Supe‘s On! With Dr. Steven Cook

Superintendent Steven Cook

In each episode, Superintendent Dr. Steven Cook serves up news and information about Bend-La Pine Schools for families, staff and community members.

  1. Apr 23

    Preparing for the future: Life & Career Readiness Night 2026

    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)

    15 min
  2. Mar 13

    It's Classified: What you should know about support staff at Bend-La Pine Schools

    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)

    19 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

In each episode, Superintendent Dr. Steven Cook serves up news and information about Bend-La Pine Schools for families, staff and community members.