Oregon
• The role of our School Board and how the Superintendent works with the seven elected directors to implement the District’s goals
• Why it’s important for him to spend time in schools and classrooms every week to stay in touch with the District’s frontline mission of the District’s work
• What’s it’s like to step into a kindergarten class as the day’s substitute teacher
• Progress on school improvement projects funded by the 2022 voter-approved bond
• What it takes to launch a new school year, and what is new and different heading into the 2026-27 school year. These include instructional and grading practices, new student assessments, and new ways to communicate with families
• This year’s new high school; relocated middle school; and newly opened classroom building at our oldest high school
• How families can seek support managing change and new things in our schools

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

The third annual Life & Career Readiness Night is fast approaching. It will be at Caldera High School on Thursday, April 30, 2026. More than 50 Central Oregon employers and representatives of higher education will be there to speak with students and families about a wide variety of post-secondary opportnities.

In this episode of “The Supe's On” podcast, Dr. Cook’s guests are Caldera student Jack Strycharz, lead organizer for Life & Career Readiness Night; and Jane Reynolds, Associate Dean and Chief Enrollment Officer for OSU-Cascades, which will have a large presence at this year's event. Jack and Jane talk about what's in store for April 30 and why families should attend.

Organized by high school students, Life & Career Readiness Night is designed to expose students from across the school district to professional and post-secondary educational opportunities. Whether a student is considering college, military service, entering the workforce, or pursuing technical training, this event helps connect them with the people and resources that can guide those decisions.

The event is geared toward high school students but also may be of interest to middle school students starting to explore their career options. Families can learn about professional pathways, internships, volunteer work, summer jobs, educational travel, industry certifications, and college degree programs.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

Bend-La Pine Schools employs around 900 Classified employees who are present in all aspects of District operations, from classrooms to kitchens, buses to offices, libraries to landscaping.

For this episode of “The Supe is On” podcast, Dr. Cook’s guest is Jennifer Groth, Inclusion Educational Assistant at Bend Senior High School and President of the union representing all Classified employees, the Oregon School Employees Association Chapter 6.

Jennifer talks about the OSEA’s role in supporting Classified staff across our District, how she and District administration work together to solve issues, some of the challenges in keeping these positions competitive in Central Oregon, and ways in which we celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing support staff.

Our Classified staff members are the heartbeat of our schools, the backbone of District operations, the very network of support that enables our whole district to provide successful outcomes for students. They ferry BLS students safely across busy streets. They prepare nutritious food for students and serve it with a smile.

Classified staff navigate winter conditions driving buses with skill and care to deliver students safely home. They create relationships that may be the one connection that brightens a day or even changes a life. Classified staff brave every kind of weather on recess duty. They keep our buildings clean and ensure we are safe. They are guides and examples in the best sense.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

Last fall we introduced listeners to a major change, in our middle and high schools, known as Standards-Based Instruction and Grading. All secondary schools will have this fully in place next school year. We’re sharing information throughout this year to explain what the standards-based approach is all about and why it’s an improvement over the traditional model.

In this episode, Superintendent Cook is at Caldera High School to learn how the rollout of Standards-Based Instruction and Grading is going there so far. His guests are Caldera Principal Chris Boyd and teacher Emilie O’Neill. Emilie teaches Literature and Composition 3 and College Writing.

If you've heard a little about this change and want to know more, dive in to hear the perspectives of a classroom teacher and school administrator.

Learn more by visiting our grading web page.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

When our high school students return from winter break on Monday, January 5, Bend-La Pine Schools will be enforcing a policy that prohibits students from using or handling their phones and other personal electronic devices from the start of the first class period to the end of the last class period. That has been the expectation for middle and elementary school students for some time now, but now it applies to our high schools as well due to a new state requirement.

