Sittin' with the Supe: Recent Episodes
Rachel Gibbs/ Russel Johnson
Check out what is happening in Madison City Schools with the host and Superintendent of Madison City Schools, Dr. Ed Nichols.
We have the best students here in Madison City. This episode of Sittin' With Supe supports that claim, as Dr. Nichols sits down with Bob Jones students, Drew Crocker, Simon Adkins, and Sophia Johnson , to discuss an exciting community event they have organized for May 4th, MadFest. Listen to find out more about the exciting opportunities you can participate in from hot air balloon rides, to food trucks, to service project opportunities, It's sure to be a fantastic day of togetherness in Madison.
In this episode of Sittin' with the Supe, Dr. Nichols discusses the opportunities that our outdoor classroom programs in Madison City Schools provide, not only by engaging our students in real life science learning, but also by building community that extends outside the school walls. Beth Woodard, Gifted Specialist and Outdoor Classroom Manager for Madison Elementary, as well as community partner April Waltz, from the Alabama Wildlife Federation, share insights into the amazing collaboration that has allowed many of our schools to fund, plan, build, utilize and maintain these fantastic learning spaces.
Join Dr. Nichols for a look into the newly expanded K-5 STEM program in Madison City Schools. Guests Julie Vandiver (Columbia), Kawanna Gardner (West Madison PreK), Megan Gowan (Horizon), and Crissy Stegherr (Madison) explain the ins and outs of STEM education in our elementary schools, including what it means to be STEM literate, the importance of exploring STEM careers in elementary school, and how our STEM program crosses multiple curriculums and intergrates important Digital Literacy and Computer Science standards.
Bob Jones engineering students, Justin Nguyen and Gresham Baker, Bob Jones engineering teacher, Jessye Gaines, and KTECH employees, Robin Dauma and Karl Liggin, join Dr. Nichols in this episode of Sittin' with the Supe. KTECH is a great community partner with Madison City Schools and a licensed private school through the Alabama Community College system where students can learn and gain industry credentials to prepare them for their futures. Visit www.goktech.org to learn more!
It's International Computer Science Education Week, and our Madison City teachers and students are engaging in all types of fun and meaningful computer science learning, from coding partnerships to guest speakers from the community. To highlight this week, Dr. Nichols sits down with Ms. Kim Straub of James Clemens High School and Mr. Bill McIlwain of Bob Jones High School, to get the scoop on topics like IT fundamentals, networking, and cybersecurity that make up our high school cyber technology courses.
Join Dr. Nichols to celebrate National Principal Appreciation Month! In October we celebrate all of the amazing principals who play such an important role in making Madison City Schools the great school district that it is. Dr. Georgina Nelson from Heritage Elementary, Mr. Jamie Hill from Discovery Middle, and Dr. Kerry Donaldson from James Clemens High School share insight into the demanding job of a principal.
Join Dr. Nichols as he sits down with Coach Jenny Jarrett and three members of the nationally ranked volleyball team at Bob Jones High School. Seniors Meg Jarrett, Eliza Tyrrell, and Rachel Mecklenburg share insights about the program and their gained experiences with the team.
In this episode of Sittin' with the Supe Dr. Nichols is joined by Audra Loftin, music teacher at Columbia Elementary and Noel Newquist, art teacher at Midtown Elementary. They discuss the recent expansion of the art and music program which has opened up all sorts of new opportunities for teachers and students in Madison City.
Join Dr. Nichols as he chats with Dr. Treva Stewart, Mrs. Tabitha Odom, and Mr. Gerald Franks to get the scoop on overseeing the grand opening of Journey Middle School, our newest addition to the district.
Join Dr. Nichols as he talks to three women from Bob Jones High School who are all attending Military Service Academies next year! Madeline Edwards (Army), Leah Lessmann (Air Force), and Kathryn LaFerrera (Navy) share about their future plans and what preparing for each academy looks like. Congratulations, ladies!
In this episode of our podcast, Dr. Nichols sits down with three members of our Horizon Elementary Archery Team: Paul Allison, Emma Streling, and Audrey Walker. Joining them as well are team sponsor Tesa Hernandez and coach Shawn Streling. The team members, coach, and sponsor share insights into the archery program, the benefits students glean from participating, and how the program impacts students both in and out of the classroom.
Join Dr. Nichols during this special episode of Sittin' with the Supe, which is very appropriately airing during the Month of the Military Child, to offer insight into our Elementary and Secondary Student to Student (S2S) programs. Rainbow Elementary S2S. officers, Kayleigh Smith and Eisley Yaw, join Discovery Middle S2S member. Micah Sigler, to discuss what they love about the S2S program which strives to make sure incoming military families and all other students new to our schools feel welcome and supported. Rainbow Elementary sponsors, Alicia Sullivan-Smith and Kelcie Thomas, as well as Discovery Middle sponsor, Sara Baragona, also share the teacher perspective on this outstanding program and the impact it makes towards building a trusting school culture and developing young leaders.
