The BIS Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jeremy Sinks
The BIS Podcast is dedicated to sharing the latest innovations happening in Crater High BIS classrooms. In an ever changing educational landscape, the BIS Podcast keeps you updated on current trends and topics in education by interviewing education professionals, students, alumni, and community stakeholders.
In part 2 of this exclusive episode for 8th grade parents and students, special guests and BIS teachers Angie Simpson, Ron Craft, and Matt Hokenson talk about what their classes are like. They are followed by four student guests, Kalista, Lane, Sophie, and Brandon, who share their perspective about what it’s like to be a freshman student in BIS.
It’s the time of year for Scenic and Hanby Middle School 8th graders to choose what academy they will enroll in at Crater High. This is totally unique to 8th grade students in School District 6. In part 1 of this exclusive episode, special guest and BIS Principal Tiffany Slaughter answers the big questions about BIS, followed by two student guests, Allison and Samantha, who share their perspective about what it was like choosing a school their 8th grade year.
In BIS we believe that in order for students to engage in their learning they need a high stakes format to showcase their talents, skills, and hard work. BIS Exhibition night is that format. Students present projects they’ve built to their family members, friends, teachers, and community members. It’s a night filled with energy and enthusiasm for what students have learned. On this special episode, you’ll hear several different perspectives from students and parents about their experience on BIS Exhibition Night.
There’s nothing more stressful for a high school senior than applying for college. Well almost. Paying for it might be even more so. Especially today when college tuition and housing has increased to unprecedented levels. For many middle American families, the cost of going to a 4-year university feels out of reach. Even crippling. BIS College Guidance Guru, Mike Rogan, wants people to know they don’t have to feel that way and they shouldn’t give up on college because the sticker shock feels so debilitating. Mike is an expert at finding money and he has a simple message: try. Don’t let the cost of college prevent you from applying. Just try. Then you can decide whether or not you can swing the cost of going to college because you just never know what scholarships, grants, or aid are available to make the college you want to go to more affordable.
What does a Spotify blender and a YouTube refrigerator have in common? For one, they’re not real products, but they demonstrate how Embedded Systems are finding their way into our everyday household appliances and the current trend of consumer electronics – everything, it seems, is connecting to the internet of things. What does this mean for students and how does it relate to education? OPPORTUNITY. Tune in to this week’s episode to learn about Oregon’s best kept college secret: Oregon Tech’s Computer Science Engineering Technology and Embedded Systems Engineering Technology programs. Todd Breedlove, Department Chair of Computer Science Engineering Technology, and Tory Scevers, Professor and Director of Embedded Systems Engineering Technology, join the show to talk about their project-based approach and internship opportunities at Oregon Tech. BIS 2018 graduates Seth Worthylake and Konner Sand also join the show to share their first-year experience as Oregon Tech Computer Science Engineering students. Oregon Tech may be small compared to some other state schools, but the programs they offer are strategic, forward thinking, and have a tremendous return on investment.
It’s easy for adults to overlook the “stuff” kids go through. But just because they’re kids, we shouldn’t treat their “stuff” any less seriously than an adult’s “stuff.” Anxiety. Depression. Stress. Social Media meltdowns. How do we help students work through their “stuff?” Tune in to this week’s episode to learn from Crater High Counselor Michelle Grush who shares her advice and experience in helping students in a “no-judgments, let me walk with you” kind-of-way. If you are a Crater student in need of help or know of a student who needs help, Mrs. Grush’s office is located next to the library. She can also be reached at 541-494-6343 or at michelle.grush@district6.org. For more information regarding counseling services at Crater High, visit http://blogs.district6.org/michelle.grush/. For the Crises Text Line, text HELLO to 741741. It’s free, 24/7 and Confidential. The Suicide Help Line 1-800-273-8255.
Public speaking is phobia numéro uno for most people. Even the most experienced speakers will tell you they still get nervous before giving a speech or presentation. But through practice and experience, much of that fear can be overcome with confidence. So how do we engage students in meaningful public speaking exercises? With ribbons, medals, and coffee mugs of course! Tune in to learn about the growing competitive field of high school Speech & Debate. Coach Kristen Sullivan shares how she harnesses the raw potential of her students and guides them through the technical landscape of Speech & Debate competitions. BIS students Maddie Hickman and Trevor Fox join the show to share their first-hand experiences of what it’s like to be competitors in the speech debate arenas.
It's the BIS Alumni Celebration Day! In this live episode, BIS alum share their college experience with our current BIS students. It's our favorite day of the year because we get to see how our BIS graduates are making their marks in the world. Join us for this special episode as these college students discuss how BIS prepared them for their educational journey after high school, and get a glimpse of the college life, including important tips and essential advice for making the most out of your college experience.
Teaching students to program is like giving them super powers. They are able to leverage their creativity and build a strong foundation for problem solving. Learning to code requires persistence – a lot of persistence. Students level up their persistence ability faster in programming than just about any other subject. When students combine their creativity, problem solving sills, and persistence ability, they create amazing feats. Listen in on this episode with BIS physics/programming teacher and guitar builder extraordinaire John Lohman as we discuss how he deploys a project based approach to the way he teaches programming, physics, and guitar building. BIS students Ashton Idiart and Abe Hull also join the show share their experience in developing their coding super powers.
In episode 4, host Jeremy Sinks looks at a local organization steeped in a tradition of success: Crater FFA. He brings in the 3 FFA advisors, Kristin Kostman, Jim Miller, and Bailey Corcoran to learn about how they've cultivated a strong program with a long-standing reputation of excellence in the state of Oregon. Two current FFA officers also join the show to share their experience of what it means to wear the iconic blue and gold denim jackets.
In episode 3, host Jeremy Sinks runs down what's happening in BIS, then hosts special guest, "Super Steele," Central Point School District 6 Superintendent Samantha Steele. Super Steele discusses leadership, vision, innovation, and the latest ground-breaking project in D6, the Crater Works, a large-scale makerspace that aims to forge a community of learners and entrepreneurs in the Central Point.
In episode 2, host Jeremy Sinks runs down what's been happening in BIS, then briefly introduces the purpose of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and how they are used to deliver instruction for virtual classrooms.BIS math teacher Kierra Huggins joins the pod to share her latest implementation: Blended Learning using the Summit Learning Management System. Mrs. Huggins has accomplished a truly blended learning model with multiple skill levels in one classroom. She discusses how she makes this work and the challenges she's faced along the way. BIS students Drew and Ike also join the pod to give us their perspective on the new Blended Learning model.
In this debut episode, host Jeremy Sinks recaps one of the CSBeast's iconic projects: the Mock Interviews. He also relates the recent challenges and troubleshooting he undertook to make sure CESPN was ready for its live broadcast of Crater Football's Senior Night, and a brief glimpse into the novel his Honor's English students are reading called "All the Light We Cannot See." BIS Principal Tiffany Slaughter shares why she's excited about the BIS Makerspace this year and the current challenges we face in education. Teacher-extrodanaire Ron Craft shares his passion for connecting art to business and his latest project the BIS Electric Car.