Supe‘s On! With Dr. Steven Cook

Reintroducing Bend Tech Academy

You may know this school from a different time, with a different name. Bend Tech Academy today is entirely different: a small but mighty “choice option” high school with an emphasis on career-technical education, preparing students for college and careers. Dr. Cook visits BTA for a chat with the new Principal, Dr. LaKisha Clark, and BTA parent Sharon Miller, a member of the school’s Site Council. Hear them discuss what makes BTA an exciting high school option for students in Bend-La Pine Schools. (Theme music by Zakhar Valaha)

Some of the heroes in our schools

Winter can be a tough time of year for many families, as cold weather means increased heating bills and a need for warm clothing. When our families seek basic needs, there’s someone at school they can turn to for help: Family Access Network (FAN) advocates. On today’s podcast, Superintendent Steven Cook is joined by FAN Executive Director Julie Lyche, who shares the hardships families are facing right now, as well as they joy and hope she feels thanks to the powerful work of this local nonprofit.

 

How vaping is affecting our schools and what we can do to help

Vaping is impacting our schools. While we know that a majority of students are not vaping, the number who are need support. In Superintendent Steve Cook's latest podcast, he examines this topic alongside Becky Aylor, Assistant Principal at Mountain View High School, and Aimee Snyder, Prevention and Health Promotion Supervisor at Deschutes County. Together they discuss the size of the problem locally, the steps our schools are taking to help students and what we can all do to prevent vaping or intervene once a student has started. Listen now: bls.fyi/podcast

Prevention Resources:

• Tip sheet for talking to teens about vaping
• Marijuana Talk Kit
• "Talk. They Hear You"

Recovery/Intervention Resources:

• Text DITCHVAPE to 99709: Text-based, youth-focused support to quit nicotine/ vaping
• Oregon Quitline (for 13 years and older): Phone, online and text counseling to quit nicotine and cannabis: English: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) quitnow.net/oregon or Español: 1-855-DEJELO-YA (1-855-335-35692) quitnow.net/oregonsp
• Youth can also text or call Youthline to talk to a peer about what they’re experiencing that may be influencing their substance use and to learn more about options they could consider from a peer: Text Teen2Teen to 839863 or call 877-968-8491 (link available on student iPads)
• Use Care Solace to have a Care Companion help access treatment: CareSolace.com/bls or call 888-515-0595. Their school counselor or school nurse can help them connect to a Care Solace Care Companion.

Learn about the November bond, take a tour of Bend Senior High and learn about our incredible Lava Bear culture

Season 2 of Supe’s On! With Dr. Cook is here and today he’s covering the school construction bond on the November ballot. He goes on a tour of Bend Senior High with Principal Chris Reese to learn about 70-year-old classrooms, butterfly roofs, a boiler system run on steam and the incredible Lava Bear culture that puts people first. 

Support Matters: LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Schools

Did you know nearly 20 percent of middle and high school students in Bend-La Pine Schools identify as LGBTQ? It’s true … and it’s also true that students who identify as LGBTQ+ reported having the most negative experiences out of any demographic group in our schools. So what can we do to change this? On today’s podcast, we are focusing on our LGBTQ+ youth and what life is like for them in our schools. Superintendent Steven Cook is joined by teacher and advisor Mark Koopman and three students who identify as LGBTQ+ to talk about their school experiences, how our schools offer support and ways our community can do better.  

Join us for a great discussion about allies, belonging, pride and identity in Bend-La Pine Schools. 

Note: Today’s podcast includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, connect with the teen-to-teen crisis and help line Oregon YouthLine at 1877-968-8491 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For additional resources, visit our student mental health webpage. 

Class of 2022: Ready to Reflect

Grab your mortarboards and get ready to toss some confetti, it’s senior week on the podcast! This week, two seniors at Realms High take Superintendent Cook on a tour of their small choice high school, reflect on how the pandemic affected their high school experience and share their plans for the future. 

This Pod is Poggers (did we get that right?)

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week and that means Dr. Cook is headed to a middle school classroom to celebrate two outstanding educators. Cascade Middle School math teacher Brian Kent and special education teacher McKenna Johnsen share what they love about middle school (blunt, hilarious students who keep them young), how working together is building students’ confidence and what’s giving them hope. Plus, find out which of our teachers (who is still teaching today) inspired Kent as a high schooler by making it “cool to know stuff.”

Even One is Too Many: Taking on Bias Incidents in Our Schools

Today’s podcast takes on a serious, disheartening subject: bias incidents in our schools. Superintendent Steven Cook, Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Kinsey Martin and Assistant Director of Student Services Eric Powell walk listeners through what we are seeing in schools and how our staff are responding. Listeners will learn how many bias incidents have been reported this year, how each report is investigated and what restorative practices are in place to help after an incident.

No Dusty Shelves

It’s School Library Month and Dr. Cook is connecting with two outstanding teacher librarians, Eila Overcash (Summit High) and Donna Layne (Mountain View High), to get an inside look at our thriving libraries. The duo share tips on how to find a book to reach even the most reluctant reader, how they approach books with controversial subjects and how they have turned their libraries into the center of the school (Wordle, a mannequin, a prize wheel and WWII museum all play a part). Plus, four book recommendations worth checking out!  

Athletic Directors Are Getting Back On Track

In today’s episode, Dr. Steven Cook talks with two athletic directors about the moment everything changed in their worlds, how they handle ever-changing protocols, and the transformative power of athletics. Caldera’s Dave Williams and Mountain View’s Lance Haas share the importance of staying flexible and why they know their work matters for kids.