Kaetlyn Hermann, Federal Programs Specialist, Micah York, Liberty Middle School, and Jessie Mayes, Heritage Elementary School, join Dr. Nichols to discuss the support the district and schools provide for our English Language Learners. From classroom support to the upcoming summer camp, Madison City Schools offers a variety of services for our 670 EL students!
Join Dr. Nichols as he chats with Mrs. Nichole Phillips, principal of our Madison City First Class PreK, Lisa Koerlin, lead PreK teacher, and Melissa Mims, Coordinator of Elementary Instruction. Topics discussed include the PreK registration process, what curriculum in a PreK classroom consists of, and how parents can ensure their students are prepared for Kindergarten.
Olyvia English and Parx White from Bob Jones' Engineering Academy and Tara Flynn and Akshat "AK" Dubey from James Clemens' Health Science Academy joined Dr. Nichols to speak about their internship experiences this past semester. They also talked about the different CTE courses available in those academies and how opportunities in elementary and middle school set them up for success in high school.
One of the elements that sets Madison City Schools apart from others is the vast number of opportunities our students are offered as they move through their academic journey. From numerous elective courses, to career tech studies, and educational pathways, each individual student is supported in finding the experiences that are the perfect fit for him or her. While choice is a fantastic thing, the plethora of options our school district provides can sometimes feel overwhelming to students and parents. We want to help! Join Dr. Nichols as he discusses curriculum updates and other valuable information with the Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Heather Donaldson, and Secondary Instruction Coordinator, Mrs. Sharon Powell. Topics discussed include new course credit requirements, college and career ready offerings and partnerships, and the most recent additions to course offerings. This week's guests offer tips and guidance for parents and students as they navigate their academic career.
Did you know we employee dogs here in Madison City Schools? In this episode of Sittin' with the Supe Dr. Nichols welcomes one of our cutest and friendliest members of staff to the podcast table. Barnie, the school service dog for Madison Elementary, is joined by his primary handler and MES counselor Stefanie Cook, secondary counselor and gifted specialist Beth Woodard, and our MCS mental health services coordinator, Stephanie Allen. Lots of laughs were had as the group discussed Barnie's journey into the school system and the tremendous support he provides the students of Madison Elementary. This one is tons of fun, and you will definitely want to give it a listen!
Sally Warden, Marc Jacobson, and Greg Curtis sit down with Dr. Ed Nichols to talk about their role in the formation of the the Madison City School District as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. These podcast guests, along with many others, were crucial in our transition from the county to what we now know as Madison City Schools, one of the state’s most successful districts.
Join Dr. Nichols as he catches up with our Bob Jones and James Clemens esports coaches, Ms. Pam Paquette and Ms. Aubree White. Learn a little more about the inner workings of this modern sport, the opportunities it offers our students, and what our current teams are up to.
Madison City has multiple fantastic theatre groups in our elementary, middle, and high schools. In this episode, Dr. Nichols sits down with two of our theatre directors, Amy Patel from James Clemens and Dana Herwig from Columbia Elementary. Follow the conversation from center stage to behind the curtains as we discuss the hard work and success of our students and get the scoop on all the MCS drama!
In this episode, Dr. Nichols chats with Kaleb Owens, Lana Meskunas, and Stephanie Bostick, our college and career readiness coach and counselors. Listen and learn about all the services and opportunities our district offers students as they determine their pathway after graduation. The team also shares some helpful tips for families.
Join Dr. Nichols as he discusses the ins and outs of Green Power with Jackie Smith, our team sponsor at Mill Creek Elementary and Jessye Gaines, our team sponsor at Bob Jones High School. They share some very interesting information on the origins of Green Power as well as some insight on this opportunity for our students to pursue STEM interests as well as develop their social skills through participation on this team.
Join Dr. Nichols as he gets the scoop on Bob Jones Flag Football from two members of the inaugural team. Carly Thomas and Kaila Holloway discuss rules of the game, their team’s progress, and the power of teamwork.
In this episode, Dr. Nichols sits down with Coach White and Coach McGehee, head football coaches at Bob Jones and James Clemens respectively. He finds out about the path that led these fantastic coaches to Madison City, and digs into some of the factors that affect the role of a high school football coach that you may not be aware of.
Dr. Nichols sits down with the MCS Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, Mrs. Bonnie Howard from Madison Elementary, and Command Sgt. Ellis Clark from Bob Jones High School. They discuss the interesting path that lead each of these individuals into the world of education and gets the insider scoop on the future ready media center and ROTC life in Madison City Schools.
Keith Anderson and Leigh Thomas sit down with Dr. Nichols to discuss the upcoming band season, all the work that goes into creating their shows, and give a sneak peek into their fall performances.