The new Silent and Away policy is in effect during the entire instructional day, including during lunch and passing periods in our seven high schools. In this episode of Superintendent Cook's Supe's On! podcast, Dr. Cook's guest is Michael Hicks, Principal of Mountain View High School. They discuss why this policy is necessary and how schools will enforce the change. Principal Hicks talks about how schools have prepared students for going without their phones for the entire instructional day, and the consequences for students who violate the policy.

In addition to this informative podcast, we invite you to visit our Silent and Away All Day webpage for answers to frequently asked questions about our new policy. The FAQ is available in English and Spanish.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

What happens when a student is a no-show at school? Student attendance has been a major concern in schools across the U.S. the past few years, after chronic absenteeism spiked during the pandemic years. Helping students and families achieve regular attendance is a key focus of Bend-La Pine Schools, and that centers on academic engagement and success; ensuring all students experience a sense of belonging and safety in school; and addressing family circumstances that make it challenging for students to attend. We’re seeing success with our strategies. Bend-La Pine Schools is tracking big improvement with a large number of students who had been missing too many days last school year, and who are showing up regularly this fall. In this episode of the Supe’s On! podcast, Superintendent Steven Cook sits down with Eric Powell, Director of Student Services, to talk why some students miss a lot of school and how the district approaches chronic absenteeism.

A new grading model is expanding across secondary schools this year as Bend-La Pine Schools continues its implementation of Standards-Based Grading. Some middle and high schools previously adopted it, more are implementing it this year, and all secondary schools will have it fully in place by this time next year. It’s a monumental shift in how our teachers evaluate how well students are learning and the process by which grades are assigned.

Katie Legace, the Executive Director of High Schools, and Stephen DuVal, the Executive Director of Middle Schools, join Dr. Cook to discuss how this approach is better for students.

Some families may wonder how the new grading model will translate to a student’s transcript and evaluation of college admission applications. DuVal offered assurances that universities and colleges are accustomed to working with schools that use standards-based grading.

"This is not going to disadvantage our students from reaching or achieving some of those high level colleges that our students want to get into," he said. "We're doing a better job of preparing them because we're being crystal clear on what the bar is and how to reach it so that they're prepared when they get there. Colleges are ready for this; they've already been doing this. This isn’t new to them.”

Learn more: https://www.bend.k12.or.us/district/academics/middle-school-instruction/grading-practices/grading-practices-faq

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

The emergence of artificial intelligence in public education has raised loads of questions for educators, administrators, students and families. We’re confronting these questions head on in Bend-La Pine Schools, as you’ll hear in our latest Supe’s On! Podcast with Superintendent Steven Cook. Dr. Cook visits with Dr. Karen Rush, one of our two Executive Directors overseeing elementary education, as well as the District’s Director of Educational Technology. Karen shares how tech tools can help engage learners and develop their skills; what we mean by “good” and “bad” screen time; digital literacy and responsibility; how the District is managing the rapidly evolving AI landscape in our schools; and how our AI policy promotes appropriate use of artificial intelligence. If you have a student attending school in our District, or simply are curious about the state of educational technology in public education, this one is for you!

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

What's all the commotion this summer at Sky View Middle School, Buckingham Elementary, and Bend Senior High School? It's our school bond program in full swing! Bend-La Pine Schools continues to invest in our school campuses from the voter-approved bond measure in 2002. Much of the work is centered on safety updates in all our schools, as well as roof replacements and school expansions. The main attraction is the 4-year modernization of Bend High, which is scheduled for completion in 2028. To walk us through everything going on, Angus Eastwood, our Assistant Director of Facilities, joins Dr. Cook for today's podcast.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

No one denies the teen years can be tough on many levels. A program in our secondary schools called Sources of Strength is helping students lean on support systems to help them through struggles big and small. Sources debuted in Bend-La Pine Schools four years ago at Bend Tech Academy, and in this episode Dr. Cook sits down with two BTA seniors who have been instrumental in growing this unique program. Phoebe Karpstein and Linzie Harris are our guests for The Supe's On! podcast.

(Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)